Just got back from London and thought I'd mention a few nautical
related items:
1. Yes, I kayaked the Thames again. This time I used a 19 pound
Pakboat. I questioned the ability of this little folding kayak
before I got it in the water, but once I did-- what a great
boat! The Thames can be very turbulent and the river banks rough
with sharp rocks and glass shards, but the boat was up to it. If
you're thinking of a folding dingy for your Potter, you might
want to think of a Pakboat.
2. National Maritime Museum- At one time this was considered the
greatest maritime museum in the world. A few years ago it
underwent a many million dollar renovation and expansion. The
latest ideas in museum design have now been incorporated-- and
what a mess it is! Did they forget that a maritime museum is
supposed to be about boats? Despite having more space there are
now fewer boats than before the renovation. The emphasis seems
to be on "interpretation" rather than on displaying hardware, and
the emphasis on "dummy-down" kinetic-learning for children is all
too apparent. Yeech.... a waste of $12.
3. The library at the Natl. Maritime Museum is still good. I did
some interesting research there on small boats from the 1860s.
Very helpful staff.
4. Chandlery shops in London are now offering items at prices
comparable to US outlets, like West and Defender. Business
competition in the UK is approaching US standards, and so prices
are dropping. UK boatowners are benefiting.
5. The replica of Drake's Golden Hind is being fitting for yet
another trans-oceanic voyage. It's a great "living museum" ship,
and worth going on board if you're in London. It's near the
replica Globe theater in Southwark.
Yours,
Bill Longyard
Siren 17
Winston-Salem, NC
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Was the salesman clueless? Productopia has the answers.
http://click.egroups.com/1/3019/3/_/917698/_/957032929/
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Post: WWPotter@egroups.com
Help: WWPotter-owner@egroups.com
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Sun Apr 30 2000 - 03:27:17 PDT