Contemplating.

Contemplating.
Wayzata, Minnesota

Friday, March 8, 2013

Sepia Saturday - 167 - 9 March 2013

"hark, now hear the sailors cry, smell the sea, and feel the sky-
let your soul and spirit fly, into the mystic...." - Van Morrison









What makes the seaside so mysteriously interesting?

Perhaps the gentle cry we hear before it turns to uncontrollable roaring waves. 


Sometimes, it's breathtakingly wonderful even when it's not actually a seaside, but merely the thought of being a seaside, that takes our breath away!





I spent a lot of summers right here when I was growing up.  My uncle and aunt still live in Grand Haven, Michigan, and together they share the beautiful and mysterious call from Lake Michigan!






 
Will they be able to present the true magic of the sea?

1922- Australian Museum staff, Miss Phyllis Clarke and Mr. Allan McCulloch painting the background of the Boatswain bird group for the Lord Howe Island diorama.







"My soul is full of longing for the secret of the sea,
and the heart of the great ocean sends a thrilling pulse through me."
-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow








What is the mystery behind the seaside, that urges us toward it?





You can't cross the sea by merely standing and staring at the water.
 - Rabindranath Tagore


Just recently a tragic storm washed ashore and uncovered a long time mystery from the sea.


A 90 year old shipwreck unearthed by Hurricane Sandy.





They believe it's the Bessie White that went down sometime in 1919 or 1922.




Hurricane Sandy’s ferocious waves flooded Fire Island, New York, leveling one dune to reveal a shipwreck approximately four miles east of Davis Park, although the true identity is still uncertain.
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/hurricane-sandy-uncovers-mystery-shipwreck-article-1.1203746#ixzz2N0niPGIT



 
 
 
In either 1919 or 1922, the Bessie White, a four-mast Canadian schooner, went aground in heavy fog about a mile west of Smith's Point, Long Island. The crew escaped in two boats. One capsized in the surf, injuring one crew member, but everyone (including the ship's cat) made it safely to shore. But they couldn't save the three-year-old ship or its tons of coal. In the following weeks the ship was salvaged.
 
 
 
 
1952   Richard Mahler
 
Lighthouse Fire Island, New York
 
 
Will the complete mystery of this ship be solved?  Time will tell.
 
 
 
For other Sepia Saturday posts go here.
 
 
 

23 comments:

Brett Payne said...

Painting the backgrounds for dioramas - that must be what photographer's backdrop painters did when photographers no longer required their services.

Unknown said...

Wow, that first lighthouse pic is simply spectacular!

ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®© said...

I have always loved the beach, the water, swimming, fishing, snorkeling...you name it!
~

ScotSue said...

Your sunset photograph is magnificent and a marvellous introduction to your post. My other favourite - the Canadian schooner.

Author R. Mac Wheeler said...

I love history, and a little mystery.

Have a great weekend!

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy said...

I hadn't heard of this yet, Karen. That is what I get for not watching the news anymore, I guess.

What a cool post; as yours always are. Thank you.

Kathy M.

Filip and Kristel said...

Good that you publish the picture is the real ship next to the wreck.

Greetings,
Filip

sage said...

The sea will always hold its secrets :) Nice shot of the Grand Haven lighthouse

Anonymous said...

Your first photo is beautiful! Enjoyed the others too. I hope they solve the mystery of the ship.

Nigel Aspdin (Derby, UK) said...

I am not sure that Charles T. White should have named this boat after his wife/daughter. It seems unfortunate should disaster strike. Someone named a ship after my ancestor Joseph Aspdin, who patented Portland Cement in 1824. It was a concrete ship (yes!) and it sank off the Washington/Oregon coast. Surprised?
How exciting to find these timbers appearing on your beach, some compensation for suffering a storm.

anyjazz said...

A fine collection of photographs illustrating a mystery. An interesting journey. Thanks.

JJ said...

I always loved the sea, and I spent as much time at the sea as I could. However, I lived most of my life in the mountains. Now that I have the sea every day, I could never leave it. Beautiful pictures!

21 Wits said...

Sage I thought you might like it, and I bet you've been there!

Monica T. said...

I prefer watching the sea from ashore... But the deep waters hold many mysteries for sure.

Bob Scotney said...

The Michigan shot has to be my favourite - superb! The story behind ship wrecks and ships that have been salvaged and restored always fascinate me, a strict landlubber.

tony said...

Yes, We Can List All Those Elemental Factors (smell/sound/feel/etc )But,your right ,there is an overriding attraction pull that the Sea creates.A Mystery.Like A Magnet Hidden.......

Tattered and Lost said...

The ocean certainly likes to keep its secrets. I love the image of the lighthouse. In fact, I love lighthouses. They're magical places full of mystery.

Karen said...

A beautiful shot of Lake Michigan - how lucky you were to spend your summers in such a beautiful setting. Interesting post, thank you for sharing.

Mike Brubaker said...

The ocean has that seemingly infinite horizon. We look across a flat plane and wonder what's on the other side?

Little Nell said...

Now you see Karen, when you're feeling the cold you can remember those Michigan summers. We have a niece and a friend who live near there and we were fortunate to visit a few years go. It's a beautiful picture. How fascinating about the wreck being uncovered too.

Joy said...

Its amazing what the sea uncovers in a storm. Your photo of the Lord Howe diorama intrigued me so of course I had to look for more, its amazing its still there and being renovated. I can't remember the last time I saw something like that in a museum.

Alan Burnett said...

My mother used to love the sea, that true magic you talk about so well. She was never so happy as when she was stood on a beach staring out into the distance and watching the waves roll in.

Unknown said...

I'd never heard of Fire Island before, the exposing of a shipwreck is fascinating. And I'm glad the cat survived. Also, lakes can be fascinating, I once made up a plan to visit all the large lakes in Europe, but I don't have enough free time to actually start traveling.