The Guardian of the boatyard

Whilst woodpeckers went to walk by the canal in Stroud, I headed off to Gloucester to do some tofu shopping. I had in mind that I could explore an area of the docks there, which I hadn't been to before. I found a small back road and parked in a run down industrial zone just outside the western side of the old docks, which are usually approached from the eastern side next to the city centre. The dockland warehouses, wharves and basins have been progressively re-developed in recent years and are beginning to thrive with new blocks of flats as well as conversions to the old industrial buildings.

On the other side of the road from where I'd parked, I spotted this wonderful old carved wooden ship's figurehead apparently stored beside the rear fence of a dockside wharf, sitting on top of an old container. It seemed like a guardian for the premises, in much the same way as asian cultures use sculpted figures of gods and warriors to ward off bad spirits. This head, which must be moire than two feet high, seemed to be an image of a lion, but its body seemed to be that of a prone dragon. I have put a shot of its whole body here on my Blipfolio.

Spots of rain began to fall, so after taking a few pictures I walked along the road which I discovered was above the bank of the River Severn, to which the docks are connected by locks. I came across a footbridge which I couldn't resist crossing and buy the time I reached the other side, an elderly couple came straight up to me, and told me directly that they had spotted two otters on the bank of the river this morning. We leaned over the bridge and they pointed out where they had seen it and then we chatted for a few minutes. They are retired and have bought one of the newly built flats on the dockside, but have a view out over the river and beyond to the very large island formed between two branches of the River Severn. It is an important nature reserve right by the city centre and they voluntarily look after it, mostly having to clear rubbish and human detritus.

Originally they were boat owners and used the docks as a mooring. They had just visited Stroud to see the regeneration of the Thames and Severn canal where Helena had gone this afternoon. They also mentioned that the Tall ships Festival would be happening again in May which is something I have always wanted to see, particularly the passage of the tall ships from the Bristol Channel into Sharpness dock and then along the Sharpness to Gloucester canal. They said that one of the great success stories of the Gloucester docks is a boatyard called T. Neilson and company, Traditional shipbuilders and riggers, and that there wasa tall ship in their dry dock.

They pointed out where the dry dock was and I wandered along the quayside beside the main dock basin. There were several beautiful wooden sailing boats including an old Bristol Channel Pilot Cutter. In one of the two dry docks was indeed a large wooden tall ship, but without its two main masts which were on the quayside. I was delighted to see all this and will definitely return to try and photograph activities there during a woking day, as you can see down into the bottom of the dry dock and virtually see all around the hull of the boats.

Sadly, whilst I was taking pictures there, my lens suddenly ceased to work, making rather strange noises and an error message appearing on the camera. This was the lens I was already worried about, because it took the brunt of my fall a couple of weeks ago, when I badly hurt my shoulder and knees. I have a horrible feeling it will need rebuilding and I'm wondering whether my insurance will cover it.


What I did notice on the wooden boat was a female figurehead at the prow of the boat, so i turned round and saw that I was at the front of the premises, where I had seen the lion figurehead, so it is obviously in good hands, perhaps waiting for the right wooden vessel to come in need of a figurehead.

I have just found this information here:
Figureheads
A millennium before Christ, the Egyptians carved the heads of deities on the bows of their ships, and the Romans, Greeks, and Phoenicians carried on this tradition, dedicating their ships to their gods and goddesses in the hope of ensuring safe voyages. The "dragon ships" of the Vikings were adorned with menacing snarling dragon heads carved from oak, which were intended to terrify the raiders' victims and to guard against evil spirits at sea. The power of figureheads was thought to be so great that at one time Iceland insisted that foreign ships remove them before entering her waters.

Captain Bligh reported that the Tahitians were fascinated with the figurehead on the HMS Bounty. He described it as "a pretty figure of a woman in a riding habit," who was lifting her skirts over the seas with her right hand, as she looked ahead of the ship. This painted likeness was the first representation of an Englishwoman the Tahitians had ever seen. Captain Bligh wrote: "..... and they kept gazing at it for hours."

As enlightened sailors, we know our figurehead is purely decorative, yet sometimes there's the feeling of a "presence" at our bow, guiding us through foggy and unfamiliar waters.