Sunday 19 April 2009

Wednesday 15th April 2009 – An Old Lady Reveals a Racy Past

The Eastern Point of Long Island is rather like being on the Queen Mary again: the wind, the waves, the overwhelming sounds and smell; but most of all, the sense of peace.  Nobody here is in a hurry.  The man at the gate is unconcerned by the lack of booking.  And he advises against parking up and having a look around: "next boat's got some kinda trouble, she's gonna be late – I'd take this one".  So this one it was.

'This one' is a ship called the Cape Henlopen, which, it turns out, has been around.  It is a bit of an understatement to say she's seen a bit of action: on June 6th 1944, she rolled up Omaha beach with 30 tanks on board; and then did the same on every Pacific Island John Wayne ever conquered; and still gainfully employed wallowing across the Sound full of cars and trucks.  One or two of the trucks are those enormous 18-wheelers more at home on the freeways.  Various plaques indicate that veterans still come by to remember their past and their comrades.  The Cape Henlopen, when she was young, was known simply as 'LST 510', a 'Landing Ship, Tanks'.  The '510' is probably some indicator of the enormous power of the United States, even back then.  Her survival, and new name and job are a compliment to her designers.

[If you look up the ships on the Cross-sound Ferries company web-site, you will find there is one fast passenger ferry, the Sea Jet, which is illustrated in her old livery, with a huge Union Jack painted down the side.  This is because she used to operate in Hawai.  Hawai has a Union Jack in the corner of its state flag, to commemorate Captain Cook.]

 

The old LST510, as I shall now always remember her, took us to New London, Connecticut.  From there, it was a short, but slow drive to Newport, Rhode Island. 

As I write this, on a Sunday morning, NPR (National Public Radio) is broadcasting a 'Folk' programme.  The current item is a recording of a live performance at the 1963 Newport Folk Festival, Bob Dylan and Joan Baez what-can-only-be-described-as-'murdering' 'With God on Our Side'.  It's excruciating!  How did they get away with it?  We used to think it was wonderful.  Does Newport still have a 'Folk' festival?  If it does, are the performers any better?

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