Tall Ship Chronicles (CBC) / The Ship (BBC)

[ChrisJBrady]

Two reality tall ship series have recently been discovered on YouTube. These are:

1/ Tall Ship Chronicles on Picton Castle (Canadian BC - 2001 / 2002)

2/ The Ship on HM Bark Endeavour (BBC 2 - 2002)

None have been issued on DVD for various reasons. So these are from home recordings. - they are not viewable anywhere else.

After a world-wide search a set of home-recorded NTSC tapes was discovered in a job lot in the USA. These were then digitised and brought into the public domain. These digitisations seem to have been circulated widely!! It was reported that the then captain was reluctant to have TSC released - it is suspected that he was embarrassed by the lack of safety depicted on board aka no harnesses whilst on deck or aloft, and drug taking on remote Pacific Islands.

The second upload is from an enthusiast with permission from the BBC's film maker. It is a re-enactment voyage by the HM Bark Endeavour replica from Cairns to Bali approximately following one of Cook's early voyages. It features the emotional announcement of the 9/11 attack when Captain Chris Blake calls all hands to tell them that they are at that moment likely in the safest place on earth, on board Endeavour. Subsequently their planned visit to Jakarta was abandoned in favour of safer Bali.

Here's the links:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_C7SU1qmLQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qo73ByQFoE

CJB

P.S. The files can be downloaded using a YouTube Downloader.

 

[ChrisJBrady]

Regarding 9/11 - we too were on a tall ship re-enactment voyage just before. We had heard that a group of American Mormons wanted to re-enact the sailing of migrants from Europe to America 150 years ago. They were seeking crew. We applied and were accepted. We are not Momorns.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_Trek_2001

We joined Christian Radich in Oslo and sailed with them to Hull meeting North Sea gales on the way, then along the English Channel in calm fog-bound conditions to Portsmouth. At Hull there was a huge exhibition of the migration, together with more modern day genealogical research. At Portsmouth we sailed into a Tall Ships Festival - the best way to participate in one - as crew!! We then left the ship.

A reduced flotilla of tall ships including Christian Radich then attempted to sail across the Atlantic to New York via the Canary Islands. During this crossing there was the 9/11 attack during which the Twin Towers were destroyed and thousands killed. The harbour was in critical lockdown however the ships were given special dispensation to enter the harbour. But what a horrendous way to end a re-enactment voyage of hope and new beginnings. We felt sorry for those still on board.