Exciting New Poject!!!

I'm really excited over my new project which, like most things I do, just sort of happened. I'll try to explain it simply:

I decided to redraw the USS Constitution (Old Ironsides), which is alive and floating in Boston Harbour

She was central to the birth of the US Navy, as one of the six original ships ordered by President George Washington -all frigates- to be built to protect the US Merchant Fleet.  As you know, I like to research my drawings and in so doing I noticed one of the six frigates was the USS Chesapeake.

It's a small world because the figurehead of the Chesapeake  was on display in the Sheerness Dockyard where I served my apprenticeship as a Shipwright (1954-1959). To make it even more personal, Pat's father used to paint the figurehead once a year, as he did the figurehead of HMS Shannon. The significance is that during the war of American Independence, the Shannon captured the Chesapeake and brought her to England where she was made HMS Chesapeake. But don't  worry my American friends, because Old Ironsides sank and captured lots of British Ships, it wasn't all one-way traffic :0).

One final twist is that the figurehead of Chesapeake was said to be that of  Pocahontas, of whom I was writing a short while ago (below). 

Anyway, I decided to order a book, The Enduring Journey of the USS Chesapeake, by the American writer and Emmy Award winning broadcaster, Chris Dickon.

I was so fired-up that I wanted to draw the Chesapeake there & then, and searched the Internet for plans - nothing! In desperation I wrote to Chris Dickon, suspecting I wouldn't get a reply from such a busy and famous person. I was wrong. Chris, bless him, came back with a long and detailed reply within 24 hours. As a consequence Pat and I are setting out on a four day adventure to Hampshire in the south of England. Chris visited my blog and thought it might be an advantage for me to take part in the The Enduring Journey of the USS Chesapeake...

                   ...for it seems...

... that there is an old flour watermill in Wickam which became derelict and was going to be demolished, but it was saved when they found that huge parts of the building were made from the remains of the Chesapeake!!!!! .......woo! hoo! exciting or what!!!!??? It's now known as the Chesapeake Mill Tea Rooms

The general public are not allowed into the fragile historic part, that houses Chesapeake, but Chris is arranging with Hampshire local government for me to gain access to the remains of the ship, with a view to drawing!!!

We will travel down on March the 17th. Life is so exciting and full of fun!!!!! High 5 everyone!!