17th Century ship

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aukepalmhof
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17th Century ship

Post by aukepalmhof » Wed Nov 05, 2014 8:49 pm

To commemorate the pilot service in Bermuda the Bermuda Mail issued in 1977 a set of 5 stamps. The five stamps show typical scenes of the period from the 17th century till 1977.
The system of piloting in Bermuda has developed over many centuries and the number of wrecks in Bermudian coastal waters bears testimony to the continual need for this service. Even in the distance past when ships were much smaller than the nowadays modern passenger and cargo vessels, the dangers awaiting unwary inexperienced or perhaps unlucky navigators were fully appreciated and an experienced pilot which knows the dangerous waters was well valued.
With typical Bermudian enterprise a few individuals were quick to recognize the value of being able to provide visiting ships with experienced coastal navigators who could guide them through the difficult approaches to the Islands.
The shipping companies were equally anxious to take advantage of this facility and from humble beginnings in the 17th century the piloting service flourished.
Originally it was basically a commercial exercise on the part of the Bermudians. There was initially no formal code of practice but the one accepted rule was that the pilot to reach the visiting ship first was commissioned.
Consequently the competition was keen and the rival pilots or their lookouts waited at various vantage points to spot the approaching vessels as they appeared over the horizon. The pilot was then taken out to the ship in his gig and in the case of simultaneous sightings by a number of operators the crew actually raced against each other in an attempt to be the first to put the pilot on board.
Even with the advent of accurate sea-charts originally produced by the British Royal Navy in 1794 and the establishment of navigational aids such as lighthouses, beacons and buoys, piloting till today remains an essential service.
5c) Shows us a 17 century armed vessel approaching Castle Island, Bermuda, preceded by the ship’s boat with one of the crew “heaving the lead” for sounding the water depth.
Some sources give she is the PEARL of 1708, there was a HMS PEARL built in 1708 who was sailing in the waters there, but around 1708 most of the ships were more flat decked and did not have the high poop deck, and I believe she is not depict, but I can’t find a painting of drawing of her on the net.
Another PEARL was hired by the Royal Navy in June 1665, dimensions and tonnage unknown, which took part in the Battle of Nevis in 1667.
She was armed with 32 guns.
Her hire ended in 1667.
Also not a drawing of painting I could find of her.
I believe the ship depict is a type of vessel sailing in the 17th century in the waters of Bermuda and not a named vessel is showed.

Bermuda 1977 5c sg 379, scott355.
Source: Bermuda Mail and internet
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