intheboatshed.net

Here’s some more of my brother Matt Atkin’s striking photos from Hong Kong - to see an earlier post click here. Once again, I don’t think either of us can say much about what the boats are, but it’s fascinating to see shots of a working and dwelling boat-using culture so very different from the one we know here in cold, rainy winter-bound Kent.

Thanks once again Matt!

Newlyn harbour; portrait of a Porthleven fisherman; unloading, Mevagissey harbour; launching lifeboat, Port Isaac; Princess Victoria. Click on the thumbnails to see larger photos. Images courtesy of the Pentreath Photographic Archives of Cornish Maritime History

This post marks the 1000th intheboatshed.net post! Hurrah!

Professor Jan Pentreath will reveal some items from his archive of local images dating from the mid-nineteenth century up to the end of the 1930s at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall at Falmouth on the 7th December 2009.

The event is an illustrated public talk titled Snapshots of Cornish maritime history and is part of a programme combining a lecture and lunch exploring different historical and nautical themes. Prof Pentreath says: ‘Each image represents a snapshot of our rich local maritime history and reveals the lives of the men and women who lived and worked on our waters. This talk will look at a number of stunning images and the fascinating stories behind them.’

The lecture and set lunch is from 12.30pm on Monday, 7 December and costs £12.50. To book your place please call 01326 214546.

For more intheboatshed.net posts on events and exhibitions at the NMMC, click here.

Boats of Hong Kong – click on the images for a larger photo

Hong Kong resident and photography enthusiast Matthew Atkin has kindly sent me this collection of his stunning shots – I guess the fact that he’s also my brother had something to do with it!

I’ve never been to the Far East (though will have to save up to travel there now my brother ands his family have set up residence), but I’m struck that while Hong Kong’s tower blocks seem very familiar, nothing else seems at all like anything I know, including the hills, the boats and ships and even the colour of the sea. I think Matt shot these images using his Leica camera, so I’m confident that the colour rendition here is accurate.

I’d like to say that these boats are junks and sampans and that some of the images of small boats include yulohs but I can’t, for neither Matt nor I can give these craft and their components their proper names. If anyone would like to help, please use the Comment link below.

Thanks for the photos Matt – I’ll post some more in a few days.