I have just received a link to an e-petition from one of our dive club members who also happens to be a marine archaeologist.
It relates to the
City of Adelaide, a sailing clipper that's 5 years older than the Cutty Sark; built in the NE of England, she plied the route from Britain to Australia and is the last surviving passenger clipper, which makes her just as significant as the Cutty Sark - she's also the only other surviving composite iron-timber constructed clipper ship in the world too.
Apparently she's owned by the Maritime Museum of Scotland and has sat on a slip in Scotland for some years. Faced with an eviction notice by the slip's owners, who are redeveloping the land, and lack of funding to relocate or restore the ship, the Museum have received planning consent from the local council to "deconstruct" the ship. This essentially means they will be tearing her apart, under the supervision of archaeologists, who will document her construction and perhaps retain or send the significant bits to other museums etc. The end result will be the same though, the irretrievable loss of another irreplaceable piece of our maritime history.
There are basically two petitions on the go; one in Aus, asking the Govt to fund her purchase and return to Adelaide for restoration and one in the UK asking the UK govt to save her.
I've signed both, (I hold dual citizenship), as I don't really mind whether it stays in the UK or comes to Australia, as long as she is saved.
Here's the website, have a look at it and if you think it's worth supporting, then sign the petition to his Gordonness.
Save the Clipper Ship 'City of Adelaide'
PS If this is old news to you lot in Blighty, I apologise but it was the first I'd heard about it.