Talk:Wrecking (shipwreck)

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 24.5.17.115 (talk) at 23:49, 23 May 2011 (Comment). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

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  • Lady Elizabeth (1879)
    • Clean up typos Currently working on it-----Completed!
    • Improve grammar
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Further reading?

I have removed the line "Memoirs - Walter Scott" from the Further reading section. This seems to be a reference to Memoirs of the Life of Sir Walter Scott, Bart. by J.G. Lockhart (1837-38, 7 vols.) I question whether this work as a whole should be recommended to someone interested in reading more about wrecking. Similarly, I have removed the line "Records of a Family of Engineers - R. L. Stevenson." which seems to refer to this. After browsing through the book on line, I see only a few casual mentions of goods that came from wrecks, with nothing on the practice, prevalence, economy, etc. of wrecking. -- Donald Albury 16:14, 19 January 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Wrecking in Britain

I changed the reference to the Gulf Stream as it is not correct that it "passes through the far south west of England". That could imply that here are a lot of people treading water in Devon and Cornwall. Luckily, the Gulf Stream passes by the south west, and I have clarified that. Michael of Lucan (talk) 12:20, 29 April 2009 (UTC)[reply]

False light

Navigators use lighthouse lights as a guide; if they see other lights, they must correctly assess them or be fooled and run a chance of wrecking. Navigators do not have to be drawn in like moths to a flame, to wreck, they simply have to be steering on the basis of erroneous information. While it may be useful to show that lights do not draw ships to shore, the fact that steering a correct course relative to a false light could lead to wrecking should also be shown. Presenting the idea of false lights as debunked is not called for.

I think the main problem here is that modern light sources are so much different from those of centuries past. The Bahamanian wrecker is quite correct to eschew this strategy, as it would be next to impossible for him to set up immense, heavy and powerful electric lights, while approximating an old flame-lit lighthouse is not only a lead pipe cinch in terms of candlepower and color but in perspective, too. A fire high up on a mile distant beach not only looks as bright and burns the same color as a flame-lit lighthouse 2 miles away, but it is in the same elevation relative to the horizon.

24.5.17.115 (talk)