“The sea’s curious workmanship: bottle green glass sucked smooth and porous by the waves: wood stripped and cleaned and bark swollen with salt…gnawed and rubbed: amber: bone: the sea” Laurence Durrell – Propero’s Cell
In the shops earlier we had seen some souvenir boats made of drift wood and this gave me an idea. It would be impossible to take one home given the restrictions on hand luggage so I decided that I would collect the bits of knotted wood and salt bleached sticks off the beach, take them home and, in an Airfix sort of way, make my own so I set immediately about beachcombing and starting my collection.
In the afternoon we strolled to the beach and went for a swim in the sea and I continued my search for interesting bits of driftwood. Despite her earlier lack of enthusiasm even Kim was showing some interest in the project and by now we had the pieces we needed for the hull, the mast, the rudder and a cabin, some cuttlefish for sails and miscellaneous bits of twig and sticks for the sea. Later as I scavenged the harbour for other useful bits a helpful fisherman provided some authentic cord which was going to be just perfect for the nets.
Have Bag, Will Travel 
The boat looks excellent, Andrew.
And for your next driftwood art project, I suggest you check out Jack Marsden-Mayer’s work in New Zealand. It may take you a little more time to collect the wood (and smuggle it through customs) to match his creations:
http://www.whanganui.co.nz/web-pages/forgotten-world-sculpture-park.php
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Thanks for the JMM suggestion – there’s some good stuff there! Talking of customs I was a bit apprehensive about taking sticks and nails through airport security in my hand luggage but it didn’t even raise an eyebrow.
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Have you only just finished it or only just written it up?
It’s good btw. Very artistic.
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Been busy – had to go to work and artists cannot rush a masterpiece so I have only just finished it!
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Andrew: Sorry–I know artists hate to have to give explanations for their creations. But which is the front of your ship? Is she headed left or right? The backward curve of the mainmast, as though bent by the wind, and the
curve of the “wave” below seem to suggest that she’s moving left. Yet I see other good reasons, like the block on the left (the cabin, aft?), to suppose she is going the other way. Maybe that stick rising up is the bowsprit. Anyway, nice work. I enjoyed your post and, as always too, the great photos.
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I am flattered to be referred to as an ‘artist’. Its direction of travel can be interpreted whichever way you like. It’s not supposed to be taken too seriously! Anyway, I have just finished my second boat souvenir from Corfu a couple of weeks ago and I will post it as soon as the glue is firmly set!
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I really like this idea. What a personal and memorable souvenir of a trip.
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Thank You!
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Looks like a labour of love to me, Andrew. The other half was very sceptical. That’s what you get for sticking up for “his” rock at Robin Hood’s Bay.
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Your boat is brilliant, I want it!!! I think I’ll have to get my driftwood out and have a go!
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Thank You! My plan is to make one every time I return from travelling in Greece!
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I’ve currently going through my Greek holiday brochures, trying to decide where to go next year. Parga looks nice, so does Lefkas, maybe Rhodes and then there’s always the very expensive Santorini… there’s too many beautiful places to choose from!
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My advice – give Santorini a miss – too busy and too expensive, Rhodes is ok but my tip is fly to Athens and then take the ferry to Sifnos, Milos and Folegandros – you won’t be disappointed! Second tip – a bit more tricky but Athens to Naxos and then ferries to Amorgos and koufonissia. Wonderful islands, no airports and no tourists!
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Thank you for your great advice, I will look up these places 🙂
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What a great idea for a project and the end result is very nicely done! (I actually thought it was just an example of the sort of thing you intended to make and was very impressed when I realised it WAS the one you made!)
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Ah yes- I remember.
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