Posted by Ed Kiser on November 17, 2004 at 01:38:48 from 64.12.116.6 user Kisered.
A public forum, such as the TARBOARD, is a meeting place of strangers. Yet it is not the people themselves that meet; it becomes only a meeting of the minds. We gather here to share past experiences, to give others a glimpse of our own little part of the world.
This forum is theoretically oriented about All Things Ransome, as being the common thread that we, as a group, try to persue to gain a better understanding of that mystical place that he made so real in our minds. While we may still remain strangers, we do get to meet at least the ideas of others, if not their faces.
There are vast resources that are thus made available in that there are those that have some special understanding of this Ransome topic, and can thus share with the others that wealth. Some are familiar with the actual locations, and can thus share photos and descriptions with those others from far away, and are thus unable to see for themselves. Some have had real experiences such as sailing, or walking over the Fells of the Lake District, and can bring that reality to so many others of us, that only can read what Ransome shared with us, but have wondered what it must really feel like to be a part of such adventures. Of course, actually SAILING in a small boat is far different from just reading about the experiences of others that have done this, but for some with no access to boats, must be satisfied in the delights of reading of such adventures.
We read in Ransome his accounts of the adventures. It adds to the reality of his telling to read of similar goings on by others on this forum. Such reinforcement of understanding these adventures can sometimes be obtained by reading other authors, such as E.F.Knight's "Falcon on the Baltic" in which the account of crossing the North Sea is not unlike that done by the Goblin bearing the Swallows in "We Didn't Mean to Go to Sea", even to the encounter with the odd shaped boats of the Dutch fishing fleet. Sailing in the Nancy Blackett is itself a source of awareness for WDMTGTS for those fortunate enough to have done that; for the others, we must be content with their sharing of those moments with us on the TARBOARD, as there are matters of geography and finances that preclude such an actual experience.
So those that have an insight, either for having been there, or having "done that", the rest can also somewhat share in that through the contributions of the TARBOARD.
For those of us in other lands, we come across certain mysteries as we dig though those Ransome stories. The place that he is writing about, the times, the customs of those peoples, these are not all that familiar to us. For that understanding, I have been very grateful to the TARBOARD for allowing me to ask for clarifications of terms and conditions of that time and place. For me, I have called these questions "oddities" as that is what they are to me. For those more closely associated with the places involved, the cultures are more well known and understood, so perhaps the labeling of some concepts as "oddities" may have been disconcerting. From them, I beg their indulgencies and patience -- and then I ask for them to share their understanding with explanations what to them is quite simple and ordinary, but to us from distant places, are quite strange and, like it or not, seem a bit like "oddities."
The end result is a sharing of understanding as we meet on the now more common ground of All Things Ransome. While we may be separated around the world with vast differences, this Forum has brought us a bit closer, not only to understanding each other, but to accepting those things that for some were a bit odd, yet for others is normal and traditional. This concept of something being "odd" is really just that we are all different; it is not a labeling of things being right or wrong. Such was the idea of my asking "Why do the British drive on the left side of the road?" as compared to how I might have asked (which I did not do) "Why do the British drive on the WRONG side of the road." We cannot see these differences as being right or wrong, only different, unique, a feature of the local custom.
So the TARBOARD has done much to bring about that understanding, and along with it, that feeling of mutual respect that all too often is missing in relationships between peoples of different nations. For what you contributors have offered to me in the way of explanations, in the sharing of your experiences, and diverse knowledge, you have done much to enhance my own world. To you, I express my gratitude for the benefits you bring to my experiences of All Things Ransome.
I can only hope that somehow, from my own point of view on the edge of the Everglades Swamp here in South Florida of the USA, that perhaps I, too, have helped others understand, perhaps by daring to ask those questions that maybe others were for some reason hesitant to lay upon the discussion table. In that case, maybe I was really just asking for a lot of us, not just myself.
Having typed in the text of all twelve volumes has given me perhaps a close view of the writing of Ransome. Having those chapters now as machine readable files also permits me to use the computer to scan these to uncover those special words or phrases that can be like opening the doors of insight into that understanding. That scanning ability is offered to others, simply by the asking, if there be that word or phrase that is needed to be located. This is my little contribution to this sharing we do here on the TARBOARD.
I thank you, one and all, for the contributions you have made to this forum.
My special thanks go to one that is not a member of this forum, but one that has done much to enhance my own understanding of "The Lake." This is for TONY RICHARDS, whose website,
WWW.LAKELANDCAM.CO.UK
has provided me DAILY new visions of that part of the world known as the Lake District, which to me, is that land of Ransome. His daily offerings I have been collecting for several years, resulting in my having thousands of those beautiful photos to flash across my screen in "slide show" mode.
Others of you have been most generous in sharing your own personal photos of areas of interest to the Ransome fan. For these additions to my collection, I am truly grateful.
And to Peter H, who has honored me by observing how I "bare my soul," my thanks, and my apologies if such barings have in any way offended.
So, for a bunch of strangers, let us continue to share, to communicate, to exchange ideas and concepts, to ask those questions, and to answer them, and in that way, come to appreciate even more fully, All Things Ransome.
Ed Kiser, South Florida