Queen Mary games

[cessna152towser]

Excellent action shots.

[OC Richard]

Grizbass you really have a talent for capturing the action, beauty, form, and strength of these events! I can't even get a decent pic of a pipe band on the march... a band always looks best at full stride but I seem to always click at the wrong time.

Actually the first pic I took the weekend was in the Will Call line, disturbing at first, until I realized it was Rusty the stiltwalker and his partner's equipment



Now here's the pipe band person's view of the Queen Mary Scots Fest 2014.

We tend to hang out all day in our band tents. There were a whole row of these, which is cool because we get to catch up on all the news from the people in all the other bands, not so cool because many of us never leave our area and don't experience the rest of the event.

Early Saturday morning, the bands arriving and setting up their tents (easy-ups, however you spell that). Here is Wasatch and District, from "within the shadow of The Everlasting Hills"



Kevin Blandford Memorial



Our tent, the Long Beach Fire Department Pipe Band, with our lead tip, Dale Ritchie, a Glaswegian, having a laugh



Time to tune up! Cameron Tillery of Kevin Blandford Memorial giving some instructions to their Grade 5 band



Get air in those pipes! A few rounds of Green Hills of Tyrol to hear how the chanters are going today



Something's not right, and it's being fixed by tonemeister Steve Megarity, reedmaker, member of the LA Scots Grade 1, formerly of Field Marshal Montgomery, and a native of Norn Iron



The Los Angeles Scottish Grade 1, the host band, warming up their enormous pipe corps (25 pipers), in advance of performing at the opening ceremonies. Hmmm I think I see some non-LA Scots bagcovers



Yes indeed, Pasadena Scots on the left, City of Chicago on the right. The personnel of bands tends to change season to season, and it appears these two haven't received their LA Scots bagcovers yet

[OC Richard]

The coolest thing I saw, and I'd never seen them before, is a group dressed like The Royal Scots Greys



Now for all you XMarkers who wonder how a True Scotsman dresses for a Games, here it is! Brad, from Motherwell, rocking a poppy-themed football shirt, Evening Dress sealskin sporran, and checkerboard pattern Vans



As you can see, though most of our country is gripped in freezing snow, we have blazing sun here, with sunglasses, sunblock, and big hats the norm.

Some spectators watching the pipe band competition in the direct sun



Here's part of the Drum Major competition, three competitors going off, the next three preparing to go on. Only one competitor, Dave Melton, wore Full Dress that day, California tartan, with his plaid secured so that he can flourish his mace



Beside the Drum Major competition area was the Beer Garden, with a fellow in Anderson kilt and brown ghillies



Mesa Caledonian, from Mesa Arizona, in their ancient Bruce of Kinnaird kilts, tune up in the car park beside the enormous boat



In the lengthening shadows of the late afternoon the Irish Pipers Band of San Francisco, established in 1932, tunes up for the Grade 3 MSR. Note the red phone booths!



My last shot of the day, the Nicholson Pipe Band and their long shadows as the sun is nearly behind the buildings and trees

[ASinclair]

Wonderful pictures, Richard. Thanks!

[Jock Scot]

BOAT! BOAT?! What is this boat idea? Ship, please! The boats are hanging from the davits!

[sailortats]

My sentiments exactly Jock, my sentiments exactly!

[grizzbass]

I was excited to see the scots greys. What is it about cavalry that the famous units always seem to be the ones who ride into disaster (especially the UK's) 21st lancers at Omdurman, these at Waterloo, the light brigade at balaclava and the US's version of trying to get wiped out constantly the 7th at little big horn and La Drang

[grizzbass]

I will be seeing "rusty" at the dickens festival this weekends. Should be fun. I took shots of the bands and the cavalry as well but didn't post any. Thanks

[OC Richard]

ship:
a sailing vessel square-rigged on all of three or more masts, having jibs, staysails, and a spanker on the aftermost mast.

Sorry, after reading all 20 of the Aubrey-Maturin novels my brain is stuck back in sailing days, and the Queen Mary just looks like a big boat to me!

Not correct I realise, but people around here always seem to call it 'the boat' rather than 'the ship'.

[sailortats]

the way I was taught the difference between a boat and a ship was this: A boat can be carried on a ship but a ship cannot be carried on a boat. I was all of 4 or 5 when that was drummed into me. OC Richard's definition of a ship is technically correct when talking of the difference between a ship, a schooner, a bark, or a barkentine. However all of them are also considered a ship in the broad sense of the term.