Peebles Island Take Two

            Today we went back to Peebles Island and did the complete opposite of our last visit. This time around we got to actually go inside their conservation rooms where they replicate and upholster original items that are put back into museums and historical houses. I enjoyed seeing all of the different rooms. They were all so different and everyone had a dedicated job or purpose. We got to meet Earl, a taxidermy bird that was kept at Olana. It amazed me how real he actually looked. I thought it was cool that they x-ray their products to try to get the most vivid image as possible while remodeling. I loved watching the frames be made they were gorgeous. I cant lie though, I was a tad grossed out at the thought of them using animal fat to piece things back together, but even more so that it’s in gelatin and marshmallows.

            After leaving that part of Peebles Island we headed over to where the boats are kept. We did community service on the Onrust, which was rather enjoyable. After community service, we got a tour of the boat. I learned that it was established in 1614, six years prior to the pilgrims coming to the U.S. It was built by Native Americans in Manhattan Island. Adrian Block was the captain of this ship and even had an island named after him. There was a lot of trade involved on the boat mainly for fur. I learned that all 17^th century techniques were used to build the Onrust. The entire boat was built out of white oak so it would stay afloat. Ribs held the boat together with wedges off of each rib. Each wedge was perpendicular to the grain because if it were parallel it would force grain out and split the wood. The fun fact of the day that I learned was that to the Dutch the term yacht meant a fast sailing boat as opposed to today where it means a luxurious fancy boat.