Tuesday, 5 August 2008

Duck

In Seattle, the DUKW, a rather clever bit of Second World War engineering that converted a standard US Army truck into an amphibious transport, has been conscripted, quite against its will, into an attraction called Ride the Ducks.

If you've never encountered it, you are blessed. The "Duck" carts tourists about town and through the waters of Lake Union to the accompaniment of tour narration, twee music and duck quacks.

Amplified duck quacks.

Not surprisingly, you can find where the tours start by looking for a giant rubber duck, though why you would do so is beyond me. Personally, I give it as wide a berth as possible, which is why I keep a small mountain between me and it. Whenever I drive into town I have a hunted look as I crouch behind the wheel in case someone sees me within a hundred yards of the thing and my greatest dread is that my mother will see it on a visit, want to have a go and I'll be without my false beard.

My one bit of solace was the happy thought that when I go back to London I will be as far away from the "Duck" as one can get without bedding down in a yurt with a billy can full of boiled tea mixed with rancid yak butter. Unfortunately, that comforting thought has been ripped from me now that I've learned that a similar enterprise is operating under the very shadow of the Palace of Westminster.

And so another crack appears in the tarnished facade of civilisation.

5 comments:

jayessell said...

One of the History channel shows described the Duck.
It was used to ferry supplies in and wounded out of the invasions in WWII.

One of the Japanese soldiers knew the war was lost when the American boats came to the beach and became trucks.

Anonymous said...

The illustration shows the Liverpool DUKW service. I don't know how often the wheels have been nicked but the Albert Dock museums are OK.
TTFN

Michael.

David said...

Well spotted. I thought it was some ghastly stretch of new Docklands development.

Anonymous said...

Oh, David...let us not be so critical of the Duck tours.

We have them in the Boston area as well on the same venerable platform, in the same garish colours.

They're nice harmless fun for the tourists, and generate a good bit of income for the operators while providing gainful employment for those with both car and commercial boat licenses.

No, i will never ride one, but seeing those magnificent old beasts running along the Charles River and the city streets is a fun sight.

Anonymous said...

I don't get it. What's wrong with the ducks?