American History Aussie Style

Nancie and I went back to visit Pat and Trish at the Roundhouse since we missed the cannon firing last week. We didn't see them when we first arrived so inquired about the whereabouts from the young man at the entrance. God knows what they told him but he said, "Oh! You must be the Americans who were here last week." I've been in the country a month and am already notorious. : )

Growing up in Colorado, my knowledge of the sea is extremely limited. Yesterday we learned how ships in the harbor used to synchronize their chronometers for accurate navigation. The Fremantle time ball was built in 1900 to provide the daily time check. When sailors heard the cannon and saw the ball drop, they knew it was exactly 1:00 p.m.


Do you know why New York City is known as the Big Apple? Andrew, the young volunteer we met at the gate, shared a bit of American history with us too. New York's time ball was red and sailors thought it resembled an apple so they nicknamed the city the Big Apple.



You can't see the individual flags on the yardarm too well, but the flags represented are Australia, Western Australia, Aboriginal, Fremantle, Port of Fremantle, the Fremantle Football Club and a courtesy flag to welcome foreign visitors. Fremantle is one of the few ports in the world who still flies a courtesy flag. They are so hospitable here!