The Waterblossom proceeds, slowly because it is "...ponderous and heavily laden..." (p. 297), from Paz de la Frontera towards the Cynthian town of Lulach. At first, there are teeming rowboats and hydrofoils but later only barges and a towed timber raft. The brown, sheening, murmurous river is two kilometres wide with forested banks. Fliers dart and skim. It is quiet and cool. On horizonless Daedalus, Diana sees the river valley receding as if to infinity, toylike snowpeaks, a far away gleam that is the ocean and sunlight spreading into a ring instead of disappearing. Day becomes dusk, not night. She sees Imhotep and Icarus - another planet and a moon - but no stars except a few scattered points. Axor praises the Creator.
And now, in Lancaster, a Sunday walk, possibly along the river or the canal or towards the Bay.
7 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
Using barges for shipping cargoes seems a bit primitive in a civilization with advanced technology and FTL. But on some planets it might have some use and value.
Ad astra! Sean
I recall an earlier discussion about the plausibility of traffic on the rivers of Aeneas, given that Technic civilization has antigravity. My contention then was that it would make sense *IF* hovering on antigravity takes substantial power, so water or rail travel makes economic sense for bulk goods.
Kaor, Jim!
That makes sense to me. Also, I would expect some planets, to a greater or lesser degree, to lag behind the most technologically advanced worlds. That too could make riverine barging of bulk goods make sense.
Ad astra! Sean
Yeah, but Technic civilization has cheap fusion power.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
And that should make barging of bulk goods uneconomical?
Ad astra! Sean
Sean: well, it would make barging of -perishable- bulk goods uneconomic. The price of a wooden barge would be much lower than that of an antigravity transport aircraft, so...
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
So, barging of non-perishable bulk goods could still make sense on some planets.
Ad astra! Sean
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