HMS Kelly Whip
July 9, 2024 12:40 AM Subscribe
The big news from the UK this last week comes from the southwest of England. The Kelly Whip is a popular small boat in Cornwall, consisting of an enclosed cabin containing a fine array of delicious confectionary and a distinctive sound. On sailing, the autonomous (does not need a sailer) craft drew a large crowd (quote from Abi Fisk, and more) after self-launching from Harlyn Bay beach. Similar craft with signature sounds. What the hell is this picture, Boing Boing, as it is definitely NOT the good ship Kelly Whip?
Thank you for your service.
posted by rhizome at 1:05 AM on July 9 [1 favorite]
posted by rhizome at 1:05 AM on July 9 [1 favorite]
We do have actual ice cream boats down in the south west where this happened. Downside: they sell the packaged sort of ice creams, not soft whip. Upside: they are the proper floaty sort of boat.
posted by dowcrag at 1:23 AM on July 9 [4 favorites]
posted by dowcrag at 1:23 AM on July 9 [4 favorites]
That's wonderful, dowcrag - I love boats that sell things! Here in Cambridge, there's a punt that sells Pimm's (of course) and I assume they're just doing Beadle impressions from Wind Waker all day. I mean, I would.
posted by Hermione Dies at 1:55 AM on July 9 [2 favorites]
posted by Hermione Dies at 1:55 AM on July 9 [2 favorites]
Brings back memories of my school friends getting summer jobs marooned on a beach all day in a sweltering Kelly's trailer. Most of my family worked for Kelly's at some point. Ice cream van mishaps seemed like an annual event, growing up.
posted by pipeski at 2:21 AM on July 9 [2 favorites]
posted by pipeski at 2:21 AM on July 9 [2 favorites]
Hmm, I wonder how well a DUKW would work as an ice cream van.
And if you served milkshakes too, the branding would write itself...
posted by automatronic at 3:39 AM on July 9 [9 favorites]
And if you served milkshakes too, the branding would write itself...
posted by automatronic at 3:39 AM on July 9 [9 favorites]
BTW did somebody dial 99 for help?
posted by dowcrag at 4:04 AM on July 9 [3 favorites]
posted by dowcrag at 4:04 AM on July 9 [3 favorites]
BTW did somebody dial 99 for help?
the extra "9" is for "nooooooooooooooo......."
posted by lalochezia at 4:24 AM on July 9 [1 favorite]
When your........ truck lost its breaks, and that's the end of your flakes
That's amore!
When that truck floats on by, no more ice cream? -"Aye aye aye"!
That's amore!
posted by lalochezia at 4:47 AM on July 9 [2 favorites]
Hmm, I wonder how well a DUKW would work as an ice cream van.
Amphibious ice cream van.
posted by biffa at 5:09 AM on July 9 [3 favorites]
Amphibious ice cream van.
posted by biffa at 5:09 AM on July 9 [3 favorites]
He told Sky News: "The driver had apparently off-loaded the ice cream, when the tide came in over the van and swamped it.
What kind of timescale are we talking here? Did the driver park it and spend the next 40 minutes elsewhere with the offloaded ice cream while the tide gradually consumed the vehicle until it floated, or are we talking something on the order of the driver turned their back for five minutes and the tide grabbed it in a single surge?
Around here our tides are fairly big (10-12ft) but on all but the very flattest of beaches, the horizontal run means you have some time to recover from a mistake.
posted by RonButNotStupid at 5:37 AM on July 9 [3 favorites]
What kind of timescale are we talking here? Did the driver park it and spend the next 40 minutes elsewhere with the offloaded ice cream while the tide gradually consumed the vehicle until it floated, or are we talking something on the order of the driver turned their back for five minutes and the tide grabbed it in a single surge?
Around here our tides are fairly big (10-12ft) but on all but the very flattest of beaches, the horizontal run means you have some time to recover from a mistake.
posted by RonButNotStupid at 5:37 AM on July 9 [3 favorites]
I applaud the clear attempt to reverse ocean warming, but I can’t imagine the sugar will be good for fish.
posted by GenjiandProust at 5:59 AM on July 9 [4 favorites]
posted by GenjiandProust at 5:59 AM on July 9 [4 favorites]
I've heard a lot about how dangerous some British beaches are, and not having visited any the only thing I can think of is that they're so flat and expansive that any change in tidal height will send a surge over the exposed bottomlands faster than a person can reasonably walk/run. Is that correct, and if so, what's an ice cream truck doing on the beach anyway?
posted by RonButNotStupid at 6:20 AM on July 9
posted by RonButNotStupid at 6:20 AM on July 9
He may have got stuck in the sand. I live in Cornwall and cars getting caught out on beaches in rising tides are a fairly common news story in the summer.
posted by biffa at 6:24 AM on July 9 [2 favorites]
posted by biffa at 6:24 AM on July 9 [2 favorites]
BTW did somebody dial 99 for help?
They dialed 0118 999 881 999 119 725, but by the time they got to 3, the tide had come in.
posted by The Bellman at 6:32 AM on July 9 [5 favorites]
They dialed 0118 999 881 999 119 725, but by the time they got to 3, the tide had come in.
posted by The Bellman at 6:32 AM on July 9 [5 favorites]
The Bellman, did they think to send an email?
posted by cooker girl at 8:15 AM on July 9 [3 favorites]
posted by cooker girl at 8:15 AM on July 9 [3 favorites]
Just living out a classic English tale: We Didn't Mean to Go to Sea
posted by McBearclaw at 9:17 AM on July 9 [1 favorite]
posted by McBearclaw at 9:17 AM on July 9 [1 favorite]
Guardian: Abi Fisk, who runs a vintage shop in Padstow, said the driver of the van drove straight to the bottom of the beach.
“The beach was packed. But then the tide started coming in, and he couldn’t drive off,” she told the Metro.
“Some people in the car park in a 4×4 tried to winch him out, but the front tyre had sunk into the sand.
“Everyone stood there in amazement,” she said. “Even the surfers started surfing past the van.”
posted by Wordshore at 9:43 AM on July 9 [1 favorite]
“The beach was packed. But then the tide started coming in, and he couldn’t drive off,” she told the Metro.
“Some people in the car park in a 4×4 tried to winch him out, but the front tyre had sunk into the sand.
“Everyone stood there in amazement,” she said. “Even the surfers started surfing past the van.”
posted by Wordshore at 9:43 AM on July 9 [1 favorite]
Also serves as an excellent burlesque identity.
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 10:40 AM on July 9 [1 favorite]
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 10:40 AM on July 9 [1 favorite]
McBearclaw: Just living out a classic English tale: We Didn't Mean to Go to Sea
In this book, the Swallows (John, Susan, Titty and Roger Walker) are the only recurring characters.
Titty… Swallow?
posted by saturday_morning at 7:38 PM on July 9 [1 favorite]
In this book, the Swallows (John, Susan, Titty and Roger Walker) are the only recurring characters.
Titty… Swallow?
posted by saturday_morning at 7:38 PM on July 9 [1 favorite]
Our floating ice creamery
https://diningtas.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/van_diemens_land_creamery-punt-DJI_0709-2.jpg
posted by Barbara Spitzer at 8:49 PM on July 9 [1 favorite]
https://diningtas.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/van_diemens_land_creamery-punt-DJI_0709-2.jpg
posted by Barbara Spitzer at 8:49 PM on July 9 [1 favorite]
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I've Got 99 Problems But A Beach Ain't One.
posted by Dysk at 12:53 AM on July 9 [11 favorites]