It looks like ribbons of paper peeling off the surface of the wall—but in fact Seaman Jorge Ortiz here is prying copper sheet away from the hull of the USS Constitution as he helps restore the ship.
The USS Constitution, which first launched in 1797, is lined with 3,400 sheets of copper, so it’s a long job—and the process still feels oddly old fashioned, like a throwback to its seafaring days of centuries past. There just happens to be a bit more in the way of protective gear in place now.
But, old-fashioned or not, at least the strips only need to be replaced every 15-20 years. Keep at it, Ortiz.
