Gollum's boat??

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

I do not see any reason to why Gollum should not have a boat, I agree that there is some odd things about the arangement. . .but hey, Beorn or even Elrond's living arangements was a bit odd.

If it really was just a log why would Tolkien write "boat" ?
I know that is not a very inventive argument, but one I would like answered non the less.

Also we know that orcs avoided Gollums cave and I doubt that it could be spottet when it was on his island, so there seem to have been little risk in having such a boat.

Gollum has the ring for 500 years, I assume that his personality has undergone some changes during this period of time and yet some people think that they know all his personality based on those relatively few years from when he looses the ring til he dies.

Also he seems to have the background for boat building.

[alatar]

Originally Posted by Rune Son of Bjarne

If it really was just a log why would Tolkien write "boat" ?
I know that is not a very inventive argument, but one I would like answered non the less.

I agree that it's a boat and not a log nor a raft. it just seems out of place, like saying that Bilbo and Gollum sat on a leather couch during their riddle game.

Just think about it: a creature like Gollum, without two rocks to rub together, has - and seemingly has made! - a boat.

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

I do not find it odd that he has made a boat. . .it seems like a practical thing to make, it would surely make it easier for him to survive.

What i find really odd is that he seems to have created nothing else. . .surely there would be other things that took equal or less skill to make, which could be useful to him.

[alatar]

Originally Posted by Rune Son of Bjarne

What i find really odd is that he seems to have created nothing else. . .surely there would be other things that took equal or less skill to make, which could be useful to him.

Exactly! That's what's missing (and thank you for identifying that). Gollum has a boat, and, seemingly, nothing else. Kinda what I was alluding to before. He catches fishes with his hands, goes after Bilbo (whom he thinks has fled) without stopping first to pick up a weapon or other artifact, but other than the Ring and boat - nothing.

[Maedhros_the_Tall]

How do we know that HE made it though? Like someone mentioned above, the goblins may have had to use some sort of craft to ferry themselves across the lake at some point. Maybe Gollum didn't build it, but came upon it and took it?