Just to keep things interesting

Friday was interesting, weatherwise.

The first sail was at 12.30 pm, a small school group. It was warm (having looked at the weather observations, I'll change that to hot. It got up to 30oC, unusual for late March) and there was very little wind. At first the river was smooth, no movement at all, although that changed a bit later on. As usual, we motored up under the bridge, turned around, made sail and came back down the river under sail. Some of the kids didn't think we were moving. It was hard to sure. We were moving, at 1.5 knots (2.8 kph or 1.7 mph). As a guide, the average walking speed is about 3-4 mph or 5-6 kph.


The second sail was at 6.30 pm, a group of staff from another school. By now it had come over overcast and the wind had picked up (looking at the weather obs again, it got up to 39 kph in that period, with gusts up to 63 kph). We went further up the Derwent than usual, up towards the rain. Just an occasional drop at first, then picking up until we're talking about finding the raincoats. In the meantime, the ship has been turned around and the motor turned off, and there comes the call to make sail. Just two sails though,because of the wind -- fore course and top.

Now she's moving. The water is foaming on either side of the bow. Found out the next day that we passed under the bridge, in the wind and the rain,

(file photos)

at 6.2 knots. I've heard somewhere that her maximum speed is about 6 knots.

The sun set on the way back up the river, that's where last night's photos are from. In the dark and the wind, some of the crew went aloft to furl the course "clipped on at all times", which required a lot of shouting as us down on deck had to hold the lines and let them out as required. Usually they're left to hang loose when their sail is being furled. The top sail (top gallant, which had been loosened but not used) had to wait until we were berthed. They weren't going up there in that weather.

On Saturday, the wind settled down, but it turned cold. 15.5 oC was the highest temperature recorded in the city (I'm told to expect up to 5oC colder out on the water). Speeds varied between about 1.8 & 4.4 knots. Quite normal, but so cold, even with fleecy jacket.

(And a little side note. On the second harbour sail on Saturday, there were a bunch of boys there for a pirate birthday party. I got bored at one point and took out the squirrel to take some photos. This got the usual questions from the crew near me, one of whom suggested I put him up on the spanker



which involved climbing up on the aft cabin. That got the attention of another of the crew, who decided to occupy the young boys for a few minutes by having them look for the squirrel on the ship. All to the amusement of the nearby passengers.)

A couple of photos

Just a couple of photos. Will write a bit for them tomorrow.

Trip report: Day 4, All gone

This one should be short.

I started the morning by walking up along the river, to the beach.

That's back the way I've just walked. There's the ferry, on the left, the light from the squirrel photos on the right in front of a big yellow building, the cement silos in front of Endeavour are almost in the middle. You can't quite see the black masts in the smaller photo. The city centre such as it is, is beyound and to the right of the yellow building.



It's a longer walk than I thought, but it's nice though.



This was a bit weird. I thought the seagull had happened to land near the galahs, but as the flock moved away from me, the seagull stayed with them. Wether it's a seagull with an identity problem or it was going for safety in numbers, I don't know.



That's the Bluff, with the lighthouse. The beach is into the left a bit.



There's the beach, beyond the stretch of black rock. It's quite a nice beach, if rather busy. There a surf lifesaving club based there and you're supposed to swim between the flags. At least, there used to be. Beens years since I've gone there.

Not today though. I had two hours to fill in. The plan was to walk up along the coast for almost an hour, then walk back.

Devonport, in the middle part, is laid out in a grid and I had to be back to a point that was roughly south-easterly of the beach area. So if I headed back that way through the streets, I'd back in plenty of time.

There's a street headed in the right direction, probably the only diagonal street in that part of the city.


Haven't I seen them before, like 3 days ago in Launceston?



At the end of the this street, I walked for a few more blocks and got to William St, which I'd walked up the week before so I knew it ran north-south and at which point I'd have to change direction to get to the right place. But, at this point it should have been running parallel to the street I was on, not across it. Problem. Maybe it turned at some point. I walked along it and ended up heading towards where I'd started. A bit of a worry. I back tracked to the point where I'd deviated from my course and started walking what I thought was the right way. Maybe. I'd got turned around somewhere. All around were houses, some quite new so maybe I was walking towards the edge of the city, rather than the middle. There was a hill ahead. I know there was a hill further south that I'd walked up the week before, but that was much further to the south. Most likely I was walking west. No indicators of where I was. Although I saw a bus turn the corner at one point. A bus stop might help, except there were none along this road :( It was overcast too, so it was hard to find the sun. It's over there, almost directly to my left. Hmm. It's 9.30 am, the sun should be in the east. If I'm walking south, then the sun would be on my left. Ha. If I'd stuck with my original route, I would have been right. I head left/east a bit and hit William St again, and this time it's running in the right direction. A couple of blocks further down and I'm in the area I know.

I get back to the wharf just on 10 am.

It's a morning tea to say farewell & thank you to the volunteers.



A rather nice morning tea too. Some of the Endeavour's crew in blue & the captain in white.

We talked and ate, and the some of us went back on the ship to help pack up.

Just I get to that, this is something you won't usually see. It's removed so visitors don't trip over it.



For steering, the rope runs from the barrel of the wheel



to the tiller.



All the museum stuff is packed away when they leave port, and unpacked at the next destination. At sea, the cabins are used by supernumeraries (paying passengers) so they have to be set up too. There's a few hours work in that.

It was interesting though, because when you're looking over the displays, you miss a lot of the details.



Like the metalwork on this desk. It's not something you'd consciously notice if you looked into the cabin, but it adds to the atmosphere. It's like world building for a novel. Even if the reader/viewer doesn't notice all the details, together they create the illusion that this setting is real. How can it not be?

Also, as I said quite often about the officer's cabins, every time you look at a display, you see something you missed. When you're packing one up though, you notice everything.



This woollen coat is lovely. According to the guide book, it's copied from one owned by Parkinson, one of the artists.

Once I'd done packing up Green's cabin, I went down to the midimates mess and packed the master's cabin. I do like them dominoes. What isn't fun though, folding up sheets without them dragging on the floor, when you can't stand up.

With the cabins pretty much done, I went out to the mess deck and helped clear the table. It's just Mark & me & Diana left of the volunteers now. The crew are happy to have us helping. One of the quickest pack up they've had.

For lunch we had left overs from morning tea.

The final thing to do was the hammocks.



That's Diana, who is a very lovely person by the way, folding one up. She told me what to do -- like them out, put the ropes here and then do this and that, and I wasn't really paying attention. I laid them out and let her fold them. Once the hammocks over the tables were done, we did the ones in the marines' area, in where it's low. That;s where I caught my foot on an anchor lashed to the side, startled myself and then rammed my knee down on the seam along the edge of the deck. Ouch. Although other than the initial bang, it didn't hurt much. It wasn't until I was lugging my bag back to the bus that it started to hurt. It got better though. Same knee that kept getting bashed when I was playing hockey too.

After the hammocks were done, and more goodbyes said, it was time to leave.

From this



to this



It was a wonderful 3 days. Friendly guides, friendly crew, friendly visitors. Apparently one visitor had just come back from a trip to England and he'd gone over Victory. He thought we did a better job.

Words and photos are all very well, but if you get a chance to visit HMB Endeavour replica, and they're aiming to get to as many ports in Australia as possible, go and have a look over her. And if you're able to spend a couple of days as a guide, that's definitely worthwhile :)

Trip report: Night 3

Shipkeeping involves sleeping on the ship overnight and getting up during the night for a period to make sure everything is as it should be. Sleeping in hammocks is optional, I assume, as we were asked if we wanted to.

Made up and ready for me.

We used the ones in the marines' area, because they were easier to get into. I asked how they got into the higher ones and got a demonstration. It involved grabbing a beam and pulling yourself up by the arms. !

There were three volunteers and three, I think, of the crew, which meant a 90 minute session for everyone. At eight, we were taken around and shown what had to done on our rounds.

In the engine room, check the water pressure, check the level of water in the bilge and check the temperate of the cool room and freezer.



It's a little weird, going from recreated 18th C to late 20th C by climbing down a ladder. The masts run through the engine room too, the main mast anyway. Can't remember where the mizzen went.

Go up a level and check great cabin. Up onto the deck to check the mooring lines and gangway. Across the wharf to check the rescue boat hasn't escape. Then record the wind speed & direction, and the state of the sea, well, river. Keep an eye out for anyone causing trouble.

That's done on the hour, every hour.

I was scheduled for 11.30 to 1 am. I considered staying up, that's not that far off my usual bedtime and if you wake me up in the middle of the night, I'm not all that coherent. On the other hand, I could go to bed at 9.30 and have a two hour nap, which I'm used too. And I was tired.



I got in the way I was told, because there was a beam there which made it easier to get in & move around. However that meant I was looking straight into a light, so I turned around in the hammock, and got all tangled up. Sleeping bags are good for getting tangled in on a flat bed. Bah. I did get, sort of, sorted out though. I was also told it's best to lay on your back, or you'll fall out, but you think I can sleep laying on my back? Rolling onto my side is the cue to go to sleep. I also discovered that, see that black square thing? That's a porthole, it's more noticable in the first photo. A draught comes through there. The sides of the hammock come up and cover your body, but it still blows over your ear.

I must have fallen asleep though, because it seemed only a few minutes later that Mark came to wake me up, although I was awake at the time.

In the middle of the night, this ship is dark and very quiet.



Stern windows in the great cabin.

You know there are people around you sleeping and out there somewhere is the rest of the world but it doesn't you touch you.

Especially up on deck.



The masts have lights on them, which makes the timber glow quite nicely. The moon was being dramatic too.









The 90 minutes went quite quickly, and I was soon back in my hammock. I had a large light behind which made it hard to sleep, but I did doze a bit. We were woken up at 6.30 am. Getting out of bed involved leaning to the side and there, you're up. Much easier way to start the day than that get up and out of bed thing.

Had breakfast. Took some more photos.



I'm reminded of one visitor, when I was talking about the guns being fired, who asked "but what about the cannons?" Too easy to forget that not everyone speaks the same "language".

And the visitor in the great cabin the day before, the one who put black and white film in his camera, because it seemed appropriate for the ship.



Went off to kill time until the farewell morning tea at 10 am.

That's a new day though.

Trip Report: Day 3, More of the same, or not

Wednesday morning I get up, pack up and check out of the hotel. Its a bit weird checking out when I've still got almost two days in Devonport.

Today should be a better day. Yesterday was a good day, but in the morning I was unsure about everything. Once I had some idea what I was doing, it was fun.

Most people would have gone through the ship on the weekend, especially as the regatta was on. That that didn't, have yesterday. So today is expected to be quiet. Except for the 80 school kids who are arriving at 10.30 am. After some discussion, it's decided that one of the guides will escort each of the 6 groups of kids around to tell them about the ship. Of course, this means changes to the rosters to cover where those guides should be.

My roster for the day is diagonal. I'm going to each of the 11 spots in the order they're on the sheet, so that is:

On-shore gangway
Exit gangway
Companionway
Lunch
Foredeck
Firehearth
Mess Deck (tables)
Mess Deck (hammocks)
Break
Midi-mates mess
Outside gentlemen's mess
Great cabin
Upper deck.
On-shore gangway
Companionway

Right. So at 10 am, I put squirrel into my pocket and go onshore. It's quiet, as expected.

The tent on the right is the gift shop and ticket booth. Then there's a series of information plaques (that look like little tables in the photo) before reaching the gangway. The first couple finally reach come up to me, I put her bag in the cloak bin and send them on.

After they've gone, I look in the cloak bin and see the box of information brochures that every visitors is supposed to get. Oops. I put the box out where I can see it.

I can't hear the bell from over here, but Hannah turns up to relieve me at 10.30 so I go to the other side. I've only been here a few minutes, when one of the crew, I forget his name but I did know it, I think it's Craig, comes up and asks me to take over the companionway instead. I take the radio and go a few steps down the deck. It's still quiet. No sign of the kids yet. A couple of visitors turn up, so I tell them to go around there and up onto the foredeck. I take a few squirrel photos, but it's a bit sunny.

At 11 am, this is where I'm supposed to be, so I stay there. Eventually the school kids turn up. Each of the 6 groups will come through about 15 mins apart. It'll take them about an hour to look after over the ship and they'll be all done by 12.30. Really.

The first guide goes over to talk to the group before they come on. The first group go up to the foredeck, as usual, the second group get sent aft, to the 'upper deck'. A couple of non-school visitors turn up so I suggest they go below first rather than around to the foredeck, to get ahead of the kids.

The first lots of kids come off the foredeck and over to me. We send one of the adults down first, in case the kids get into trouble going down, and then each kids. Turn around so you're facing the steps like a ladder and grab hold of the rope, that's it, slowly, now grab hold of those ropes on the side and, that's it, keep going. Right, who's next? Repeat for each kid. Then the remaining adults go down.

At 11.30 I'm supposed to be going for lunch but who wants lunch at 11.30? So I say I'm happy to stay there. Another group of kids. Send the guide with them down first. Then an adult. Turn around so you're facing the steps like a ladder and grab hold of the rope, that's it, slowly, now grab hold of those ropes on the side and, that's it, keep going. Right, who's next? Repeat for each kid.

The school kids are spaced quite a way apart, so I wander around during the quiet times and take some photos. A few more visitors. I tell them how go down, and are they sunglasses? You'll want to take them off because it's dark down there.

Another group of kids come through. They're mostly good at going down, once they get the first step or two out of the one. One girl was very nervous and I didn't think she'd get down. One boy insisted on going down face out. Turn around the face the steps. Turn around the face the steps. Turn around the face the steps. Fortunately he had small feet. One got into trouble partway down but his teacher sorted him out. Not a problem, just slow. And repetitive.

Another group of kids.

Another group of kids. Diana is the guide, I think. She doesn't want to go down first. I do tell her I've sent three groups of kids down with no problems by now.

Another group of kids. I've sent four groups of kids down with no problems, so don't worry.

It occurs to me I've been here for almost 2 hours and dealt with almost all of the school groups.

Make that all of the school groups. I've sent down 5 groups of kids by now, don't worry.

There's no one on the foredeck, as I'm supposed to be there next, I run up and dig the bell. Ding! The guy who comes up with me tells me it should be Ding Ding for one bell.

Now it's 12.30 and I'm supposed to be on the foredeck. I go and find Caroline, who is filling in for a missing guide, and tell her I'm going to lunch instead. She thinks this is a good idea. I have the rest of my Subway sandwich for lunch.

Half an hour later, and I'm back at the firehearth. I don't like the firehearth, I've decided. It's my least favourite place. There's a slow steam of visitors. One girl with an older boy asks me my name. That's not a normal question and I mess up my own name, "I thought so," she says. She's Kadey, and the boy's Shaun (and I probably spelt that wrong). Terry's kids, as she puts it. My father. Ah. Well. Now that's a good way to put someone off their spiel.

I'm on the table next. The guide before, on the fire hearth, likes to talk but he doesn't mention the part about each table having a bag that's taken up, with the number on it, which I think is the most interesting part. So I add that to my little talk. As I say to someone later, you could go around this ship twice and get a different story each time.

From here, I walk all the way over to the hammocks. I've decided I don't like any of the mess deck positions that much. There's lot of little things to mention but no connections between them. I'm talking to one couple when another turns up, so once the first lot have gone, I have to go over what I didn't say to the next lot, and in the middle of this, another visitors turns up. Bah.

After here, I have a break. I don't remember having it,but I remember saying it was break time.

Now, to the midi-mates mess. It was quiet in here, so I let Mr Squirrel have a look about. At 3.30 no one comes to replace me. It's one of the radio position so I stay there and end up being there for an hour. Lots of photos. Not too many though, because I'm in the great cabin next and I haven't had a chance to take photos in there yet. (I'm not all the sure I was even in there on the first day, because I didn't take any photos.) Four o'clock comes around and it looks like no one is going to come and relieve me. According to the roster, he should be on the hammocks so I duck out and look for him. He is. I give him the radio and duck up the great cabin.

I said yesterday why I don't like this spot, which people coming while others are there and it's hard to know when to talk. Usually when I start talking, people turn around or come close. Once there was no response from the newest arrivals so I stopped after a few words. Bleargh.

There's one man who'd been through there before but had come back with his father. The father thought it was all wonderful and talked to me for a while. He had a cheap film camera, that he'd put b&w film into, because it was appropriate for the ship. I took a couple of photos of the two of them. I wonder if they came out all right?

At 4.30 pm no one came to relieve me. I was getting a bit sick of this "no show" thing. Still, it had quietened down. A few visitors came into the gentlemen's mess, but they were slow coming all the way through. More time to take squirrel photos.

Five o'clock approaches and I check where I'm to go to next, and who is supposed to relieve (definitely) me. Then I notice, although I was rostered to the "Upper Deck" at 4.30 and that's highlighted, I was also down for "Great Cabin". So that's why no one turned up to relieve me.

I am relieved at 5, so I head up to the gangway. Not a lot to do now, obviously. There's still a few visitors below and we're just waiting for them to leave. I suck over to the giftshop for a look, and pick up one of their model ships.

At 5.30, I cross over the gangway and wait over there for the last of the visitors to leave. Just before 6 pm, they do go.

Then we head down to sign in the vests and it's all over for the day. Except I don't leave, because I'll be staying there overnight.

Trip Report: Day 2, The Final Session

Now I go down to the final information position Mess Deck (Tables), which is on the opposite side to Mess Deck (Hammocks). Visitors come through from the fire hearth, stop here, and then go onto the hammocks. It was 4 pm, only one visitor came through while I was here.

Here 50 (the cards says; everything else says 65, hmm 94 total on board, which is 6 commissioned officers, 15 warrant officers, 53 able seamen, 12 marines, 9 gentlemen & servants, 1 astronomer & servant, that's 97) men ate, six at each table, sitting on the sea chests, which they'd used to store their belongings. Each man had to supply his own spoon, mug and bowl. Many of these were made from wood, although there was some pewter and pottery. Each month they'd elect a 'Captain of the Mess' who was responsible for taking their food up to be cooked.



The fore table here has stuff for the cook to use. The rear table was used by the marines. The barrels over the tables held vinegar. You can see over here where where the sailmaker has been working.



That's taken with no flash. Where the grating is above, it's well light. Along the sides, it's obviously darker.

Looking down through the grate...



From here, I go back to the midi-mates mess. Do you think I need the card now? I do, but only because I forget some of the names.

At 5 pm, I'm finally outside, off the ship actually -- the onshore side of the gangway. The ship is open until 6 pm, but no visitors are allowed on after 5 pm. So there's not a lot to do here. If there's anything cloaked, I have to get it out when that visitor leaves, but there's not. I take some photos.



Endeavour has no figurehead, but some lovely stern carvings. Unfortunately, there's a fence across the wharf so you can't be behind to see all of them. This is the side window of the great cabin.



I find the little things like doors, locks and portholes interesting.

At 5.30, I move to the other end of the gangway. Although we sort of wander around and talk. See off the last of the visitors. Take more photos.



Looking across the waist towards the foredeck.



Back the other way. You can see the gangway there.



Same direction, starboard side.



Then it's down below to sign in the vests, and that's it for the day.

I stop in at a place that offers Internet for 5 minutes. Wander over to Subway and get a foot long sandwich, of which I eat half once I'm back at the hotel. I watch some TV. Take some photos, of the cement train and the ferry.





The ferry, it's II tonight, leaves before it's dark so I take some photos. They're actually the ones I used for the first night, of it turning. It's a bit closer when it comes back down.



Then I go to bed, and sleep.

Trip Report: Day 2, Finally, It's After Noon

Lunch time! I dropped my vest, water bottle and cap in the sea chest nearest the fire hearth. (We'd been told to wear blue or white tops if possible and I only had two decent blue t-shirts. I took them and wore the navy blue one on the first day, which worked well while guiding, but. I wasn't quite keen enough to head into city wearing Lady Nelson on my t-shirt and HMB Endeavour on my cap :)


The plan for lunch was to drop camera batteries at hotel room to recharge and grab something to eat. I had a bright idea though. If i bought another card for the camera, I could take photos and retake them without worrying about running out of space, and thus, put less demand on the battery. I had ten less minutes that I should have had and I wasn't sure where to do to bu a new card. As I looking for somewhere to get lunch, I saw Harvey Norman up the road a bit, so I walked up there. It was a little bit more than I wanted to pay and they didn't want to serve me anyway. *sigh* I walked back to the Mall to look for something for lunch. Now it was 2.13. I had to be back at the Fire hearth at 2.30, so I had 17 minutes to get something to eat, eat it, go back to the hotel, grab battery and then walk to the ship. Possibly. Then I saw a Tandy shop. Did I have time to drop in there and buy a card? It was on the way back to the hotel, and if I could get back to the hotel by 2.20, I'd be right.

Lady in Tandy was serving someone with a big order but I must have looked impatient because she served me while he was looking for his card. 2 mins. Bakery two shops down that sells pies. I think meat pies are the least economical way to get a meal ($4 for a bit of pasty & some meat, bah) but it's food. Eat while I'm walking back to hotel. Grab battery, swap cards in camera, put drink in fridge in common room and back downstairs. 2.25. Walk quickly down the road, over the overpass which is obviously unlocked at this time, and collapse on the sea chest near the firehearth as the bell sounds. Am I good, or what?

Get dressed and I'm ready to go. Fairly straight forward session and then onto the great cabin. Is is supposedly one of the areas guides prefer to do. Each to their own, I guess. There are a lot of unrelated bits to talk about. People are wandering about and you don't know if they're listening. Other people come in, while you're in the middle of talking so they hear some of it and not all, unless you start again, then someone else comes in. It might be easier if it was busier (just talk and not try to keep track of who has heard what) or less busy.

There's a short passage leading from the Gentlemen's Mess (actually it's the Officers Mess and Gentlemen's Cabins), with a washstand on one side and a cabin window on the other.





The great cabin is usually occupied by the captain and, it's probably the biggest space of all (actually the mess deck is bigger but point is made), but when Banks and his scientists were on board, they used this cabin.



On the table, you can see some botanical prints. You might have noticed Dr Solander's cabin when you first came up the ladder (not in the photos though, I was sitting with my back to it). Every plant speciment collected was drawn, dried and taken back to England. On the end of the table are the charts, you can look through them.



The cabin on the left here, behind all the doors, is Cook's cabin.




You can see it through the window just before the door, you might have seen it when you came in. The cabin over to the right is Banks' cabin.




He's said to have been 6'4 tall, so he preferred to sleep out here and his two dogs slept in the cabin. They were used for hunting down game (a greyhound & a spaniel), so they did earn their keep.

Banks' desk is just there. The books above it are taken from a list of 120 books that he brought with him, the actual editions were researched and the bindings recreated.



The stove is copied from one that was recovered from the wreck of the Pandora, who was wrecked on the Great Barrier Reef while bringing back Bounty mutineers.

On the walls and beams, you'll see various gifts given by native people to the Endeavour on her recent visits. (Two mentioned in the guide book are) The long one hanging over table there (a taiaha) and the carved one nearby (a manaia) are gifts from the Maori people in gratitude for the Endeavour replica returning the souls of five men killed by Cook in 1770. (Both visible in the next photo, which is taken with no flash, so you can get an idea of how light the room was. The other photos are all taken with the flash on, so the immediate area is lit but the rest is dark.)



In the stern post is a brass ring, inside that is a trunnel. Did you see the small black circles on the deck? Under those are the trunnels, the long wooden nails used to hold the planks down. That one was taken on the US space shuttle Endeavour in 1992. Then it was put there to create a symbolic link between sea and space.

The floor does slope a bit, but it would have been moving this and that way, and then that way too. Have you been up on the foredeck and seen the bowsprit? In some storms, that would end up in the water so you can imagine how much the ship moves. Still the artists managed to draw with a steady hand.

Feel free to have a look around.



The window has been taken out and put in that holder on the side.



Those stern window seats are very nice to sit in.