HMB Endeavour, 2012

These photos were taken when I was doing a stint of tour guiding on board. I took photos during the quiet times. I also did this in 2007 and added my guide "spiel". So that one has better words and this one has better photos.

HMB Endeavour, replica of an 18th century collier converted to a navy ship filled with scientists.

Morning

Today's post is an overview of the ship as you'd encounter it on a visit. The attention to detail is incredible: clothing & blanket are hand sewn, hand woven, from the original places where possible; letters are on handmade paper, hand copied from originals; all the ship's measurements are as accurate as they could make them. She might be a secondary source, at best, but a fascinating source.

Once onboard, there are about ten positions (depending on how many guides are available) each with a guide who'll tell you something about that part of the ship. If it's very busy, each group should only be at each position for 2 minutes. At quieter times "they should be through in an hour, unless they want to stay longer and talk".

Entrance

So you go onboard here.


Then up to the foredeck, where I've still managed not to be stationed, so you'll have to make do with just images.

Bow

Although I will draw your attention to the flag.

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HMB Endeavour, 2007

These photos were taken when I was doing a stint of tour guiding on board. I took photos during the quiet times and then wrote up my "spiel" as Live Journal post (which is what I've shared below). The camera was a small one a friend gave me after mine broke, so the photos are small/low resolution. The 2012 post has better photos. And yes,  a squirrel appears in some. It has escaped from here.

Endeavour (launched 1993) is a replica of James Cook's ship, originally built as a collier but convert to an exploration vessel by the Royal Navy in 1768. The modern ship was built to be as close as the original as possible so there are some interesting features such as the lack of headroom as a result of adding extra accommodation for navy officers and scientists.

Just before you go aboard, have a look towards the stern.

Stern carvings
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.

Towards foredeck
On board, the first stop is the foredeck. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to spend any time here so I don't know the talk.

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James Craig, Barque

This is an old post with small photos. I have better photos now but more pressing things to work on, so if you're interested, comment below and I'll push it to the top of the "To Do" list.

Stern
James Craig aka Clan McLeod, iron barque, built 1874, and used for general cargo. In the 1920s, she was sent off to end her days as coal hulk in Recherche Bay, although soon after that she was abandoned and beached. There's a photo from that period on the Sydney Heritage Fleet website, along with more information. She was rescued in 1972, restored and then relaunched in 1997, and now lives in Sydney when they're not visiting other ports.


These photos were taken at the 2005 Wooden Boat Festival in 2005 (obviously an ocean-going ship). These are my first "sailing ship" photos so there's not as many as usual 🙂 and I can't remember many of the details, so most of them don't have captions unless I can tell what they are from the photo. Also, the camera doesn't like dark-hulled ships.

Foredeck
"Fo'c'sle Deck" the sign says.

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Polly Woodside, Barque

Polly Woodside aka Rona
Iron barque, built 1885 in Belfast.
647 tons, 192 feet long, max speed 14 knots.

A trading ship, coal mostly, from the end of the era of sail, although she remained in use to the 1920s, when she was converted to a coal hulk.

Original Photos
Under sail
Under sail, from a different angle
"Three masted barque about to be broken up on the rocks."
"On Her Way To The Seclusion Of Hulkland"
Before restoration

Second

We're going to start at the bow, walk down the starboard side, then back along the port side. Then we'll go below, have a look at the hold and then the aft accommodation.


Bow sprit

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Mail van

From Chums, 4 January 1893


OK maybe there is a bit more to it. So, here is A Run with the Mail Van:

The Western Mail is one of the most remarkable trains in this country. It leaves Paddington station each evening at nine o’clock, and goes its way to the Land’s End like a great feeding machine, supplying in its transit nearly every western town with letters. It was with this train that I was to journey, and at half-past eight o’clock I found myself in Paddington Station, chatting with Mr. King, the superintendent of the two mail vans, the general custos rotulorum, and the especial guardian of all the important documents and parcels which go from London by this mail. The whole scene was then very busy. The terminus glowed with dozens of fine huge electric lights, porters were bawling, passengers were hurrying, luggage was being hurled here and there, a great express locomotive was being backed against the night express, and all was confusion, bustle, and method.

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Duyfken

This is an old post with small photos. I have better photos but more pressing things to work on, so if you're interested, comment below and I'll push it to the top of the "To Do" list.

Replica 16th century Dutch ship

Duyfken

Duyfken is a replica of a small ship sent by the Dutch East India Company to explore beyond the known. In 1606 they charted the Cape York Peninsula (the big, pointy bit in the top, right corner) on the first recorded voyage by Europeans to the Great South Land.

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May Queen

This is an old post with small photos. I have better photos now but more pressing things to work on, so if you're interested, comment below and I'll push it to the top of the "To Do" list.

Restored 19th century ketch (built 1867)
Two masts, with the front mast being the taller, both fore and aft rigged.

May Queen

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Music Saloon, P.S. Gem

Music Saloon on P.S. Gem, at the Swan River Pioneer Settlement.
From information panel on door:

MUSIC SALOON
The Music Saloon was added in 1982 to cater to the needs of the increasing number of passengers who travelled on cruises and holidays and wanted somewhere on the boat where they could entertain themselves. It was fitted out with a piano and passengers would play and sing old favourites, hymns and popular songs of the period. In the summer the windows could be opened to provide cooling ventilation and in the evening they could be closed to keep the chill, and the relentless mosquitoes, out. The Music Saloon would have been a very pleasant place to spend a chilly afternoon behind the glass which wraps around three sides.

Leaving saloon

Paddle Steamer Cabin

Larger image

Cabin on P.S. Gem, at the Swan River Pioneer Settlement.

From information panel:

PASSENGER CABINS
For all her luxurious fittings elsewhere, the cabins on the Gem were simple and straightforward, if not a little on the small size. It was joked that cabins were kept deliberately small in order to reduce the number of mosquitoes that had to be killed before settling down for the night. Not all passengers had even this level of comfort in their accommodation; deck passengers essentially purchased only standing room on the passenger deck. They would have to find their own berth for the night, usually an uncomfortable one, lying on the deck cargo of wool bales. barrels or crates. At least the crew had folding bunks!

Back to Middle Deck