A grand day out.

[John Orentas]

As we seem to have something of a military / wartime thing going at the moment, here's a suggestion for a day out especially if you live in the north of the country. Albert Dock, Liverpool has a maritime museum which is well worth a visit, concentrating on the history of the port of Liverpool it has several floors of exhibits ranging from the Titanic to the slave trade which was the basis of the city's prosperity.

 

I the afternoon we crossed the river to Birkenhead to take a look at the Warships, the venue looks very uninspiring being in the midst of derelict docklands but the ships more than made up for that. HMS Bronnington as most people will know is a minesweeper which is perhaps more famous for it's former captain than anything else, you can see where the royal head was rested for a year or so within a cabin that one of his footmen would find tiny.

 

A fairly modern cruiser or is it a destroyer was quite fascinating with access to most parts of the ship, the very complex systems of gunnery and the clever methods of supplying the shells and charges to the turrets I found fascinating.

 

But the highlight of the day was most certainly a climb around HMS Onyx a diesel powered submarine that had taken part in the Falklands campaign. The whole experience will I can guarantee leave it's mark on you, but you will be compelled to use your imagination. Two hundred sweaty seamen were packed into the ship, in every spare corner there are bunks generally 4 high squeezed up to machinery of all kinds and it is only about 7 feet height to the deckhead. A couple of yards along, open a bulkhead hatch and be confronted two massive diesel engines. It really does stretch your imagination to imagine those men working and sleeping in those conditions. Anyway my descriptive powers are not up to it.

 

Do make the trip and give yourself an experience that will live with you forever. Oh and you may become a little less tolerant of your spouse moaning about the size of your galley.