Final Chapter! or is it?

This Saturday we went back to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard to finally see the Mary Rose and do one or two things we had missed before.

(For earlier chapters see: Here,  Here, Here and Here.)

The story could be subtitled “How to make your birthday last almost all year!”

*****     *****     *****     *****     *****

After getting a slot for the Mary Rose we went to visit ‘Action Stations’

Some people played games

While others discovered all sorts of information: like how an aerofoil works

We could have stayed much longer but soon we had to go and queue to see the Mary Rose.

On the way we saw how they are getting on with reatoration work on HMS Victory.

You can find out more about the Mary Rose – Here

We started with a view of the Main Decks

The lighting was extremely low and I had to set my camera up to it’s highest ISO setting.

There were many of the recovered artefacts displayed. I found the decoration of the cannons especially interesting as you will see.

Can you see the two animal heads towards the far end?

Here are two figures maybe mermaids.

There were also displays of what had been found of different members of the crew like the Master Carpenter, Master Gunner

and Ships Surgeon.

One of the most pignant displays I thought was this one of the skeletonof the ships dog.

They only found three rats – so maybe he was very good at his job!

Can you also see the game board for a game that was a forerunner of Backgammon?

We saw the gun that helped the divers to realise that the wreck was indeed the Mary Rose that they had been searching for.

We then went down to the Lower Decks

And later by a viewing lift to the Upper Decks.

Here is a close up. The wood having been sprayed with water and wax for years is now being dried out.

I didn’t photograph everything that we saw on both the lower and upper decks, and it would get boring if I showed you everything, but here are a few things that caught my interest.

Some pins. The central one shows two dragons!

A cannon showing that it was made for Henry V111 with a tudor rose.

A gold coin showing that this belonged to a welathy crew member.

Chain mail, explaining how it is not made like a chain and so should habe a different name.

and a close up

Another cannon.

A close up of the lion’s heads

and the Tudor Rose.

The ship’s anchor

Musical instruments

And some spoons.

When we had come out and looked round the gift shop it was almost 2.30pm and we were very hungry.

So – at last – we went to the Georgian Tea Rooms!

Had something to eat.

And then what we had really come for –

Tea (or coffee) and cake!

Here you can see a very happy ‘birthday girl’ (as of 2012).

Well only over eleven months to get some.

After this, mother and daughter went boating.

A cheery wave when going through the tunnel.

It was getting late by now but we did get on the last Harbour Tour of the day.

While we waited for the tour, I took this photograph of HMS Warrior with the Spinaker Tower in the background – Old & New

On the tour we saw warships old and new.

This one is this strange shape because it makes it appear smaller on the enemy radar.

I loved the look of this tower.

*****     *****     *****     *****     *****

And so a year long birthday treat is over. Or is it?

Catherine has said that if she can fit in another trip before the tickets run out in a couple of weeks she will!