Hello Sailor!

You may remember (and if you don't, why?) that in the summer I signed up as a volunteer for the Imperial War Museum and was put on the waiting list. Well, the good news is I now have post on board HMS Belfast one day a week as part of their visitor interaction team. This involves encouraging visitors to use some of the equipment and items on board to enhance their learning/enjoyment, and is great as I get to work with members of the public all day.
I've also leaned quite a few things in the process myself:
1. never call it a boat, or in my case utter the damning phrase 'driving the boat'. V bad!
2. port is left/starboard is right.
3. The bow is the pointy bit at the front and;
4. the stern is the slightly less pointy bit at the back.
5. you enter on the quarterdeck.
6. the difference between the Admiral's deck and the Captain's and their respective roles on board ship.
7. that I am totally useless on a walky talky radio - I sound like someone's maiden aunt and don't use the correct language at all.
8. that I am never gonna be able to go down those stair ladders front-ways!
I work on Thursdays and share the day with another volunteer called Ernie who's an absolute star and very enthusiastic about all things IWM. He does an additional day at the Museum in Lambeth taking pictures of all the firearms for the catalogue and is also very knowledge about steam strains.
Fab!
LxXx