On Tuesday 7th July Goffe and Firmin class visited the Chatham Dockyards. 

It was a gloriously hot day, but a cool breeze off the Medway helped keep us from cooking! We visited the huge, covered slipways first, where there was a large collection of lifeboats from the earliest to the most recent. Students got to go in a modern lifeboat and had a ride on a jet ski, (a stationary exhibit, don’t panic!) We climbed up high into the roof platform of one of these buildings for our snack, with views of the floor way below through the gaps in the floorboards! 

There were other exhibits from all generations, including the last remaining X class mini submarine from WW2 vintage. 

After this we were all invited to go into HMS Ocelot a submarine, and the last warship to be built at the dockyards. It was an interesting entrance down 2 ladders through a hatch. Then into a very claustrophobic environment with lot’s of “mind your head” or sliding through hatches! Many loved the forward torpedo room, with a large torpedo and the open tubes. Hard to imagine 60 odd men would spend 3 months in there, sharing a bunk with 2 other men on shifts, with no showers! 

We then went on to a WW2 destroyer, HMS Cavalier. Which brought back images from the Tom Hanks film, “Greyhound” for me! Seeing little details like the ships shop was really great. 

After lunch we went on to the ropery, the longest brick building in Europe at over ¼ mile long! Students got to make their own rope together, which we have brought back to school! 

It was an excellent, fun packed day, with many of the students falling asleep on the journey back to school, heads full of memories! 

 

 

Chatham Dockyard