Last week, I was in Portsmouth, England on business. Thanks to the kindness of a business associate, I was able to escape the meetings and fulfill a nearly life-long desire to visit one of the greatest and most legendary warships of all time: Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson’s HMS Victory.
When I was a boy, making models of square-rigged sailing vessels was one of my greatest joys. I was intrigued with the straightforward complexity of the ships design — how the intricate maze of cabling and ropes all made sense if you studied it long enough — and the idea of it being the ‘state of the art’ machine of its time.
So it was that in recent years I would occasionally open Google Maps and look longingly at the Victory from orbit. But now I had the chance to visit her and walk her decks.
HMS Victory is legendary. Her keel was laid down in 1759 and launched in 1765 — the same year that the ‘Stamp Act’ was causing trouble in ‘the Colonies’. She predates the United States ‘Revolutionary War’ or ‘War of Independence.’ It is humbling to think that the decks I was standing on were older than the nation of my birth.
I was surprised at how completely we were able to tour the ship. Every deck and practically every compartment was open to us. From her three gun decks to the Main Deck down to the Orlop and even the open Hold, we were able to experience Victory completely. The cannons have been replaced with plastic replicas (the weight of the original cannons would have been a terrible strain on her) but it took nothing away from her impressive stature.
I’m grateful to my friend in Portsmouth for making this possible. It was a bucket list item for me. Now I wonder if there is a seafaring adventure in my future.
NOTE: This article marks my return to my website after a four-year absence. This is a special year – and I look forward to sharing its journey with you.
