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[Colin Bishop]

Those of you living within striking distance of Portsmouth might be interested in the Historic Dockyard's current online annual ticket offer:

http://www.historicdockyard.co.uk/tickets-and-offers

At £20.12 for Seniors it is a real bargain considering how much there is to see in the dockyard and the other attractions covered which include the Submarine Museum and Explosion Museum. The ticket includes a harbour boat tour and waterbus to Gosport.

The way it works is that you purchase online, giving a nominal date for your initial visit (this isn't enforced). Then you show your email confirmation at the dockyard ticket office on your first visit and they give you your pass which commences from that date.

Mrs B and I paid a quick visit today to have a look at the newly reopened Mary Rose Museum. The ship is now on full display through a huge three storey glass window so you can see everything at once and get a real sense of the size of her. Quite stunning really. At intervals the lights dim to show a mosaic of projected videos upon various compartments of the vessel showing the crew at work and in action. It is very well done. I believe there are also now more items from the ship on display but we wil look at them another time.

Colin

[Nemo]

That is a very good offer Colin. To visit all the exhibits individually would cost £122. Thanks for the info - I got my ticket!  I never tire of the place.

[ballastanksian]

Thanks for the info Colin. I must see the Mary Rose again. MUST  Have they replaced the compartments etc or are they planning to, do you know??

[Colin Bishop]

Not quite sure what you mean by replacing the compartments. Basically the ship is now properly upright and you can see it all at once through a 3 storey glass window. All the pipework etc has been removed so you are looking directly at the interior of the ship. It's all original wood except in a few cases where timber bracing has been installed to support some of the deck planking.

Just like looking at a cutaway drawing really. Of course, on your side of the window away from the ship, the various compartments have been recreated on three levels using artifacts recovered from the wreck so you have a sort of mirror image - on one side the reconstructed compartments, on the other the real ship. Plus of course the surrounding rooms have fascinating conserved items from the wreck, including some of the original crew where the skull has been reconstructed to show what they looked like in life.

When you recall what it all looked like when they originally recovered the Mary Rose it really is amazing what has been achieved.

Apparently, during dredging for the new carriers they discovered the bow of the ship which was missing and I believe there are plans to bring that up too although it could be 30 years before they are able to stick it on the rest of the vessel!

Colin

[ballastanksian]

Yes, that is a coup finding the Bow! I hope I live long enough to see them reunited. Maybe in time scanning and 3d printing will  be advanced enough that they can scan both and print full sized replicas so we can walk on them. As it is smaller, and their techniques must have improved in the thirty four years since the hull was raised, maybe the bow can be preserved quicker? I hope that a full and more comprhensive scan may find some more structure, but one can dream:O)

 Sorry, I meant the cabins and timbers they removed before raising the hull. I confused the issue by using the term Compartment!

[Colin Bishop]

I don't know the answer to that one. There don't seem to be any immediate plans to carry out further reconstruction. It might not be feasible anyway given the obviously delicate nature of parts of the structure.

Like you I have visited the Mary Rose on several occasions in the past but looking at her now it is like going from black and white to technicolour! You can see so much extra detail such as following the line of the keel and seeing where it broadens out with a depression to step the mainmast. Because you can see the construction so clearly you can really appreciate the skill that went into constructing her all those years ago.

Not to be missed!

Colin

[BFSMP]

Oh how I wished I lived much nearer.

I would love to see the whole area.

Jim.

[derekwarner]

Agreed Jim ......."Oh how I wished I lived much nearer" ..... I have only 22,000 km to get there ... Derek

[Colin Bishop]

Lucky me! Just over an hour's drive and I visit several times a year.

Colin

[Nemo]

Reminds me of a night in the distant past when I was crossing from Bembridge to Portsmouth alone in a small yacht. It was late in the evening and dark, but the many coloured lights of the seafront of Southsea threw a glare across the waters. I felt an impact on the bow and a loud 'clang'. Glancing over the side I saw a large unlit yellow metal bouy sliding past, bearing the words ' Historic Wreck - Mary Rose'! No damage done to my ship but I did swear about the lack of lights!
Bob.

[Colin Bishop]

Yes, we had a similar experience one night, one of those big yellow buoys between Portsmouth and Ryde. Just missed it by a whisker. We were looking at the comet at the time or we might have noticed it but, as you say, no lights.

I believe there is a theory that all those big buoys have huge magnets in them which lock onto your anchors or something..... Probably why they used three tugs to take the Ark Royal out.

Colin