London Nautical School visit to CUTTY SARK

 

The Shipwrights’ Company supports the London Nautical School with an annual grant and by permanently providing a link Governor, with many other Shipwrights holding or having held School Governors’ posts. Some years ago the Company’s Ark Appeal funded the establishment of nautical studies in the curriculum and the post of a maritime studies teacher, thereby reconnecting the school with one element of its heritage and history. It was fabulous to receive the following note and photographs from Richard Garcia, the current Maritime Studies teacher at LNS, who took his Year 9 pupils on a visit to the CUTTY SARK in Greenwich.

“A very fun and interesting experience was had at the Cutty Sark museum by our year 9 maritime class. The boys were in particular interested in the design of the ship and number of sails that powered her into the record books of the time. 15km of rope work hanging in the rig was way off our guesstimates. In particular the boys enjoyed rope work and certainly the guides were wowed at the knowledge of the boys and how quickly they picked up making rope ladders (we conveniently left out being an Sea Cadet Corps unit as well!).

With the Cutty Sark’s previous history with the boys of the London Nautical College learning their seamanship aboard, the boys felt a real sense of kinship and connection. The boys expressed how proud they are to be keeping the nautical traditions and maritime skills alive. Having spoken to the volunteer staff we certainly will be pursuing any opportunities afforded to practice and learn seamanship as well as conservation with the Cutty Sark crew.
One last note was the cabins and how small they were, the boys were surprised to hear that they will be in similar small spaces on their tall ships experience!”

Richard Garcia
Maritime Studies
London Nautical School