SS Great Britian

This is about my first visit to Bristol's Great Great Great Old Lady shortly before I left. It was a fine morning and a joy to stroll along the riverside. (This is the Bee of Bristol.)

A Brunel was also there to greet visitors by the entrance beneath the giant hull of his famous design.

Before I admired the majestic vessel who was once the largest of her time and predates Titanic from above her ancient decks, I headed down into the dry docks. Century long exposure to salt water and elements had severely coroded her venerable belly now entombed within an airtight, humidity controlled chamber. A 2-story high machine silently keeps the humidity in the air below 2 percent though a system of vents.

Metal bandages kept her together and afloat on her last long journey home from the Falkland Islands

This is the caisson, a floating dam that kept the river apart from the dry docks.

A view of the bow, near the caisson.

And the replica of the original propeller, used in the first Transatlantic voyage (1845). It is 4.7m in diameter and weighed 3.9 tonnes, a massive thing.

Next, I watched the Red Coat CrimeanWar reenactment and entered the museum. After a trip back in time, glimpsing the vessel's various re-fitments and roles, from pessenger ship, migrant ship, troopship to warehouse over her long seafaring years, I boarded her deck. (This one facing the bow)

Facing the stern.

And entered her hull. It was a good and well decorated museum, like stepping through time and left me wishing there were more to explore.

This is the 3rd class accommodation.

First class cabin and the area outside the cabins. It was interesting to read about the stories and histories of the passengers, captains and different personnel whose life were connected and forever changed by the ship.

More economy class cabins near the bow.

A girl in the golden saloon, the dinning cabin that so bedazzle the media and dignitaries of her time.

And the huge steam powered engine.

I was also fortunate to be able to see a demonstration by a Victorian Physician who would be indispensable on such a long voyage. He showed how to remove a bullet from the arm a volunteer young boy, who wore full army green fatigue on his visit to the ship. Note the basin of bloodied water on the desk.

I walked about the great vessel to take in her beauty once more before I leave,

and remarked upon her intricate figurehead of lion and unicorn.

In the chill winter air, I hope to walk upon her deck once more - a promise to return.