The Mayflower II

We didn't have enough time to go to the "Plimouth Plantation" so we settled for a tour of the Mayflower II.  An exact replica of the original, at least as far as plans and eyewitness accounts go, it was really a sight to behold!  I guess what shocked me was the size...it ain't very big!  How they got 102 passengers and a crew of 20-30 aboard I will never know.  We found out that two ships actually were going to be used for transport but the other vessel, the Speedwell, developed leaks and had to return to England.  So they crowded onto the Mayflower and set sail!

This is the view from near Plymouth Rock.  The Mayflower did not come into the harbor because it was too shallow.

They anchored out to sea and used smaller boats for transport (the boat in the foreground with the Mercury was not used by the Pilgrims)

Topside looking toward the bow...Yes maties.. me knows all the tarms for the paarts of the ship!

 Below deck looking aft...toward the back of the ship

 Looking forward... toward the front of the ship

 In the Captain's quarters...note the cross-staff on the table...

 Also in the Captain's quarters

A sleeping berth for a family...looks purty cozy!!

I know you can't see very well in all these pictures but just imagine 102 people in this small space...

Here's your Signs!!

I'm a surveyor so the following displays caught my eye.  Especially the one about calculating latitude and longitude...if only they had know about Garmin or TomTom!!  Which reminds me of an old Bell Telephone radio commercial from years ago..."Listen my children and you shall hear of the midnight ride of Paul Revere......now if Paul would have known about Bell Telephone Company back then...he wouldn't have had to make such a long ride!!"

 Every wonder why speed on the water is measured in knots???

 The Pilgrim's version of GPS!!

 And finally...the Pilgrims did not have NOAA they had...POAB - "Pilgrim's Oceanic and Atmospheric Board"!!

These folks were "Period Actors" which basically means they only relate to a certain time period which in this case was 1620.  When I told them I was from Missouri they had no clue where that was.  So I told them it was in the Midwest...the lady said "I know that Mid means the middle of something and West is a direction but how had you have the middle of West??"  Very interesting to talk to!!

We traded out pictures with some folks on the dock...so here are a couple of cold Pilgrims ready to go eat lunch!!!