I am clinging to a rope ladder, 20 metres above the bottom, in a howling gale. “Now think about you’ve bought no footwear on, by no means thoughts a harness and a helmet – and the ship is pitching and rolling,” shouts my teacher. Wow. It’s a miracle that any Nineteenth-century sailor made it residence alive. (Many didn’t.)
The Cutty Sark, one of many world’s final surviving tea clippers, is launching a brand new rig climb expertise on Saturday, and I used to be having a sneak preview. Royal Museums Greenwich has teamed up with Wire & Sky, the journey firm behind the O2 rooftop climb and the London Abseil. Its mission is to offer guests a style of life at sea and a novel view of London – and little doubt to assist recoup the losses incurred throughout the pandemic.
After getting kitted up beneath the hull, which is nearly totally authentic and dates again to 1869, we have been led by the ship and up on to the principle deck. We have been regaled with tales from the ship’s heyday, together with the legendary race in opposition to a rival clipper, Thermopylae, in 1872, when Captain George Moodie refused to cease for repairs even when the rudder was misplaced.
Historical past lesson over, it was time to climb. I attempted to think about the poor 14-year-old apprentices being ordered to shin up the ratlines in all weathers – there's a motive a lot of the 653 males who served on the Cutty Sark did so solely as soon as. Even with fashionable security gear, it was a nerve-jangling climb up the rigging to the highest platform, 21 metres up. The minimal top requirement is 3ft 9in (1.14 metres), however even at a relatively lofty 5ft 2in (1.57 metres), I struggled to achieve among the rungs with my toes.
The usual climb ends right here, however I had inadvertently signed up for the “rig climb plus”. My harness was unclipped on the entrance and reattached on the again (crew deal with all the security elements), permitting me extra freedom of motion. I steeled myself and climbed even larger, gripping the shrouds as I used to be buffeted by the wind. Then, leaving the relative consolation of the principle rigging, I inched my approach sideways throughout the decrease topsail yard, with only one rope to face on and one to know on to for pricey life. This was daunting, however value it for the crow’s nest view: the Royal Naval Faculty to starboard, the Thames and Canary Wharf to for’ard and the skyline of central London off to port facet.
To descend, I shinned again down the ratlines to the tops platform, the place there's a zipline to avenue degree. You merely sit into your harness and step off – once more, not an motion for the faint-hearted. The zipline itself is a gradual, easy, managed descent reasonably than a heart-pumping freefall; a closing likelihood to absorb the view.
These anticipating to climb proper to the highest of the mainmast, 46.6 metres up, is perhaps dissatisfied – the very best level of the climb is about half that. However all other than essentially the most hardened adrenaline junkies will get a thrill; I discovered it far more difficult than related sights such because the O2 climb. Plus, it’s a privilege to get so near a historic London landmark. Simply cross your fingers for calm climate – and be grateful that you simply’re not in naked toes.
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