~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Life Afloat ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~: Isle of Man (Part 1 of 2)

After a mostly pleasant couple of days at sea for our first passage of the year, we docked at Isle of Man, an island of its own in the middle of the northern Irish Sea. The isolation and challenging weather let it develop its own unique and slightly quirky culture. It's known for a rich heritage that includes Gaelic, English and Norse influences, unique wildlife, and its own language, Manx Gaelic. The isolation demanded self-reliance and resiliance, and also left them protected from invasion; it is now home to the world's oldest continuous parliament, established over 1,000 years ago, which has granted women the right to vote in national elections since 1881. One of the locals self-deprecatingly described themselves to me as 85,000 alcoholics clinging to a rock. There was little to do there in the wintertime, he said. I had trouble visualizing winter there, actually -- we were there in early July and it was blustery and cool the entire time!

From local photographer Dave Lewin, El Galeon arriving at Isle of Man

“Wherever you throw me, there I will stand.” Here’s the symbol of the Isle of Man. It speaks to their independence and resilience — a valuable characteristic for this windswept place, 4-1/2 hours by ferry to mainland England (when storms don't cancel the trip.) While we were there, there was a national holiday celebrating the long duration of their parliament, and the day they (read? implement?) new laws that were passed in the previous session.

There were again huge tides, though, 4-5 meters. We were docked at a large commercial pier of the kind used for the ferries to the mainland. Far too tall for us; at low tide it was impossible to get aboard, or to deploy our ramp at all. Our opening hours were different every day based on the tide cycle. Most days we had about a 5 hour break at mid day during low tide. Fortunately it stayed light very late this far north, so we were able to make up the time during the morning and evening. And the visitors were used to having to accommodate tides and weather, because it's such a part of their everyday lives on this island, so they were quite flexible and patient with it all.

Docked at Isle of Man. Today’s our day off but we’re constrained by the tide! Good day to catch up on some other tasks, until high tide when we can get off the ship to explore. (Here’s how our more athletic shipmates have gotten ashore. In past years we’ve been hoisted in a climbing harness but this time we’re just getting other chores done while waiting for the tides.)

Trying to figure out how to deploy the ramp. This won't work!

The dock had a series of these stone steps. Depending on the tide level, one of the steps would be at the right height to come aboard. But the lower steps, being usually underwater, were covered with moss and slime and incredibly slippery. Might've been useful in older days, or for a different style vessel, but not for us.

How the stone stairs are supposed to work. This is the stern of the ferry to the mainland, docked in front of us.

Can't use the ramp this way either!

Ramp needed adjustment every half hour as the tide rose or fell. It takes several people to raise it, so at night we'd just put it way up so the night watch only has to lower it, not fight gravity.

Looking toward the capital city, Douglas, at sunset. (Around 22:00, if I remember correctly.)

Same view at night (zoomed out unlike the photo above)

"Tower of Refuge" at low tide ...

... and at high tide.

“Mizzle” = mist + drizzle. Today’s high temperature = 16C (about 60F) and it’s been like this all week except when it’s raining.

Calmer, shimmery sunset view.


And moonrise, looking the other direction at about the same time.	It’s July, but I haven’t been out of my wool long underwear in days. Today 13 degrees C. Wind NW gusting to 40. I was at the shore side of the gangway to enter and while the wind didn’t knock me over it did make me stumble a couple of times.

People waiting in line to come aboard. I'm used to people coming aboard dressed as pirates, but this pirate brought a parrot!

When we were open, people were both interesting, and interested. Here, visitors exploring the cannon deck.

In the harbour, ships from three different eras in one photo.

On our day off, we rode the steam train to the tip of the island. The ride was only about an hour, but so many changes in landscape! Also, coal-fired, and little gritty black particles blew in the window of our cabin and onto our clothing (and hopefully not into our lungs, but a reminder of how it was in the past.) We had intended a hike, but heavy rain was forecast to begin before we could complete the hike, so we went to a bookstore instead, a great lunch of fish and chips, and then the train back to Douglas.