Having a gander at the Duyfken

While Jacko was hanging out with his mates me and the other kiddies jumped into the millennium falcon (cool name the kiddies call the Tarrago), and drove to the train station in midland for the ride into Perth city.

So today the kiddies got the chance to hop onto a part of Australia's history, the beaut Duyfken which is a replica of the orginal ship that sailed to Australia way back in 1606.

What a ripper little ship or as they called it in the old days... The little dove.

From the deck of the Duyfken which boaties would call the bow, or as I like to call the pointy end, which I reckon is much more technical.

On the deck an old salty who helps sail the ship, showed the kiddies the 'cat-of-nine-tails', which I explained is what the kids use to cop if they didn't do their homework. And as quick as he could Harrison turned to me and said, 'Oh dad your back must be sore'... cheeky little bugger. I explained I wasn't around when these ships were about, after giving him a quick clip across the ears!

Then we slipped down into the hull of the ship to have a gander, here is the captain of the Duyfken showing the kids the steering wheel of the vessel. Also showing them the captains cabin, and also explaining other things that were interesting about the ship.

One of it's ten cannons this one is in the bow... oh so cool love cannons!

Looking out of the captains cabin which is located in the stern of the ship, or as I like to call it 'The ass-end'.

Down inside the bow you can get an idea what it was like to be on one of these ships, no mod cons here just the bare essentials to survive, it must of been bloody hard to live on one of these boats for years at a time.

In the old days these ships were mostly used to ship cargo like different spices like Peppers, Cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and star anise, which were just some of the spices that were in demand from the Dutch.

Cool

One of the things that caught my eye...

One of the masts on the ship.

Oscar showing us one of the cannons on the deck of the ship, he loves cannons (chip of the old block) but fairdinkum who doesn't love a good old cannon.

You can imagine what it must of been like for those poor sods.

But all good things have to come to an end and the walk over the boat was amazing, I would recommend it to anyone who wants to give it a go.