The last time we checked in with Paddy and Plunkett, they’d got carried away exploring the Isle of Wight and missed the last boat back to the mainland! Fortunately, it seems they eventually managed to make their return journey by stowing away on a passing ship … the cable pattern on Paddy’s jumper is perfect camouflage in among the rigging ropes!
Even though they’re now back on dry land, they couldn’t resist going to visit one of the city’s most famous attractions – the Mary Rose!
The Mary Rose sank in 1545 just north of the Isle of Wight, after 33 years of service in Henry VIII’s navy. Her wreckage was rediscovered in 1971 (although Wikipedia mentions an earlier rediscovery in 1863, after which some enterprising gentlemen tried to meet market demand for salvaged artefacts by blowing up parts of the ship with condemned bomb shells filled with gunpowder) and so began a decade of intense underwater archaelogy, legal wranglings and preparations to extract what remained of the ship’s hull from the sticky clay on the seabed. Finally, on the 11th of October 1982, the Mary Rose saw daylight for the first time in more than 4 centuries! Conservation work has been ongoing ever since… the ship is now in the process of drying out after 25 years of being sprayed with preserving wax.
Unfortunately, photo opportunities were few and far between in the museum itself – with so many visitors around, a Beastie could easily get trampled underfoot! The lads were happy to soak up the sights, and leave the happy snaps until they stopped for coffee at the end of the tour. Hey look – Paddy’s got his own personalised mug!
Then there was just time to pose with this scurvy sea dog outside…
…Before going to seek more nautical adventures on board HMS Warrior. Warrior was Britain’s first iron-clad battleship, built in 1860. Her wrought-iron armour was a huge technological leap forward, and this development made the ship faster, stronger and harder to hit than anything else afloat at the time. Apparently, most rivals didn’t even bother to engage her – one look and they just slunk off into the sunset! She didn’t scare Paddy and Plunkett though – they were too busy hanging out in the rigging!
They also had a look around below decks…
And then… oh no! Who let Paddy drive?
These mischievous monsters have gone too far this time – they’d better leave before someone calls security…
Too late! Still, it’s not every day that you get forcibly ejected from a vintage battleship by a former film star… Super-observant readers may have seen this monster from the deep before, in the Bond film “For Your Eyes Only”!
Now it only remains to be seen if Paddy and Plunkett can wriggle free of the iron grip of the law! Stay tuned…
Golly Gosh, will the duo ever break free to have another adventure ??
I think piracy and skulduggery have got the better of the sea dogs, do you think they can claim extenuating circumstances that the ghost of an old buccaneer has lead them astray ??
PS Can it really be that long ago the Mary Rose was raised…I remember watching it on TV, the excitement watching it see the light of day was electrifying
I know, isn’t it crazy? Especially since they’re still working to make sure she’s properly preserved. And it must have been so great (not to mention hair-raising) to watch her being raised live. Unfortunately I was a little too young to be interested, but I saw a documentary recently where they showed some of the footage… Amazing! As for Paddy and Plunkett… Well, I’m sure they’ll think of something. I don’t see how anyone could stay cross with them for very long – just look at their angelic little faces!