Half Moon mission

The Half Moon is in town!

It's the ship (strictly speaking, a faithful replica of the ship) that British explorer Henry Hudson sailed up the Hudson River in 1609 (though it wasn't called the Hudson River then, obviously), which led the Dutch (for whom he was working) to claim and settle New York (or as they called it, New Netherland).

The Half Moon is a beautiful vessel.  It's visiting Albany and is open for public tours for just a few weekends (it's here until mid-October), and the rest of the time it's a travelling museum and a teaching ship, taking groups of students and volunteers on board, literally to learn the ropes.

A team of docents explained the different areas of the ship to us, from the galley to the crew's below-deck sleeping quarters, to the officer's more comfortable accommodation and the open-to-the-elements "weather deck".  In a short time it was easy to get a feel for the rather cramped and demanding conditions of life aboard a small 17th century ship.

There were historical diversions along the Hudson riverfront where the ship is docked, too.  Displays of tools and equipment of the time, demonstrations of ironmongery and barrel-making, and period toys and games to play with.  We were rather intrigued by an old-English pub game which we'd never come across before - bat and trap.  We were informed by our docent (who had never been to England) that it's big in Sevenoaks.