Narre Warren man Keith Sanders is proud of his association with the Polly Woodside. 21867By Liesel Rickarby
KEITH Sanders set out from Narre Warren early Monday morning to take a peek at the historical merchant ship that has sailed to almost all corners of the globe.
The 123-year-old Polly Woodside was moved for the first time since her centenary celebration in 1985.
A tour guide for the ship, Mr Sanders, who is a member of the Polly Woodside Volunteers Association, braved the icy morning chill to see it.
Launched in 1885 in Belfast, the ship has sailed to South and North America, Africa and Australia, and rounded the infamous Cape Horn, at the tip of South America, 16 times.
The move from Duke’s Dry Dock to a temporary mooring at South Wharf was necessary as the dry dock is being refurbished.
Mr Sanders, a retired sailor, first became acquainted with the association when he was collecting remnant emergency equipment for the Victorian Fire Services Museum.
He went into the Polly Woodside Maritime Museum and began talking to the manager who told him about the volunteer guides on the ship.
“I became interested in becoming a guide and decided to give it a go. I just fell in love with it,” Mr Sanders said.
For the last decade, Mr Sanders has taken tours through the ship, imparting his knowledge of the Polly Woodside and of the maritime industry, to school groups, tourists and the general public.
Visitors love Mr Sanders’ tales of the ship’s colourful history and he loves telling them.
“I love the people, talking to people about the history of the ship and giving people the chance to go on a real sailing ship; it lights up people’s faces.”
The biggest fans of his tours are probably Mr Sanders’ grandchildren, who like their grandfather are keenly waiting for the refurbishment to be completed so they can get back on board.
