Anchors on the bow!

Anchors and windlasses

The ERNEST LAPOINTE’s anchors each weigh close to three tons. The windlass next to you was used to drop and raise (weigh) the anchors.

Weighing anchor

Each “clicking” sound that you hear is the sound of a chain link going through a wildcat.

The teeth of a wildcat (sprocket) grasp the chain links of an anchor when dropped or raised.

Dropping anchor

Did you notice any difference? You have probably understood that it takes much less time to drop the anchors than to raise them.

Bow, stern, port, starboard

On a ship, other words are used to describe front, back, left side and right side.

Will you remember which is which?

Here are some tips: To tell PORT and STARBOARD apart, remember that “PORT” is on the same side (left) as your heart in your body. As for “STARBOARD”, simply remember that it is the opposite (the right) of “port”. To remember that the BOW is the front of a ship, think about a figurehead. Then it is easy to remember that the STERN is the back of the ship.