The Golden Hinde

By Akhel M.S.

More than a mile from the harbour, its silhouette already dwarfed the high rises in the vicinity, with its freshly coated mast brushing its topgallant sail against the welkin. The looming dark patch against the coruscant sun grew ever larger as the port approached. The awning cloths of the counter themselves revealed a glimpse of what grandeur awaited the boarders as it bathed its golden hue on the piers. The sheer of the ship was built like a blade to skim through waters like a swordfish at exceptional velocity.

Named after the primary ship of the great venturer Sir Francis Drake, the vessel upholds five centuries of legacy. The first thing to be witnessed right after boarding through the gangway is an echo breaking hall, adorned with frescoes delineating the original vessel’s amusing history from the works of naval painters throughout the eras, from the Medieval times to the Renaissance.

Passing through the hall leads to a picturesque central hall with rosewood carvings and shimmering marble sculptures, limned by the radiant shine of the fiery orb in a crimson glow. The chandelier above was deemed pinnacle of fine forging with scores of candles lustrously illuminating the hall and showered the wood cladding beneath the foot in a shellac hue.

The grand staircase leading to the deck was hemmed with scarlet carpets which could hide blood stains, yet still didn’t cease to scintillate and gleam from the luminosity of the chandelier. The silk veils thrown open broadly allowing the lustre of the vast world, only accentuated the vessel interior’s intricate layout of the ship.

Eight hallways branched from the central hall, marking the eight directions of the world lined with vases and room doors lining from them; each filled with rare artefacts of the original crew who circumnavigated the world in the sixteenth century.

The stern housed private balconies from the bridge to the captain’s abode while the bowsprit speared above the waterline. The interwoven iron plating with the lacquered wood not only offered an ineffable sight but also managed to emblazon the bodacity and staunchness of the vessel in the viewer’s mind.

The Golden Hinde often took a long time to descend below the horizon after it set sail; a testament to the gallant vessel’s soaring crest, along its enduring heritage with all its glory.

By Akhel M.S.