Bet the first heading of this post got your attention, or sent you reaching to click off this site!
Let me explain.....
It’s amazing what you learn about people when you’re on the Waverley….again, don’t panic!
It’s even more amazing what you can learn about what you can do yourself to help the Waverley if you just give something a wee try. This follows quite neatly from my first Chairman's Blog about “doing”.
Speaking personally I’ve attempted quite a few things over the years on our fine vessel with varying degrees of success / confidence, washing dishes in the galley as a thirteen year old (yes we had dishes back in those days), crawling through EVERY frame of the ship’s bilges (as part of survey work) during the winter that the Clyde froze solid as far down river as where the Crown Plaza hotel now stands, and even driving the "Mighty 2100IHP Triple Expansion Steam Engine" when I was second engineer at one point….but that’s a whole other story - or two……………
However, I think it’s fair to say that for me, the prospect of selling Olsen Prize draw tickets round the deck is only marginally preferable to having my wrist broken by the second engineer. Again you’ve guessed it, that’s a whole other story!
However when I was onboard on Thursday, as Derek was not available, I took a deep breath and had a go at selling prize draw tickets….sort of. You see, as an alternative to actually wandering the decks with tickets, we have an arrangement (see photo below) for the shy ones among us whereby we can set up a wee folding table (Loaned by the Scottish Branch) outside the pursers office and sell the tickets from there.
Well over the course of the run from Millport to Brodick, during the Pladda Island afternoon cruise and as far back as Largs, Margaret Skee and I sold over £150 worth of tickets to passengers who came to us. And I found to my surprise and delight, it was actually really enjoyable! There was the ever present chance of a bit of friendly conversation with people who wanted to know a bit more about the boat while they were buying the tickets, and the view from where we were sitting is actually pretty good.
I short, if I can do it, anyone can. So please - this is a rallying cry to all our committee and “usual suspects” (you know who you are!) - if you can spare even just a wee while to sell tickets, even if you THINK you won’t enjoy it, PLEASE have a go. I’m sure you will be pleasantly surprised. This year more than ever, with rocketing operational costs and a shortened opportunity to sell the tickets (following Waverley’s extended period undergoing repairs instead of sailing and earning her keep); it is vitally important we all do whatever we can.
Thank You,
Stu
