37. Ships Bell

The bell was the voice of the ship. Day and night, it regulated the life of every man aboard, regardless of rank or station. Ships were generally fitted with two bells, a large one on the forecastle and a smaller one on the quarter-deck. 

The small bell, also known as the Quarterdeck Bell, was used to mark watches aboard ship.  Life at sea meant short bursts of work followed by short periods of rest, these 4-hour long segments of time are called watches.  

The large bell was used to call the crew to meals and to prayer, and to clear the decks. It was also used to signal the ship's presence in the fog, and to sound the alarm in case of danger or fire. 

The bells often bore the name with which the ship was christened, along with the date of its launch. Finding the bell can thus be the most important clue for identifying a shipwreck. 

At this stop, on this 100-year-old ships bell please note the name of the ship “Wanda” and the date of her launch “1907”.  Ring the bell to announce your watch on board the ship Wanda.