On Thursday 24th May 2018, I became a Ships liaison officer. I had volunteered for the role in April, by attending a meeting and filling in the application form. The main things that they wanted to know on the application was what dates you were available and did you speak any languages, as some of the ships attending were from foreign ports.

Following the initial meeting we were assigned either to a ship, or as a floater who carried out a variety of administration tasks. There was then just one extra meeting on the day before the event started where we could ask questions and got our t-shirt with the words Liaison Officer right across our backs.

I was assigned to Adventure Wales along with a lady called Paula, who I got to know quite well over the weekend. My yacht Adventure Wales came into Albert Dock on the Thursday evening and I was there to watch it come in and meet it once it had berthed in Albert Dock. So I introduced myself to Sam Jones, the skipper and Sharon Salisbury, the ships first mate. I then handed them the paperwork that I would discuss with them in the morning and found out their immediate needs, which was for gas, electricity and water. I found this quite ironic as these were exactly the same initial needs that we required when we became yacht owners. So I organised an electrical supply for the morning courtesy of the Canal and river trust, handed them the telephone numbers of the local gas suppliers and promised to get them an attachment for their hose to hook them up to water in the water.

On the Friday I attended the morning meeting, then went over to see them to discuss all the paperwork that I had given them the night before and loan them the fittings to go on their hose. The paperwork was about things such as waste, crew lists and immigration forms. As our crew was from the UK this form could be ignored. Once the paperwork was done, I was free for the morning except that I had to pick up an invitation for the captain, but there were issues with printing this, so Sue Mc. Adam from Liverpool city council got these printed for us.

During my morning walk, I looked at all the tall ships that had arrived and looked at the various art installations that were around the dock areas. Eventually it was lunch time, when I had agreed to meet Paula and as we met at the Liaison office, the invitation arrived and we went down to the yacht together to find out what we could do to make their stay more enjoyable the next day.

For the Saturday, one of the crew members wanted to explore Liverpool and seeing as Paula was a tour guide, she agreed to do that, while I organised some printing for them to do with ships rostas etc. Later on the Saturday there was to be a crew parade and I helped them, swell their numbers and take pictures of them that they could use in their blog.

The parade was a right laugh, I was given a t-shirt for Adventure Wales and got to dress up like I was riding a dragon. I took loads of pictures for them, and it was interesting to be part of the parade.

At the end of the parade, there was a prize giving ceremony where Adventure Wales won an award for their work with the environment.

On the Sunday, trainees were arriving so Paula and I agreed to take them on a walk. During the walk we went aboard the Somerset, when we arrived they were actually closing down the viewings, but our liaison t-shirts got us in. We also went aboard the Lord Nelson before returning to the yacht.

The crew did not need us on the Monday, however, I did take some more pictures of them for their blog during the parade of sail