Dr Simon
Explorer
I have to admit that after seeing this latest map of the fishery, I'm rather at a loss to imagine what the building looks like from the outside. I'd assumed that the lower vat room was right above the water line, but now I see that it too is raised high with a second wooden walkway built roughly fourteen feet below the first walkway that's raised up above it at street level. I'd assumed that the double-doors at the front were at ground level, but now it seems that they're raised above a basement foundation with windows.
I'm not complaining or criticizing, just saying that how I imagine the building looks keeps changing with each new map.
So if the topmost outer walkway is fifteen feet above the level of the water, then it must reach all the way up to the docked ship's gunwales. Seeing and stepping down onto the ship's deck would seem to be relatively straightforward. So is there anything on its deck worthy of interest? Cabins? Hatchways?
I think the general idea is that the river bank is quite high above the waterline, allowing space *below* street level for an under-level. Although in some cases the measurements are a bit out of kilter, and there's a bit that you haven't got to that just *doesn't work* for several reasons (so I've changed it).
As for the upper walkway, yes, it does pretty much run around the gunwhales of the sloop. Will post a description later if you want to examine it.