Greenwich

On Thursday, June 20, the EIL students along with Profs. Berry and Aaron took an Uber boat up the Thames River to Greenwich.  After arrival, the group took a short bus ride to the Thames Barrier, just north of the Greenwich Town Centre. Operated by the Environment Agency of the British government, the Thames Barrier is one of the largest movable flood barriers in the world.  Returning to Greenwich (via bus), the EIL students toured the Cutty Sark ship and the Royal Observatory. In the Time and Longitude Gallery of the Flamsteed House at the Royal Observatory, students were able to see the four Harrison's sea clocks from the eighteenth century.  Harrison's H4 clock is considered the most important timekeeper ever made. It is the machine that helped solve the problem of keeping accurate time at sea and finally won Harrison huge rewards from the Board of Longitude and the British Government.  As is customary,  group photos were taken at the Prime Meridian (Longitude 0) and with Southeast London as the background. Upon completing the tour of the Royal Observatory, the students headed down Greenwich hill for a brief yoga practice with Prof. Berry on a pitch adjacent to the Maritime Museum.