| barque | A sailing ship with three or more masts. |
| Black Middens | Rocks dangerous to shipping that lie on the north side of the mouth of Tyne. |
| breeches buoy | A ring shaped life buoy that supports a person who is suspended between the ship and shore. |
brigade |
A group of organised people. |
| brigantine | A two masted sailing ship. |
coastguard |
A person whose job it is to keep a watch on the coast for ships in trouble or smugglers. |
crew |
People working in a ship. |
davit |
A crane like device used for suspending or lowering equipment such as a lifeboat. |
harbour |
A place where ships can shelter or unload. |
| hawser | A large heavy rope. |
lifeboat |
A boat for rescuing people at sea. |
rocket launcher |
In this instance it refers to the launching of a rocket that had a rope attached to it. The rocket was fired at the ship. The crew tied off the rope and the breeches buoy could then be employed. |
| shipwreck | A ship that has been damaged by storm or rocks and is in danger of sinking. |
Spanish Battery |
Situated at the mouth of the River Tyne, and created to protect the river from Scottish invasion in 1545. It was manned originally by Spanish mercenaries. |
starboard |
The right-hand side of a ship. |
watch house |
A building used by the coastguards to keep a lookout for ships in distress and smugglers. |