I am intrigued to know what persuaded Mr Meyer - or whoever started Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany in 1795 - that it would be a good idea to build ships up a river, miles from the sea.
I admit when the idea was conceived, ships were a lot smaller and who back then who would have thought they would get as big as Celebrity Cruises' 122,000-ton 2,850-passenger Celebrity Equinox, which managed to squeeze through the locks at the weekend, en route to its sea trials in the North Sea.
The ship had to be tugged backwards down the river (which is confusing when you are finding your way around as if you walk in the direction the ship is moving, which is forwards normally, you are actually going to the back, and vice-versa) and there was also a tug at the back, which was really the front, to keep the ship on course.
At about 10.30pm the cry went up that the lock gates connecting the shipyard to the river had opened so we rushed out to watch the first manoeuvre. I was still not convinced the ship would fit through the gap - especially when the clock ticked on to 12.30am and we were still in front of the first lock, pictured here.
I assumed they were carefully calculating widths. But no.
Apparently opening the lock gates created a wave and we had to wait for the wave to come back (I'm not entirely sure where it went but given the long wait it must have been a long way away) to give the ship enough depth to get through. It really was that critical.
"There's no way I'm buying till it gets out to sea," Dan Hanrahan, Celebrity's president and chief executive officer, had joked earlier. At least I think it was a joke.
Both sides of the locks were lined with locals who had been waiting in campervans for much of the day in the hope the ship would set off - it is always a bit touch and go whether this so-called conveyance will happen as planned as the wind and tides have to be exactly right.
As we went through, touching some grass overhanging the the bank I am sure, Rod Stewart's "We Are Sailing" blasted out from somewhere on land. Corny but appropriate.
The ship tugged on through the night - I am told at one point a bridge had to be dismantled for it to get through but I'm afraid I was asleep by then (I reckoned it would have been too dark to see much anyway). By 6.30am this was the rather murky view from my cabin.
By 7.30am, people were starting to line the river bank to watch our progress and by 10am, we were face to face with the next lock - well more a barrier - at Gandersum. Again it looked far too narrow but Equinox sailed through with room to spare! Enough space to park a London taxi cab, I am told. Really? That much?
All the unessential folk - that included me, other journalists and travel agents, and even Dan Hanrahan, who's only wanted next to sign the cheque - were dropped off at Emden in Germany and the ship sailed on to Eemshaven in Holland to collect provisions before heading out to be put through its sea trials.
With luck, that's where it is now. Another month and it will be in Southampton, where it is to be named by.... Ah sorry, you'll have to wait a few more days to find that out.
Jane Archer
