0:00:06 > 0:00:08This is Blue Peter, but mini.
0:00:08 > 0:00:13Expect epic adventures, makes, bakes, badges, pets,
0:00:13 > 0:00:14presenters and your post.
0:00:14 > 0:00:20We've only got five minutes, so get ready for your Blue Peter adventure.
0:00:26 > 0:00:29So, as you can see, I'm at sea to see
0:00:29 > 0:00:34one of the biggest ships you have ever seen, but unlike other films
0:00:34 > 0:00:37I've done before, I'm not going to be driving this ship.
0:00:37 > 0:00:41Instead, my super-size challenge is to learn how to park...
0:00:41 > 0:00:42that.
0:00:44 > 0:00:46Really? Say hello to the Carmen.
0:00:46 > 0:00:50She's almost as long as two football pitches put end to end
0:00:50 > 0:00:55and she weighs the equivalent of over 6,000 double-decker buses.
0:00:55 > 0:00:59Ships like the Carmen can literally sail anywhere in the world,
0:00:59 > 0:01:03transporting everything from your toothbrush to your family car.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06When they get near port, it's the job of local sailors,
0:01:06 > 0:01:10known as pilots, to take control and bring them in safely.
0:01:10 > 0:01:14Some of these ships are so huge they only just fit into our ports,
0:01:14 > 0:01:18so they need specialist care. And they're letting me have a go.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20They won't. I won't get to have a go.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23When they see what I do, they'll be, like, "Get off my ship."
0:01:23 > 0:01:27I'm going to be helping pilot Sean as he guides the Carmen into
0:01:27 > 0:01:31Southampton harbour. But before I could set foot on-board,
0:01:31 > 0:01:34I had to go through some very special training.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37So, this is it. The moment has arrived.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40I'm about to drive the biggest boat you've ever seen.
0:01:40 > 0:01:44OK, Barney, stay focused. Stay calm. You can do this.
0:01:44 > 0:01:45Oh.
0:01:47 > 0:01:49Well, it's not quite what I had in mind.
0:01:49 > 0:01:53This is Warsash Maritime Academy and these may look like toy
0:01:53 > 0:01:57boats, but they are actually scale models of real ships.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59Pilots must undergo their training here
0:01:59 > 0:02:02before they can control the real thing.
0:02:03 > 0:02:05A pilot doesn't actually steer a ship -
0:02:05 > 0:02:08they tell the crew how to manoeuvre it.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11Sean takes me through all the commands a pilot uses
0:02:11 > 0:02:15and then sets me a test, to navigate a course around the lake
0:02:15 > 0:02:19marked out by buoys, and I've got to bring the boat into harbour.
0:02:19 > 0:02:20Welcome aboard HMS Harewood.
0:02:20 > 0:02:24'That may sound easy, but remembering all the different
0:02:24 > 0:02:27'commands is actually really tricky.'
0:02:27 > 0:02:31- Starboard engine. Full...ast...er... Backwards.- Full astern.- Astern.
0:02:31 > 0:02:33- Full astern.- OK, Barney.
0:02:34 > 0:02:36Full ahead.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39- Full ahead? - Full ahead and starboard 20.
0:02:39 > 0:02:44'It's a lot to take in and then things go from bad to worse.'
0:02:44 > 0:02:47OK, full astern. Stop full astern.
0:02:47 > 0:02:49- Full astern stopped.- No.
0:02:49 > 0:02:51We're not where you want to be, Barney.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54- We're stuck in the bushes here, I think.- Yeah.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57- I think we need somebody to pull us out, I think.- Sorry.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00'It's a good job it's not the real thing.'
0:03:00 > 0:03:02Oh, dear.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05'I have realised where I'm going wrong.
0:03:05 > 0:03:07'Boats take a long time to change course,
0:03:07 > 0:03:09'so I need to give the command to turn
0:03:09 > 0:03:12'way before we actually need to.'
0:03:12 > 0:03:15- Starboard ten.- Starboard ten. You're in control.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18'We attempt the course again and, this time,
0:03:18 > 0:03:20'I'm determined to crack it.'
0:03:22 > 0:03:24OK, stop engines.
0:03:24 > 0:03:25'Done it. Yes!'
0:03:25 > 0:03:29- Not too bad at all, Barney. Can't complain about that.- Yes.
0:03:29 > 0:03:33'It's time to put what I've learned into practise on the Carmen.'
0:03:33 > 0:03:35It's quite nerve-racking, this bit.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38Because, obviously, we're not in a port,
0:03:38 > 0:03:40so we can't just get onto the ship. We're at sea
0:03:40 > 0:03:43and the only way to get onto this ship
0:03:43 > 0:03:45is up that flimsy, little rope ladder.
0:03:45 > 0:03:47- Shall we go?- Yeah, let's do it.
0:03:47 > 0:03:49Are you ready? All right, here we go.
0:03:51 > 0:03:53Oh, yes, like a proper pirate.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00My career has reached new heights. Ha-ha!
0:04:00 > 0:04:04Once on-board, we head straight to the bridge, where Sean takes
0:04:04 > 0:04:08control and starts guiding the Carmen into port.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11The exact same commands that I learned on the lake apply here,
0:04:11 > 0:04:15so it's time for me to put my training into practise.
0:04:15 > 0:04:19I'm about to give a command that moves this ship to the port side
0:04:19 > 0:04:23by five degrees. When I give the command, the helmsman will...
0:04:23 > 0:04:26- OK, Barney, this is a good time to go, I reckon.- All right, OK.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29- Helmsman, port five, please. - Port five.
0:04:29 > 0:04:33I'd make a great pilot, wouldn't I? I hand over to Sean and the crew
0:04:33 > 0:04:36and leave them to manoeuvre the Carmen.
0:04:36 > 0:04:38It's amazing how precise they have to be.
0:04:38 > 0:04:43At one point there's the length of just one and a half cars between the
0:04:43 > 0:04:46bottom of the ship and the seabed. Under Sean's watchful eye,
0:04:46 > 0:04:50and with the assistance of his helper, that's me, by the way,
0:04:50 > 0:04:53- we guide the ship in. - Bargate, no wait now, please.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56We're trying to work out how close we are to the berth.
0:04:56 > 0:05:00It's difficult to tell how close you are from these windows
0:05:00 > 0:05:03because you're over it. They've thought about that
0:05:03 > 0:05:06and they've put windows in the floor.
0:05:06 > 0:05:10You can see exactly how close the side of the ship is to the berth.
0:05:12 > 0:05:14Thanks very much. Very nice job.
0:05:16 > 0:05:20It's at this point I would normally say, "I want one."
0:05:20 > 0:05:22But where would I put it?
0:05:22 > 0:05:24Who am I kidding? I still want one.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29Join in, every Thursday, on CBBC.