'Working The Sea' is the story of our community, the ferries which keep it alive and the people who sail them. The programme follows the officers and cabin crew of the Isle of Man Steam Packet - the oldest passenger shipping line in the world. Every day they move thousands of people and tonnes of freight between the North West of England and the Isle of Man - a service which is a lifeline for the island. 'Working the Sea' discovers there have been many changes since the first boat sailed way back in 1830. Now the cabin crew come from all over world - from far away places like Latvia and South Africa.
 | | Life working the ferries. |
The Manx people established their own ferry service over 175 years ago, with the wooden paddle steamer - the Mona’s Isle – first plying the route between Douglas and Liverpool way back in 1830. Since then it’s become an integral part of Manx culture. Life is never dull on The Steam Packet: whether it’s thick fog at Douglas harbour or an unexploded World War II bomb in the River Mersey, the team are trained to handle whatever comes their way. The programme looks at the Steam Packet’s busiest time of the year – the Isle of Man TT. The world-famous motorbike races attract thousands of visitors from all over the world – and make sure the crew of the Steam Packet has to work flat-out. | 
