On board the Anchor Line cruise ship California (1923) at sea. The photographer is looking outboard from near the companionway leading down from the after part of the boat deck on the starboard side of the ship towards two stacked lifeboats. Five of the crew are working with the lifeboat davit ropes under the direction of a senior rating. This is not usual seamanship training or equipment maintenance because one of the men is a member of the galley staff. The negative is captioned 'life boat drill' but this is unlikely to be a full lifeboat drill as none of the men are wearing lifejackets.