Amazing

[Lou Barron]

What gets me we have just over 8000 members on this wonderful site ( started by a far seeing person in Brian )and the number of them who seem yo never put a post on this site WHY???

[Doc Vernon]

Hi Louis
Yes my friend this question has been asked before,and so it should again,as you say with all the Members,surely there should be a lot more Posts!
So what are your thoughts Lads (those that do post regularly) compare the Posts to other Shipping sites and one can see that this site has in the past definately waned!
Something is causing this,what do you think!?
Is it because there is now very little left to talk on,have we drained ourselves of things to think of or say!?
Or could there be some underlying reason???????
Mmmmmm!!
Cheers

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi Lou.
It's the seven year itch thing. I took up painting years ago did a course in tech, painted for about seven years; then drifted into writing did that for about the same time, then I think it was in 1998 that I got onto Brians site that is double the time I suppose, but then I like this site, keeps me young and at 80 I need all the young I can get.
Cheers Des

redc.gif

[j.sabourn]

As a lot of us are getting on in years, as regards myself I have now no inhibitions in writing on what I believe and what in my past has happened. When younger may have had doubts about putting certain things down such as walking off ships etc. as may have had misgivings about afterwards. Thinking back at some of our ages we have nothing to hide, whereas younger people may still suffer from guilt complexes. As far as I am concerned my life is an open book, good bad or indifferent and am not ashamed of anything in the past, this comes with age as we cant take secrets with you. I can see this in different posts where people speak their minds regardless. My sex life which most seamen had various experiences however may in some cases be considered out of line even by todays low standards, so have never posted as such. One modern day gift to the normal person is the computer as is a working tool and allows the working man to express his views as against such corruptions as the press and politicians, which I am sure both professions would rather not have there. I consider such webs as this which is mostly for use of ex and ongoing seafarers an ideal tool to keep up with present world situations with people who speak the same language and have probably the same targets in life. Best Regards John Sabourn.

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi John.
The only piece of high tech technology I have encompased is the computer, which I originaly got to write with as my hand writing had gone to the pack, I now use it only to email and access this site and occasionally Google Earth. I don't have a mobile phone or Ipod, and like you getting on in years I like reminising, and reading the exploits of other members keeps me in touch with my time at sea and therfore young again.
The future I don't want to know about, I can see a fight with religions, Catholicism, Anglyism, ******ism and the soon to be new religion of IPodism as the kids of today never mind where they are from they will all be absorbed by it.
Cheers Des

[happy daze john in oz]

When ever I visit the siter, which is most days apart from Sunday, I am transported back to an earlier part of my life. Some of you have photos of yourselves at an earlier age. But for me when reading or writing on site I still think of all the members as still being the young men we were at the tender age of 20 or so. But as we know from our school days writing is not the expertise of many, many who feel they may not be able to express themselves in the manner they wish. That does not make them any less than those of us who do write, but judging by the number of readings of some threads there is a great audienece who view regularly. One post, started by Gulliver, 'Smko ldas' has 9,517 viewings of it and 169 likes.

[Tony Wilding]

Our time and experiences are priceless, can never happen again, just so lucky to have been able to be able to go where we did and do what we did, so many Adventures, good times and bad times, but it was allways more we went back for, i was proud to be a Merchant Seaman, felt i was a Member of an exclusive club, never felt that ashore befor or since, the things we did are sometimes hard to believe, the characters we sailed with were unique, learnt more at sea than ever ashore, i went to Sea aged 21, no training, as green as grass into an Alien World, but soon was hooked, every new Ship and Port was a new challenge, never lost the excitement of joining a Ship, the youth of today lead such shallow lives, have no idea of the World, would do it all again if i could go back in time, but not on todays Ships. , we can but dream !

[Les Woodard]

What I ask myself do I want out of this site to stay active on it. Answer is that there are still a few out there that take me back to number five and speak their minds. Must say that sometimes it feels like censorship is a bit harsh compared to other places EG Facebook. Just to sit back a read some of the posts you can imagine yourself back at sea especially when the cunard queens get there tits in a tangle as they used to be intertaining when at sea with their antics. Not to mention when debating used to get a bit heated but would end up with everyone getting a skin full and laughing it of later on. Thanks to those that can see through the BS and still call a spade a spade. Concerning younger participents on site just ask yourself this. Would you have liked to sign on your first ship with an experienced crew as this one

[Glenn Baker]

This Merchant Navy site is invaluable to me as even though all of our ex shipmates are so far away from me , its the greatest thing to have that company of people who think the same about ouf past adventurous life in which todays generation would have no idea of actually having fun and a job on very little pay and actually enjoying life to the full.

To realize my past dreams I have taken up Marine Painting and so far Ive painted pics of three ships two former Cargo ships of my era and one of a Sailing ship, all done on Canvas and in accrylic Paints, Ive had lots of enjoyment doing them, ive learnt myself how to paint the Sea and various skies, and just recently some one has looked at them and said they should be entered into Painting Contests.
So after hearing that of a few local people in the town, Im quite elated to know that Ive picked up on a very fullfilling hobby with my Easil and Paints i can make my mind drift rith back to those wonderful days of my Sea career, plus I never get sick of hearing and seeing the posts no matter what subject by all the chaps on here.
Guessing the Port is a good one too. all the Best Glenn former KG 5 dock shipper outer.

[Tony Morcom]

Ironically Les, contrary to your post, the censorship is now less than ever before. While Brian is indisposed I am the only one with the power to delete threads and posts and in the last month only one post has been deleted in the name of "censorship". 4 were removed as being inappropriate to the thread concerned after a complaint was received but the writers of those posts are aware. There was little point in moving them since they would have made no sense anywhere else on site. However we do endeavor to give as much freedom of speech as possible providing members don't go over the top, especially on language.