Do you miss the sea?

[happy daze john in oz]

#53 Thanks for that Lewis.
Never heard the likes.
Thinking I may have got out at the right time.
What will the Merch of today have for memories.?
Most of mine are all about runs ashore.

Did you ever take any of your tab nabs ashore to trade Den?

[thomas michael]

hi john sabourn
seems you are on top of it, no need for advice from anybody, as for me its like sleeping next to someone in a iron lung
tom

[Charlie Hannah]

By the way on the OZ coast they called that splice the L.Pool locking splice,Another they used same name, Start same as first one but lock your 4 & 6 then over 1 & under 2 the rest of splice. Des would probably remember this one. cheers.

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi Charlie.
You will have me dreaming splices again. The most splicing I did was on the NZ coast, later on they got most of their splicing done in the loft in Auckland. I doubt anyone at sea today can splice a mooring rope let alone make a dogs cock. The last mooring rope I spliced was when I was 70 and working on the South Steyne in Sydney, had to join two mooring ropes and put an eye on the end, easy peasy as the ropes were getting a bit old, had to make a fid first.
Cheers Des

[j.sabourn]

Assume you are talking about a plaited rope Des...When I retired if had a broken mooring rope and eye one finished up with a reef knot and a bowline hopefully, until a new rope could be supplied, I fool you not. They wanted reduced manning and a lot of reduced intellect they got what they wanted. Cheers JS

[Charlie Hannah]

Des, & J.s. The only ropes i splice now is when Skeeter my mate needs a new lead. Cheers.

[Peter F Chard]

Hi Des, The splicing loft you mention was probably John Shaw and Sons, in Beaumont Street. They used to do most of the splicing in this part of the world, mostly by one man, Mick Waft ex MN bosun and an Irishman with many a tale to tell !. All shut down now !! Regards Peter in NZ.

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi Peter .
Yes I think that was the one I was referring to, we just called it the loft. It was nearing the end of my time at sea, It wasn't long after that the USS company started to shut down most of it's trans Tasman trade, my last ship the Karu was sold for scrap but sunk when it was being towed to the breakers, we were lucky it didn't sink on the Auckland Bluff run.
Cheers Des

[j.sabourn]

There was much splicing, mainly mainbraces among other things in Ma Gleasons in Auckland. Those were the days, spent the night in one of the parks there with female company one night, after being in Gleasons. She wore Chanel No. 5 Ivan she was another Lady. Finished up that was all she was wearing. Cheers JWS

[Peter F Chard]

#79 Gleesons is no longer, on that site is a 15 storey Apartment building for yuppies. The whole area is as bland as cold porridge for breakfast !!! Regards Peter in NZ.