Reminisce

[Dennis McGuckin]

While on my sun deck this afternoon, temp a nice 25c, and having a bevvie. I started to reminisce.
Think all of us old guys do that from time to time.
Anyway. Seams like more and more I am thinking about my times at sea.
I began to wonder why.
Then I realised that it all began when I joined this site in June 2008.
Suddenly I was back with guys who spoke the same language.
Not to mention the feeling of camaraderie that I never felt ashore.
Wonder why I never dwelt on my various shoreside jobs.
Guess because at sea it was an adventure, with travel to exotic ports [and not so exotic ports] with good mates you could rely on.
Always remember when I came ashore and went to the pub. Pulled out my fags and passed them round, just like we always did.
Also bought a round.
Next shout everyone bought their own.
That when I first discovered the difference between shoresiders and seamen.
That's me off the soap box.
Time to hit the pit.
Den.

[j.sabourn]

Denis, most of us have noticed these differences. As youngsters we had to grow up fast, dont think any shoreworker would understand or probably accept the work and conditions we accepted as normal. I have always found it hard to converse with a person who has spent a lifetime working ashore. When they ask about seagoing life, 9 times out of 10, I give up knowing they do not understand the words or terminology of shipping, and probably would think you were shooting them a line. Best regards John Sabourn PS Is Tahsis a working port for the export of timber up there still. Was way up the creek, the one mounty used to be flown in every week, as had a very small population, with only 1 mill at my time there. Cheers John Sabourn

[Keith Tindell]

Totally agree, i can remember the excitement when joining a ship, which was mostly dry cargo, the whole world to see. It was a different world then, not as small as it is today. I remember going round the greek islands on Ellerman boats, long before tourism got there, it was so beautiful and a mystery to me. But we have those memories, and we are very priviledged to have travelled the world in such a carefree manner. No regrets a all, regards KT

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi Den.
I can't sit on my sun deck otherwise I'd freeze to death, but my wife told me yesterday that I'm a day dreamer, it's somthing I've always done, even more so now. I keep going back to ports visited ships conversations, and like you I very seldom reminise about a shore job, I think it was the closness, sharing cabins and messrooms for months sometimes years. There is a video going throgh the Suez and the Panama I play it over and over I'm there again.
Cheers Des

[Les Woodard]

I was mainly on the colonial run and it was a experience that could never be replicated ashore. Money did not mean a thing as when first arriving would throw into tarpualin musters and like everyone else end up broke about one third around the coast but still would go ashore and others would top up the tarpualin muster of ships that had just arrived. No one seemed to care who's money it was as it was all about friendships and mates. Try to explain that to shore side workers. It was vertually like being a memeber of a very close family. Well it was with the crowds I sailed with and on top of all this it did not even matter what shipping line you where with. I do not know if other departments where like this but the deck crew's where notorious for it. Maybe that is why I do not recall many names because there where do bloody many and our brain cellls where otherwise engaged between our legs what was left of them.

I know I get into strife on site for being outspoken but you can blame it on my formulating years on Aussie/Kiwi coast. We would BS one another but would not take it of anyone else because they always seemed to believe their own BS.

To sum up where else could you end up half way around the world with not a cracker in your pocket yet end up legless and a bird on your arm at the end of the night. Only a seaman could.

[happy daze john in oz]

There is something about those of us who went to sea that cannot be understood by shoresiders. What is was is something that each of us in our own way felt, no two alike maybe. An understanding of working together for a common aim and all willing to pull together.

Things may have been better had Den used 'Real'Rum instead of rum essence in the tab nabs, but that is for another day.

[Ivan Cloherty]

[QUOTE=Les Woodard;97105] It was vertually like being a memeber of a very close family. Well it was with the crowds I sailed with and on top of all this it did not even matter what shipping line you where with. I do not know if other departments where like this but the deck crew's where notorious for it.

It was the "cooped up together" thing that made us what we were, we supported each other in bad weather (and the good weather made us all more amicable towards each other) and yes the deck crowd (including all topdeck) probably did have a closer bond than other departments because they were the ones closer to the elements in bad weather and had to rely on each other so much at that time if deck gear or cargo broke adrift, also having to ensure your shipmates didn't get washed overboard when working in those close quarter situations, situations in which other departments didn't get involved.

Also probably the cargo ships with a total complement of 50 -70 souls on board bonded much quicker than passenger ships which had departments much larger than the total crews of a cargo ship, it is doubtful if a close bond could be formed by 200-300 catering staff, but they had their cliches and buddies. It is difficult to remember the names of all those you sailed with, even if you were on the same ship for two years, as mostly nicknames, initials or ranks were used, Bos, chippie, lamps, leckie, sparks, etc Paddy, Taff, Scotty, chalkie, JD, IC, would be surprised if most of us knew the surnames of the shipmates we sailed with, we probably saw them on the Lifeboat Stations list but they were soon forgotten

[Tony Wilding]

when i came ashore to work i could i not believe how different it was, the backstabbing and hard to make real mates as at sea, and i make friends easily, i live in a house converted into 3 apartments, only meet when we enter or exit, but nobody speaks, i dont have a dedicated parking space, so i try to park as close as possible, allways leave room for them, but am told not to park there even though there is ample room for them, they know i cant walk far, but dont care. personally i found the people of india much more respectful to elderly infirm people, yesterday i had to travel to london by train, then by underground to take a relative to her sister, on the return journey alone struggling with the stairs on the underground 4 people asked if i was ok or needed help, none were english.

[Dennis McGuckin]

Hi Les. I recall many times us in catering having a tarpaulin muster.
My big memory was in the Round House after getting home from missing the ship in Santos.
Had sailed in previous times with half of the crowd in there.
They had a muster to get me on the train to Coventry.
Ended up spending it all on booze [but that's another story].
Once I joined a ship in Liverpool. Skint of course.
Was sitting in my cabin, not knowing anyone. Suddenly the door burst open and in a strong scouse accent this bloke said.
Are you coming ashore for a pint.
I replied sorry I'm skint.
With that he grabbed me by the shirt and said.I asked you if you were coming for a pint, not if you had any money.
Ever heard of that happening ashore??
Den.

[Les Woodard]

Can just imagine that happening Den.

I know the first time I tried to get a job at the BHP Steelworks as a rigger I was knocked back and it was not for a few years before I managed to get in. Found out that it was because I was an ex seaman that I got knocked back. I seems that at that particular time nearly all the riggers where ex seaman and the company had an awful time in keeping them under control because they where so united that if the foreman said anything to any of them they could be down the pub before he could report back to the office. Yes many a story about seamen being on the beach penniless yet none of them without a roof over their head or a mate to shout them a drink.