wildlife

[Keith Tindell]

Among our many members we must have all seen some interesting wildlife while we were at sea (no not crew members), if only in those days i had a decent camera. I recall at anchor off Calcutta, and had a busy day over the side on stages, and relaxing on the stern in the evening with our few cans of beer, all sorts of chat going on, and as usual in those days, throwing the empties over the side, when one of the guys said *where have all the empties gone*, and sure enough as we watched, there was a snuffle on the surface, and a great big nobby clark swallowed the tinny. Needless to say a delegation to the bosun, who came to see what was happening, and over the side work banned, KT

[John Arton]

The most amazing sight I ever saw at sea was on the 4-8 watch going round the bottom end of Madagascar. Looking ahead it was like something out of Jules Verne's 20 thousand leagues under the sea. The sea was quite literally boiling and it looked like some giant octopus was engaged in a fight to the death. There was also huge pods of dolphins leaping and feeding. As we got nearer what appeared to be giant octopus's were in fact whales sounding and what had at first looked like octopus's tentacles, were instead the fins of the whales (those whales that have long fins covered in what look like barnacles) They were leaping out of the water and turning through 90 degs onto their sides before crashing back down in a cloud of spray. I lost count of there numbers after getting up to 50 and as for the dolphins their numbers were in the hundreds.
If you look at the chart of Madagascar, there is a large relatively shallow area projecting from its southern tip. This is where two currents meet and is apparently a breeding ground for huge shoals of fish that the whales and dolphins were feasting upon. We were passing through this feeding frenzy for a good 3 hours.
rgds
JA

[John Pruden]

I liked watching the seals disappearing after the sharks sneaking up on them without a ripple in the water{bit like a shark on here} also whales breeching the size of them nearly coming out of the water. and we got paid for the sights others pay thousands for today? jp

[John Pruden]

look lads lets get back to reality we are all getting on a bit {well you lot are} getting back to wildlife watching the albatross sleeping on the wing following the ship for days. I would like to here from some who sailed for a time on fishing boats for the strange fish dragged up in nets from deep water I think we have only ever seen a small amount of fish compared to what is down in the deep? so come on get back on tack..

[Keith Tindell]

John, did you ever get a decent photo of Albatross? any that i ever took only ever turned out to look like common shitehawks, as said in the first post, oh for the want of a decent camera in those days, KT

[cappy]

###ona shell tankerthe hemiplecta steam turbine ...we were of the coast of south americe betwwn punta cardon ans BA heard a lot of running about .......came out the galley to see all the day workers up forrard peering over the bow......the most massive ray was swimming just of the bow.....the old man from shields was on the bridge telling the helmsman to go to port or starboardand follow the ray the ship was a fast vessel at 18 nots and was cruising i would think not far of this speed ......after about 10 minutes just about all hands on watch and off watch were onthe fcslewatching the gyrations of the ray ......after about 10 mins or so .....the old man came out with his trumpet shouting in a humerous voice turn to you layabouts or something similar that was in59 but i have never forgot it.....regards cappy

[John Pruden]

sharks off capetown we did catch one the Chinese engine crowd did eat it from nose to tail they would eat anything in a soup? jp

[cappy]

running up the ithink it was the frazer river to chermainus .....on runcimans cragmoor ...i saw thes massive fish leaping from the water ......the bosun was a well respected seaman from shields named sepi kincaid .....i asked seppy what are they .....seppy said if you go to your grannies on sunday afternoon what does she give youfor tea well it must have been a custom in shields to have red sockye in a sanwich .....so i said salmon ...yes said seppy they havnt been tinned yet ......they were big 3 footers at least......have spent a bit of brass from time to time but never got one.....given up now buy the bleeders .....that would be in jan or feb 57......regards cappy

[John Gill]

sharks off capetown we did catch one the Chinese engine crowd did eat it from nose to tail they would eat anything in a soup? jp

Including the fins JP ?

[John Pruden]

john they were the first to come of they had strips hanging everywhere drying out and then made soup out of it surprised at the time it stayed alive out of the water shite hawks were all over it trying a snack of it and Keith one thing I forgot to take was a camera only a few photos of me that was with lets say ladies of the night and pictures of me naked apart from one work boot there you go there is a quiz for you lads how did I get in a situation like that and a true story to I do not lie?? jp