Thinking

[Ivan Cloherty]

And now I am thinking !
Why did all have to end!


Cheers

It hasn't ended Vernon, we relive our memories everyday and have a little chuckle at what we did, and sometimes why we did it..........a little extract from 'New Horizons' one of our members was reading the article in the last edition of New Horizons on the presentation at Aberdeen and recognised a shipmate he had sailed with forty years ago. Joe had been 1st mate and Ivan 3rd mate on one of Ropners short 19 month trips. The first thing Joe said when Ivan rang him was 'Well I'll be buggered, remember that time you shinned up the side of a building then out on a flagpole in Dunkirk' well that was a little chuckle moment, what they had put in that French beer I do not know, but I had shinned up the side of a building more than one actually, removed the American flag and hoisted it up on a building flying the Soviet flag, I then was back up the original building and put the Soviet flag on the USA flag pole. To finish it off I was up the side of another building took the Argentinian flag and we used it as a door curtain on the officers smoke room, the Gendamerie came aboard wanting to know if we were responsible of course we denied all knowledge, whilst they interviewed us they were standing with their backs to the Argentinian door curtain...................why did we do these things, there were other instances with flags down South America way but the USA 'Grace Line' never saw the funny side of it

[j.sabourn]

Ive enjoyed reading all this post and peoples memories which we all have. The sea was and is a hard mistress and like all women one has to treat with respect, the same as the ship you are on , nothing will ever replace the earlier years. The sea will always be there, maybe it is just me, but I found peoples attitudes were different, this may have been due to the shortage of jobs or whatever, but the atmosphere was never there the last 20 years of my time at sea. I remember one kid coming up to me, he must have been in his earlier twentys, and was mate on the ship, asking me when I was retiring as was holding him back. Years ago I wouldn't have carried him for ballast. There is not the respect for each other that we were used to, and in a lot of cases a ship is now a breeding ground for gossip and running to the shipowner with stories to try and promote themselves. The sea was not the same as when I first went there starry eyed, or I should say the sea is but its clientele isn't. The actual job is a lot easier than it ever was and doesn't take an Einstein to command. Our days are finished as we knew it. Most of us could write reams about different experiences we had, which todays modern seafarer unless you find a job on some old clapped out foreign flag tramp wouldn't know what you were talking about. A very good lot of yarns and see most enjoyed their time at sea as we all did, in all its variations. When and if the old type of seafarer is required they will be in high demand if there are any left that is. Cheers JS

[cappy]

but also ashore now it is dog eat dog.......no comradeship ......all at such a fast pace ......trampling over each other for recognition.......but it can only get worse as all seek more income......my children have good jobs good income but the pressure to perform just grows and grows.......our long hazy days at sea were paradise.......with just the odd weather to cope with.......can remember a long trip from vancouver to sydney .......could have stayed on it forever day after day of routine almost hypnotising .........three good meals a day.....and a bit of bronzying........fishing when she broke down........a quite idle life really.......3cans a night .......good tales to listen to.......ife was more than good regards cappyl

[Keith Tindell]

As i have said before cappy, was aways good to have a good run ashore, but after a week or so, it was lovely to let go, wash the ship from top to bottom, dump all rubbish. and settle down to the watches again, lovely times. they will never take the memories from us .kt

[Ivan Cloherty]

but also ashore now it is dog eat dog.......no comradeship ......all at such a fast pace ......trampling over each other for recognition.......

That was my first impression of shore life, I don't think it has changed one iota, if I hadn't been getting married a couple of months after coming ashore, I would have been begging any company to take me back in any position to get back to sea. Luckily my job kept me in touch with ships and seamen on a daily basis and allowed me to get away from office politics, we had politics aboard ship, but it was never with malice and we respected the heirachy of a person's position on board and knew that in some companies promotion was deadmens shoes rather than ability, but you chose your bed and you lay in it. Finding it more difficult to find kindred spirits as a lot have gone on their last voyage and shore wallahs just cannot understand the scrapes and joys we experienced and have no idea what you are talking about and what simple pleasures as gazing out on a starlit night with a 360 degree vista gave us so much joy and peace...............memories..............long may we remember them

[Jim Brady]

From when I was a kid my face would turn bright red if I became the centre of attention,on my first trip a fellow bell boy took good advantage of this to his great amusement,at the same time maybe he wanted to toughen me up and knock this shyness out of me.We did a little job for the smokeroom stewards every afternoon,this had nothing todo with our bell boys job it was on the side and we received a 10 bob note a Can.or American dollar each day a nice little earner.The job in hand was to get all the tables ready for afternoon teas,so it was a matter of putting sideplates, cups and saucers and sugars out.There were passengers already sitting around the tables.this bell boy would wait until I was right in the middle of the smokeroom with about 20 sideplates or saucers up my arm,he was watching me from the pantry which was attached to the smokeroom he would then drop half a dozen plates or whatever,with the clash of crockery the whole smokeroom would turn around and look at me,I would go bright red and run off the floor into the pantry which made him laugh all the more.I would say I'm not coming anymore,he couldn't understand it he'd say what did you do wrong !!!.One afternoon I said to him there's six guys over there playing cards so I cant lay the table up,go over and tell them straight if they want afternoon tea they'll have to clear the table.He forced me into it so I took a deep breath and went into action I slipped up badly my words came out wrong,"Whats the score with you guys do you want afternoon tea or what" one of the passengers stood up and give me a good telling off,Who do you think you are talking to sonny don't you be so bloody cheeky.I stood there as red as fire,this realy made my fellow bell boys day.I often think of that when memories of the sea come to me.
I suppose the drink brought me out of being shy but even today I wont go on the karaoke unless I've had a few down me.
Regards.
Jim.B.

[Dennis McGuckin]

That was my first impression of shore life,.long may we remember them

Ivan.I was married a week after swallowing the hook.Had a job working nights. Walking to work and seeing those same stars that I used to look at while at sea, drove me mad.
Used to often go to the pub instead of the job.
Had a good wife who understood.
However if I had lived in a sea port instead of Coventry, not sure if could have resisted the call of the sea.

[Keith Tindell]

My first taster of shore jobs did not go well, iwent to work in Vokes engineeing works, and had forgotten to clock out for lunch, so saw the foreman, he knew that i was there, and asked him to sign my card, his answer was that i would lose 15 mins pay for the day, i said fair enough, i will sit down and have a smoke for 15 mins, he said i would have to forfeit 30 mins if i did that, so i said i,ve got the answer to this, stick your job up your jacksie, and walked off. Mind you jobs were plentiful 1964, and had a job the next day, kt

[eric fisher]

A wonderful read of all the 'Thinking' posts. Can remember my 1st trip to Algiers Nov. '42 age 17. My last July '56. to U.S. age 31. Still recall countless.. many great and some sad and awful.. memories but would not have changed for any other job. Was very, very lucky and now often recount to many friends and family so many seafaring yarns, no need for much embellishment! Strange how I can dismiss lots of my shoreside career mostly here in Canada from '56 to '83.
Still dictating my bio on this 'puter but very busy being social at Legion, Tavern and friends. Only thing I would wish for would to be much younger and more mobile, but not in todays' world I'm thinking. Cheers, Eric

[Ivan Cloherty]

#19, you are so right Eric we do not need to embellish anything, our job gave us opportunities and adventures that someone who has never been to sea could not possibly envisage. No matter how short or how long you spent at sea your blood will always contain saltwater. I live by the sea and often hear people say 'the sea is rough today' and have a little chuckle thinking you don't know what rough is. I think we lived at the right time we didn't need drugs or stimulants to enhance (if that's the right word) our lives, give us a couple of bucks, a couple of beers, gaze at a pretty girl and the world was our oyster, our job gave us all the excitement (and danger) needed