Superstition

[Ivan Cloherty]

On I think the very first time I was in the saloon for a meal, which was very rare when an apprentice. I asked the steward for a tea plate. He whispered in my ear they are called side plates. My introduction into the hierarchy and class distinction of those suitable to grace the halls of favour. Never felt so embarrassed for not knowing that, all part of the learning curve for plebs like me I suppose. JWS

Had the same experience John, there were so many knives/forks/spoons set out I thought I was opening a shop

[j.sabourn]

Go on most ships today Ivan and you will find cafeteria style messrooms. Get your tray and go to the counter and be served. Go back to a table and have your meal. Worked. Ok, put stewards out of work and. All the boy ratings. A lot of the old timers never saw as one of the reasons for leaving. On a Russian ship about 1998 the Russian crew were kept on board and although everyone thinks all are equal according to their doctrines was surprised to see they kept to their own tables. The masters table was still there and all the relevant other tables. They still had 1950 Manning standards regardless including Radio operators. Most of their seamen that I talked to had all had some type of naval training, and were well up on world politics. Were. Happy with their lot and all very patriotic, never saw one whinger among the 39 of them. Most Russians I have sailed with are not the way they are mis-represented in the media reports on such. The same I would assume on other nationality Shipping of eastern block nations. In fact there was more luxury on a Same same Russian ship to its opposite number a British ship where you kept your own accomodation clean, on a Russian vessel still had a catering staff. Cheers JWS

[Keith Tindell]

I was reading recently, how true i have no idea, that in the latest of some of these huge things, they mainly select meals from a deep freezer and eat from the micro wave. The guy who reported said that apart from the guy who relieved you, you rarely saw anyone else. Most of the crew were on the internet for home conversation, and the change to meet others was mainly the laundry room. A big move on from a galvanised dhoti bucket and soft soap, or dingoes over the stern, kt

[j.sabourn]

The ship I have just described Keith was a small research vessel, there were 10 of us sent up to Singapore to bring down here to work. There normally would of been 8 of us But I insisted of taken a medic with us as couldn't read Russian as re medicines etc. He took up the basic drugs required safety wise. They came to some agreement involving government and charterers agreement that the Russian crew stay on board. The crew were 39 and 6 surveyors and our 10 made 55 on board a very small vessel. However worked out fine. Did the job and took her back to Singapore. When I retired in 2002 got a card from the Russian master , so he must have been following my movements. A good bunch to sail with regardless of their land of birth. Ship was I think. Registered in Leningrad but another ones name I can not remember , will probably find on some of the correspondence I had with them , whenever I get round to sorting my effects out. Cheers JWS

[Lewis McColl]

On joining Ocean fleets as a shore side trained apprentice I did a few weeks in Odessey Works as part of pre sea training. Ocean had a residence just up the road called Iliade house and you stayed there. It was actually two big mansion stlye houses. Anyway when I first arrived there the lady that ran the place took me into the dining room and asked me if I was familiar with the arrangement of table place settings also the étiquette expected at a dining table.
To be honest my mum and dad brought me up as best they could ,but I had never expeirenced what I will call fine dining???
She sat me down and explained the do's and dont's while at the table.
We then had a mock meal complete with silver service and empty plates + what was going to be that nights menu. She told me to order everything. So from nowhere a waitress arrived complete in the black dress and lace cap. I ordered the mock turtle soup (sic).Anyway she showed me to tilt the bowl away from me etc! when I finished to place my hands on my lap, we worked our way through every piece of cutlery on the table . May sound daft this but that lesson has stayed with me for life. My last few years at sea all folk wanted to do was bolt there food down them and get out of the saloon as fast as possible, standards are well down these days.
A few here mention they cruise, I bet while dining they observe how some passengers behave at a black tie dinner, this is not a critisim because I know I do, I have never cruised as it does not interest me, but at or social functions sometimes it is unavoidable to watch other peoples habits. The one thing that does really annoy me at a table is when someone is talking and they are waving their knife or fork around as they talking or just getting up and walking away after they have finished a course with out an excuse me. I will not mention mobile phones!!!!!!!!!

[cappy]

I was reading recently, how true i have no idea, that in the latest of some of these huge things, they mainly select meals from a deep freezer and eat from the micro wave. The guy who reported said that apart from the guy who relieved you, you rarely saw anyone else. Most of the crew were on the internet for home conversation, and the change to meet others was mainly the laundry room. A big move on from a galvanised dhoti bucket and soft soap, or dingoes over the stern, kt

####bet them dingoes over the r send didnt like it keith ...we used to put our dongoes over lol cappy

[Keith Tindell]

Bloody spell checker Cappy, it still keeps calling you Happy lol , . Todays MN would really disappoint all of us i guess. I cannot remember when overtime was brought in for weekend work, but when i first went to sea, weekends were stand down time , but no overtime for watch keepers,, that was very social, everyone on deck was dhobying, bronzying, or yarning, all gone forever, kt

[cappy]

###just looking at lewises intro to the food and cutlery etc .....top notch .....i recall setting of 7 in the morning to get to sharpness for the vindi with a cheese butty.......arriving at about 6 in the evening bloody starving .......mached at the double into a room given a plate told to line up anh old plate out in front ;;;alarge dollop of something wes walloped on the plate ....march back double time and sit ...wait till all had seated ....on looking it was a dollop of potato with a lump of cod skin init and a couple of large cod bones .....the voice bellowed eat your dinners ......i took a peice of potato and the fish was rank smeeing i turned to my left to say what a load this was and when i turned back my plate was enpty .......i soon learned but went to bed very hungry that night .....in the bunk above was a big irish lad crying his eyes out there was no heating in the hut ...it was cold in november.....two nights later the paddy shot through .....like one or two others .....after a few days when you learned the ropes it was ok.....didnt mattter wanted me discharge book.......happy sorry cappy

[Lewis McColl]

###just looking at lewises intro to the food and cutlery etc .....after a few days when you learned the ropes it was ok.....didnt mattter wanted me discharge book.......happy sorry cappy

Cappy we was arseiffers we was like.

[j.sabourn]

Hope You asked to leave the table Lewis. My parents taught me that if nothing else. Or at least excused yourself as you got older. Nine times out of 10 my old man would say No sit until everyone else has finished. Even in the cafeterias it was good manners to go in clean and dressed not in overalls or working gear. In the old days it was customary to go into the saloon properly dressed, this was in part to reconize the effort of the saloon stewards who had to wear white button up jackets up to the neck in hot weather, no air conditioning in those days. Different eras different manners and customs. There were no stewards in communal messrooms, but certain standards were maintained on the vessels I served on. The Russians certainly kept up these standards going. Cheers JWS