Late on Watch

[Capt Bill Davies]

Just driving past the local RC church at 1740hrs and noted the stragglers almost running the last hundred yards or so, already 10 minutes late. Made me think,

How many of you sailed with a fellow officer, or rating, who was continually late for his watch. Looking aft along the flying bridge watching the 2nd Mate navigate back to his cabin at 2230 hrs, or the Mate at 0230hrs was a sure precursor that somebody was still going to be on the bridge at change of watch ALONE!

Bill

[Captain Kong]

I cant say it happened to me, Bill.

[Tony Morcom]

Glad to say I was always lucky with that as well. Can't ever remember it happening to me although I do remember it happening occasionally with the lookouts.

[Capt Bill Davies]

Brian & Tony,

I was not so lucky and I sailed with a few that were a little laid back in this department.

Brgds

Bill

[Keith Tindell]

I can remember vividly, having done my 2hr trick at the wheel, if my relief was 2 minutes late, insults flew KT

[robpage]

On the Pendennis Castle I had a relief who was constantly late , not a good thing there because of a fairly rigid meal time set up . Our Engineers steward was , well now it is called Gay ! . I was so p****ed off that one night at quarter to eight , I rang the steward and said , is that bar steward out of his bed yet , his normal time was to arrive at up to 8:30 which meant having a sandwich instead of a meal again . I said to Henry , I am so P***eed off , if you can get the Bar steward down here for 8:00 I will donate a bottle of scotch to the engineers steward who gets him up . I knew my bottle was safe , until my relief arrived on time . Apparently Henry had gone into the cabin , asked if he was getting up , was told to F-Off , removed his shoes and slipped into the bunk with the sleeping beauty and offered him sex as he liked bed things so much . The guy was never late again the whole trip . I think the scotch was 10/- in those days well worth the price . My relief complained to the Senior Second Engineer who thought it so funny that I believe he bought the steward a drink too .

[happy daze john in oz]

As officers steward there was many a time when in desparation we had to get some of the engineers up. The worst were the 12 to 4 watch and very often we would do the rounds four or five times to make sure they were up. It made our job difficiult when they were late as we had to clean up their mess and make their beds etc.

[Tony Wilding]

worse were continual late reliefs, luckily not very often, one advantage of day work, no relief to call, and in your pit every night.

[Captain Kong]

Brian & Tony,
I was not so lucky and I sailed with a few that were a little laid back in this department.
Brgds
Bill
.
.

Hi Bill, were these late comers the super Japanese ones or were they British>
Just a thought.
Cheers
Brian.

[robpage]

As officers steward there was many a time when in desparation we had to get some of the engineers up. The worst were the 12 to 4 watch and very often we would do the rounds four or five times to make sure they were up. It made our job difficiult when they were late as we had to clean up their mess and make their beds etc.

Maybe you should have slipped the shoes off , pulled the sheets back and said , "if you like it in bed I'll Join you " , In all the time at sea I only ever met one engineer who had a preference for men , and he was one weird guy