Bond and slop chest

[John Arton]

Had a mild stroke in 2008. Hospital in Antwerp where it happened told me it was caused by overweight, stress and the tabs. Lost weight, distressed and cut down on the tabs. All fine now but as Tony W says I reckon that many of todays cancers are caused by the stuff we put in our mouths. Just look at the E numbers and artificial additives in the food we buy and then look at modern farming methods with all the stuff they feed their animals or spray the crops with. People say but organic food but apart from the cost we then go and buy in bulk a weeks shopping and store it in freezers or fridges, something our parents never did.
My dad died at age 50 of a heart attack when at sea and it was put down to the after effects of the trauma and stress he went through in WW2 as he had passed his medical prior to joining his last ship. Mother died aged 90 after suffering mini strokes for two years.
rgds
JA

[Captain Kong]

They spray our crops. farmed foods, vegies and fruits with Herbicides to kill weeds and insecticides to kill pests.
Fertilizers are now all chemical, there is no escape.
All those chemicals that are designed to kill, are being absorbed into our bodies.
Then we wonder why there is a Cancer epidemic.
I always try to buy food untouched by the killer chemiclas, Dont always succeed tho`.
Meat is the same, it is injected with chemicals to make the animal grow quicker and faster.
Cheers
Brian.

[Bob Dunkley]

Talking about water i was bosun on the Norwegian tanker the BALDER BORG she was quite old and had problems with the engines catching fire once a week or so, we left a port in Indonesia i think it was Dumai when we left they had to use most of the fresh water to keep the engines going dont ask me why im not a greaser if i remember they had a hose from the fresh water to the engine .We were bound for phillidelphia via Cape Town to start a 6 month charter from trinidad to the east coast for texaco,under the mid ships we had a tank with a plastic guage on it and it had 7 tons of water in it this had to last us all the way the cook was allowed i think 2 earns aday which he collected with a sack trolley and all the crew were allowed a bucket of water a day to wash with,i had to dish out the water to all ,the night before we arrived in Philly there was no water but the chief mate and chief ginger beer had a case of norwegian beer (ringnes)in stumpy bottles so me the pumpman and the repairman broke into the galley took it from the fridges below the galley,and drank the lot Not a lot of happy gold braid that night.

[j.sabourn]

Sounds true to form Bob. I was on a ship where all the fresh water went in the boiler. Every port was a port of refuge, on long sea passages where no in between ports our fresh water was in a 40 gallon drum on the boat deck. This is not so long ago, everyone thinks every ship on the ocean is some super duper vessel with all the amenities. This is not the case and don't think it ever will be. Cheers John Sabourn

[happy daze john in oz]

Of recent times I have had to make a number of hospital visits for a variety of issues. The first thing they ask is 'whet medication are you on'. When I say noe they look at me sideways as if I am lying. When I had my prostrate op they even rang my GP to see if I was telling the truth. It appears that once you reach a certian age it is taken for granted you are on soemthing.The only thing I take is regular doses of Dr. Gordons and Tonic.
But I do grow a lot of my own veg, got a 25 square meter plot.

[j.sabourn]

Stress ref. 31. I have been retired nearly 11 years now, every time I dream or have nightmares they all involve ships. I think I have relived in dreams every traumatic experience I experienced at sea, even faces of some of those now dead come clearly into the mind. I think the sea is now probably more stressful than it has ever been purely because of the lack of manpower. I think anyone who goes the full term at sea nowadays is going to have probably trauma problems in retirement. When I talk to shore people who have never been to sea, I get a feeling of unrealness and cant understand how little understanding or knowledge of ships that they have, I find it extremely hard to fit into their world as they see it. The most ignorant are the press they are the most unqualified people to make any judgements whatsoever regarding shipping and the workings of. Cheers John Sabourn

[Gulliver]

Stress ref. 31. I have been retired nearly 11 years now, every time I dream or have nightmares they all involve ships. I think I have relived in dreams every traumatic experience I experienced at sea, even faces of some of those now dead come clearly into the mind. I think the sea is now probably more stressful than it has ever been purely because of the lack of manpower. I think anyone who goes the full term at sea nowadays is going to have probably trauma problems in retirement. When I talk to shore people who have never been to sea, I get a feeling of unrealness and cant understand how little understanding or knowledge of ships that they have, I find it extremely hard to fit into their world as they see it. The most ignorant are the press they are the most unqualified people to make any judgements whatsoever regarding shipping and the workings of. Cheers John Sabourn

John after such a long and varied sea career as yours with quite a few 'close calls' as you relate I would only think it natural that you have dreams and/or nightmares about it .It did after all preoccupy most of your life.I only did 20 years myself,before pursuing two more careers,but I still surprisingly have the occasional dream about being on board ,with some familiar faces I had sailed with.(That's after 25 years ashore.)
My most recent nightmare,last month, was about being on an afternoon watch on the bridge deep sea with hot clear weather in a deserted ocean and being preoccupied too much doing something or talking to somebody,when all of a sudden I glanced out to starboard and was just yards away from a crossing liner.I braced myself for the unavoidable collision...and woke up,sweating and relieved it all hadn't happened.
It is notable that in those post-shipping career years I hardly ever dreamed about ships,so I blame it on this site for rekindling my experiences of shipboard life and awakening something in me.........
I think quite a lot of you will agree with that!
Gulliver

[j.sabourn]

Gulliver the positives to this site, and I read it in nearly every post I look at, is the honesty that people come out with in their statements. Most of us would never have come out with revealations when working at sea, as no doubt would not be working very long. Age and retirements bring benefits such as being able to speak ones mind without fear of being jobless. I can honestly say as far as is possible to do so, that if had the chance over again may have made different decisions, however hope I never left a bad smell behind, and do have a clear conscience. We all are human and know myself when younger was a different person with different aims in life. Anyhow seamen have always been renown for speaking out and calling a spade a spade so to speak. The worst dream I have is being on a ship sailing down the high Street and trying unsuccessfully getting back into water. This is a recurrent dream and suppose some trick cyclist would have a beanfeast over it. Regards John Sabourn

[j.sabourn]

Cappy, see your name has returned to the fold. Did my son get in touch with you as people were starting to worry about you. If he didn't will clip his ears next time I see him if I knew he wouldn't retaliate. Hope everything OK, and no doubt you will be contributing when it suits you. Cheers John Sabourn

[robpage]

Looking at post # 38 , then I would say that shipowner's did not like honesty , I made a statement over a disciplinary matter when in Sealink and was told that comments whether the Truth or not were not helpful .