Infestation

[leratty]

Oh I forgot, I did see on the B.A. flyers the rats in the freezer holds which were off white & large. I had always believed that to be a myth, them being white i mean. I was also told that no ship can get rid of all the rats even with poison gas?
I did not to my knowledge-memory ever see rats in the accommodation, did though hear horrendous stories of them climbing over you on some ships Christ all too scary.
Did anyone ever experience a flea plague on board? They were quite frequent when I was a boy in Sydney, usually start of summer. They ferkin love me as do the Hong Kong sand flies.

[alf corbyn]

Brian. that brown and white rat you had was probably a Japanese hooded rat. a great pet and very good at getting out of confined spaces.

[Captain Kong]

I got a load of Fleas in my bed and so did all the rest of the lads on the PSNC Tanker WILLIAM WHEELWRIGHT, after the Seamans Strike in 1960.
The Mate told us they had employed Spanish Coal Miners on deck, dirty filthy berstereds, the accommodation was filthy and we were bitten all over after the first night turned in, We were at sea then bound for the Gulf so couldnt complain.
Cheers
Brian.

[cappy]

sounds like a chief steward

[Jim Brady]

An AB was telling me he was on one ship he was lying on his bunk reading when he spotted a rat come along the deckhead pipes it jumped down onto his mates bunk opposite and started eating the hard skin on the bottom of his feet whilst he was asleep.
Regards.
Jim.B

[leratty]

Jim, oh too much bloody awful like those fish in The Land of Smells, Thailand where you pay to stick your feet in a tank & they do that. Bet those fish wind up in your sea food meal later too. Wonder what would happen if you had a woody on, ah too much + scary to think about?

[happy daze john in oz]

When my left leg was crushed, bone splintered and the flesh ripped off on Sea Island I was taken ashore in a boat at around 2am to Ras Tannurah, The Arab moored the boat and told me to stay. I waited for over two hours.
I saw my ship sail out for Singapore, and sat alone in the dark with my leg in screaming pain and bleeding quite heavily I really felt alone in the world.
Then I reallised I was not alone. The Biggest Rats I have ever seen covered in long hair, big black ones were sniffing along the jetty, I guess they could smell blood. and then one at a time jumped in the boat. I was using a brush as a crutch and I spent an hour beating these carnivours off with the broom stick, It was more than a little scary.
If they had got me there would only have been a skeleton left of me.
When a taxi turned up with his head lamps on they scarpered. and I was much relieved.
.
.
At the Vindicatrix they told us that there is more protein, pound for pound, in a Cock roach than there is in a beef steak. They sure had a lot in the food on that one.
On the Nicholas K, London Greek, Cockroaches were the only fresh meat we had.
Cheers
Brian.

Brian, at the Vindi doing my week in the galley stiring a big pot of beef stew. From the deckhead above dropped out a couple of baby mice right into the pot, we just kept stirring needed all the fresh meat we could get there.