Drink

[j.sabourn]

Des the ship I was on had a West Indian crew who had been there for years. They had a couple of spare seamen floating in Port of Spain and was always 2 off for 6 weeks at a time on holiday. So I was the only fly in the ointment as most had been there for years. I found cases of spirits hidden behind the deckheads in the accomodation, it was more an embarrasment than anything else. I left it in the hands of the bluenose master. It was pushed under the carpet as far as I know. Have seen a whole crib of spirits disappear from the warehouse in Halifax. Not too much said. There is plenty of organised crime even in those days . Was told by the Mounties in Quebec not to go down the hold when saw broken into containers, they had their own men working under cover for years on the docks. Always been organised crime in these ports. Cheers JWS

[robpage]

loading whisky in Glasgow he dockers would drop a case on its corner , lift the carton over a large empty Thermos and the contents , filtered through the cardboard , went hoe , the case was lost because of one bottle , and no one ever examine the Thermos flask on it's way out of the gates at night

[j.sabourn]

Seen the same Rob anyone who has loaded spirits in Glasgow will have. That was only minor stuff. That was just a bunch of dockers getting their bonus so to speak. The stuff I was almost involved in was the Humphrey Bogart scenario. Someone was on a post about drugs on the offshore installations. A lot of the drugs got through in cassettes and film reels on the likes of Walports before the customs got wise to it. We often got searched for such. About 1960 I was approached going through the Suez Canal by a well dressed. Dare I say it W-o-g who wanted to leave a package in my room, all I had to do was leave the cabin open at a certain time when the ship docked in London and it would be replaced by a certain amount of money, told him to eff off. The same in Cuba two men trying to get out of the country all I had to do was unfasten the lifeboat covers in panama, thought they were Castros secret police trying me out, so told them to eff off also. However turned out they were genuine as 2 of the ABs assisted them were duly paid and had a better time than me in Japan. They also got a postcard from Florida thanking them for their services. Told the 2 ABs would stand by with the big needle if required , they were lucky here as well as was not needed. Cheers JWS

[happy daze john in oz]

It has been said that a meal without alcohol is called breakfast.

I did believe that untill the last cruise we did when at breakfast they came around with a trolley with champagne and orange juice.
I have no had to change me breakfast habits.

[Louis the Amigo]

Hi shipmates, drink today not much, Why I have a few of the things on Captain kongs sick list + bad legs cant walk very far my climbing days have long gone, but must not grumble as my old shipmate mate laurie would say? could be worst???

[Captain Kong]

It was reported this year, 20,000 were treated on the NHS for Alcoholic Poisoning.

All those resources have to be paid for.
Brian.

[cappy]

and how many junkies costing a fortune.....regards cappy

[Red Lead Ted]

and how many junkies costing a fortune.....regards cappy

Not nearly enough as Starbucks coffee in evading taxes....................

[Captain Kong]

If they can afford to buy alcohol and Drugs to excess then they can afford to pay for treatment.

Brian

If Starbucks coffee are evading Tax then do not go in to buy a coffee, I have Never ever been inside a Starbucks in over 82 years, so if I can do that, then Everyone should do it,
No Business means No profits to pay tax on, and they will all close down end of Tax dodging.
I have never ever been in a MacDonalds, or a any other kind of take away, so I do not contribute to any form of Tax evasion.
Simple, If people do not like Tax evasion do not buy from there and they will soon go away.
Problem solved.

[Bob Dunkley]

I agree with you Rob the ferries had a drink problem ,I was on the Viking 1 & 2 from Southampton to Cherbourg and Le Havre in 74 1st as matros (AB) then as night watchman. We had a toilet down below and we made it into a night club, the chippie put ply on all the sinks we had coloured lights and flags on the deckhead .all of this could be dismantled, on the 4-8 watch and put back together for the night session. We had girls from Southampton university working on board ,and they used to come to the party, along with passengers we found on the decks. I had the job of going around the ship doing the clock it was In a leather case I would start on the bridge and end up on the car deck stopping to put a key in the clock at various points around the ship it was on the hour every hour. I would leave the party at 5 to the hour ,go to the bridge start the round and be back In the party by quarter past the hour. One night when I went on the bridge the officer of the watch said that they had looked at the clock and I was doing my rounds in ten minutes ,and from then on I had to do it every half hour. But many a drunk frequented the toilet on the Viking ferries. Other times we had raw wine lorries going to Liverpool to be distilled we used to get a bucket or two of that from the driver Rob and everyone was rat arsed.