Last trip

[Robert George Young]

Just wondered what the feeling was when you had done your last trip?
When you knew working at sea was something you would never do again?
Thank you

[j.sabourn]

Just relief for the next 5 years then boredom and old age set in. However can still only sleep no longer than 6 hours at a stretch and even then is broken at about 2 hourly intervals until I realize where I am. Now fall asleep anytime after 1300 hours , old habits never really go away. I retired at 65 and was asked to stay to 70 guess my answer , took the next 5 years to get the phone to stop ringing. Knew someone worse than me though he used to get up in the middle of the night and stagger to the wardrobe , and his wife had to get him to walk to the bathroom, in the summer used to open the bedroom window and try to perform out the window on the lawn which he thought was the Ocean. Nearly had a divorce over it according to his wife. This was someone I knew in the UK, another lifetime ago. JS

[Louis the fly]

Relief for me also. The great days of the MN had well and truly gone.

[Rodney Mills]

Relief for me too. I had five good years, received good training with UCL ships and catering school, but life was becoming repetitive. I knew the ports o' call backwards, I was told I would be promoted to Sous Chef and if I continued on the same path an Executive Chef job would be there, but still the same ports o' call and repetitive life. So, I chose another exciting path, marriage and emigration. My life worked out beyond my wildest dreams, commencing with Gravesend Training School until this moment and hopefully, the moments to come.

Wishing the same to ya'all, Rodney

[Doc Vernon]

Well for me, i wouldnt say it was a relief, as i was really enjoying my time at Sea. But circumstances stepped in that ruined my dream really, party my own fault, and partly just what happened!
So after i finished with the Sea, i was off with my late Brother to the French Foreign Legion, and that was just something we both did, at the spur of the moment, crazy really!

So no i had no regrets or relief from leaving the Sea life , as it was part of both situations i was in at the time!

As for sleep well, that i can relate to and it was not from Various watches ar Sea, it was the combination of a life lived at breaknech pace with hours kept that should only have been for the Birds , as they say! LOL

[Robert George Young]

Well for me, i wouldnt say it was a relief, as i was really enjoying my time at Sea. But circumstances stepped in that ruined my dream really, party my own fault, and partly just what happened!
As for sleep well, that i can relate to and it was not from Various watches ar Sea, it was the combination of a life lived at breaknech pace with hours kept that should only have been for the Birds , as they say! LOL

Doc tell me more about the legion please

[Doc Vernon]

Hello RGY
This has been asked of me a few times , but as its something that would take a long time to write about, and the fact that not a lot of it was very pleasant i have steered past the awful Memories of not only hardships but of Peace of mind of all the Horrible things i did and saw.

So unless one day i have a change of Heart as to write my Memoirs on all my Travels and Tribulation, i end here!

I do however have quite a lot written down for my immediate Family, and as of now that is where they will remain.

Al i can say is now that was a relief, to get out of!!!!

Thanks anyway for asking!

[Des Taff Jenkins]

I only finished after nearly 16 years to be with the woman of my dreams. Compared to being at sea working life ashore was a bitter pill to swallow. But I gradually learnt another trade, Carpentry, that gave me a good life, but like most on here I never forgot my time sailing the oceans of the world.
Des

[happy daze john in oz]

Came ashore for no good reason.
But it took a good number of years to adjust to life ashore.
Smokes and grog a lot dearer, the people were not so nice or as cooperative as at sea.
Found trying to adjust to a regular sleep pattern was not easy.
Even now still take naps at odd times during the day, goes back to my time as an officers steward when we were on call all hours.

So now I go cruising, sit on deck and watch the crew working and think back to how it was then.

[Robert George Young]

Thank you Doc,

I’ve mentioned I have co written 4 novels based largely around my dad’s war life.
I’ve been writing blogs on a Facebook group and I’ve been given lots of encouragement to write the “true” story of dad’s life best I can.
I’m in the process of doing that.
Dad did tell my brother he joined the Foreign Legion.
He was very capable of a decision like this for sure.
Thank you for all the help you have given me over these past years.
This forum has really taught me a lot.