Fog

[j.sabourn]

#31. They say they used to do the soft shoe shuffle down the long stretch of Ocean Road but then someone came out with that latitude 55 degrees North was the Devils own latitude and that He was wearing their seaboots out on the flagstones so they took them off and danced around Marsden Grotto before it too got the holes in it.
The Mechanics pub used to be the flavour of the month with all the road repairers who used to spend their money there. Derby Street baths was another hot spot for getting washed for a big night out in the swimming pool there. You could get in there for two jam jars so you shouldnt look a gift horse in the mouth. I forgot about mary will send on two more jam jars. Cheers JS

[Tony Taylor]

Well it was suggested that sand dancers were slippery characters....but the truth is the land is flat around shields.....and when the winter north easters come the sand flies round the roads in the beach area and so we dance on the sand ...many seafarers will have done a quickstep in the La strada night club......the beach club .....baileys ......the latino and... Sabourns sand dancing for sailors ...where BYOB....meant Bring your own Bird... never went myself full of shady characters and you could get shanghied there and end up at sea in one of Runcimans old tramps it was said the fee for a sailor was 1,6pence.....come to think of it 1and sixpence seems to ring a bell.....regards cappy

ha ha! memories - La Strada is the only place I have ever been barred from.

[cappy]

Remember joining a shell tanker in brighams .....she was to sail about 9 in the evening ....all hands got in the mechanics so crowded you couldnt get sat down the beers were flying ......in comes a ist trip apprentice spanking new uniform ..bless him ...WILL ANYONE SIGNED ON THE HEMIPLECTA COME ABOARD NOW THE MATE SES .....someone shouted silence alll went quiet like the poor apprentices voice ....who credit due in a voice like his balls hadnt droppedd squeeked the mate ses you all have to come aboard now .....the uproar was deafining ........half an hour later ...the 3rd mate will anyone for the hemiplecta come now ........ribald shoutings etc ,,,,,eventiually the mate came and all decided to drink up and go ...i had a good mate with a norwegian name ...i will not repeat ....who flaked out going down the bank in agony ......we could not get him aboard a taxi was got and took him to hospital ....he thought it was an ulcer but it was the big C......we did about 4 months ......came back he had lost about 3 stone saw him in the County at westoe it was hard to see ...died a few months lateronly 20 or so ....cappy

[cappy]

well tony it was canny posh in the la strada ...did you ever have a curry in the scarlet cloak a curry shop just round the corner run by a sheilds ex cook ...really good ...but didnt last long he up and dissapeared many.seamen lost long trips money in one or two nights when the casino opened it was owned by sanford goudie who believe it or not is still around in shields.....must be a hundred now.....happy days cappy

[Frank Thorp]

I signed on my first ship (Gothic) in London on the 21st of December 1964. I believe we were meant to sail the next day, but the fog came down.
The fog was still there on the 23rd, and a few of the crew were saying we could well have Christmas in London.
The next day was Christmas eve, the fog was even worse. We sailed.
Frank.

[Ivan Cloherty]

I signed on my first ship (Gothic) in London on the 21st of December 1964. I believe we were meant to sail the next day, but the fog came down.
The fog was still there on the 23rd, and a few of the crew were saying we could well have Christmas in London.
The next day was Christmas eve, the fog was even worse. We sailed.
Frank.

Look on the bright side Frank, on Christmas day you accrued another days leave

[happy daze john in oz]

There was a bike on one UCL liner I sailed on and she worked on the switchboard.
Ideal for booking you next ride.

ASs to the pea Soup fog, I reckon there were some ships cooks who would have served that up for dinner, just ask Capppy, he had to peel the spuds to go with it.

[Stephen Mitchell]

Spent many a scary time on the forecastle staring into the white stuff ringing the bell, with no idea where the answering ring came from, and like Ivan said hearing the swish of a bow wave as the cross Channel ferries went by. When you are carrying a cargo of iron ore you knew it wasn't far to Davy Jones's home.
Des

Well remember sailing on a 400 hundred ton coaster in the 60’s, only magnetic compass and leaving Rotterdam for Grimsby, hit a right pea Souper, so we dropped anchor in a ‘safe anchorage’. All through the night you could hear anchors dropping all around, hear voices and bells and gongs going on every which way. When the fog cleared there was about 30 odd ships around us! I think we wore out the bell and gong that night. Skipper said to me “do fancy steaming out of this lot?” No Way! Let them big buggers go their own way first. It was mayhem! Ships going always, some suddenly going astern as one cut across its bows.

[Peter Drake]

Hi Ivan I think that was Levenpool not a lot of sleep. I think that was the trip that the steering gear packed up in the channel. Seem to remember working lots of hours to fix it then Ropners said safety of the ship so no extra pay.

[Chris Hurren]

Hi All, This brings to mind an experience of mine whilst serving as 2nd Mate on MV Seamew in 1962. We were retuning from Oporto, Lisbon and Cadiz with a cargo of Port and Sherry , bound for Bristol docks. we encountered fog whilst in the Bristol Channel and the Foghorn was going all morning. It must have been mid Summer as the fog was a very low all encompassing and it was very difficult to see even the forepeak. I came to the Bridge at noon ready to go on Watch and was met by a very irritable Captain who had been up most of the night and that morning. As most of you know (who have sailed in the Bristol Channel the fog is generally low lying. I went out onto the Bridge wing and looked up to see virtually clear sky. In an attempt to cheer up the 'Old Man' I remarked ..... " Oh Look! it's quite clear up there" The 'Old Man' replied (Puting me in my place) ...... "Unfortunately Mr Hurren .... WE ARE NOT GOING THAT WAY".

Happy Days!

From Chris Hurren