Time used at sea.

hi john sabourn #19
good morning
never get anything smarter than yourself, change for different model
some years ago had a visit from the tax man wanted to discuss the new paye model that was now in use, he asked for the accountant, i told him you are talking to him, so off he starts showing me how to carry out the format for tax payments, after about fifteen minuets he said do you understand, i said i dont know i am dyslexic,he sat there for another hour i wouldnt give him a cup of tea and i never admitted anything other than no ( entendo ) i dont understand, after a further half hour of him asking me to use a computer which i told him i could not read, he gave up and left the premises,after that i just filled the paye forms exactly as he had shown me, but in my time.
dont be led to the waters edge always take yourself.
tom

Glad I was born in the era that I was, foreigners (the Luftwaffe) gave me a taste for travel chasing me round my home country. Going to sea on vessels that were hard work, where-in your brain was your computer and being gay meant being happy, and working in an environment (a word we'd never heard of) where a man was judged on his ability and not his colour or creed. Would I change my life as lived, no not one bit, any regrets, basically only one in that my first wife died young, but that was something I could not change, and I was lucky enough to gain a second wife nine years later, who doesn't let me forget my first wife (in the nicest way) and makes sure that my first wife's picture is always with me. I would not want to be young in this era, the world is too small, in our day it was larger and it was an adventure getting to another country, not an eight hour flight: approaching another country by sea gives a sense of adventure and achievement, by air you are plonked right into the hub, don't think I'd like the future by being 'transported'.......... beam me up Scotty!

We are what we are, and I for one am glad of it, yes the futures is now shorter, but the past was longer and gives us fortitude to face the unknown.

hi ivan cloherty #22
i nearly choked on my coffee, when i started reading your missive, and came to the word GAY but as i read on i could see plainly that you where talking of a world that we lived in that had never invested in the word gay unless it meant happy.
brings back the feeling of having channel fever, and instantly propels one into bygone memories.
i wish i had have seen as much as yourself and others on this site, those where the days.
tom

hi john sabourn #19
well when you go and ask her dont stand too close to her, i had the same problem when i went to get my eyes tested some years ago the optician was practically sitting on my knee i had to ask her for some breathing space as i knew the little head was about to show up.
tom

Quote:

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Originally Posted by thomas michael

hi ivan cloherty #22
i nearly choked on my coffee, when i started reading your missive, and came to the word GAY but as i read on i could see plainly that you where talking of a world that we lived in that had never invested in the word gay unless it meant happy.
brings back the feeling of having channel fever, and instantly propels one into bygone memories.
i wish i had have seen as much as yourself and others on this site, those where the days.
tom

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At least i am old enough to have sailed on REAL cargo ships !

If you could choose an era to go back to during your sea going days when would that be? For me it would obviously be the first 4 years at sea. The excitement of sailing day heading down the Mersey or leaving Tilbury starting to feel the days warm up as you headed across the Bay of Biscay. Watching the lads getting railway sleepers out and wondering what they were up to. Seeing a swimming pool taking shape thinking all that will do will be leak. Then the penny dropping when they put a tarpaulin inside and then being told to put water on deck and make sure there is no bloody oil in the pipework. Good fun and a few beers clowning about. I remember the first ever west African pepper soup night in the bar on the ED's Dumurra , jaysus my mouth was on fire as was my ass the next morning. My first run ashore in Bathurst Gambia a few beers and crapping myself when one of the local girls decided I needed a good time. Looking at the guilty party the next few weeks wondering if it was going to fall off it didn't, and it never even had a cold either. Going to the USA for the first time. Having my 21st birthday in Philadelphia and a load of nurses arriving onboard for a party. Getting dragged off to my cabin by two large Matron's could hardly walk straight for a week. Getting to New York and up the Empire state building. Not bad for a young lad who 6 months previously had only ever been as far as Liverpool for an interview to get away with Ocean Fleets. Flying home from the USA having never been in a plane in my life. Walking into my local pub meeting up with my mates and twenty minutes in I realised I had nothing in common with them anymore, that bit was sad really. Seeing my ex girl friend who had sent me a dear John when I was away on that first trip. Her telling me she had made a mistake and could I ever forgive her. Walked her home and let her take advantage of me. Got up the next morning and disappeared back to Liverpool not even telling me mum I was going, not my proudest moment, but my mum and I had a volatile relationship. Shipped out again within a month on Ed's Ebani, 12 passengers, 6 nuns and 6 other passengers one nice little Nigerian girl took a shine so that was an education indeed all the way down to Apapa. Got a move across to Blue funnel for a few trips, nice run, old ships and a few stiff shirts as well. Enjoyed my time in Port Sweetenham seamans club having a swim or playing football against another Bluey or Ben line ship. Filling your boots at the Port View Restaurant for buttons. Singapore Bugis street always a buzz. I have been back many times since the 70's just not the same anymore Bugis st is now a shopping mall. Even Hong Kong is a disappointment to what it was. Only place in Hong Kong I found that had not changed a great deal was the Old China hand. Yes some happy memories from my first 4 years at sea. It was all down hill after that especially on tankers and Gas ships. It just became a job and certainly ceased to be an adventure anymore. I had some good years when with UASC but just not the same as my first few trips.

During our lock down of some 20 or so weeks I had plenty of time to think on so many things.

My first day at school, knee tremblers in Cape Town, my first day at sea, and where my ashes will go into the sea.

But then I got to thinking about time , temperature and measurement.
All invented by man, not nature.

So why is it so complicated, it is so simple.

temperature is either hot or cold.
Distance is either far or close.
Time is when the sun is over the yard arm.
we do tend to complicate things

#18 further to the smart watch Cappy have found out from stated source that have to have a mobile phone to put all the apps on. As the one mobile phone we have lies in the cupboard and not in use , the watch is useless without the phone, just like the chicken and the egg situation , so to flash up the phone or not to flash up the phone is the question , which also involves money. People elsewhere are becoming millionaires by the ignorance of people like me, they are mostly of the oriental type. I will have to go and pick a friends brain to see the cheapest way round this problem. Maybe is to throw the watch in a drawer and forget about it. Which may put me in strife with the donor who bought it as a present which was not cheap. If I had my way as regards time I would bring out mandatory sun dials and all clocks watches and. Chronometers confiscated, tough on the old navigators who would have to run their Eastern down , now there’s an expression going back to the old sailing ship days. JS

well john i have reached the stage where i feel i dont need any more technology ....one suggestion would be send the watch to your grandson ...for his birthday ....but then he has probably had one for years ......talking about for years it was minus 21 point 9 in scotland last night ....the lowest for umpteen years .....global warming ....all hot air....regards cappy

#29. Bbbbrrrrrrhhhhhh. JS.