Shore Station

[j.sabourn]

Shore Station …. Larry the only way I can add to your Portishead Radio Station is by a new post Shore station as your post appears as a blog and my iPad has restrictions.
In 1990 I was in the North Sea in bad weather in December and there had been mail lying on the rig for over a week. So I asked the OIM if he would put in a waterproof bag and throw over the side and and I would pick up which I did with a boat hook.in the mail was one from my wife with an accompanying letter from 10 Downing Street which had been posted in November and was getting close to a closing date for its answer. I had no option but to put a call through Portishead Radio on the 2182 set and after getting a working channel the operator asked me what number I wanted as there was no number on the letter to put me through to 10 Downing Street after a minutes pause he asked me to repeat which I did , he was very professional and never lost his composure . A female answered the phone and in my ignorance at first thought it was Maggie , however it wasn’t and was one of her secretary’s I said I accept thank you and wanted to put the phone down as knew every ship that heard the opening conversation would be listening in. The lady however I was talking to wanted to carry on with the short conversation saying how pleased they all were etc.etc.and in the finish I said I have some other business to attend to and closed down .The shore operator however never lost any composure and was very professional throughout , maybe he was used to calls from ships to Downing Street. JS. I still have the letter just to check and still can’t see a phone number on it. JS