Sudden remenbrance of old times

[Francis Ralph]

Just leaving the house for the shops when my wife ( who travelled with me for many years) said to me laughingly, quite out of the blue,
" single up fore and aft".
As its more than 25 yrs since I left the sea it was a shock to the memory cells not having heard those words for so long, I had an instant recall of that comforting feeling that we were leaving port at last and be back to the routine and order that made our lives so liveable. Cabin doors could be left open, meals at set times, God was in his heaven up on the top deck, the third mate on the bridge, second mate doing chart corrections, dots and dashes coming from the radio shack, engines thrumming comfortingly thanks to our engineers down below. Not for us , the protest riots, looting, fire bombs, traffic jams, lawn mowing, hosepipe bans, etc etc that seem to make up life ashore these days,. What a great life it was back in the 50's to 80's. Thank goodness I still have my memories. Who cares if we pick out the best of times in our remembrances.
Francis Ralph R692715

[Louis the fly]

The Great Escape.

[happy daze john in oz]

Life was so simple back then, no worries such as we have today.
Travel the world without any worries, now you wonder if it is safe just to step outside some days.

Wake up and wonder is some idiot going to drop the bomb today, or will it fail!!
Where will the next war start, will it be here or is that just a local riot.

We had the best but must now suffer some of the worst, no worries mate we were in the best service ever we are tough and can take al they throw at us.

[Des Jenkins]

Hi Francis
Triggering memories off one small saying often brings back the oddest things that lay somewhere in the back of ones mind, but arn;t they great.
Des

[happy daze john in oz]

Des, at times I get the oddest of memories come back.
Why I often wonder did I remember that bit of rubbish.

The other day some one was talking about trains and for some reason remembered one morning when the train failed to stop at our station. Never did find out way.

[Johnny Kieran]

Worst bit for me, is when the family are here, all sitting and chatting in the living room. Someone will say something, and I'll say "Oh! that reminds me of something from years ago" I'll start to tell em, and my Daughter or wife will pipe up "You've told us that about 20 time before" Grandkids are OK, they suffer it in silence, like they never heard it before.

[John Arton]

Francis
Your post regarding the wife's, single up fore and aft, for some unknown reason got me thinking of times spent working in the focsle head of the Beaverfir as a cadet.
The focsle is the domain of the bosun and carpenter, filled with stores of paint, oils, rope etc. all with their distinctive smells. Spent many a happy hour there splicing old cargo runners into wire strops, which the mate then flogged to the stevedores in saint John, new Brunswick, not that I got to see a cent of the sales. As third mate you virtually never had cause to go into the focsle unless there was some safety item in there to check, such as fire extinguisher or lifebouy,
2nd mate's had even less reason for entering the focsle unless to turn power on for the windlass or winches.
The mate was often in there checking quantities and conditions of various items as well as mooring and anchoring duties.
The captain rarely visited, instead treating the focsle with respect when adjusting speed/course in heavy weather or when navigating in heavy traffic and taking collision avoidance.
Rgds
J.A

[Johnny Kieran]

That's a reminder, "getting singled up". That was always a thing we said when the weather become warm and sunny, usually about three days out from London. It meant getting your shorts on and wearing little else. I still use the term in nice weather and most people don't get it.
The weather here in the outer London area is bronzy time, so time to get singled up.
I suppose you could say when letting go "we singled up while we were singled up".

[Tony Taylor]

That's a reminder, "getting singled up". That was always a thing we said when the weather become warm and sunny, usually about three days out from London. It meant getting your shorts on and wearing little else. I still use the term in nice weather and most people don't get it.
The weather here in the outer London area is bronzy time, so time to get singled up.
I suppose you could say when letting go "we singled up while we were singled up".

What did you do for a drink when you were schooner rigged?

[James Curry]

Do not why but this one had me in fits of laughter today, just remembering the old days thread brought this one back to me.

I was a young 4th Eng on ED's M/V Perang. Three furnace Scotch boiler all steam auxiliaries , Winches , steering gear. gennies.
We also had a steam ships whistle but they moderinsed her to an Air typhoon whistle. But the steam whistle was still in place.
The Chief Engineer and the Chief Officer hated each other. The C/Eng phoned down below, Jim can you put the steam on the ships whistle!!! oh and do not drain the condensate when you open the steam line to it.
The Perang had a very low funnel as she could go up the Manchester Canel.
So I did as requested come time to test the gear. The third mate who also disliked the C/Off pulled the steam whistle lanyard chain. The C/Off was on the bridge wing. Apparently it sounded like someone clearing their throat after smoking a pack of Capstan full strength. Cough splutter and a deluge of dirty rusty water erupted from the whistle. Said C/off was covered in it and was not best pleased. The lads were made up as they were on overtime doing the clean up and had to paint the rear of the wheelhouse because of the rusty stains. Off course yours truely got a rocket for one putting steam on the whistle and not draining the lines first. I swear blind the 3rd mate did say during testing of the gear, can we have steam on the whistle, not my fault I never had time to drain the line. found a 6 pack of tennants beer in my cabin a day after.