Scary moments

[Ivan Cloherty]

So Brian, yours wasn't the only wife he was tampering with, why don't we go together, probably end up as a session, with what my wife describes as "here we go again, waves will be breaking over the bar at any minute"

[Captain Kong]

Only Joking Den. it wasnt my wife,
.
It was the Mother in Law. you should have kept her.
Cheers
Brian.

[leratty]

Port Lyttelton aft baby crane on poop deck which was on athwart ship rails broke loose in Pacific, ship light. It was always stowed midships. Ship had one hell of a roll up, crane crashing from one side of ship to other building up speed each time starting to tilt when at each side before crashing back on rails & hurtling back opposite way. Bosun instructs myself along with another deckhand to get chocks of some kind on rails to stop her, huh fat chance almost comical, then says wires around the crane each side & onto the a set of bits port & Starboard, we seemed to have no fear. First one broke as weight was taken up whipping across the deck with a noise like a cannon anyone who had been in the way would have been a lot shorter. Second as we replaced the first then went, this time flying back through the air to where we were, smacking across the poop deck. By this time fear apparent in both of us, Bosun calmly yelling from below on aft deck up at us saying "one of us get on the f... crane lower the hook down to the deck for making fast to something.....we can not lose it overboard!" I drew the short straw as smallest. I got up there beyond fear now don't know how I did what was asked ensuring it was left in reverse when shut down all the time the crane is careering backwards & forwards me hanging on like some jokey. Then I had to get off as it continued to hurtle at ever increasing speed backwards & forwards tilting further & further each time. I jumped defecating myself en route (:, buggered if i know how I was not run over or seriously hurt. By now more deck guys up on poop deck they grabbed the hook ran with it when she was closest to one side & got it around the bits, crane was brought to a shuddering halt on its next run falling over onto it side on the deck almost over the side with crash, gybe badly damaged. My mate & I just feel to the deck in I think what was pure fear induced exhaustion. I recall I was dry retching & shaking all over as bosun gave us both a big bear hug. I remember looking up at the wings of the bridge to see people out there & the Capt. holding his hands up clapping.
We both got a case of beer for that from the Capt. & the Bosun's undying affection shown via cushy job allocations from then on when working day shift. Richard

[Ivan Cloherty]

I drew the short straw as smallest. . Richard

I know about that situation Richard, had a similar situation when a jumbo started to break loose. "up you go Clo" the bosun said whilst tying a heaving line around my waist to take aloft and thread through the mast table socket and onto the jumbo to act as a gantline. Sounded so easy except when you were up there with the mast table gyrating like some crazy machine in a fairground and the wind trying to blow you off, and everytime the ship pounded into a sea the mast shaking like a wet dog, and everything you tried to get hold of was either greasy or rain wet gloss paint, somehow we managed. Always got the 'aloft' emergency jobs as was considered small and agile, but when young we had no fear and considered ourselves invincible and can look back with a certain amount of pride in what we did, but sense only comes with age (but not always)

[Dennis McGuckin]

Yikes,
Knew some day my sinful ways would catch up with me.
Did I mention that I am moving to somewhere in Siberia?
Den.
PS.You can have the aforementioned body part. Think I'm done with it anyway.

[Dennis McGuckin]

Brian and Ivan,
Dont know why you are making a big thing over something small![maybe a wronge choice of words!
Den.

[Dennis McGuckin]

After an afternoon in deep reflection [better than the usual deep stuff I am in]
I have discovered that most of my scary moments have occurred in the follow places or, with persons.

Bedrooms, barrooms, brothels, and the odd bathroom [don't ask].
Biddy's, barmaids,bim-bo's, brothers, bitches.
Bouncers, bridegrooms, and the odd bosun.

So. I have determined that if I stay away from the letter B, all will be well.
Den.
That means you too Brian-Kong.

[leratty]

We have all done seriously dumb things at sea but this one took the cake for me. We had been in Aden, I bought a new transistor which apparently could get everywhere the moon the lot. Ha when I set it up in my cabin very poor reception just Arab music, I was somewhat irritated then I remembered I had seen on the aft mast above the aft steaming light when painting a car radio aerial someone had affixed in a trip gone by. So with amazing intelligence I obtained from the sparky a whole lot of cable attached it to the radio put it out the porthole picked it up & took it aft ensuring it was out of the way to cause no unsightliness. Once on deck started to climb the mast getting to the aft steaming light little platform (how small are they?) carried out the attachment to the car radio aerial. I thought I was just the most amazing fellow, so stood up let go of the mast & can you believe stepped backwards, yes I did..... ship rolled gently I lost my footing started to fall, fear took over I lurched forward & was able to grab the top of the mast hanging on for grim death shaking all over. Eventually got myself together & climbed down heading for my cabin not believing what I had just so stupidly done. I was obviously oblivious of where I was for a moment how the cluckin lucky was I thought.
Oh the radio worked a treat, but would it have been worth it? Richard

[happy daze john in oz]

It was the Mother in Law. you should have kept her.

Two years ago i bought my mother in law a burial plot. Last year she complained because I bought her nothing. Told her, you 'aint used the one I bought you last year.

[happy daze john in oz]

Yikes,
........PS.You can have the aforementioned body part. Think I'm done with it anyway.

You could have it preserved in rum, essence thta is.