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Thank You Doc Vernon
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5th July 2013, 06:26 AM
#1
What was yours?
We all had experienced, some odd or different events during our time at sea, some good, some horrific and some rather pleasantly unexpected.
For myself there were many good, maybe too many to mention.
Horrific, the shooting of a man in Cape Town.
Pleasantly unexpected, being called to the radio office to recieve a telegram from the family on the occasion of my 21st birthday.
How many did you have and what were they?


Happy daze John in Oz.
Life is too short to blend in.
John Strange R737787
World Traveller

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5th July 2013, 07:22 AM
#2
Well??
For me there were like you John many good times,but also some bad.
CanI had made pals with say that i had any really horrific episodes,just one incident that i recall,was the stabbing,of a crew member by by another,it took four of us to manhandle him,to get the knife away.Duly taken into custody for remainder of trip back to Southampton.
Pleasantly unexpected
Well not so unexpected i suppose,but for me the awaiting Girl in each port!!
Yea that was really good haha!
Had so many so was never short of company.
I must also add that on my vert first trip,on the Dunnottar Castle entering the Channel and seeing those white cliffs was something for a meer Lad from CapeTown,also the wonder full sight of the huge Dock Area of KG5
Awesome!!
My first ride in a Black Taxi Cab,from KG5 to Putney with a good guy i had made friends with,and his superior knowledge then of the Customs Bobby's,who just seemed to let us through with a lot more goods than we were entitled to,later I learned the tricks . I must be quite honest I never even saw this guy hand some cash to the Customs!! Must have been all the distraction of this new found way of life.
Oh!! Why did i ever leave so soon? But that i do believe was my fate!
Cheers and thanks for this thread,like always nostalgia is something that always seems to revive the old grey cells
Senior Site Moderator-Member and Friend of this Website
R697530
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5th July 2013, 07:23 AM
#3
a few memorable sights, passing Mount Stromboli as it was erupting, first time transiting the Panama Canal, the view from the top of Table Mountain, looking South, and seeing where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet, two different Blues, seeing the Curvature of the Earth from there, a Sunrise and Sunset on the Equator, the power of a Hurricane, watching the Dolphins from the Bow, worst experience was getting shot at in my Cabin, in Bermuda, he missed, ! and again in Valencia in Franco,s time, a couple of near collisions were scary, as was one fire on board, had explosives in the adjoining hold, a couple of bad Ships, many other good experiences, one was when i met and travelled with Sir John Christian, 7th direct decendant from Fletcher Christian, of the Bounty fame, was a nice feeling when i arrived Home after 11 months away.

Tony Wilding
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5th July 2013, 08:28 AM
#4
What was yours?
Having my first jump in B.A.
Regards.
Jim.B.
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5th July 2013, 08:40 AM
#5
sitting in a bar in ba watching a lad from lpool having his first jump we were watching thro a two way mirror think his name was jim he didn't do bad and only fell of twice lol cappy
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5th July 2013, 08:52 AM
#6
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5th July 2013, 08:53 AM
#7
In my time at sea i have had many good and very bad times at sea but i will always by proud of been a ex Merchant Seaman and lived to to tell my stories
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5th July 2013, 08:58 AM
#8
jim I think that is what we would call good seamans humour and taken as such from one old Geordie to a Liverpool seaman regards cappy
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5th July 2013, 09:06 AM
#9
i think Lou must have the most eventful tales of all of us, puts ours to shame,

Tony Wilding
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5th July 2013, 09:08 AM
#10
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