First night at sea under way

[Lou Barron]

My first trip i remember very scubbing pots and pans in the galley .Tony post1 when you dont hear those noises you hear your in big trouble

[happy daze john in oz]

Windsor Castle as tourist class bell boy. Down Southampton waters feeling the roll of the ship, then out into the channel only to see all my dinner flowing over the side. Rough as guts next day up on deck trying to get some air. Saw a blood in the same condition, but he let his breakfast fly to windward, such a look on his face when it all came back to him. I felt a lot better after that.

[Tony Wilding]

my experience of sea sickness was a bit unusual, we had left Lisbon in Ballast for Montreal and the Lakes was rolling quite a lot, then after about 3 days i suddenly new i was going to Puke, rushed up on Deck. just made the Rail in time, felt better, made a mug of Tea and it never happened again. thankfully.

[Jim Brady]

I don't know if you would need to be on a big ship to experience this feeling as the rise and fall would be more exaggerated so to speak.Laying in your bunk and the bow go's down you get the feeling of hovering just above the mattress,as she comes back up you feel as though a ton weight is pressing you down into the mattress.During the day the same thing,carrying a tray on the flat of your hand she comes up and the tray feels like a hundredweight,she go's down and you have to grab the tray as it feels as though it is floating away from your hand.A strange experience which lasted just a couple of days,
Regards.
Jim.B.

[John Arton]

Sailed from Tranmere oil jetty in Sept 67 in the early evening. Had been up all day running around swinging valves etc. Going down the Mersey on the bridge keeping the Bell book. Dropped the pilot and turned knackered. Rudely awakened next morning at 0530 and turned to cleaning bridge and polishing the magnetic compass on the monkey island. No seasickness that day but next day after we had cleared St. Georges channel and were well on our way south to the Persian Gulf and starting to experience the Atlantic rollers coming in our stbd, bow and this 80000 tonner starting to roll and pitch, sea sickness set in. The greasy pork chop cure suggested by the third mate ensured that anything that was in my stomach soon went down the toilet pan. Three days of spewing before I eventually got my sea legs.
rgds
JA

[Tony Wilding]

mal de mer is a terrible feeling, seen some bad cases, worst was on a cross channel steamer from dover to calais, refused entry into calais, had to stooge around outside for 2 hours, a really packed ship. The toilets needed hosing after.

[Keith Tindell]

As said before, 16 years old, reaching and spewing over the side, nothing more to bring up, then given the advice i expect we were all given at some point, by the ships wag, *if you see a red ring hanging out of your mouth, poke it back its your a***hole*, that advice not appreciated at the time KT

[Captain Kong]

I guess I was very fortunate, Never ever experienced mal de mer .
Sailed with men who had been at sea for 30 years and still sea sick.
Saw passengers alongside the Landing Stage in Liverpool being sea sick, ship still tied up
cheers
Brian
C

[Ivan Cloherty]

Mal der Mer, Fortunately never experienced seasickness, so not qualified to speak of its effects. On the limited confines of a deep sea trawler seasickness was not allowed! When I said (at 13 years old) I was not feeling well after passing Spurn point and heading into a north easterly Iceland bound, I was marched off to the foc'le head and tied to the bow railings facing outwards and left there for two hours (imagine yuman rites lawyers with this one!) after the first few moments of being scared witless, your mind became mesmerised by the rise and the fall of the bow and the heavy seas not quite reaching you, all thoughts of queasiness left you, never to return. You were then given a hearty breakfast and turned-to keeping you busy on various tasks so that you were so completely knackered you never gave it another thought. I did find in those days even at that young age, although these rough and ready guys made you work like hell, they always made sure that you were safe and well fed, and never once did they try anything on. Naturally they unmercifully took the proverbial out of you, but never with malice. At the end of the three week trip they gave you great tips, whether or not they had had a good paying trip, as you never got paid a wage until you were sixteen you then became a 'deckie learner' with a wage and a share of the profit, if any!

[Tom Kirby]

I guess I was very fortunate, Never ever experienced mal de mer .
Sailed with men who had been at sea for 30 years and still sea sick.
Saw passengers alongside the Landing Stage in Liverpool being sea sick, ship still tied up
cheers
Brian
C

Brian,
I worked on the on the pilot launch Puffin, and used to tie up on the south end of Princes landing stage. people would feel seasick just standing on the stage, especially the lady who served at the cigarettes/news paper Kiosk, she'd lock up and go home. Felt sorry for her. Funny now to us who could eat a greasy breakfast and drink a mug of tea in an Atlantic storm, then go and work all day out on deck, swaying from side to side as though we were set on Gimbals.