First night at sea under way

[Tony Wilding]

First Night at Sea was from KG5 London to Antwerp. stayed up as long as possible, down the Thames past Home at Southend, decided it was time to turn in, made up the Bunk and climbed in, so many strange noises, creaks and rattles and the steady beat of the Engine, thought i would never get to sleep, but i did, and slept like a log, some time months later crossing the Western Ocean about 3AM The Main Engine Stopped, woke up immediately, seemed too quiet.

[Ivan Cloherty]

Sounds familiar Tony, but just a different route, mine was out of Hull, turned in passing Spurn Point, even though I'd been on that route previously on deep sea trawlers

[John Albert Evans]

I remember it well. I was cabin boy on the MV.Acuity. One of Everades coastal tankers. I can still see it now all those (56) years later. We left Bromborough fully loaded and sailed down the Mersey around 9.00pm. The lights of Liverpool one side and Birkenhead on the other and the River lapping over the well deck. The noise of the engine and the light rain. It was so exciting. The next day though, oh my goodness, sailing down St Georges Channel, seasicknes had set in, need I say anymore.

John Albert Evans.

[Chris Allman]

Liverpool to Swansea to load steel for South America. Sailed at 1500hrs out of Langton Lock into the Mersey and on down river to the Bar Lightship. Watched the lights of land recede and turned in. Same thing as Tony, creaks and groans, noise of the engine and a roll which had me moving in my bunk. Queasy but not sick and took a long time to nod off.

[Keith Tindell]

Treworlas, London to Botwood Newfoundland,can still recall the excitement as a 16 year old, 24 hrs later spewing my ring up, KT

[Captain Kong]

Sailed from Liverpool,London Greek tramp.shared a cabin with three mad Vicious ABs, they were 12 to 4 watch, light on all night, No sleep,
Not much sleep for the next four months, battered several times, until homeward bound I battered the biggest of them all ,I had nothing to lose, so tried to kill the bersterd, The last two weeks was peaceful but still had a fire axe under my pillow.
Brian.

[David Williams]

My first trip to sea,sailed from Swansea on the British Pioneer,
was told by some of the crew to get ready as we were on our way
to Barry,got dressed and felt a right fool when I found out it was
Bari in southern Italy we were going to.Never even got to Italy on
that trip as we had orders changed to Port Du Bouk in France,my
first ever port of call back in December 1952.

Dave Williams

[Louis the Amigo]

Hi shipmates, My first night on ship, age 14, 6 boys in the cabin , on the Westward ho, me on top bunk was ashore with my mate giles in swansea for a few drinks, by the big road cant remember the name, loads of pubs not far from docks, came back climbed over the sleepers, and passed out all cloths on and my shoes till the next day woke up with hangover and very sick, but soon at work mopping the saloon ship was at sea .must have had some breakfast .

[Tom Kirby]

EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA 1955 straight out of the Vindi. Bridge boy, I finished on the bridge at midnight, all was steady and calm. Went to bed. At 4am awoken by ship pitching and rolling into deep waves, (no stabilisers then,) sounds like bombs going off against the bows, seawater pissing through the sides of the porthole dead light, and the chest of drawers with my gear, flung out to join my shoes sailing up and down the cabin deck in an inch and half of water. I didn't give up though.

[Kenneth Kenny]

First Trip At Sea,was on the Tabor, Moss Hutchinson,September 1955,the excellent view.Ship,went very close, to Mount Etna(Sicily)Six O'clock in the dark morning,the Volcano was in full glow,the only view,that I ever saw,before I went to sea, was Blackpool Tower.Ken.