Where were you on your 21st Birthday?

My 21st was spent in Hamburg – no not 5 mark alley! Not that I remember, I do remember waking up cuddling one large fire extinguisher, the type you turn upside down to operate……….good job it didn’t go off!
Other notable memories that spring to mind, first trip, first time in Argentina, 1961 – Buenos Aires – all hands (Master to Cabin boy) had to have a “short arm” inspection carried out by the Port Health Authority doctors. Line up, flop “it” out, (always assuming it could flop out!!!) clean bill of health and you got your shore pass. Forget that or your British Seaman’s ID card and you were in serious trouble. I remember the Senior Lecky along with a first trip junior (not me) ending up in the nick for a night, relieved of their watches and cash and returned to the ship the next morning. Argentina was the only place that I can remember that carried out “short arm” inspections. Anyone else come across a similar situation?

Cheers Russ K;)

1 day out of las palmas on mv arawa out of my head by 10 in morning. good times lol:)

Spuddles your first posting, welcome to the ship of dreams, pull up a cold one , sit back and enjoy. Never know who you may meet on her.:eek:

Spent my 21st on the River Afton somewhere off the Canaries bound for Pepel to load iron ore. The grocer supplied a full on cake and the lads came up with a wooden 21st key in the shape of the ship. Got well p....ed fairly quickly as I remember. Great days.

hi spuddles
a warm welcome to you, find yourself a cabin and hope to see you in the posts
best wishes geoff.

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Originally Posted by spuddles

1 day out of las palmas on mv arawa out of my head by 10 in morning. good times lol:)

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Hi Spuddles (have we got a first name ) haha!

Just a warm welcome here to this great but sometimes crazy site!LOL:)

Lots of info and also lots of laughs about!
Browse and enjoy!
Cheers

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Originally Posted by Russken40

Other notable memories that spring to mind, first trip, first time in Argentina, 1961 – Buenos Aires – all hands (Master to Cabin boy) had to have a “short arm” inspection carried out by the Port Health Authority doctors. Line up, flop “it” out, (always assuming it could flop out!!!) clean bill of health and you got your shore pass. Forget that or your British Seaman’s ID card and you were in serious trouble.

Cheers Russ K;)

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Yes this happened every month when entering a US port on the Great Lakes, I was over there for 10 months on the DP&L vessel Dundee, no matter what time of day or night we arrived in the first port on Lake Erie, we had this humiliation, even 2 over 60's passengers, who gave the US Immigration a had time by insisting that their nationality was Scottish, the Yanks, could not see the funny side of this at 2am in the morning.
We used to mutter and moan to the "Short Arm Inspectors", " Why don't you test us when we leave your country"? That used to go down like lead balloons.:D

I think I remember her (del monicos), they say you never go to bed with an ugly bird , just wake up with one

Hi Tiger, see my profile messages for reply
Regards
Frank..;):D

at the time i was with the longest company i ever stayed loyal to so really had no choice.had done 3 trips in the linguist harrisons of lpool,rewarded by a nice run job aboard the craftsman,it just so happened we sailed on the 16th of march the year i was 21.my birthday is 17 march paddys day.spent mine in the atlantic one day out bound for barbados.always remember the cook baking me a cake on the 18 march and a few cases of tennents appearing.i think the skipper had something to do with it as he had the chance by then to have logged and took a closer look at all the discharge books.im not complaining i celebrated mine in barbados a week or so later happy days ladsall in a days work good health all ted.