Virtual Ship

[happy daze john in oz]

Now Capp[y, you should know by now the UBEND is only on UCL ships.

[Graham Shaw]

Just moving this back fromThat Ship' to appropriate VS Thread!

Originally Posted by happy daze john in oz
A notice from the site brought back the mystery of the 'Virtual Ship'.
I thought she had sunk some years back just of the coast of Utopia, could be wrong there.

Could she be refloated one wonders and maybe find some new crew for her?

She was a good fun ship with some great crew on her, wonder where some are now?



Yes,it was all good fun.Many have' crossed the bar 'since that ignominious fun-filled rum bum and baccy maiden voyage back in 2008 where,if I recall,the m.v.Virtuality set sail from somewhere on the Thames, a stroppy Captain insisting that we were ready to sail,but the Chief Engineer expostulating that the engines weren't ready,the Old Man insisting we must sail,and the inevitable retort from the Chief. "All right then Captain,you take your half,but we'll stay here !" I recall on departure the second mate forgot to let go ,and m.v Virtuality took a 200 foot length of dock frontage with her,resulting in a prohibition order from ever entering a Thames port again...till the next time. There were many pier head jumps,sudden returns to ports,cargo having to be shut out 'cos No.4 hatch was found to be loaded with Den's tabnabs;navigating the English Channel with Esso road maps,and a great crew of salty characters.
In later years it seemed some lost their wicked sense of humour,probably the ageing process, or the beginnings of the politically correct 'woke'movement-like being horrified upon your vessel 's engines stopping in a seaway and hearing the Skipper saying ("Right lads,let's hoist the two black balls" and the last we heard she was exhaustedly lying on her side leaning against the quay in an obscure African port-it wasn't Ouagadougu,but something similar-they all sound the same don't they? Thankfully all the crew were ashore which was often the case, and which was probably the reason why she capsized in the first place......


From our photo albums;Our SKIPPER
m.v.VIRTUALITYOur Cadet Captain LES B.ANN
GLORIA aka GORDON
-GP Crew (Greaser/ Bar Steward)

[thomas michael]

hi john sabourn #1556
good morning, as i had joined the virtual ship, as the ships cat, i would not have signed the ships articles,and sharing a cabin with cappy i was constantly reminded of my lowly position, im not saying he mistreated me but i bear the scars today of his constant beratings and cruel behaviour ie kicks with his sea boot on, but as you reminded us all once his boots where off it was hard to define his nationality, i must admit though that i could put up with all that but when he caught what is now know as monkey pox, which at the time he said it was shingles, obviously admitting my own naivity i accepted his explanation, but i moved out of the cabin and into the alley way when he was swinging from the top bunk,
tom

[j.sabourn]

Well Thomas we all know there is always at least one crew member to cause dissention among all hands, and think it maybe Graham with his sexy and inviting pictures of of cadet Captain LES. B . ANN, she really sets the pulse racing doesn’t she? Everyone can now expect that special sugar in their tea tomorrow , you know the stuff to keep The sexual urges down . Whoever was signed on as Ch. Stwd. Has been writing letters to the owners whoever they are complaining about the laundry bills , trying to keep his own yard arm clear. Maybe he has heard about the redundancies . JS........

Everything comes to him or her that waits, the word I was thinking of was Bromide and not as some may have thought Homicide . JS

[happy daze john in oz]

Of course if we are to sail again we will need a new baker, Den got sick, must have been eating his own Tab Nabs.
But Cappy could maybe assist he is good with the tatty peeler, but please leave the eyes in, see us through the week.

[thomas michael]

hi graham re #1562
your reference to navigating the english channel with the aid of Esso road maps, actually happened to myself on my very first sailing vessel , which left liverpool heading for greece, the tale itself is too long and tedious to trawl through, but by the time we hit the mersey bar light it was blowing a six or more and after fourteen hours running down to holyhead, because we had no other choice, ie a big spring tide and there was no turning back, reaching holyhead early hours of the morning we hit the spoil just to starboard of the wall, damaged the prop and shaft, spent four days in holyhead where repairs where carried out by a couple of lads off a jack-up rig anchored in the harbour , finally left and found ourselves fog bound in the cardigan bay for nearly two days, by which time i had come to my senses after seeing the owner trying to see the land and check his bearings on a large book of Esso road maps, and i decided that the next port of call i was going to skin out.
sadly it was not until we where off cape finisterre and when hearing the forecast for that promising day ie imminent force 8-9 possibly more, that the owner was pressured and i mean pressured into heading into vigo, or i should say running into vigo, where i parted company.
tom

[j.sabourn]

#1565 Cappy is still trying to work out what DBS stands for , some wise ass told him it stood for Deserving British Superstar , and is waiting for a pay check to accompany it. JS

[Graham Shaw]

# 1567. DBS always conjures up visions of a sailor bawling his eyes out,hair all uncombed ,uniform torn and unwashed,a fistful of damp Kleenex (other paper tissues are available,usually supermarket brand and much cheaper),and a stunned expression on his face,and a particularly nasty bitchy Dear John letter crumpled up in his pocket.......
Yes,not much different to our crew on m.v.Virtuality really-he would fit in well!

[Graham Shaw]

I think there's going to be 'stiff' competition (a rum or whiskey bottle ?) for the rank of Master.
I think I could do without the hassle,same for the position of Harry Tate- so I'll plump for 2nd Hofficer,where I 'll be quite happy correcting my Esso Road Maps-er-charts-and giving out injections with a dirty great needle for the 'usual suspects'(and some surprising 'other unsuspects'- after their jaunts ashore to Betty's Bar,Danny's Bar,Delmonico's and,if we ever make it round the Cape of Good Hope-Clancy's Bar in Kobe.
So,I'll get ordering those roadmaps-er charts,and stock up on heavy duty dreadnoughts,penicillin and ruddy great syringes. Hey Ho-off to my bunk now,dreaming of orange quadrants or typhoon quadrants whatever,chart-correcting nibs,Chinpacs,Nemedri ,and my lovely Suki Yaki Mama San in Beautiful Rose Petal Lounge in Nagoya...

[Doc Vernon]

cappy says the DBS stands for Dis Bloody Ship! LOL