Virtual Ship

[Michael Lawrence]

Ahoy there Captain Gulliver Sir. (I knows the way to address my superiors). Married Welsh you see. First time I launched the W.R. off Cardiff foreshore in 61 she sank, I forgot to put the bung in. Being a resoureful Seiss I recovered her and been sailing her now for 48 years. Apart from her going into dry dock a couple of times for some major work we've managed to stay together. She costs me no mooring fees but as she gets older the up keep becomes expensive so we are downsizing to a smaller dock (read bungalow). Hopefully the move will be painless but in these economic times we're glad the 'Dock' is paid for, though some work needed on the one we're going to. As I say it's small but I can berth W.R. neatly along side and she will find it a snug fit in the winter.
We're off to Den Nederlands tomorrow not for the red lights but the bulb fields and Keukenhof Gardens staying on a river boat so that will bring back memories as looking on line the cabins look rather small. Taffy said she would rather have a few day's here than in Channel Islands.
Signed on my 1st ship in Rotterdam( use to be called Wharfhaven ) the 'Marylyn' of Kayes, all those years ago back in May 55. No one knows where life leads but as long as you survive why worry. Keep safe lads and remember one hand for the ship the other for yourself. Mike

[Michael Lawrence]

Oh Yes! Captain Gulliver Sir. You wanted to know what W.R. stood for. Well being a romantic kind of bloke I couldn't call Taffy my Welsh Leek or my Pretty Daffodil so when I wrote to her I use to address the letters to My Welsh Rose. Now I'm stuck with it coz at times I feel like using other names. Mike

[Gulliver]

Oh Yes! Captain Gulliver Sir. You wanted to know what W.R. stood for. Well being a romantic kind of bloke I couldn't call Taffy my Welsh Leek or my Pretty Daffodil so when I wrote to her I use to address the letters to My Welsh Rose. Now I'm stuck with it coz at times I feel like using other names. Mike

Well Mike.I always knew WR referred to Mrs L,I just wanted to know what it meant! I can't really give you permission to leave,but if you must,make it a quickie-come to think of it that's what we all used to do!
How Great though for you and WR to be together for 48 years.
Was Rotterdam really called 'Wharfhavn'?

Watch out for those dykes-? and Mistress Les B.Anne sends her usual....

[Michael Lawrence]

Yes sir. I mean no sir. What is now i believe called Europort was what was known as Wharfhaavn. Not sure if the spelling correct, but i think when I joined the Marylyn Wharfhaavn was the biggest or busiest port in Europe. I know that you had to if buoyed out catch what was called the 'speedo' to get ashore. This had a run to all ships and I think there must of been more than one to cover the vast amount of shipping awaiting berths. If my memory serves me rightly they also loaded from barges using there own equipment. Oh happy days. Hair, teeth, and a raging labido, now sans hair most teeth and no labido. Mike

[Gulliver]

Yes sir. I mean no sir. What is now i believe called Europort was what was known as Wharfhaavn. Not sure if the spelling correct, but i think when I joined the Marylyn Wharfhaavn was the biggest or busiest port in Europe. I know that you had to if buoyed out catch what was called the 'speedo' to get ashore. This had a run to all ships and I think there must of been more than one to cover the vast amount of shipping awaiting berths. If my memory serves me rightly they also loaded from barges using there own equipment. Oh happy days. Hair, teeth, and a raging labido, now sans hair most teeth and no labido. Mike

Don't you be casting nasturtiums on my masculinity,young Michael.(I saw your posting entitled'For Gulliver and all those other butch seamen').

I'll have you know I'm 'butcher' than Les Dawson's mother-in-law(....almost).

Gulliver

[happy daze john in oz]

Well Gulliver there may be those who would say you are the mother in law. But we all know you are really a little pussy cat. But we need one of them aboard as Den thinks there are mice in the tab nab mix, and we all thought those little dark bits were currants. Maybe you could ask Les B Anne for a new recipe?????

[Gulliver]

Providing there is no change of being shangied again and your navigator can find Sydney Nova Scotia Cape Breton Island NOT the Land of Oz will sign on for one trip only as exactly 60 years since I was last there and would love to see all the changes if any!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jim R395326

Welcome Aboard Jim lad! One trip,you say...O.K....Shanghai?...O.K. Three years....Done,sign on here!

Now, you look like a good Pump fixer type which we need(don't ask me why....in my days all we needed were a couple of bailers).
And don't you worry about that there Navigation thing...we've got our trusty 'steam' radar,and our 1958 Esso Road Map(corrected to 1/4/71).

Sign on here,Jim lad for the trip of the rest of your lifetime!
And just to tempt you,here's a souvenir pic of our Good Vessel.
Let's hear it for Jim lads!

[Geoff Anderson]

HI ALL
Just to let you all know I'm BACK from my compassionate leave. sob sob. The mothering law died last week and we buried her on Tuesday. Shes gone to that great V6 heaven. As well as leaving me to pay for it all. But not to worry you cant get blood out of a stone or a Welshman.
So I'm back to make all your lives a misery again, and who has been in our cauldron ,its nearly empty?. never mind wheres that pussy you were on about John that will do for starters??? Nothing like a bit of pussy to get things going.
taffy 1eye. chasing pussy. here pussy pussy.

[happy daze john in oz]

Well Taffy mate, sorry to hear about the mother in law, but if she was like mine then you like me would have worshiped the ground sh was going under. Then there was Tony Brown, had to go all the way back to U.K. to bury his, wanted to make sure they got the right one. Now that you are back I hope we can get some half decent food, the last lot of tab nabs were so small and dry thought they were moth balls. Which remonds me we need some fly spray.

[Michael Lawrence]

Hi Lads. Enjoyed my leave on the good ship 'Virginia' which we (W.R. had to come) joined in Amsterdam. We then set sail on the perilous sea called the Zuider See and hove'd up in a place called Hoone. Found a very nice pub in the port where they played us a record that was written and performed ther in the 60's called 'The cafe' by the harbour'. Does anyone recall it? It sounded O.K. but by then I was 3 sheets to the wind and leaning far to port I was likely to capsize. Anyway my trusty mate got me back on board and we then sailed for Volendam for a shopping expedition. The 'trusty mate' then insisted we take a coach to Keukenhoff Gardens to see the latest Dutch tulips and Daffs( could of been Taffs) which she would like purchased for the bungalow we hope to move to.
The crew were a nice bunch from Romania and other eastern European spots. The Dutch seamen wouldn't work for the pittance they pay them. Just to say that the £ has really taken a hammering from the Euro as a pint on board cost 4.50 which was as near as £4.50. Right my report over and ready to start work Sir Captain Gulliver under the lash of Les B Anne.
Taffy X sorry to hear about the mother in law, did you have to wing back to Heaven to see her off? For you ignoramouses( think I've misspelt that big word)on board Heaven is what the 'Taffs' call Wales when they no longer live there.
Well Lads glad to be back aboard with you and no more shore leave planned until we get to 'Joe Shells place in Curacoa or a caravan in Looe whichever comes soonest. Mike