Wives please get in touch.

[Lin Treadgold]

Now let's get back to the reason we are here. Thanks to the 'crew' who kindly offered their stories. I am hoping eventually once this thread settles down you guys can read how we girls felt at that time.

Remember many of us are in our sixties now and more perhaps. It was all so long ago, but what I hoped to encourage was a greater understanding of life from the women's point of view. I know we were in a man's world and often that posed problems of it's own but as most of you guys have pointed out so far there were the good times.

One of my 'good times' was the teamwork our officers and crew put together during our 4 month wait on the Falaba in Lobito in 1974. It should have been a six week turn around. A lady called Pat and myself we gathered information from all the other ships to include in our magazine. The old printer we borrowed each Friday, and delivered via the lifeboat our Magazine to the guys at anchor. We had about a hundred copies and we went from ship to ship (often with a nice cooling drink on offer) - The stories we had to type out and print kept us busy from day to day. We were never short of material. We were particularly in fits of laughter about a story of something that had gone wrong when the pilot of another ship heard endearing tones between ships of a radio officer and a female voice over the radio whilst trying to bring a ship into port. The call went went out - 'Ok love let's change to Channel 16' and click click click the whole port was listening in. We printed the story and the couple in question were not amused. By then the whole of Lobito knew about the affair. The person who wrote the story discovered the woman was the wife of the second mate on one of our vessels at anchor. Oh dear!

Due to being stuck in Lobito because of the pending war in Angola, our lads made a boat and went sailing. It was a proud moment when she was launched, even though she was made from dunnage, I think. We spent months in Angola and made the best of what we had. Then the company sent out a real sail boat and we had two!

On the day we left, the guys had placed loudspeakers on the deck. They stood proud in their whites on deck and played 'Land of Hope and Glory' and then 'Wait a minute Mr Postman, is there a letter for me.' We threw toilet rolls over the side of the ship and within an hour the long wait in Angola was over. A very sad and poignant moment. Plenty of tears of relief and sadness.


I think the worst part of having to stay there was being pushed back in the queue each time we made it to the top. I remember a priority ED ship coming in and leaving within a few days when we had been there about four months. The disappointment on the faces of our crew said it all.

So yes we had some great times and made the most of our time at sea.

[Lin Treadgold]

Hi Gulliver

I think everything you suggested has now been carried out. I kind of forgot that times have changed and we are more into equal rights and so on. I suppose sometimes I am living in the past when only the wives of officers went on the voyages. So apologies if I offended anyone.

I look forward to revealing more with time. Also I am trying to get some photos copied on to my computer. Hubby 'owns' the scanner in his office. I suppose being a writer I am never short of material to write about.

All the best

Lin

[Lin Treadgold]

Just reading 'Palm Oil and Small Chop'. the author John Goble paints an excellent picture of life on the West Coast - well recommended.

Lin

[Lin Treadgold]

Just had a mail from an ED guy who told me he felt very privileged to be part of the crew. He learned so many good things which have carried him through to this day. He hopes that all the people who sailed with the company will not allow their stories to be untold. To quote

"EDs gave each of us an education which has proved to be invaluable in whatever field we chose after coming ashore."

Lin

[Lin Treadgold]

The Grey Funnel Line was out in force today. Saw a submarine on the way to Texel. Great day out on the island. (In Holland)

Lin

[Glennys Faulds]

I have no idea who Tiger 1 - Jean is, but it is very sad if she doesn't feel worthy to contribute here. I'm quite sure none of us is better than any other. We all have our share of stories to tell and I, for one, would love to have Jean posting here.

I may be speaking out of turn as a newcomer, but the more contributers the merrier, in my not so humble opinion.

[jenny]

Lin, you writing of swapping epaulettes at Xmas brings to mind one Xmas aboard some ship. My father was a shore boss for Shaw Saville in those days and knew alot of captains. We were invited for Xmas lunch one year and it is the first time I had seen the stewards serve ,then the cooks, stewards etc were bought in to sit at the officers tables while the captain and officers served them lunch. It was a lovely touch especially in those days of class distinction. A wonderful day was had by all.

[Lin Treadgold]

I don't know Jean but would be happy to send her a personal message or mail. I wonder who she sailed with, 'llI try and look. This is all new to me too and I don't blame her if she doesn't feel confident to post messages. In a way I only felt confident to do this after many years, but now according to some of my MN 'friends' on web sites they want my stories only since last week and so it's probably worth doing.

Thanks Keith, I'm off to the Isles of Scilly in two weeks. Doing some of my own sailing on the water buses!

Lin

[Lin Treadgold]

Ah there you are Jean - just sent you a mail. Great! Glad you made it to the forums. We girls have to stick together. After a rocky start on this site I hope now we can persuade the guys we mean business! LOL

On a serious note I want everyone here to think about putting something together for the future of history. I hope to write a novel about shipboard life, possibly a romance fiction novel - I already have one in progress 'Goodbye Henrietta Street' which is being marketed to publishers this year and next. Let's hope someone buys the rights to publish. I also have a second novel in progress. So it keeps me busy.

So maybe I can get you ladies writing stuff. It would be good to stop procrastinating about 'I should write a novel' and just do it. Writing for me has changed my whole life.

Okay here are the rules

Enjoy chatting
Be as girly as you like
A bit of harmless flirting is fine
Write those stories
If you need help with the editing just ask
If you want to be a writer ask me for info
This forum is for friendly people to write about their experiences at sea - just do it.

Enjoy every moment and don't hold back - say what's on your mind as long as it's positive.
Enjoy the voyage of discovery and take a smoko break every now and then.

Thanks for the compliments and hope we can all be good shipmates in the future.

Lin

[Lin Treadgold]

I was on the ferry yesterday going across to the island of Texel (Waddensee Islands in Holland)l and I got goose bumps, not because it was cold but because being at sea is in my blood. It's only a fifteen minute crossing with the car, but the smell of the sea and the black back gulls calling, is absolute magic. And the smell of the diesel!! Always reminds me of my time at sea all those years ago.

Lin