Post by johan on Jul 18, 2007 13:03:48 GMT -5
A true story of when I was still a young cadet seaman.
A Cheeky Sailor
Alone with my sea bag on my shoulder and a proud flash upon my arm I stood in awe of Cunards finest liner R.M.S. Queen Mary. I had just left the 'Vinicatrix' a seamans training ship and after a short visit home I now stood at the bottom of the gangway a proud crew member of the Wite Star Line's Queen Mary.
I boarded through the lower washport doors and stood on D-deck, a uniformed Quartermaster said. "Where are you going young cadet, wandering about on my ship, if you're looking for the boatswain or his mate wait till eight-bells, go forward of the mainmast to his cabin, and don't be late."
The boatswain looked me over and then said. "Get your seabag up the forepeak and find a deckboys berth, leave your bag on a bunk far away from any porthole in the bow, when this liners in the Atlantic she rolls like a sick cow.
I found my cabin and my bunk, and then a Senior-ordinary-Seaman came to tell me I had bridge duties. I found my way to the bridge high above the quay, everyone had gold braid on their arms, all except me of course. We sailed from Cunard's berth in Southampton with hundreds of passengers.
On the bridge, it was get this deck boy, get that deckboy, I had to answer all the bridge telephones and then relay the orders back and forth. Later the first officer said. "You've done well lad now go below, I felt elated, my first day on an eighty thousand to ship the pride of the British merchant fleet, she had quadruple screws and our speed over the water in this great ship was thirty knots, we held the prestigious Blue Riband and on board we had many V.I.Ps and carried over a thousand more.
We crossed the North Atlantic to New York on the forty-fifth parallel, and after a stormy crossing and a very cold seven days and nights we could see the great New York skyline. The boatswain came to me and said. "The daywork men and yourself will climb to the top of the foremast frappings and show the passengers your skills." American winters are cold.
As we entering the river, I with the other topmast men were clinging to the frost covered frappings just below the foremast yardarm. We had to stand up straight, I was a new boy and had to borrow a uniform that was much to big for me, as I clung to the freezing rigging I was shivering badly and my whole body was shaking. Hundreds of V.I.P. and passengers had come forward to the prom deck to watch us arrive, as we came near the berth we were ordered 'arms out straight' I lost my grip on my to big trousers, and in front of all the officers and captain and hundreds of passengers my trousers fell to my ankles; I hadn't put any underpants on in my hurry to get rigged out and there hundreds of feet above the deck was a pure white seamans bum, I couldn't let go to hoist them up, and had to wait untill a sailor came to my rescue.
But everyone on the ship had seen a pure white seaman's bum a hundred and eighty feet above the Queen Mary's deck.
A Cheeky Sailor
Alone with my sea bag on my shoulder and a proud flash upon my arm I stood in awe of Cunards finest liner R.M.S. Queen Mary. I had just left the 'Vinicatrix' a seamans training ship and after a short visit home I now stood at the bottom of the gangway a proud crew member of the Wite Star Line's Queen Mary.
I boarded through the lower washport doors and stood on D-deck, a uniformed Quartermaster said. "Where are you going young cadet, wandering about on my ship, if you're looking for the boatswain or his mate wait till eight-bells, go forward of the mainmast to his cabin, and don't be late."
The boatswain looked me over and then said. "Get your seabag up the forepeak and find a deckboys berth, leave your bag on a bunk far away from any porthole in the bow, when this liners in the Atlantic she rolls like a sick cow.
I found my cabin and my bunk, and then a Senior-ordinary-Seaman came to tell me I had bridge duties. I found my way to the bridge high above the quay, everyone had gold braid on their arms, all except me of course. We sailed from Cunard's berth in Southampton with hundreds of passengers.
On the bridge, it was get this deck boy, get that deckboy, I had to answer all the bridge telephones and then relay the orders back and forth. Later the first officer said. "You've done well lad now go below, I felt elated, my first day on an eighty thousand to ship the pride of the British merchant fleet, she had quadruple screws and our speed over the water in this great ship was thirty knots, we held the prestigious Blue Riband and on board we had many V.I.Ps and carried over a thousand more.
We crossed the North Atlantic to New York on the forty-fifth parallel, and after a stormy crossing and a very cold seven days and nights we could see the great New York skyline. The boatswain came to me and said. "The daywork men and yourself will climb to the top of the foremast frappings and show the passengers your skills." American winters are cold.
As we entering the river, I with the other topmast men were clinging to the frost covered frappings just below the foremast yardarm. We had to stand up straight, I was a new boy and had to borrow a uniform that was much to big for me, as I clung to the freezing rigging I was shivering badly and my whole body was shaking. Hundreds of V.I.P. and passengers had come forward to the prom deck to watch us arrive, as we came near the berth we were ordered 'arms out straight' I lost my grip on my to big trousers, and in front of all the officers and captain and hundreds of passengers my trousers fell to my ankles; I hadn't put any underpants on in my hurry to get rigged out and there hundreds of feet above the deck was a pure white seamans bum, I couldn't let go to hoist them up, and had to wait untill a sailor came to my rescue.
But everyone on the ship had seen a pure white seaman's bum a hundred and eighty feet above the Queen Mary's deck.
and 
all
time for me 
echoes, hope you all are doing well 
