[JJR866273]

Hi JJR, just "discovered" your story in the safed data from the Rock-dodgers site (Posted 02-01-2011, 11:43 AM), am glad that I`m able to repost it on your behalf......

My 1st trip 2 sea.
Hello to all, My first trip to sea was on the ‘Insistence’ the old one, in October 1966 ( not sure if it was just after the seaman’s strike) with London & Rochester Trading, In them days I lived in Maidstone Kent, My father & I left early in the morning to drive down to Faversham dock & I was told to be there for the start of the working day which was @ 06.00, We arrived @ the jetty @ about 05.45 & the boys were on deck opening up the hold swinging theses impressively large wooden boards ( & I’m only 5’ nothing ) my father said to me, I think this job will put some meat on you son, I though the to sailors would give us a hand to get my bags on board but just looked up @ us & my 2 big suitcases’ with my clothes belonging & my bedding which LRT did not supply in those day, my father climbed down the ladder ( the ship was on the mud ) and lost his packet of fags on the way down, he was not impressed I started to climb down when a voice shouted out stay where you are & this man came & threw a line @ me & said tie a knot to your bags, with my bags & myself on deck, the man who pasted me the line was Captain Jimmy James, I got to know him well a very nice man, he made my dad a cup of tea & was chatting to dad how much I’m going to enjoy this boat & going to sea, with all the formality’s over & dad ashore the Captain showed me to my cabin which was small clean & tidy but better than my bed room @ home, he took the time & showed me where to put thing like my clothes belonging & also showed me how to make up a ships bunk up with all that done, he said just a couple of rules, you will keep this room clean & tidy @ all times I no you will as I will look in every now & then to see that it is, & whiles we’re loading as we’re now & whiles discharging do not open this port hole under any circumstances’ as when the V/L go’s very deep by the stern & water may come in, he also said late @ night we do not have the generator running as we have to pay for the fuel & Its to noisy, & showed me how to top up & clean the 2 oil lamps that hang on the bulkhead, OK son get into your working gear & come up to the mess room when you are ready, I got myself up top side to the mess room & all the crew having there smoke co, 1 of the men said, are you here to relief me I just look @ him & said I have no idea, with an attitude (arrogant & assertive) manner, well you must be, with that he was gone, we finished the tea & the Captain said show the boy around & pump up the fuel? I cant remember the other sailors name or any of the names so long a go, only the captains, the other sailor said we need to open up another couple sections, well heavy work we started in the middle & worked to the sides jump down on deck & started to stack the boards on deck when that was done, the sailor said how was that you will get a great deal of this, we then went to the E-Room & he showed me how to pump up the fuel he also said when we’re @ sea we have to come down every 2 hrs & fill the header Tk, @ the end of the loading day when we had to close up, my first time with a full hatch open yes that was hard work, I though to myself what have I let myself into, the sailor said that’s it for the day lets go get some tea which the Captain had cooked, I went to my room & started to write my first letter home, @ 7 or 8 I went up to the mess room & not a soul in sight they’d all gone ashore, about 10 I could hear some one on deck then heard bottles up in the mess so I had a look & the sailor give me a glass of beer do you smoke he said yes but I have none & he give me 20 B&H pay me back tomorrow, see the Captain & he will give to you 100 fags, nice one I though, It wasn’t long before I was tucked up with big ZZZ coming from my nose, BANG BANG on the deck I looked @ my watch 05.45 & some one opened my door, it was the sailor, be as quick as you can, rushed out on deck & opened up, we finished the loading & batten down, I cant remember what time it was when we let go but it was dark & the Captain said you go up the front end & help the mate, what mate I haven’t made any mates yet, when I was up on the bow there was this other man I hadn’t seen before it was the mate, when we’ve let go we’ll put all the ropes down & get all the fenders in & put down when we’ve done go up on the bridge you have the watch with the captain, Out @ sea the boat started to roll, & I wasn’t felling to well then I got worst, the captain said here you go & stated to show me how to steer hour on hour off for 6 hours & in-between go in the E-Room & pump up the fuel by hand by then the ship was rolling even more & I was so sick in the E-Room I think it blocked the bilge pipe? We got to Rotterdam early morning cold wet & windy I had no oil skins so I got wet en cold, & for some reason I still get sea sick after some 30 odd years @ sea my last ship was the Arklow Villa in 98 with Captain Norman Dickinson a gentleman, this was the beginning of a wonderful career @ a job I’ve love doing, if it wasn’t for my eyes I’d still be @ sea now…