Hello Yo, I have been asked by some of the new members as to how they can put their avatars on; I put mine on so long ago that I have forgotten what I did. Can anyone out there help? Thank you in anticipation of a speedy reply,
BrianD
Hello Yo, I have been asked by some of the new members as to how they can put their avatars on; I put mine on so long ago that I have forgotten what I did. Can anyone out there help? Thank you in anticipation of a speedy reply,
BrianD
"Avatars!
Hi Brian! 'click' on 'UserCP' at top of Forum page, all details are there! CheersOriginally Posted by brian daley
Arrr there Brian.. can a fine Wrench come aboard? Seeing that Ged is now a galley boy....
Aust Navy goes mad
Hi Brian. You may get a few new members from the Australian Navy, as they are closing for 2 months, Yes shutting down to give the poor lad's time off.
The Navy is SHUTTING down the Navy for the summer holidays is a way of retaining sailors, Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon says.
It?s also a way of abrogating defence responsibilities.
I can just see the people smugglers in Indonesia frantically putting out the message that it will be open season for queue jumpers over the summer break.
Docked ships will be manned by a skeleton staff using protective alarms.
Yeah, that?ll work. I trust the protective alarms are tactically sited to give all round defence.
Reg.
STORY OF A HOODOO SHIP
HOODOO SHIP . ALL WRENCH'S Welcome Aboard?Arrr there Brian.. can a fine Wrench come aboard? Seeing that Ged is now a galley boy....
How the Blengfell of Liverpool Went Down
Nocturnal Visions and Madness Beseiged her Sailors at Sea - A Cargo of Naphtha her Doom.
As the British ship Ellisland was being made fast to one of the piers in the Erie Basin a few days ago, four sailors who stood leaning over the forward deck rail saw something that made them start suddenly and cross themselves superstitiously. What caused their uneasiness was a blurred inscription on the pier's string-piece. It was printed in half-illegible and badly formed letters and read like this :
The names of the four sailors were R.Cochrane, John Johnson, Charles Walback, and H.Kimber. More than two years ago, in the early part of 1898, they came to this port in an English bark called the Blengfell, from Liverpool, and she had only been here two days when these four members of her crew left her on the ground that she was a " hoodoo ship." A month afterward she sailed homeward again, but she never reached port, for the evil fate that hung over her fulfilled its mission, and the battered remains of her big hulk have long lain many fathoms under the sea.
When Cochrane and his companions saw the name of their former ship written on the Erie Basin pier, their memories took a turn by no means pleasant. It seems that the ill-omened Blengfell's disastrous experiences began three voyages before the one that brought her to America, though it was on that trip that all hands aboard became convinced of a hoodoo's presence among them.
During a trip she took about three years before that time, a seaman went mad because of "visions" in his cabin at night. He drowned himself at last in despair. On the next voyage a negro sailor, who had been sick and in delirium, suddenly arose from his bed, grasped a brace of pistols, and ran all the rest of the crew aft, where he kept them at bay for twenty-four hours. Finally he threw down his pistols, uttered a wild shriek, and jumped headlong over the railing, disappearing immediately under the water and never rising to the surface again.
During the trip that came next, another seaman saw nightly visions that drove him to madness. For weeks he muttered and groaned and shrieked, frightening all his companions half to death, and then he was found hanging by his neck on one of the yards. In a note which he left in his cabin he said that the hoodoo had commanded him to depart from life and that it had prophesied a horrible doom for the bark Blengfell.
It was after this that Cochrane, Johnson, Wallback, and Kimber shipped with the bark. They got aboard of her at Liverpool. Her commander was Capt.Johnston of Whitehaven, and with him sailed his wife and little girl. The bark sailed from Liverpool to Brisbane, Australia, and thence to New York, touching at Newcastle, Valparaiso, and Junin on the voyage. When she reached here, the Captain ordered some of his men to put a new coat of paint on the bark, and while they were doing the job, some of them scrawled the ragged inscription on the Erie Basin pier.
"It was while that painting was being done that we skipped," said Seaman Cochrane, in telling the story of the hoodoo. "And it's a good thing we did, for if we'd sailed away with the blasted bark, the fishes would have had us long before this. Do you know what happened to the Blengfell and how the hoodoo at last got in his work ? No ? Well, I'll tell you."
"Capt.Johnston, his wife and child; the two mates, and two apprentices were blown into so many little pieces that not a trace of them was ever found. And as for the bark, there wasn't anything left of her but driftwood. The Dover pilot was killed too, but they found his body later on.
"It was all the work of the hoodoo, wasn't it, boys ?" added the seaman, turning to his companions. "But we were old in the business, so we knew what was coming and jumped the game. It's a good thing to know a little about hoodoos once in a while. You may live a bit longer for it, you know, and, besides, when you die you don't want to get a sure pass to hell. And that's what you get if a hoodoo sees your finish."
Hope you enjoy!!
Reg.
Arrr there Brian.. can a fine Wrench come aboard? Seeing that Ged is now a galley boy....
Lilac,
We've a full set of spanners so another wrench isn't required.
However, there is a vacancy for a wench should you care to apply.
References will be treated with strictest confidence and only shown to those on this site.
Brian,
Interesting tale.
Farbeit from me to promulgate ignorant stereotypes, but does your scouse accent ever raise eyebrows when you turn up to discuss security arrangements? Do you ever get a bunch of readies pushed into your hand as your are being shown the door, whilst being told 'protection' isn't required?
Whhhooooaaar,Reg,now there was a tale to chill the spine,did'ja like that my little wench? and there's plenty more to come from Reg. Out there on his little atoll in the heart of the Pacific(marooned 'e was boys,caught stealing the cap'ns cheese) 'e's a mine of sea tales. Our engineer ,Kevin you know already,steady man. But let me introduce Roccija, takes his name from the Russian convoys.He was part of that gallant band of men who suffered great trials and tribulations during WW11 , carrying war supplies to the U.S.S.R. He never talks about himself ,but relates tales of the men he served with.A true hero. Our electrician is Ron,the Batman,sailed out of Liverpool for more years than he can remember,in Britains oldest shipping line ,Brocklebanks. An honorary scouser,Ron is married to Doreen,a real Liverpool lass.Tabnab,or Fred, is another Scot, he was a ships cook and was responsible for keeping the men happy and content,especially with his Tabnabs,cakes to you landlubbers,so called because the baker use to make them in the tabernacle or mast housing.
Our quartermaster is Ernie, a lifelong seaman,a rarity nowadays,went from sea school to ships in the early 50's and kept at it all his working life.Think of the many millions of miles that man sailed.As the time passes by you will see more old salts come aboard,they all have a tale to tell,and we welcome anyone of you to sit around the messroom table and join , a noggin of ale and a wench or three are always welcome. As the greatest salt of all,Wally Skeggs, would say PHOO Yuurrr.
Where the hell is Alehouse? Have Bolton and Fleetwood closed down for the winter and all electronic communication ceased to function?
Hi Fans, Alehouse here. New name, Captain Kong.
I have been away to my other house at Fleetwood for a week, The HOME disapeared and here we are on a new ship. They say a week is a long time in politics, it sure was on this one.
Nice to see so many old ship mates on here, and a few new ones, `Naked Lilac` intrigues me. If you are there Lilac, I saw your Banyan tree in Waikiki, There is a real big one in Lahaina, Maui, I was there in April on QE2, I think it could be one of the biggest in the world.I have a photo of it somewhere.
I am just unpacking my gear and sorting out accumulated mail etc. so I will start with the yarns again soon.
Cheers
Captain Kong.
Just testing the waters with this one, some of you have read it before, but I`ll see what happens.
....13
SS BEECHFIELD
W. SAVAGES, Ltd. ZILLAH STEAMSHIP CO
I joined the BEECHFIELD in Liverpool in at the end of November 1952, she was built in Lytham, around 1900, a coal burning steamship, tall woodbine funnel, and an open wheelhouse, oil skins and sea boots were required when on the wheel, I was 17 years old and an Ordinary Seaman.
We lived in the focsle underneath the chain locker, a square hatch on the deck next to the chain locker with a vertical ladder going down to a dark and smoky open focsle with two firemen, two ABs and me, it was a death trap down there
There was no electricity on board, all the navigation lights and accommodation lights were oil lamps, and my job was to keep them trimmed daily. Down in the fore peak where we lived was one grimy oil lamp, and it was still dark with that on, there was a coal bogey in the middle surrounded with ash, cinders and coal and the smoke was thick, there was no ventilation down there, we were below the water line when she was loaded. There were five filthy bunks, a black with coal dust mattress, one filthy blanket, of course no sheets, pillows or towels. There was no bathroom sinks or toilet, it was unbelievable.
One old fireman was 84 years old and permanently bent over at an angle of 90 degrees, he had never paid off for over 25 years he had no where to live and would have lost his job if he had paid off so he was there for ever.
The other fireman was a completely mad Irishman, always talking to himself and sometimes he had terrific arguments,
There were two ABs, one was over 80 years old, and had no where else to live, the other one joined with me, he was OK but after one week he leapt ashore, I was going as well but the Skipper, Captain Jim Marshall, made me up to AB, with a big increase in pay, so I stayed on for a bit longer.
We loaded coal for Dublin, Belfast, Londonderry, and stone from Paenmenmawr and Trevor in North Wales and Peel Island back to Liverpool. If you wanted a cr*p or a shower you had to wait until you got to the other side and leg it to the Seamen?s Mission.
It was December, the weather was atrocious, and on the open bridge the wheel was six feet in diameter with chains and rods to the rudder. When she was shipping seas they would go right over the open wheel house and you would get swept off the wheel and if you hung on to the wheel and a sea hit the rudder it would spin and throw you over the top and across the bridge if you tried to hang on.
The Captain?s way of navigating to Belfast or to the North of that would be ""Keep it on this magnetic course and if you see a light ahead it would be the Isle of Man so bring her round to port and when the light is abaft the Starboard beam bring her round to the next course, I will see you tomorrow," then all hands would turn in, I would be up there for about ten hours clinging to a spinning wheel, the sea, hail, snow and rain blinding my eyes, soaking wet and frozen.
During one of these storms after leaving Derry, with big heavy seas and swell coming in from the North Atlantic, the Cook got burned to death, A large pan of chip fat was flung off the stove and went all over him when the ship took a big roll, and then it burst into flames when some went onto the galley fire and he became a ball of flame and collapsed on deck into the scupper screaming his last.
The Cook was dying in the scuppers, blackened by the flames, the Second Engineer caught sight of him leaping about and then collapsing. He got a bucket of water and flung it over him to dowse the flames but it was too late. He had gone to where all good Cooks and not so good Cooks go to, that great Galley, with unlimited stores, in the sky.
All this time the wind was blowing a hooley and seas crashing over the decks.
We had to pick him up and we laid him on the hatch, Captain Marshall certified him dead. He told us to lash him on the hatch, a line around his wrists and ankles and star shaped, he said the salt spray, would keep him fresh and stop him from stinking. He looked gruesome lying there especially at night. He stayed there until we arrived in Liverpool two days later. A Policeman and an undertaker came down and took him away.
The Mad Irishman would sit on the hatch and have some terrific arguments with the dead Cook, and became worse when the Cook was ignoring him.
The Captain told me I was to be the Cook, until they got a replacement but I still had to do the night watches on the wheel. There was not enough food to go round, what the Cook had done with the food money no one knew, but he had a few empty whisky bottles in his bunk.
On those Coasters, known as Weekly Boats, you got paid weekly and out of your wage you had to pay the Cook for the food every Friday, and then he went ashore shopping including getting drunk in the alehouse on the way.
I was knackered doing the night watch as well as Cooking, but a few days later he found some dead beat `Cook` from somewhere.
Then he got rid of the Mad Irishman, he was in the focsle and started an argument with the coal bogey and because it would not stand up and fight he kicked the cr*p out of it, flaming coals and hot ash and smoke was all over the focsle, fire was burning every where. We had to leap up on deck and throw a heaving line with a bucket attached over the side and the pass the bucket of water down the hatch to pour on the flames. After a few of these the focsle was full of smoke and steam.
"That?ll teach the ba*tard not to fight wid me". said Paddy
The Captain kicked him down the gangway. I was going to follow, `I?ll promote you to Fireman` said Captain Marshall, `it is a good experience`.
It sure was, four hours on and four hours off, two furnaces, do your own trimming. Feed `em, throw a pitch on, a little twist of the wrist and jerk and spread the coal evenly across the fires, rake and slice, dump your own ashes at the end of the four hour watch, keep her on the blood, 180 psi, and watch the water level, I got myself a belt with the buckle at the back. A buckle at the front could blister your belly with heat of the furnace on the metal. No lights down there, just the light from the flames in the furnace, like something out of Dante. After dumping the ashes and handing over with a load of coal on the plates for the next man it would be twenty minutes later, then fight my way forard between the waves and then crash on my filthy mattress still covered in ash and coal dust, at seven bells, three hours later, get down to the galley have a bacon butty and then stagger down the fiddly to the furnaces.
After one month I had had enough, and paid off, a much wiser and fitter man. Even though Captain Marshall pleaded with me to stay on, "I will teach you Navigation if you do, and then you can go Mate".
Next week I went back to the Pool, Mr Repp said, "Why didn?t you stay there you have only been there for a month" it seemed like a lifetime to me, I had aged ten years, "Here is another coaster, one of Everards, the `Amity." . That is another storey.
.

Who called me Captain Birdseye?
This is me at this years reunion of Vindi boys,it was taken in Gloucester docks, i look like some of the old guys that I sailed with in my youth,tempus fugit.
EDH
So good to see you back Brian A., now, maybe we can get back to normal
again, and carry on where we left off, - where's the jokes ????, they will be coming shortly !!.
Bob F
Jokes !!
Some jokes for everyone !!
THE SOUTH --- YOU GOTTA LOVE IT
Tennessee?
The owner of a golf course was confused about paying an invoice, so he decided to ask his secretary for some mathematical help. He called her into his office and said, 'You graduated from the University of Tennessee and I need some help. If I were to give you $20,000, minus 14%, how much would you take off?'
The secretary thought a moment, and then replied, 'Everything but my earrings.'
Alabama
A group of Alabama friends went deer hunting and paired off in twos for the day. That night, one of the hunters returned alone, staggering under the weight of an eight-point buck. 'Where's Henry?' the others asked.
'Henry had a stroke of some kind. He's a couple of miles back up the trail,' the successful hunter replied.
'You left Henry laying out there and carried the deer back?' they inquired.
'A tough call,' nodded the hunter. 'But I figured no one is going to steal Henry!'
Texas
The Sheriff pulled up next to the guy unloading garbage out of his pick-up into the ditch. The Sheriff asked, 'Why are you dumping garbage in the ditch? Don't you see that sign right over your head'. 'Yep', he replied. 'That's why I dumpin it here, cause it says:
'Fine For Dumping Garbage'.
Louisiana
A senior at LSU was overheard saying... 'When the end of the world comes, I hope to be in Louisiana .' When asked why, he replied he'd rather be in Louisiana because everything happens in Louisiana 20 years later than in the rest of the civilized world.
Mississippi
The young man from Mississippi came running into the store and said to his buddy, 'Bubba, somebody just stole your pickup truck from the parking lot!'
Bubba replied, 'Did you see who it was?'
The young man answered, 'I couldn't tell, but I got his license number.'
Georgia
A Georgia State trooper pulled over a pickup on I- 75. The trooper asked, 'Got any I.? D. ?'
The driver replied, 'Bout whut?'
North Carolina
A man in North Carolina had a flat tire, pulled off on the side of the road, and proceeded to put a bouquet of flowers in front of the car and one behind it.
Then he got back in the car to wait. A passerby studied the scene as he drove by and was so curious he turned around and went back. He asked the fellow what the problem was.
The man replied, 'I have a flat tire.'
The passerby asked, 'But what's with the flowers?'
The man responded, 'When you break down they tell you to put flares in the front and flares in the back. ?Hey, it don't make no sense to me neither.'
And this from South Carolina
'You can say what you want about the South, but I ain't never heard of anyone wanting to retire to the North.
Bob F
Vintage stuff Bob,keep it up,
Cheers
BrianD
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