Following on from yesterday, and in response to a response I made to a comment from The Filthy Engineer, below are a couple of photos of mans boat – La Falda. Possibly of no interest other than to me and him – or him and I – or he and I – or he and me – or, simply put, us two.
That's me in the chain locker.
Whenever I look back down the tunnel of time I always seen to linger on things safety and compare then and now. Sorry.
Joined La Falda in November of a year a loooong time ago. The days of ships of wood and men of steel, had recently passed but still waaaaay before the clammy hand holding days of nanny with her safety hats, funny coloured overalls {in fact, any form of overall!}, safety boots {in fact, any form of boot!}, safety gloves {in fact, any form of glove!}, safety glasses, ear defenders, safety harnesses, hair nets, work permits, safety officers, safety meetings or any of that other safety stuff. Fire and boat drill every Saturday afternoon, while at sea, end of.
Safety Brief on joining the ship? That came as a 'by-the-by' from the Bo'sun as he passed me on deck after we'd been at sea a few days and comprised of one, all encompassing sentence, "Remember kid, one hand for the ship; one hand for yourself." Worked for me and seemed to work for everyone I ever sailed with over the years.
Ah, the Bo'sun. Later the following year, I vividly remember the ship, many days from port, running out of all alcohol owing to poor ordering by the Chief Steward, an act he was never forgiven for, and I overheard the Chief Mate remark to the Second Mate, "Tell you what, I never knew the Bo'sun drank 'till I saw him sober yesterday."
My favourite safety quote? It's still that one wot my little nest of vipers hit me with a while back. You may enjoy the whole post. "If you keep trying to hold my hand, I'll never learn to walk on my own."
Quote; Samuel Johnson.
"No man will be a sailor who has contrivance enough to get himself into a jail; for being in a ship is being in a jail, with the chance of being drowned... a man in a jail has more room, better food, and commonly better company."
2 comments:
Yes My ship was also of that era. Originally named as the MV Chunking. When I joined it, it was the RFA Retainer.
You talk of health and safety. Coincidentally I'm just writing an article about H & S at the moment. Then and now.
Those were the daze. Daze of a little adventure and lots of fun!!
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