by Lakercapt » April 12, 2018, 2:05 pm
As it was Fall in Australia I did not fancy going to the beach in the afternoon when I woke up but did go ashore. I had discovered the wonders of food items I had only previously seen in the movies, malted milk shakes, banana splits and ice cream sundaes. These were wonderful and it was just as well I was very active otherwise I would have put on pounds. I would go to the seaman’s mission too and sit in their lounge and read from the libraries. There were two separate missions close to each other; the “Flying Angel” was run by the Church of England and the “Stella Maris” the other which was run by the Roman Catholic Church. Both offered similar recuational facilities and I think competed to see which the best was. They held dances for the sailors and these were well attended. The young ladies who served as hostesses were all well chaperoned and they were guarded by the clergy like border collies. These ladies were very patient and understanding and taught me how to dance. I was able to do some of the Scottish country dancing but to master the quick step, slow foxtrot and waltz took some doing. The Rumba was another but not the Tango!!. I must admit I feel in love on several occasions but fraternisation outside was not really encouraged. I did not get converted although they did try. In the summer months excursions were made to the countryside for pick nicks which were great fun. As I said before it was wintertime and when we were getting the engine repaired there was torrential rains. This flooded field up river from where we were berthed and for several days’ melons, water melons, cantaloupes wash from the field got trapped between the ship and the wharf. We fished these out and gorged ourselves on the treats. Once the mooring had settled down I would wait until the last of the crew returned from the shore and get settled in the galley with a book and the ships cat for company. I would have an occasional visit from one of the firemen as although we were tied up for a while one of the boilers was keep at pressure to supply the steam for the little generator and the pumps etc. The little generator was really too small a capacity for the ship. We would have the chief engineer doing rounds changing the light bulbs we had switched to higher wattage, for better light and replacing with one it was difficult to read by.
After two weeks the other apprentice took over as night watchman and I was back to our cabin and on day work. The mate, living in Newcastle was delighted at this extended stay but this did not stop him organising the work for the deck hands. Over the ships side, on a stage, chipping the rust off, scraping and wire brushing, then a coat of red lead. The next gang would follow and give the side a coat of green paint. There were no rollers then (a Canadian guy invented them later on) we used four inch rushes and your wrists were aching at end of the day. When I say deck hands this was not a rank but we guys on deck including the two apprentices. The deck crew was A.B’s, (able bodied seamen), EDH (efficient deck hand who only needed their lifeboat certificate to be classed as A.B.’s) DHU (deck hand uncertified who were usually adult seamen who had not taken the tests) S.O.S (senior ordinary seamen) J.O.S. (junior ordinary seamen short on sea time) and lastly deck boys (under 18 years old.)
As it was Fall in Australia I did not fancy going to the beach in the afternoon when I woke up but did go ashore. I had discovered the wonders of food items I had only previously seen in the movies, malted milk shakes, banana splits and ice cream sundaes. These were wonderful and it was just as well I was very active otherwise I would have put on pounds. I would go to the seaman’s mission too and sit in their lounge and read from the libraries. There were two separate missions close to each other; the “Flying Angel” was run by the Church of England and the “Stella Maris” the other which was run by the Roman Catholic Church. Both offered similar recuational facilities and I think competed to see which the best was. They held dances for the sailors and these were well attended. The young ladies who served as hostesses were all well chaperoned and they were guarded by the clergy like border collies. These ladies were very patient and understanding and taught me how to dance. I was able to do some of the Scottish country dancing but to master the quick step, slow foxtrot and waltz took some doing. The Rumba was another but not the Tango!!. I must admit I feel in love on several occasions but fraternisation outside was not really encouraged. I did not get converted although they did try. In the summer months excursions were made to the countryside for pick nicks which were great fun. As I said before it was wintertime and when we were getting the engine repaired there was torrential rains. This flooded field up river from where we were berthed and for several days’ melons, water melons, cantaloupes wash from the field got trapped between the ship and the wharf. We fished these out and gorged ourselves on the treats. Once the mooring had settled down I would wait until the last of the crew returned from the shore and get settled in the galley with a book and the ships cat for company. I would have an occasional visit from one of the firemen as although we were tied up for a while one of the boilers was keep at pressure to supply the steam for the little generator and the pumps etc. The little generator was really too small a capacity for the ship. We would have the chief engineer doing rounds changing the light bulbs we had switched to higher wattage, for better light and replacing with one it was difficult to read by.
After two weeks the other apprentice took over as night watchman and I was back to our cabin and on day work. The mate, living in Newcastle was delighted at this extended stay but this did not stop him organising the work for the deck hands. Over the ships side, on a stage, chipping the rust off, scraping and wire brushing, then a coat of red lead. The next gang would follow and give the side a coat of green paint. There were no rollers then (a Canadian guy invented them later on) we used four inch rushes and your wrists were aching at end of the day. When I say deck hands this was not a rank but we guys on deck including the two apprentices. The deck crew was A.B’s, (able bodied seamen), EDH (efficient deck hand who only needed their lifeboat certificate to be classed as A.B.’s) DHU (deck hand uncertified who were usually adult seamen who had not taken the tests) S.O.S (senior ordinary seamen) J.O.S. (junior ordinary seamen short on sea time) and lastly deck boys (under 18 years old.)