My starting to be a sailor

Discussion board focusing on Great Lakes Shipping Question & Answer. From beginner to expert all posts are welcome.
Paul A
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Joined: June 28, 2010, 12:30 pm

Re: My starting to be a sailor

Unread post by Paul A »

Capt. Ross, I'm glad you enjoyed relaying your stories and you only need to stop if you want to. I'm sure I speak for many that your stories have been a real joy to read. They not only describe the sailors job but also of a different point in time and culture that most of us hadn't seen.
Thank you and please continue.
Paul Anderson
Guest

Re: My starting to be a sailor

Unread post by Guest »

Thank you so much for sharing this amazing story with us Captain ! It's been truly a treat to say the least. If you ever wish to add to the story you can rest assured there will be many eager readers. All the best to you, sir.
Lakercapt
Posts: 554
Joined: July 19, 2010, 4:51 pm

Re: My starting to be a sailor

Unread post by Lakercapt »

Three young white males were soon the attraction of many people and I was overwhelmed by the sight of so many very young tanned attractive young ladies. They were interested in where we came from and when we had arrived in Australia. The advice from them was cover up as the sun is very strong and we will get burnt. I should say I did not listen and the resulting sun burn I got was a lesson I still remember. The ferry back to Circular Quay and to the hotel was all an experience as the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge was a sight to see. In the hotel we were allowed to eat whatever we wished and for someone who had grown up in the austere environment of the UK it was wonderful. I had never had a steak and the first time I could hardly believe the size of the portion. When I had left meat was the last item of rationing still in operation so it was all eye opening.
The life of luxury was soon to end and the days of fancy living in hotels and being served were soon to be a distant memory. We were told the ship was to arrive at Newcastle and we were to board a bus to take us there. This trip I do not recall much about but it was early evening were we were deposited on the dock n front of what was to be my home for over the next two years. Not to belabour a point I was not impressed. This green hulled apparition with rust and covered in coal and iron ore dust was not what I had envisioned. We climbed the gangway and were directed to our cabins. The apprentices were in a cabin on the starboard side of the engine room casing and the two of us were berthed beside the third engineer, the second cook and the second steward and to catering boys. I was not given the choice as the senior apprentice opted for the lower bunk. Bill Downs and I were never to be good friends but managed to tolerate each other. His father was a captain in the company and he considered himself superior.
The next few days we were loading coal and as I mentioned everything was dirty. To go for our meals we had to go to the midship house and off the main dining saloon for the officers was a place where we were given our meals. To get there we had to climb over a large mound of coal ash. This was from the stokehold as the ship was a coal burning ship and ash could not be dumped in the harbour. I was to become very familiar with this stuff in the course of the next twenty five plus months. Although I had been to the Dolphin and done the seamanship side of being at sea I was overwhelmed by my lack of knowledge of the requirements of real sailing and the everyday working on board. To tell it honestly I was liability on deck at first as I was an accident waiting to happen. I had no clue how to do the most mundane tasks and when the bosun would tell me something I would look dumbstruck until it was explained to me. When battening down I was delegated to help chippy put in the hatch wedges and haul the bag of them around. Even then I had to be shown the correct way to insert them before he would hammer them tight. Hypotenuse against hatch - I still remember.
This learning was to continue for a long time but thus was “starting to be a sailor”
When I started this thread I did not envisage it would continue for so long and one memory would trigger another buried deep in the brain. I have enjoyed relaying these tales and adventures but it is now time to stop. Thanks for all the input and comments I do appreciate them
Lakercapt
Posts: 554
Joined: July 19, 2010, 4:51 pm

Re: My starting to be a sailor

Unread post by Lakercapt »

The crew who were to be my shipmates for the next two plus years, (some did not last this long) were a mixed lot. The Deck crew were mostly “Geordies” (from the Newcastle area) with the exception of the five Scots, three from Barra in the Western Isles including the bosun and two from the lowlands. The catering crew were all Geordies and the “black gang” neither a derogatory nor a racist term) engine room and stokehold gang were all Arabs from South Shields. The engineers were a mixed bunch but all English and the radio officer was Irish. The captain R.H. Anderson was from the North of England area as were the second and third mates.
In the catering staff there were the second steward, assistant steward, cabin boy, galley boy second cook/baker and lastly the chief cook. The chief steward was already on board as part of the crew we were to replace as was the first mate.
Of these crew members only the second cook and galley boy (later assistant steward) completed the whole voyage, the rest either deserted or married and elected to stay in Australia. In the deck side the ones returning to the U.K. were the captain and second mate and the radio officer. The bosun, cook and the Geordie carpenter completed the P.O’s. The original deck crew more or less changed several times and only one sailor who signed on lasted the voyage. In the original deck crew one of the O.S’s I surprised when I saw him at signing on, was in the class above me in Royston Primary School and lived in the same street. We became friends and he told me before he jumped ship he had had enough and wanted to stay in Australia. (He did and married an Australian girl and many years later when I was mate on a ship I met him in Port Pirie) All of the firemen, trimmers and donkey men completed the voyage as did the two of us apprentices.
Before boarding the bus to transport us to London I was advised to change into “go ashore” gear and pack my uniform away. I did and the next time I wore it was when I joined the M.V.Daleby some years later!!
The trip out to Australia as I mentioned in a previous posting was on a B.O.A.C. Argonaut aircraft which was a four engine propeller plane. There was another crew on board as well as the crew for the “Firby” but a different company. It took five days with stops overnight on the way. As a first tripper I was fascinated with the stopovers as never having experienced a foreign country other than England it was strange with the exotic smells and strange peoples. We were allowed then to walk from the hotels were boarded at overnight and sightsee. Something which would not happen today. The last stopover before Sydney was in Darwin where the heat and the humidity were beyond my comprehension. I had never in my life experienced this and as it was mid winter when I left home to be assailed with this was a very very big surprise. Arriving in Sydney we were subject to the normal customs and immigration screening but as ship’s crew we did not have to show passports as the British Seaman’s Identity card was accepted. We were informed the ship we were to join was not due in Newcastle NSW for a few days and were accommodated in a nice hotel and allowed to do as we wished. I was totally thunder struck and I was taken under the wing of Bob Chapman (the O.S. from my same street) and an old hand A.B. and did some sightseeing and as it was summer time here went to one of Sydney’s beaches, Manley. It was fortunate that my parents had had the presence of mind to give me some money before leaving so I bought a swim suit.
Lakercapt
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Joined: July 19, 2010, 4:51 pm

Re: My starting to be a sailor

Unread post by Lakercapt »

In the middle of January I received my indentures which were to be signed by my father and I and these signatures to be witnessed. This was then sent back to “Ropners”. Soon afterwards I received another letter with a rail voucher to North Shields in England. I had been assigned to a ship called the “Firby” which was trading on the Australian cast and was to be there for about two years. My parents were not at all pleased about this length of time away but I was neither for or against as it seemed like a great adventure. The crew were signing on in the shipping office in North Shields on January 28th and then being transported by bus to London where we would catch a flight to Australia. In 1953 the thought of flying to the other side of the world was novel, whereas today it is hum hoe with jets doing it in hours where we would take five days.
The day before I was all packed and the taxi ordered to take me to Waverly station and catch a train there. It was the first of many departures in my life and a sad occasion. I was all dressed up in my uniform and as I was more or less an officer travelling first class. I was settled in the carriage and my luggage stowed in the overhead rack when this officious conductor came and told me ths was for first class passengers only. My father took great delight showing him my first class ticket. It was all tears when the whistle blew and I waved a fond farewell to my parents not to see them again for over two long eventful years. It was only a few hours until we were in Newcastle where I had to change trains and as it was the next day I was to report I had to stay overnight in a hotel. Never having to do this before I got a taxi and told him to take me to a hotel. I had enough money to pay for this and the first evening away I felt extremely lonely. Next morning I got on the local train to North Shields and a taxi to the Mercantile Marine office as instructed. I got there and was met by the personnel man and got all my necessary documentation for the Merchant Navy. I had photographs taken for my new Seaman’s Identity card and the important “Discharge Book”( this book which I still have) is important as a record of each ship you sailed on was entered and the date of joining and leaving plus a copy of report of character. The photograph in my last posting was from this book. The rest of the crew were assembled here and signed on the ships “Articles of Agreement”. This agreement between the master of the vessel and the crew and is extensive in that it has many clauses. These clauses spell out what would be the length of time for the agreement (It was always two years), wages and the minimum food to be allowed etc. The Shipping Master read out this agreement to the assembled crew and if they were in agreement “signed”, on. The unions had all vetted this previously. I and the other apprentice who was doing is second year did not sign as I mentioned before.
Guest

Re: My starting to be a sailor

Unread post by Guest »

You look suitable enthused ! Sixteen is very young to go to sea and exist in that rough and tumble environment. I'm sure it makes one grow up quickly. And to learn to expect more of oneself and those around them. Your writings about your youth and experiences early in your career explain the high expectations you placed on yourself and your crew in later years. I'm sure there's lots more to tell I say hopefully as I've found this to be a fascinating account.
Lakercapt
Posts: 554
Joined: July 19, 2010, 4:51 pm

Re: My starting to be a sailor

Unread post by Lakercapt »

All the other cadets on the course had applied to shipping companies for a berth and fortunately we all managed to secure a position with various companies. Three of the first class students were taken on by a famous Edinburgh company whose ships were all named after mountains in Scotland, Ben Line Limited. They were to go as cadets. Another lad whose father was a captain in Port Line was also taken on as a cadet. The rest of the class (16) were going as apprentices on various companies. The majority were to be indentured on tankers and a couple like me on “Tramp” shipping companies. I should explain the differences between going as a cadet as to being an apprentice. Cadets signed on the ships “Articles of Agreement” as all crew members did (this agreement is between the master and the crew) and could go on any ship or company to complete their required sea time. Apprentices were indentured to the shipping company and did not sign on the “Articles” and had many restrictions on as to their conditions etc.
I received a letter from the Company Sir R. Ropner and company, with a list of suggested clothes etc that were required. This was a very comprehensive list and included uniform, tropical dress whites with epaulettes etc. and of course working gear and wet weather gear. My parents were not well off and seeing this list gave them a shock as it would be rather expensive to fill. We went down to a marine outfitter in Leith and showed them the list. Although they were in the business of selling managed to trim the list of items they considered unnecessary. I was measured up for my uniform at this time. The costs on my sea going kit we managed to reduce as there was a war surplus store close by and managed to get the clothes there. A kit bag too which some person who was a good artist decorated with cartoon characters. When my uniform was ready we went to the fitting and I was disappointed that there was no gold braid on the sleeve but a little insignia on the collar. Little did I know this uniform was seldom to be worn until I had nearly finished my time!!
At the end of the course in December we all were to part ways and except for a few classmates never to see each other again. The ones I met later on were when we returned to the college to study for our certificates. A couple of my classmates decided this was not the life for them and quite. This resulted in H.M.G. sending them a letter ordering them to report for National Service.
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Lakercapt
Posts: 554
Joined: July 19, 2010, 4:51 pm

Re: My starting to be a sailor

Unread post by Lakercapt »

The lessons were an advancement of courses we had already taken and we would still have the signals each day and to our wonderment we became quite proficient. The old saying about practice can make perfect come to mind. Alas this skill did deteriorate with lack of use and the years as an apprentice were just that. It was only when I was back studying for my second mates certificate I would use it again. As the Radar station was at the ends of the docks lunch time meant either packing a lunch or going out of the docks to where we had meals before. To get there and back you had to cycle, which was what I did on occasion. One day I was staying for the break and another student asked to borrow my bike. Not a problem but it was as it turned out! Coming back he misjudged the speed and hit the sill on the lock gate. My pride and joy was unrideable as the front forks had been forced back on the frame and the bike was now a complete loss. I was mad and now I had to get transport to and from school till he replaced my bike. Back to the bus and tramcar and then the long slog to the station. It was a long week before I got my replacement. At the Radar station we could look out and see one of the Martello towers which had been built to protect the port of Leith during the Napoleonic wars. These were massive stone towers and housed troops to fire the cannon at any hostile ships which approached. It was housed at the top of the tower and could be rotated 360 degrees. (With the improvements in the port it is no longer in the water but as the landfill has extended it is now on land).
Nearing the end of the course it was time to start letter writing to get a job with a shipping company. Although there were many British shipping companies the major ones were very picky in choosing their apprentices or cadets. Their choice was from the prodigious schools and Leith Nautical did not fall into this category. I wrote many letters and even did not get the courtesy of a reply from many. The rejection letters were mostly polite and would contain the regrets etc. and hope you have good luck in your career. Eventually I received a positive response from a company in Darlington in England wishing for me to come down for an interview and a voucher for the train travel was enclosed.
Good suit and shoes polished I got the early morning train from Edinburgh Waverly station, the place where I was to have many sad parting and joyous reunions in the years to come. It was not a long journey and a taxi from the station to their office on Conniscliffe road deposited for the interview. I was escorted to the office of the personnel manager and politely answered his questions and offered tea (what else in England!). I was then taken to the office of one of the owners and introduced as a possible apprentice. He was very polite and was profuse in his praises of the company and their good reputation with the sea going staff (I was to find out this was not so in time to come) Models of the ships in their fleet were positioned throughout the office and I was impressed by some of them. Home again the same day and it was a few days later I received a letter informing me I would be offered a position as an indentured apprentice in their fleet. I should contact them when I completed of the course.
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Lakercapt
Posts: 554
Joined: July 19, 2010, 4:51 pm

Re: My starting to be a sailor

Unread post by Lakercapt »

During the term we had an hour lunch break and although there were no facilities to eat some of the students brought a packed lunch. It was not much as there was not much choice. Butter was still on ration and my mother would divide the family ration up into the four pieces. You then did what you wanted with it as when it was gone you had the choice then of margarine. I detested this horrible concoction and still to this day cannot abide it. (Later on I was on ships which carried palm oil for the production of this stuff my loathing increased) As an experiment readers might t try this in the warmer weather, take a tub of this stuff in the refrigerated cabinet in the grocery store and remove the lid. Leave it outside and see what happens. No insects will touch it or any animals. It will not go bad or turn rancid. People eat it!!. Anyway sandwiches were really not an option so we would walk along the street to the “Shore”. In this area of the old port would be several places that a quick, and more importantly for us, cheap meal could be had.
When this term was coming to a close we had exams to see if we were to be allowed to proceed to the next and final term. None of my class failed so we went for a couple of week’s vacation before starting the last term. By this time I must admit I was fed up with school but to get the reduction in the required four years sea time it was essential I carry on and finish the course. (This allowance was a six month reduction).The next term was a change in location again. Leith Nautical was an old school and did not have the facilities needed for this massive influx of students. The building where we were also housed had the radio officers training as well as the engineers so classroom space was at a premium. We moved to a new location which was out at the very edge of the port. This building housed the equipment for the training in a new fangled piece of equipment for merchant ship, RADAR. This so the equipment could “see” right down the Firth of Forth and up to the famous rail bridge. It could monitor the approaches and was good training for the mates and radio officers. We as lowly cadets were excluded but did get to see it operating!
Lakercapt
Posts: 554
Joined: July 19, 2010, 4:51 pm

Re: My starting to be a sailor

Unread post by Lakercapt »

Other subjects were ship construction and stability. With the ship construction we were one time allowed to visit the local shipbuilding yard of Henry Robb which was not far from the college. We were there once to see a launching which was impressive. The work on building a ship was one that had been used for many years. A plating shop cut and bent plates to shape. The frames were bent to plans on a large bending plate with holes to put the pegs to bend it. All very labour intensive and slow. I think of today’s modern methods of modular construction when all the work is done in a covered environment and like Lego is joined together on site. Changed days and a better quality of ship is the result. It is not surprising the shipyard no longer exists. The drawing room was a massive place with many draughtsmen busy making plans. All done now on a computer and a draughtsman with a mouse. It was busy term and I now could understand the amount of information and skills which were necessary to become a navigating officer. I was glad when the term came to a close and a few weeks’ vacation was earned after the exams were finished. One more term and them it would be off to sea to get sea time in to qualify for the certificate of competency. The whole term I had been riding my bike regardless of the weather. When it rained I had a ponchos type of rainwear. The bikes were all fitted with what we would call fenders but we at the time called them mud guards. That stopped the wheels spraying up on you. On days when I did take public transit I would be reading the rules of the road as we were frequently asked questions about them and another exercise I never did manage without difficulty. How is she heading? I thought this archaic especially when it was a sailing ship. For this exercise you were show navigation light in a certain angle off the bow and given your ships course and had to respond in the directions the target could be heading. So much useless knowledge I thought but it was required in the syllabus for second mates exam!
Lakercapt
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Joined: July 19, 2010, 4:51 pm

Re: My starting to be a sailor

Unread post by Lakercapt »

The other major purchase was one essential for the classroom work and one I used for many years after until I stopped sailing deep sea, “Nonie’s Nautical Tables”. This tome consisted of logarithmic tables, to use in working out celestial navigation, and many other tables to assist in daily navigational calculations. A very interesting feature was “Ports of the World”. This was of use when on tramp ships and we were stemmed to load cargo in a port which we did not even know its location! These tables which were really a great labour and time saving aid were in the days before calculators or computers and large mathematical problems could only be solved using logarithms (invented by a Scot by the way). The calculations were done to five places and when working out star sights could take nearly an hour with five star shots. Many short versions were made during WWII to make it easier and although they helped none were universally adopted.
Our classroom studies in the navigation were interesting and we were given an insight in to how early navigators managed to find their way round the world. The easiest method was one called parallel sailing. This before the invention of an accurate time piece to help calculate longitude i.e. the chronometer. A captain would sail either north or south until the destination latitude was reached and the sail east or west until the destination was reached. Latitude was easy to calculate by either using the sun at its zenith or the North Star, Polaris. We graduated to Plane sailing, Rhumb line sailing and then Great Circle sailing. All the calculations for these were done using Nonie’s.
Chart work was like learning to read all over again. There were hundreds of notations and symbols on a marine chart and initially it was like trying to decipher Egyptian hieroglyphics. The information, I am certain at one time was extremely useful but as electronic aids to ascertain a vessel’s position became more accurate some of these became obsolete. As an example, the nature of the sea bottom. It was found using an armed lead line (the bottom of the sounding lead had a hollow and this was filled with tallow) went it touched the sea floor it measured the depth and when retrieved the bottom contents were on the lead. It could be anything from white sand or broken shells, dark mud, etc. I never in my sea going carrier used a lead line for this function but still was required to know about them. It did give us a great admiration for the early hydrogrophers who painstakingly collected this information. One of the greatest of these was Captain James Cook and in later years when satellites were used to survey some of his charts were found to be extremely accurate and he did not have many aids to assist him and his men. On ships I sailed on we had thousands of charts to covering worldwide seas and ports and the job of the second mate was to keep them corrected. Each port here would be a pile of “Notices to Mariners” issued by the British hydrographic office containing corrections and he studiously had to sort out the charts and apply the corrections. A time consuming job that was to start all over again at the next port when the mail was delivered.
Lakercapt
Posts: 554
Joined: July 19, 2010, 4:51 pm

Re: My starting to be a sailor

Unread post by Lakercapt »

One thing I forgot to mention about the T.S. Dolphin was the decks were wood and a chore I will not miss.
Every week all cadets and deck trainees were lined up and holistoned the deck. We were on our knees and sand was sprinkled on the deck and dampened. Then we would push these stones back and forward along the grain to the wood until your arms ached. Then it was washed down. It did look good when finished!!
Lakercapt
Posts: 554
Joined: July 19, 2010, 4:51 pm

Re: My starting to be a sailor

Unread post by Lakercapt »

The time on the “Dolphin” was coming to a close and from the bunch of us rookies who were full of expectations and somewhat anxious there emerged a class of cadets, no longer lacking in the skills required for our future profession. One of the last things for me was obtaining my bronze cross in lifesaving. After a couple of week’s vacation we were now moving on to the next step in our education. Before it was mainly physical and now we would be required to use our brains and memory.
The next term was at the Nautical college which was an old building sandwiched between massive bonded warehouses. These warehouses stored thousands of casks of Scotland’s major export, whiskey. They were aging and being readied for export. I was amazed at the cooperage that was at the back of the college where casks were being repaired and new ones made to be sent out and filled with sherry. The skill of these men was amazing as oak was fashioned into staves, arranged and the chimes fitted. It is a skill still used in today’s world as wine and spirits still use these casks.
Our days were spent in the classroom learning among many things, meteorology, chartwork, ship construction, signals (Morse code, semaphore and international code flags), navigation, ship stability and the dreaded spherical trigonometry. Each day we started with the signals. The room would be darkened and the Morse sent by light. One student would read what was sent and the other copy it on to a signal pad. The pad was five characters wide and nine deep. Each row would be four letters and one number. If you did not get one you would say pass as each row was checked and if you did not do that it was difficult to check. Initially it was slow but as we became more proficient it was speeded up. I did not like this but it was a requirement for all our certificates of competency it was a must. Semaphore was the same block pad reading it and to tell the truth I never did see it used on board but the BOT said it was necessary. The International code flags we had to recognise and know the single flag hoist meaning. This is still in these days of electronic messaging used but mostly the single flag hoists. On top of the day at the college homework was a daily feature and double up for the weekend. The chart work and navigation I enjoyed and meteorology was interesting. The instructors were all addressed as Captain and they all were in possession of their Extra Masters certificates. (No mean achievement). No lax behavior was tolerated and woe betide you if you did not complete you assignments. One subject that was not appealing was the one about the “principles of navigation” but it did give you a foundation to the “Art” of navigation. This was long before pushing the correct buttons supplied you with the vessels position and all the relevant details. It would have been wonderful later on having GPS when crossing the North Atlantic in winter and never seeing the sun or stars for days on end and using only DR positions. Sometimes it was quite a surprise when you did get a position and you were many miles from where you thought. You did get fairly competent with experience and fairly accurate!!. Another subject associated with navigation was calculating tides for many regions in the world. Not the Baltic or Mediterranean as there are no real tidal effects there. To assist us in these studies we were required to purchase many text books and the main one being “Nichols Concise Guide” which helped us to the understanding of navigation.
Pete in Holland MI

Re: My starting to be a sailor

Unread post by Pete in Holland MI »

I've always marveled at life boat technology and how they were designed to be launched 50+ years ago. Appears they were designed by people who had never been on a ship, let alone one that was sinking. All would work well when sitting calmly at a dock, but if the equipment had not been cycled & maintained frequently, it could become difficult to operate. That, and most ships that I've seen tend to go down in bad weather, thus the ship would be lurching back & forth, rolling left & right, and the boat most likely taking on a good list, all while trying to get these little boats in the water without smashing them to pieces. Although better than nothing, the life rafts on many of the older the Great Lakes boats also seemed to have been designed and authorized by people who had never climbed into a lake in December.

We all learn from our mistakes. The orange self launching boats I've seen on more recent boats, seem to make a whole lot more sense.

Pete
Lakercapt
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Joined: July 19, 2010, 4:51 pm

Re: My starting to be a sailor

Unread post by Lakercapt »

I mentioned previously the “Dolphin” was the training place for deck ratings and catering staff. Stewards were shown how to do their jobs and cooks were trained to pass the “Ships Cook” examination. There was a ships saloon same as on board a merchant ship and a large galley. The teaching staff from the college would come and have their lunch served as it would be on board. We as cadets were also allowed to be seated and served several times during the term. Was a real treat for us as most had never enjoyed this experience except from our Moms which was not quite the same? Instructors were keeping an eye on the stewards to see they were doing the right thing and some even got proficient in “silver service” The galley was not only used as a training place as there were some students who lived far from the college and they lived on board. Meals were supplied to them (their ration books were handed in) the accommodation and washroom facilities were rather basic and unfortunately for the students living far away there was no reprieve. Looking back it was no worse than the first couple of ships I sailed on and in some ways better as there was no water rationing!
Lifeboat drill was done on the dock besides the “Dolphin” and we were required to pass the exam for the ‘Certificate of Efficiency as a Lifeboatman”. This was a practical and paper exam. It consisted of knowing what stores were required to be carried, the equipment needed and naming the parts of the sails, etc. It was a requirement that we launched the lifeboat and take it away from the dock under oars. The launching of these boats would require four persons to lower the boat. Two at each falls as they were rope and one person would do the lowering and the backup feeding him the rope falls. The examiner required each student to be able to reeve a threefold purchase. All students had to take turns being in charge. The launching of the lifeboats were from old type Radial davits and wind out type. These, when I look back at today’s gravity launch systems were archaic and needed a team effort and being choreographed otherwise it was a disaster. The radial davits especially were difficult to get right and I pitied the sailors who were required to use them in an emergency situation. Under sail these boats would not win the America’s Cup and it needed a good breeze to make any sort of headway. It gave us a good foundation as to what it would be like on a lifeboat so I realised it would certainly be a last resort getting in to one of them.
With all this exercise and the riding to and fro I had little problems sleeping at night and became as fit as I ever had been.
Lakercapt
Posts: 554
Joined: July 19, 2010, 4:51 pm

Re: My starting to be a sailor

Unread post by Lakercapt »

I used to stop some afternoons on the way home at my grandmother’s home as she lived just opposite to where the water trough was and where the additional horse was harnessed on. She usually had some fresh baked scones or other tasty treats. It was an intensive course at the “Dolphin” and things I had learned in the Scouts came to the fore. One was boxing the compass and even today this I can still do. Learning all the quarter points and being able to do it clockwise and anti-clock wise was required and you were tested on it. Again another skill I had acquired was being able to swim. I was surprised there were some in my class that could not swim. We were all to have extra lessons so we would be able to pass the Royal Live Saving Society standard for the bronze medallion. Several times a week we went to the local baths (swimming pool) and under the watchful eye of several instructors do the routine to pass this test. As I had a head start so to speak I obtained the bronze medallion and went to the next stage and got the bronze cross. I will try and attach a picture of these as I cherish them.
Climbing the masts and being able to do the painting when in a bosun’s chair and lowering yourself was something I was happy to be able to do and rigging a stage for over the ships side work. These entire things are no longer allowed as the workplace health and safety rules forbid these dangerous practices!! Don’t know how we survived with all these rules now. I recall being over the ships side on a stage, chipping and priming the bare steel. We would have safety goggles but no safety harness and when we were called for smoko or lunch we climbed up the painter, no ladder then. If it was hot and we were on the outboard side we would dive in the water to cool off and swim back to the ropes and pull ourselves up. My how the safety guys would cringe at this!!
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rlscmedals.jpg
Guest

Re: My starting to be a sailor

Unread post by Guest »

Happy Belated Birthday Capt!
Lakercapt
Posts: 554
Joined: July 19, 2010, 4:51 pm

Re: My starting to be a sailor

Unread post by Lakercapt »

On February 6th 1952 we were out having rowing practice and it was cold with a thin film of ice on the water. This date I remember as it was my sixteenth birthday. We were becoming more proficient and even managed to toss oars when retuning alongside the mooring. We just got back on board the Dolphin when we were told that King George VI had died. We did not know at this time there would be a major resistance to the title of our new Queen. The first queen Elizabeth was an English Monarch and when she died the next in line of accession was the Scottish King James VI. He was to be named the VI of Scotland and I of England. Christians would come to know him as he was the person that had the “Bible” rewritten. i.e.” King James version of the Holy Bible”.
A piece of trivia that will stump most people. Who is the first person mentioned in the “Bible”??? Answer a Scot----- King James!
Now the new Queen was to be known as Queen Elizabeth II and that went down like a lead balloon with the fervent Scottish Nationalists. It was supporters of this group who two years previously, had stolen the “The Stone of Scone” which was in Westminster Abbey under the Coronation Chair. This used to crown all British Kings and Queens at their coronation. The history of this stone is extensive and should you wish to learn about this stone please “Google” it. This was such a bone of contention with a section of the populace that when the new mail boxes were positioned in Scotland with QEIIR on them they were blown up (These mail boxes are red cast iron cylindrical with slots for mail and a door with a lock). After this the new mail boxes went away from tradition and did not have the monarch’s initials on them in Scotland. This many years later resulted in the devolution of power from Westminster to a Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh in 1999.
It was not all practical work as classroom instruction was intensive. One of the books used was “The Boatswains Manual” a sort of all inclusive informative about a sailor’s work and methods. I still have my copy of this book after all these years. One of the tasks we were given was to learn the “Rules of the Road” (International Rules for Preventing Collision at Sea). It was onerous and I used to read it on the way to the “Dolphin” and on the way home in the evening. I had to get a bus into Edinburgh and then a tramcar down to Leith. It took about an hour because of the wait to get the right one and at the time there were many services all over the city. There was no such thing as getting a transfer ticket as we do when taking public transit here but required an extra fare. As I was a student it was not expensive. Later on when the weather was better, I used to cycle to and fro every day. Cycling in Edinburgh was not too bad as there were not many private cars. It was not without problems though. Many of the streets were cobble stone and this made for a bumpy ride. The tramcar rails were dangerous and if you had to cross them you made sure it was at a large angle cause should the wheels get in the track you would fall off. Riding home at night, if you were lucky you would catch a lift by holding on to a horse cart going up Leith Walk. They went most of the way but stopped to hitch an extra horse on to go up the hill and give the original horse a drink at the trough and short rest. To make it easier there were smooth sections for the wheels and groves to allow the horses feet from slipping when it was wet. I don’t know how I remember all these small details when today I can’t remember where I put the car keys!!
Lakercapt
Posts: 554
Joined: July 19, 2010, 4:51 pm

Re: My starting to be a sailor

Unread post by Lakercapt »

I had to give up my job with the butcher so got my cousin to take over. When I was back for the first ever vacation in 1999 as part of a nostalgia trip, (although I had been back to Scotland for the building of the three Govan boats) I went to see if they were still operating. Surprised they still were and it was the grandson of the owner when I was there. I spoke to him and told him I was a delivery boy there in 1950’s he was all for some of my stories. Even went down in the basement and the old boiler to render the fat was still there!!
In January of 1952 I started my pre-sea training at Leith Nautical College. I was fortunate to get into this course as there was a high demand for young men to go into the “Merchant Navy”. The British merchant fleet was decimated during WWII and now an intensive programme was underway to re build this fleet to serve the Colonies and other countries which were part of the Commonwealth and USA etc. It required more men trained to do the many jobs associated with sailing a ship. At Leith Nautical college young men were trained to be radio officers, deck and catering ratings as well as tutor men for the certificates of competency in navigation and engine room. I was to start by going to the T.S. Dolphin which was moored in the Old West dock in the harbour. This was a ship which was built in 1884 for the Royal Navy and it was constructed of wood with copper sheathing on the below water line. It was originally a ship with guns etc but these were long gone and additional housing built to accommodate the facilities to teach us nautical ways. On this boat which was under the control of Captain Tate, courses were conducted for ships cooks, stewards, deck ratings and cadets. There were dormitories for some to the students to stay. As well it had a fitted out ships galley and saloon as well as classrooms etc. The students were separated so we did not the same instruction as the deck rating though it was very similar. I had an advantage over some of the other cadets as I knew all the knots from my time in the Boy Scouts.
We had to wear a battledress type of uniform and coveralls when doing deck work (we would have loved to have had jeans but these were not available due to the foreign currency restrictions) like splicing, painting or oiling wires etc. When in the boats we did not wear lifejackets which would be a big no no by today’s standards. His was a new experience for all of us as these boats were large and with the full compliment would have been about fifteen of us, one being the coxswain. It took a few hours of practice before we did not look like a spider doing the backstroke.
Lakercapt
Posts: 554
Joined: July 19, 2010, 4:51 pm

Re: My starting to be a sailor

Unread post by Lakercapt »

RCRVRP wrote:Was the idea of going away to sea considered exotic, fanciful, daring, romantic, crazy,ridiculous, intelligent.. or something else at that time and place?

What did your peers, your family and the neighborhood think of the idea?

Was sailing considered a noble pursuit?
I was the first in our family to go to sea and they did think it was in some ways romantic but there was another reason.
At this time every able bodied male when attaining the age of eighteen, unless in a reserved occupation, attending university or undertaking an apprenticeship (when this was finished they too had to go into the amed forces) was enlisted in the army for two years,the air force and navy three years. The only exception was if you were not fit.
Britiain during this period had several wars going on in the colonies and dependant territoires.
I did not fancy being shot at or killed serving King (Queen) and country.
It was not in any wayy thought of as exotic.
When reality sets in its certainly not romantic.
The songs "Those Far Away Places" and "She Wears Red Feathers and a Huly Huly Skirt" did not influence me!!
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