Remembered Incidents; Land, Sea Air. ( Sea )

[gamba]

The Gareloch.

Would I help out someone who has just got himself a beautiful Dragon class racing yacht ? Of course, even though I knew little about sailing. We meet one fine evening by Rhu & prepare to see how she behaves in the water. Within minutes it appears there is no control over the rudder. The yacht is now drifting away with no indication where we shall end up. I thought of mentioning, when we emerge from the Clyde, turn right & the next stop could be Tahiti but was unsure of his sense of humour or if he even had one. the Scots are funny that way. He,( the skipper), throws me an oar & tells me to make a rudder from it. How ? I do as I'm told & push the oar, flat end first, under some railings at the rear of the boat. Ultimately the blade of the oar enters the water & to my surprise & delight, in my hands, twisting & turning, becomes a rudder. It is incredibly stiff & difficult to control but then suddenly, after a while, becomes much easier. Why ?

Oh dear! I see the flat end, the rudder bit, floating away on it's own. Now what do we do ?

The sky has changed, we are encountering the beginning of a squall & the boat is beginning to become completely out of control. I hang onto anything solid. The mast at times is almost horizontal & level with the water. Have suddenly realised neither of us had brought any life-saving gear aboard with us, after all, we were not really intending going anywhere.
This is suddenly extremely serious.

Ultimately, out from the shore comes a powerful looking launch. They have witnessed our plight. We are towed back to safety.

Little did I know, come the future, much worse was to occur.

[salymap]

Oh come on gamba,don't leave us in suspense

What happened next ?

bestio, saly

[gamba]

[QUOTE=salymap;322223]Oh come on gamba,don't leave us in suspense

What happened next ?

bestio, saly[/

Good to hear from you & to have these boards & people such as yourself around.

My medical diagnosis with lack of breath & physical activity indicates the need for constant renewal/ replacement of my blood which has put an end to so many practical interests, hence, I find mysely very grateful to you & others for another activity which helps me still remain an active member of the human race !

You need red blood corpuscles to supply heart, lungs etc. with oxygen. You require the white ones to fight off all types of infection. These are formed in the bone marrow, problem is, I don't appear to be making enough & there's nought one can do about it in terms of medication. It makes one very grateful to those who have taken the time & made the effort to provide this precious requirement. I don't have it on my conscience at not having given any myself. If you have ever had cancer, as I had in my bowel 40 years ago, they removed a foot or two of tubing & I was fine. OR - have had malaria ( twice ) due to my exploration of the African bush, they don't want to know you !
I will, in time, follow up my nautical progress, ( ? ) which ultimately led to me becoming known as a Jonah. ( 'tis true )

All good wishes to you, gamba

[salymap]

Gamba, I'm sure I speak for many of us when I say the feeling of belonging to a community like this and having interesting people to talk to is life enhancing.

And your stories/posts are always top of my list.

Sorry you've had so much bad health and just post more when you feel stronger.

Bestio [as Mahlerei still says] saly

[amateur51]

Lovely first episode, gamba and I can understand salymap's wanting to hear the next instalment but we must be patient, as you have hinted

I'm sorry to hear about your dodgy blood problem but very pleased to hear that there is a way around it, albeit a rather tedious one, I suspect.

Looking forward to hearing about the next stage in your development as Jonah but take your time, please

[Serial_Apologist]

Lovely first episode, gamba and I can understand salymap's wanting to hear the next instalment but we must be patient, as you have hinted

I'm sorry to hear about your dodgy blood problem but very pleased to hear that there is a way around it, albeit a rather tedious one, I suspect.

Looking forward to hearing about the next stage in your development as Jonah but take your time, please

Yes and have a whale of a time!

[amateur51]

Yes and have a whale of a time!

Don't take so long that you lose your sense of porpoise, mind :wink:

[Mr Pee]

Back in 1982 I think it was, we had taken up our usual anchorage for the Cowes Weeks Regatta, out in Cowes Roads. The Royal Yacht Britannia was moored approximately 500 metres off our Starboard side. One evening, the wind picked up dramatically and with a strong tide as well we began to drag our anchor, a fact that was noticed by the Royal Yacht, who radioed and asked whether we needed any assistance.

Now the anchor on our vessel was extremely heavy, and was hauled up by a manual winch, a very slow and laborious exercise, especially when anchored in deep water, as we were on this occasion. So we replied that any assistance would be appreciated.

Shortly afterward, a launch left Britannia and headed in our direction, bearing several strapping young sailors, who set about raising the anchor. A short while later, having thanked the sailors for their help, we were safely re-positioned for the night in a more sheltered anchorage, before we resumed our usual position the next day.

A day or so later, another launch headed our way from the Royal Yacht. It came alongside, and an Officer came aboard bearing a written message from HM the Queen's personal secretary, which said that Her Majesty and Prince Philip were glad that her crew had been able to assist us, and that our vessel had been "much admired". My mother still has the letter.

[Serial_Apologist]

Is this turning into a "which of these tall stories do you believe" thread?

[gamba]

SA,

Your turn next

[Mr Pee]

Is this turning into a "which of these tall stories do you believe" thread?

I can't speak for any of the others, but I can assure you my story is completely true.

[salymap]

This is a rather dull story compared to gamba's. Years ago I belonged to the LSO club. We had meetings,talks, helped with putting things in envelopes at 4 St James's Square, a very grand house, etc

One day a friend and I decided to join the Club ramble. We all went by coach to deepest Surrey and the leader set off at a brisk pace. With light shoes, out of condition, my friend and Igotleft behind.

The leaders entered a rather creepy dark wood and the twoof us soon found ourselves alone.

The odd thing was whichever way we walked we came up to a high wire fence. Suffice to say that it took TWO HOURS forus to find a gap through which we could squeeze. We found an unfamiliar road, followed it for what seemed like miles and finally came upon the LSO bus, a rather cross John Cruft looking at his watch.

I decided not to go on any more rambles with the Club, still it was fun when we had a Thames river trip.

Horses for courses. I think the club is still running, 50 years later.

The point being, we all entered by a wide opening. Later my friend and I circled the whole area and the opening had gone.

I shall retire, the Spam in the sandwich of two wonderful posts by gamba and FF.

[french frank]

Shall I tell my 'wartime sea story' again? Yes, I think I will

Montgomery's 8th Army in North Africa was provisioned and supplied with equipment by flotillas of tank landing craft operating out of Alexandria. One night, 20 November 1942, one of the vessels was caught up in a heavy storm and was in trouble about thirty miles off the coast. The crew sent up flares which were seen (not sure by whom) and a South African merchant navy vessel received instructions to head out to sea and look for a vessel in distress. The captain reported that he had no clear idea where he was supposed to look but they steamed out to sea and after about three hours they spotted the vessel some half a mile away and turned to make for it. As they were heading towards it, the captain reported that he saw the vessel roll over and then sink from sight. They kept on towards where they had seen it disappear and eventually came upon the members of the crew clinging in the water to anything they'd been able to find. All but one of the crew were rescued.

Some weeks later, the rescued flotilla officer wrote home to close friends, thanking them for their Christmas present and congratulating them on their wedding anniversary:

"I've had quite a chequered career in the last few months, but am unable to write much about it. I had five weeks in hospital, including Christmas but am now very fit and well again. (By the way, that is just between ourselves as I haven't said anything about it to my folks)."

When that close friend died a couple of decades ago his daughter found a pack of letters written home to him by my father, a RNVR flotilla offecer, and she thought I would like to have them. Which is why I have the letter in question.

I found the record of his ship, LCT No 120, lost in heavy weather, November 20 1942:



That official announcement leaves quite a story untold. As the press cutting says, "A thrilling tale of the rescue of an imperilled crew..."

[gamba]

This is a rather dull story compared to gamba's. Years ago I belonged to the LSO club. We had meetings,talks, helped with putting things in envelopes at 4 St James's Square, a very grand house, etc

One day a friend and I decided to join the Club ramble. We all went by coach to deepest Surrey and the leader set off at a brisk pace. With light shoes, out of condition, my friend and Igotleft behind.

The leaders entered a rather creepy dark wood and the twoof us soon found ourselves alone.

The odd thing was whichever way we walked we came up to a high wire fence. Suffice to say that it took TWO HOURS forus to find a gap through which we could squeeze. We found an unfamiliar road, followed it for what seemed like miles and finally came upon the LSO bus, a rather cross John Cruft looking at his watch.

I decided not to go on any more rambles with the Club, still it was fun when we had a Thames river trip.

Horses for courses. I think the club is still running, 50 years later.

The point being, we all entered by a wide opening. Later my friend and I circled the whole area and the opening had

gone.

I shall retire, the Spam in the sandwich of two wonderful posts by gamba and FF.

" It was fun when we had a Thames river trip." You mean you discovered you could walk upon the water ! WOW !!!

[salymap]

Goodevening gamba, walk upon the water, well not exactly.

Club and some of the orchestra went down the river to Windsor and back with lunch stop somewhere.