Another lockdown… another commute

[malmomike77]

^ Cabin fever

[Edmond]

One of the most amazing things of course is that to this day you can walk around HMS Victory, and pretty amazing it is too.

That is pretty damn amazing.

HMS Victory - Wikipedia


As Sir J. Clarkson would say:

"Brilliant (pause) British (very long pause) Enginnneeeeeering."


Or shipbuilding at least.

[Topper]

The way I was taught port from starboard is that both port and left have four letters in it. Ya just gotta remember where the bow is when using it as a direction...

[Saint Willy]

I learned that Port is a red drink best left to the end of a meal.

[Mendip]

Cool to see the stars showing in your phone pics.

Is there much light pollution from the ship when out in the middle of the ocean in the dead of night, or do you get views of the Milky Way in all its glory?

We have to keep some lights on for safety but I guess the the light pollution will be less than on land.

To be honest the days of gazing at stars for navigation have long gone and we just use satnav on a computer now. I'm more interested in looking at one of Hal's Milky Ways, in all it's glory.

They're all a bunch of wankers these sailors. Look at that Popeye and those huge wrists.

Mendip's the same, but with peas and pies instead of spinach

At least it keeps sailors fit.

I haven't had peas or pies since I left home six weeks ago... what I'd give for a decent pie right now.

One of the most amazing things of course is that to this day you can walk around HMS Victory, and pretty amazing it is too.

I still haven't made it to Portsmouth to see the HMS Victory but next time I visit the UK with the family it's a must do. The wife will love it!

... well, at least the daughter will be interested, anyway.


I found this video, which is OK as it doesn't have some moron giving a commentary.

It really gives a feel for how small these ships were, and how claustrophobic it must have been with a crew of 821. To think of being on one of the gun decks during battle, crammed with sailors and marines, full of smoke, the decks sloshing with blood, is a pretty awful thought. I guess I should stop 'moaning' about being on my boat.

[Mendip]

Yesterday we continued eastwards after passing through the Strait of Gibraltar.

This voyage will eventually encompass almost the whole of Europe... starting in Norway to the north, skirting the western reaches of Europe close to Land's End and off the Spanish and Portuguese Atlantic coasts, then passing along the southern European border through the Mediterranean and finally will take us east of Ukraine. If I had joined the vessel a month earlier the work was off the northern tip of Norway, the northern-most part of mainland Europe, in The Barents Sea. That's pretty cool.

Yesterday morning we were off the Spanish Costa del Sol in the Alboran Sea.



We had really weird lighting yesterday and almost a flat calm. This would have been a nightmare in Nelson's day.



I went right up to the bow to take another picture...



... and could hear this kind of plopping, splashing noise. I had a look down and saw this...



There were three little dolphins riding on the bow wave. The plopping splashes were caused by the dolphins jumping and playing.





I kept quiet about this since we have a boat full of Norwegians and you know what they're like. At least there's no Faroese onboard at the moment, although there are a couple working for this company.

And on we continued...

[ootai]

Yesterday we continued eastwards after passing through the Strait of Gibraltar.

Yesterday morning we were off the Spanish Costa del Sol in the Alboran Sea.




I went right up to the bow to take another picture...

Mendip lucky you as you are now living the lifestyle of the rich and famous sailing the Mediterranean unfortunately minus the babes in bikinis and a Chef.

Me being scared of heights would not be able to peer over the top of those railings to see the dolphins but I also wonder about how secure they are.
They look like they are on wheels and just a temporary arrangement, is that so they can be removed for helicopter landings and to get rid of pommy geos leaning over the edge?

[Saint Willy]

Yesterday we continued eastwards after passing through the Strait of Gibraltar.

This voyage will eventually encompass almost the whole of Europe... starting in Norway to the north, skirting the western reaches of Europe close to Land's End and off the Spanish and Portuguese Atlantic coasts, then passing along the southern European border through the Mediterranean and finally will take us east of Ukraine. If I had joined the vessel a month earlier the work was off the northern tip of Norway, the northern-most part of mainland Europe, in The Barents Sea. That's pretty cool.

Yesterday morning we were off the Spanish Costa del Sol in the Alboran Sea.



We had really weird lighting yesterday and almost a flat calm. This would have been a nightmare in Nelson's day.



I went right up to the bow to take another picture...



... and could hear this kind of plopping, splashing noise. I had a look down and saw this...



There were three little dolphins riding on the bow wave. The plopping splashes were caused by the dolphins jumping and playing.





I kept quiet about this since we have a boat full of Norwegians and you know what they're like. At least there's no Faroese onboard at the moment, although there are a couple working for this company.

And on we continued...

that's pretty cool!

[David48atTD]

Actors in a 2022 nautical movie.

I think it's quite good fun to imagine who'd fit and who wouldn't.

I'd put Idris Elba in just to get newbie dave going 'Oh FFS!'

Nope, wouldn't be me ... I have no idea who Idris Elba is.
Which is fair enough as he probably doesn't know who I am either


Oh cyrille FFS!

[David48atTD]

How about a little competition?

I'll find a prize for whoever guesses closest to when we dock at Istanbul... when the ship actually bumps against the quayside. Maybe a box of Turkish Delight or a Tommy Cooper fez? Or how about a pair of Turkish ear hair trimmers?

I'll kick it off with 10:45am on Friday October 8th.

mudcat:- October 8, 7:09 AM

happynz:- 08/10/2021 at 06:45 AM

JPPR2:- Oct 8 @ 9:38am

Shutree:- 14:15 hrs Istanbul local time on Friday, October 8th.

Saint willy:- 10:46am on on Friday October 8th

David48:- 07:10 pm on Friday October 8th

malmomike77:- 09.00 on the 8th

Headworx:- 16:37 on Friday

Joe 90:- Friday, 8th at 12 noon

nidhogg:- 10:35am on Friday October 8th

Topper:- Thursday night at 11:22 pm

helge:- Oct 9 -0200 (helge, ever the optimist)


If I missed anyone's guess, please add.

[nidhogg]

^ think mendip put his hat in the ring first?

Think he has about a 10 minute window. 555

[nidhogg]

There are 4 ships that are great to visit in the UK with different reasons

1. HMS Victory - Portsmouth
2. Cutty Sark - London
3. SS Great Britain - Bristol
4. HMS Belfast - London

Great stories and very atmospheric. Love these places, really enjoyed the USS Intrepid in New York, never did make it up Liberty.

Portsmouth is worth a day on its own. It has HMS Victory, HMS Warrior and a couple of other boats, plus of course the remnants of the Mary Rose and the Royal Navy museum, all in one place.

Amazing place.

[Mendip]

^ think mendip put his hat in the ring first?

Think he has about a 10 minute window. 555

It's a 10 minute port hole Nid, this is a nautical competition!

Yes Dave... you're not doing your chances any good by forgetting the judge!

But, in the interests of good relations I have decided to withdraw myself. No-on would believe me when I... I mean, if I won so I will be an impartial observer and judge.

I would like to point out however that in true Thai tradition I am completely open to bribery... and it doesn't have to be discreet.

Me being scared of heights would not be able to peer over the top of those railings to see the dolphins but I also wonder about how secure they are.
They look like they are on wheels and just a temporary arrangement, is that so they can be removed for helicopter landings and to get rid of pommy geos leaning over the edge?

There's no wheels Ootai... the barrier is firmly secured to the deck and operated by hydraulic rams to spread it outwards, flat in the event of a helicopter landing. My main issue when leaning over the side to take pictures is the constant worry of dropping my phone. Thankfully it hasn't happened yet.

In fact wheels are quite rare on boats in general. It's amazing how often land-based staff send out office chairs with wheels to the boat. The first thing we have to do is take off the wheels and put rubber pads on the chair legs to stop them sliding about in bad weather.

[armstrong]

It will never make it. A terrible accident will happen and everyone will die.

And then everyone will get mad at me when I bring up who is going to give me my prize on the Mendip memorial thread.

[David48atTD]

Yes Dave... you're not doing your chances any good by forgetting the judge!

Your time is nested in my quote of your original post

(I have gone back into it and highlighted it for those who hard of reading)

[Edmond]

I learned that Port is a red drink best left to the end of a meal.

Ordered some ports at the end of a family meal a few years ago and the Polish immigrant waitress poured them as glasses of wine.


We didn't educate her on the matter.

[Mendip]

Your time is nested in my quote of your original post

(I have gone back into it and highlighted it for those who hard of reading)

You're not doing yourself any favours pointing out that the judge is 'hard of reading'.

I find it very unlikely that we'll berth at 07:10 pm on Friday October 8th...

That is, if the boat makes it to Istanbul at all.

[Shy Guava]

mudcat:- October 8, 7:09 AM

happynz:- 08/10/2021 at 06:45 AM

JPPR2:- Oct 8 @ 9:38am

Shutree:- 14:15 hrs Istanbul local time on Friday, October 8th.

Saint willy:- 10:46am on on Friday October 8th

David48:- 07:10 pm on Friday October 8th

malmomike77:- 09.00 on the 8th

Headworx:- 16:37 on Friday

Joe 90:- Friday, 8th at 12 noon

nidhogg:- 10:35am on Friday October 8th

Topper:- Thursday night at 11:22 pm

helge:- Oct 9 -0200 (helge, ever the optimist)

Shy Guava Oct 9 - 09:00


If I missed anyone's guess, please add.

Shy Guava was a late addition for 9AM on the 9th.

[nidhogg]

Shy Guava was a late addition for 9AM on the 9th.

I am obviously way more OCD than I thought. Lets try this:

Topper:- Thursday night at 11:22 pm
happynz:- 08/10/2021 at 06:45 AM
mudcat:- October 8, 7:09 AM
David48:- 07:10 pm on Friday October 8th
malmomike77:- 09.00 on the 8th
JPPR2:- Oct 8 @ 9:38am
nidhogg:- 10:35am on Friday October 8th
Mendip: I'll kick it off with 10:45am on Friday October 8th (included as the marker).
Saint willy:- 10:46am on on Friday October 8th
Joe 90:- Friday, 8th at 12 noon
Shutree:- 14:15 hrs Istanbul local time on Friday, October 8th.
Headworx:- 16:37 on Friday
helge:- Oct 9 -0200 (helge, ever the optimist)
Shy Guava 9.00am 9th.

[David48atTD]

I am obviously way more OCD than I thought. Lets try this:

Topper:- Thursday night at 11:22 pm
happynz:- 08/10/2021 at 06:45 AM
mudcat:- October 8, 7:09 AM

malmomike77:- 09.00 on the 8th
JPPR2:- Oct 8 @ 9:38am
nidhogg:- 10:35am on Friday October 8th
Mendip: I'll kick it off with 10:45am on Friday October 8th (included as the marker).
Saint willy:- 10:46am on on Friday October 8th
Joe 90:- Friday, 8th at 12 noon
Shutree:- 14:15 hrs Istanbul local time on Friday, October 8th.
Headworx:- 16:37 on Friday
David48:- 07:10 pm on Friday October 8th
helge:- Oct 9 -0200 (helge, ever the optimist)
Shy Guava 9.00am 9th.

FTFY

... but thanks for setting them in chronological order (almost)

Not that I'll win ... Mendip has told me already

[nidhogg]

^ Yup. Second time. Seem my reading is a bit off today.

Cheers.

[Mendip]

^ Thanks Nid, that's excellent. I've been a bit remiss here. We could do with you out here with organisational skills like that!

Next time I think I'll insist on 24 hour clock to make things easier.

My plan is to take a picture as we bump against the quayside in Istanbul and then take the exact time off the metadata... local time of course. This needs to be accurate as there's so entries bunched around the same times. I was planning on taking a fancy shot with my watch showing in the foreground, but my watch doesn't keep the best time and also I like to hold the phone two-handed for any over the side work. Just in case.


We're making good progress at a steady 11.5 knots and are now in the Mediterranean proper and passed Algiers this lunchtime.



I've taken to having a cup of tea on the helideck every morning around 7:30 to watch the sunrise.

It was a lovely sunrise today off the coast of Algeria. Or for Ootai, a lovely crescent moon!



I hope the weather stays like this for the next few days.



The best time of the day.



To put your mind at rest Ootai, this is the guard around the helideck. It's very strong... could probably hold the weight of that monitor of yours.

[malmomike77]

I would like to amend my entry to 16.00 on Thursday 7th

[Mendip]

^ Tell Nid!

[beerlaodrinker]

Still an awesome thread this really enjoying it.whenni logged on this time I found myself thinking of a kiwi mate of mine who I have known for about 20 years or so.
My mate Greg's a Greaser. Meaning he's down in the engine room . Greg's hearing is shite and in fact a couple of times we've had to fight our way out of bars coz people thought Greg was obnoxious and loud. He was neither but the volume definately went. We didn't give a fuck.