"The try out for our vessel was to find out how well the ship stood up to all conditions and of course price! The greater the faults the lower the sales price. We carried some individuals on board who seemed pretty suspicious in their intentions.
Our first voyage was characterized by one of the biggest storms in memory in which we were nearly thrown back on the Isle of Wight. One side of the ship had conked out resulting in considerable loss of power; while turning in the wind and strong tides there to tackle up in it - we nearly capsized!!!The boat being flimsily loaded with cement bags for ballast - The first engineer was a former Polish submarine captain they said.
Anyway, during the second wave, pondering, before we had time to right ourselves that was the crucial moment. I could see the dangerous angle in the engine room and a loose spare piston managed to jump out of its attachment missing us by a mere couple of feet.
The Polish engineer kept his hand up to give us a chance to make it to the upper deck, if necessary, from the upper railings. At that moment, the ship started going back and not further down the danger level.
They told us later that it had been a close one! Some of the inland mates were nearer to tears than us, we now started singing old but still known sea-shanties, releasing our pent up feelings.
We enjoyed singing and felt proud of our sea spirits which we kept high; it was in the blood they used to say. With the salt spray now in our hair and our faces, we sailed straight ahead at a steady pace towards Cherbourg for repairs in calmer waters near the harbour but still out at sea.
To be continued ....
Our first voyage was characterized by one of the biggest storms in memory in which we were nearly thrown back on the Isle of Wight. One side of the ship had conked out resulting in considerable loss of power; while turning in the wind and strong tides there to tackle up in it - we nearly capsized!!!The boat being flimsily loaded with cement bags for ballast - The first engineer was a former Polish submarine captain they said.
Anyway, during the second wave, pondering, before we had time to right ourselves that was the crucial moment. I could see the dangerous angle in the engine room and a loose spare piston managed to jump out of its attachment missing us by a mere couple of feet.
The Polish engineer kept his hand up to give us a chance to make it to the upper deck, if necessary, from the upper railings. At that moment, the ship started going back and not further down the danger level.
They told us later that it had been a close one! Some of the inland mates were nearer to tears than us, we now started singing old but still known sea-shanties, releasing our pent up feelings.
We enjoyed singing and felt proud of our sea spirits which we kept high; it was in the blood they used to say. With the salt spray now in our hair and our faces, we sailed straight ahead at a steady pace towards Cherbourg for repairs in calmer waters near the harbour but still out at sea.
To be continued ....
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