Watched a programme on tv last night, a guy called Henry Cole motor biked across the Nullabor Plain. 2000 km of nothing, desolation all around, red dust and a bit of scrub.
Well shiver me timbers if he didn't roll into Mundribilla, I nearly fell of the couch. It exists. I was sure YM made it up.
Back to Henry Cole, he stayed the night in Mundrabilla and got totally carried away by the night life and bright lights, it is believed the Mundribilla Strip is second only to Las Vegas for its colour and debauchery. I've booked a week in August and hope YM can join me for a bit of crack. Yee-Ha.

'... Well shiver me timbers if he didn't roll into Mundrabilla, I nearly fell of the couch. It exists. I was sure YM made it up. ... '.

Oh ye of little faith ES do you really think that I would set out to deceive you? (Don't answer that!)

YM stands for Yardmaster and I will have you believe that I lived at Mundrabilla for almost a fortnight 20 odd years ago. The only bright lights that I saw were the stars - millions of them in the dark cloudless sky unpolluted by stray light sources.

Not having experienced it myself but I imagine that something similar can be experienced at sea. Not that we see much sky from the ER of the GD.

I suggest that you defer your booking until September as there will be more wildflowers. Are you into wildflowers? Only trouble is my accommodation there has turned into scrap.


Here is my proof. :wave:

Yes but they had the patented Harland and Bluff horizontal steam trap, like wot you wuz an apprentice on until you failed the exam :smoking: Personally I get more satisfaction from a nice four stroke rather than a wheezy two stroke, the length of the shaft makes all the difference.:supercool:

I am currently domiciled in my palatial funnel suite equipped with lots of A4 and a big box of crayons devising many modifications and enhancements to the thing wot make us go and sends sparks up the chimney thing. I know Varley hates heights but up the chimney is the best place for him as idle hands make light work. I presume this idle hands chappie is suitably qualified in the wire pulling department.

Having invented the virtual condenser I suspect a virtual tour of Mundrabilla would suit E-S better. He is quite used to wild flowers, a measure of any quantity in enemy occupied Hibernia remains wild (possibly wilder than it started) but I don't see how there can be any in the tourist Mecca of Mundrabilla Sands. It seems to have lost its one means of providing the necessary manure.

Just because you're and old hand at stroking it doesn't mean you can snipe at an old hot fog merchant. I might add that it is no longer appropriate to mention orientation when discussing how you obtain satisfaction.

Not a big fan of wild flowers, as the Serang Estate shows but I'm a sucker for Dead Flowers by the Rolling Stones. (Varl explain Rolling Stones to Old Mr T British Steel) Be a good chap.

I was'nt a great fan of Flowers Bitter either. Much preferred Ansels of Brew x1 as normal tipple. Hated Brickwoods ales too!

I find it is wise to stay away from subjects such as politics and religion.

Anything to oblige Chief.

A rolling stone is a fortuitously shaped piece of rock that is used for the making of pastry and for a myriad of other galley uses. If left unused for any length of time in a damp place (difficult to avoid here) they can become host to solarphilic microbial and vegetable growth (much like a shower curtain).

I understand that a well known skiffle band chose its name because their rolling stone gathered a crop that gave off a soothing aroma when accidentally set afire.

It is believed that Dr. Rudolph was attempting to design an oil burning machine to artificially shape raw rock into the cylindrical ideal but ended up with a contraption that was overly prone to crushing the feedstock instead. Attempts to perfect the late doctor's invention continue to this day but environmental heath concerns limit these experiments to seaborne platforms.

OMG! You're all still here! Where are we?????

Long time no sea.

Red 17 is also "Girl Overboard" and things are terribly quiet.

Welcome back. P.A.T.
Yes most of us are still here. Where else is there to go?
Where are we? We departed Fremantle a week or so ago as we had to replenish our stock of Vegemite but beyond that - no idea.
I keep asking 'are we there yet?' but never get a straight answer (which might be just as well!).:jester:

Goody-goody. Take that 'Platsicos' sign off the ladies loo and start using table cloths again. Cocktails at 1800?

(E-S? Would you please take your boiler water test kit back to the control room please. Juts because Sir W likes to eat in his funnel suite doesn't mean you can play with your chemistry set in the dining saloon).

Sir W --- funnel suite ????? :( We only have one chimney and therefore the funnel site is MINE !!!! :smoking: Of course Sir W has a standing invitation to dine there if he wishes, standing as we don't have any chairs only beds, however it is strictly off limits to deckie type persons. ES is granted access once per week to carry out necessary maintenance and service duties.

Funnel suite...HA! jealousy is a terrible thing :jester: rank does have its privileges.

welcome back Pat, your suite is already prepared. fresh linen and towels and batteries for your electric toothbrush. we are fully fuelled and stores are complete. we are now under way to Sydney towing a jack up barge. after that who knows where we be heading.

The Funnel Suite incorporating the British Steel Room is a bit like a Gentlemams Club, membership by invitation and no more than 50% Ladies.
The menu's, Vittals and Wine come up from the Galley where Sweaty Toby is in command of the deep fat fryer and all orders come with chips and grave A . Security is provided by a rather jolly Ulsterman in a string vest, befriend him at whatever cost, enjoy.

Is Patricia of a disposition stable enough to visit the Funnel unaccompanied? I rather think not. Discuss, if you haven't done so already.

50% lady. Is that one of those new gender categorises ?

Welcome back from your travels Pats..... bring any duty free with you?

You'll be receiving the bill for the duty free. Get that greasy Platinum card ready. There might be a box of new Crayons in it for you.

Best of luck to you PatriciaAnnT, attempting to get money out of Tmax is a lost cause; the old Miser.

We haven't been introduced but I feel I know you from your appearances on Deadliest Catch with Sig Hansen, Keith Colburn, Jake Anderson and Wild Bill. Mr V believes you add a touch of domesticity cooking in such dreadful conditions, I tend to agree. Serving up Gordon Blue menus every day would make Guy Fieri prove his metal. Sound Girl.

I would sooner she joined us in both dining saloon and smokeroom rather than being put to work in the galley (when there are more of her gender aboard we might convert the funnel suite into a withdrawing room for them - once the atmosphere of failed stay-fresh sock has been burned off).

(Would, anyway, the menues of the Chester-Perry canteen comply with BOT minima?)

No better girl than PatriciaAnnT to manage the BOT, one fortieth of an ounce of pepper per day and the conversion factor for turning stale bread into rancid beef.

And it was you, Mr Dining Saloon, who put the Lady in the galley.

Not at all. I merely suggested we smarten up the dining saloon as we had a lady present. Even Grandmama saw cook every morning to plan the day's meals (saving breakfast, of course). Doesn't mean she peeled a potato or took a slice off the cold ham herself.

No more am I suggesting I expected her to burn Tmac's stash of used stay-fresh hosiery before she can use the funnel suite for her withdrawing. I am not sure we don't need just to dampen them slightly and they will brew up all by themselves.

We on MV/SS/GT GD2 are far too inward looking, we are world class and should sell our goods to the world. Publicity, publicity is what we need, ideas to BB and FJ.
I suggest we run aground in some major canal, my choice is the very fine Manchester Ship Canal but with the recent rains every town from Sydney to Townsville has a canal. Lay out a course for Campbelltown or Toowoomba 2/O and don't spare the horses.

Campbelltown sounds good. It was a pleasant place when I was there in about 1962. I wouldn't mind going back for a break providing that it hasn't changed since then.

Here is a pic so that our fearless navigators will know when we are there!

There is a coal mine nearby for bunkers. :jester:

Disgusting casting scurrilous rumours regarding the combustibility of my hosiery, I will have you know young sir I employ the tried and tested injuneering method for testing the condition od said garments. To wit I throw then against the bulkhead and if they stick I change them for a fresh pair :cloud:

Further I will have you know MY funnel suite is strictly off limits to female crew type persons unless equipped with a large Black Bush :supercool:

with the amount of Diesel and oil in them there socks they would be ideal for flashing up the Donkey Boiler.
As PAT's Back aboard, lets not forget that she is a lady of class and beauty worthy of respect. No carnal thoughts please gentlemen.
ETA Sydney Harbour 22.00 hrs. 2 harbour tugs will take over the barge from there and we can berth at the deep end of Darling Harbour for fuel and stores as required.

Happy Easter everyone.
A Baileys Irish Creme Easter Egg reception will be held on the Flag Deck at 11.00 Z. The Padre may say a few words but after last years shindig, discretion etc.

No carnal thoughts, Billy, FFS I don't like toffee. I may have a Penguin bar off an occasion but that's that.
Varley spends the day sucking Werthers, target him.

Werthers paid off in the canal (third degree burns and contusions caused by a hurled stay-fresh sock while butling in the funnel suite), I'm back on the bottle.

(Missed the Messiah yesterday - Handel's not Godot - should be on the disk for tonight courtesy of 'enjoy again' or whatever it's called).

I think the 2nd part is on this evening. Would that we could get some of our savages, sorry shipmates to listen, breasts may be soothed. Ladies can prepare the buffet.

As far as I can see from the RT yesterdays's was BBC2's National Opera complete covid performance. Perhaps radio today? Not so much savages onboard but furious nations raging.

As an Easter treat I shall ride my unicycle around the promenade deck while in the nuddy save for an Easter Lilly inserted in my stern gland. :hippy:

Now don't say I never entertain the crew type persons. :jester:

Video recording or still photography is permitted upon receipt of the usual fee (12 ounce Black Bush) :smoking:

Hmm. Perhaps savages was correct after all, E-S. (At least he's not one of those Chiefs that goes around with a small, usually neon equipped, screwdriver in his top pocket. Such men are like Cassius but only in the one respect, the only thing he does too much is Black Bush).

Little wonder he has so much trouble with his stern gland, what next? At least nothing will get caught in the spokes.

think he might have a concert planned. Over heard him practising on his Lambeg this morning (unless we have a big end on the main gen set on the way out.)
Cut outs stand by for docking! ropes and fenders Starboard side.
stop engines, let her drift in nice, slow astern Port, Stop engines. Jump to it cut outs 2 and one each end please. gangway out. shore supple cable connected. FWE Tmac thank you.

Bugger. BB cut out yesterday so download of Messiah failed. Tried again overnight.

Submit Lambeg not really Handellian but would be marvelous to open Verdi's Requiem - better get his days of wrath over musically without involving us. Wouldn't like to cross him armed with such orchestral artillery.

What is this strange conductor? I did warn you of plumbers bearing leckie tools. The frequency will be all over the place using a supple cable, going down and up as the tension goes up and down. We might get just enough juice down it to heat the kettle water but we'd better get one of those AC/DC models off the plasticos.

I feel possitive that might bring about a Negative response, sorry to transist but couldn't resist it. Terrible stuff electricity, cant see it or hear it but by heck I have felt it a time or two.

For those who want to hear Handel’s Messiah. This is a superb performance by The Tabernacle Choir. A full 3 hours or so, a wee improvement on the BBC’s one hour show. Enjoy.

https://youtu.be/7hhcURZVx5k

Happy, if belated Easter to you all on SH.

KR

Thank uyou. and belated Easter wishes to you too!