No time to respond to your teasing now E-S - didn't you see? I have got to splice enough 3 core to make it 300 M down the quay (actually a bit more as Maxwell et al dictate that the plug will come out before the catenary approaches flat).

(I am minded of my first trip on the GTVs. All were expected to be sufficiently grown up to change their own lamps and plugs - including for container reefers. Of course they were not. I was caught by the Chief (John Benn) fixing container cables outside the control room. "If you're stupid enough to do that for them at least have them deliver them to your workshop!". The same man, when co-opting me to help him with the hydraulic starter pumps, responded to my "But there's nothing electrical on this" by tightening a bolt-head down on a length of scrap wiring with a "Satisfied now?". Those fun days are gone for ever. No surprise then, to me, that it's difficult to get our youngsters to go to sea).

Nostalgia is in the name!

Thank you ES for your usual wise counsel. I have now added enthalpy and entropy to the ever longer list of things that I know nothing about.

I suppose that I could learn to make tea using a Burko boiler (if it is what I think it is?) I never advanced beyond boiling a billy but OH&S (whatever it is called today wherever) now prohibits 'swinging the billy over one's head'. Will the solar panels run a microwave or should I just continue to hang the billy on the end of the pricker?

Overall, I am reassured and will stick to coal and my faithful shovel. Have you noticed that two solar panels are cracked already .......... probably a job lot from some un-named country.

Aside from the foregoing stupidity, we are now an hour and a bit into 2023 here in Oz so, again, best wishes to all for the New Year. May the GD and the Crazy Gang sail on in good health albeit fired with stupidity.

thats darn clever that is....fixing ultra violet tubes above the solar panels to keep them charged.

Hey cut outs, that tanker driver has parked up for the weekend. when its dark transfer his load of Diesel into our tanks. after which we will slip away quietly before anyone notices.

Electric motors on. Slow ahead both. steer for the middle soon as we clear the docks. In around 30 minutes we start the main engines and sprint away at 25 knots.
Lay off a course for Milford Haven. we will anchor there till its dark then make for the channel islands.

I did suggest it be unwise to let all and sundry do their own lamping up. Those tubes are for the water steriliser (why we have one is a thing over which to puzzle). The broken bits are not the lecky tubi but the quartz tubi into which the leck tubi normally is inserted. This is intended to make lecky tubi waterproofi - only does so if you achieve the impossible by not breaking one or both when tightening the glands.

Lord Lax is at the trifle sponges again. Too much sherry Mildred.

Behind what pub, near Eton, can one have a quick shag and get a good spanking? Some of our scholars ought to tell us.

......its called the "Taliban Target".

You cant miss it.

A trifle more to port....steady as she goes....Stop...slow astern. Let go anchor!
Nice sunrise this morning. we will swing round the pick till dark then then take off for guernsy.

I hear the order for more port. How that warms the heart!

(I have never had a Sherry Mildred, anything like an Eton Miss?)

BillyBoy another Island where they believe in Kissing Cousins. Call me old fashioned but this sort of jiggery-pokery causes droop, for God's sake take us to a manly island with BO and draught Guinness.

The undersea cable limits our independence WRT both speed and voltage droops. As to the vulgar concept to which you allude, it is rumoured that redundancy born of consanguineous whimsy has ensured fewer than a handful rely on only one for the cutting of coital mustard. Much as the polydactyl is unconcerned over a single underperforming digit when called upon to signal by rude gesture.

lay off a course for "Ringaskiddy" we can get our draught Guinness tank topped up there. The bloke who lost that tanker of Diesel will be expecting us to head south. We sail at sundown again.

Has anyone got any news of what happend at the launch at crap Cavaneral?

forgot to light the boiler maybe.

BB the local sh1t handler will be pushing two local stout brews on you, Murphy's and Beamish. Both fine drinks but as Mrs May says, Guinness means Guinness.

Non of them a match for Mackeson. But, please, no loading-on-top at least not using any of the port or Bushy's tanks.

Tried Murphys, not bad. Never tried a beamish as yet. However they all hit the right spot for me. Used to like a Watnerys Cream Label in my mad impetuous youth.

Ah the 70's. Watney's Red Barrel and Whitbread Big Head Trophy Bitter, the pint that thinks it's a quart.
And Hull Brewery Bitter.

Whitbread Tankard - subject to much Spoonerism.

Yawn....stretch....pharrrrrrt
Must get up and see whats been happening while I have been in the Sick Bay.
Hmmmmm nothing in the log. (Looks out porthole) ship not moving. Nobody in the Crew bar!. very cold and windy day. Nobody on the Bridge.
Might have to put the old girl into Lay-up at this rate

Its bloody cold up here in the Focsle, ought I single up?

WTF you doing in the sick bay? something tells me we should fly a yellow fleg or is that only for the pox? perhaps you have the pox, go and wash your hands you dirty little man. The Earl of Laxey will be horrified as his island is disease free (except for gout).

well there you go Readers. Engine Serang is on the ball. First up and about as usual. Well done ES. Let go forard! let go Aft. full ahead, revs for 15 knots. head for Douglas.
Steward! full English please plus coffee pot and the rum jar.

There'll be singing and dancing in the streets of Douglas tonight. The Noble Lord will be erect the marquee tent on his croquet pitch. Ladies, negative high heels. I'll bring my Bob Wills LP.
Tmax has just contacted us, he has organised the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band to come across on a trawler from Portavogie and they'll Beat Retreat up and down the pitch, there won't be a dry seat in the house. Bring it on.