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That first watch on the bridge was an experience most of us can look back and reflect on. Mine was on Houlder Brother's LPG carrier Clerk Maxwell in the mid sixties. I had just been pushed up to uncertificated 3/0 during the last year of my apprenticeship. We sailed from Tilbury in the late afternoon, light ship and down by the stern. My first watch that evening began in the channel somewhere off Dover in gale to storm force winds. Spent the entire time tacking to and fro across the channel at reduced speed. I was fortunate the master, J.Glover, spent the entire watch on the bridge with me. The following morning the weather had moderated and we were left with a large swell as we headed west. I had the bridge to myself and it was " calm seas and low swells" from then on.
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