virtual crazy gang, part II

[tweediekiwi]

Teeth!!? I wouldn't wish teeth pain on anyone. Every time I go to the mouth mechanic he just wants to take teeth out. When I smile I look like a broken xylophone and it doesn't help that I'm cross-eyed with wonky glasses. God Bless All who took out medical insurance with the dental plan too, the Glitterati, for they have the smiles that light the way to happier times. I'll bring up the rear - we might need it one day.

[Varley]

Brings Pam Ayres to mind Sir W. Appalling 'luck'.

I don't know if Capt. MacAllister had a specific for a whole mouthful of trouble and Pa's solution (string, teeth, heavy door) would work if they keep snapping. Obviously an epidural would be no good (but it would prevent you from kicking the dentist while he is rotavating the gum line) so the best place for a GA is hospital as they are always built near the gas-works.

Don't know what happens when they phase out gas completely I have not heard of extractions being done electrically. Perhaps the air sourced heat pump will come equipped for such ancilliary work.

[Engine Serang]

Pam Ayres, an English McGonagall but not as humorous.

[Varley]

True, but her humour is intended.

[tweediekiwi]

Seance time - Is there anybody there? Has the GD crew been struck dumb by Trumps awful handling of the reins of government? Right, as it rough weather, I'm going to paint the beam ends whilst they're out of the water.

[YM-Mundrabilla]

Could you do the railing around my verandah while you are at it?

Just got $50 worth of free paint as a 'gift' to the YMs from the North Melbourne Football Club. No idea what she did to deserve it!

There is no such thing as a free lunch and free paint also has its costs in effort if nothing else.

[tweediekiwi]

Ok. At least the weather at your place will be nice and free paint is always good to apply - you don't have to worry about how much each brushful is costing.

[Malcolm G]

Over the years I have often noted the curious coincidence of people painting their houses to match their working environment.
I have to go along with the coincidence - why else would my garage floor have been painted to match the vehicle decks on ferries? I just used what was best value and available…

[Varley]

#9630

In a word 'yes'.

Free paint - I wonder how one would calculate the tariff. Rather like the 'Free World' it comes at a price we have replaced Churchill's 'Jaw-Jaw' with 'haggle-haggle' perhaps we do not need Mr. Mandleson but a fish-wife.

[billyboy]

Urgh! my head, my guts, what the heck was in that bottle?...tasted a bit like Diesel. says old geneva on the lable. thought it was wine! Errrrrich!!

[Engine Serang]

To quote a hoary old chestnut from my Merchant Navy days;

Never trust a man who doesn't drink.

[tweediekiwi]

What about men who can't drink because of all the crap the doctors have them take? That's me. I'd love to still drink but I'd probably flip my wig (which I haven't got.) Someone get BB a nice bottle of 12 year old Glenfiddich - that normally takes away any other flavours and leaves the tongue numb so you can't taste anything for a while anyway.
Varley, what's a Mandelson? Some sort of ocean going musical instrument that produces water music?

[Engine Serang]

Bad news from the Humber, after a major collision 36 mariners safe but one man still missing.

[Malcolm G]

An allision rather than a collision. The tanker was apparently at anchor.

[Engine Serang]

Point of order Malcolm, I thought a collision was when one ship hit another ship and an allision was when a ship hit a jetty or similar.

However our musings takes second place to the loss and turmoil in the Humber Anchorage. The MAIB is on-site and no stone will be left unturned.

[Malcolm G]

My understanding was that an anchored vessel is a stationary object.
Major concern at the moment is the wildlife at Spurn head nature reserve.

[Ozzie]

Not often I do, but I would like to add my 'two pennyworth' on the discussion board here.

On this point Malcolm, I believe 'ES' is fully correct, in marine insurance terms a ship at anchor is not a stationary object, ie whilst it is not 'underway', it is prone to movement, such as change of tide, wind etc. Hence this is a collision between two ships.

An allision is when a ship hits a completely fixed immoveable object, such as a jetty, wharf etc .

This latest disaster is a shocking case of 'not keeping a lookout' and nobody on the bridge,...it takes a certain level of 'incompetence' to collide, at full speed, with a large tanker at anchor directly in front of you, broadside on. !!

It would appear that the Captain was supposedly the one on watch!! He must have been down below, either drunk, sleeping or doing some other things beside doing the right thing of keeping the watch.

Regards

[Jupiter71]

Collision or Allision? That is the question. Depends on who you refence. Appears the insurance companies and maritime websites say it was an Allision. Your everyday news media (Sun, Mirror etc.) say it was a collision. To be upfront, until the other day I had never heard of Allision. To me it was a coming together of two very large objects with potentially castastrophic consequencies. There are rumours abound it was deliberate, terrorist even. In view of the political uncertainties of today anything is possible, lets be upfront, I thought Trump would be good for the world, seems he threw the baby out with the bath water, certainly not making many friends rather alienating much of the world. To be honest I always thought politicians had to have a lobotomy once tgey were elected. I just find it incredulous you can't see a 30,000 ton vessel in broad daylight.

[billyboy]

I have been on ships that had nothing bar a radio. everything depended on '' EYEBALLS''. Even in thick fog. Even on a Tug with a large floating crane 300 meters behind us (not even a radio on that one). (bit hairy passing Dover with it. (had give her a kick astern to lower the hawser for the cross channel steamers to pass)
Nowadays with all the electronic gadgetry available there seems to be more accidents then ever. there is nothing more reliable than Eyeballs at sea.

[tweediekiwi]

Crewmates! I've missed you you. Talking of collisions, I've been dealing with problems around my grandson (28) who was t-boned on his motorbike by a lady in a car. Lucky to be alive, broken femur in two places, broken arm, smashed hand head injury - it happened on a rural gravel road so he's up for a few weeks of skin grafts then a long recovery. Being summer here, he had on the standard NZ farmer safety gear, shorts, t-shirt and gumboots - no helmet!! Bluddy kids. Anyway, you probably didn't want to hear all that, but if any of you hairy seafaring men have any tips about helping out someone who's recuperating from this type of event, I'm all ears, which looks rather funny, but at least I get the message. Sorry to hear about the Humber incident - it wasn't in the news down here. I didn't know about allision either and it seems like every time time come aboard the GD I learn something new. You all stay safe and happy.

[billyboy]

nice to see Tweediekiwi back on watch again. everyone else seems to be turned in. 2 cutouts up on Bridge watch and a Rat and a Ferret running things down below. and plastic stewards running the crew bar. looks like they are getting a bit Piscatorial. have to reign them in a bit.

[YM-Mundrabilla]

There is no room for 'piscatorial' aboard the GD we are not a fishing vessel! (Having looked up the meaning).

Sorry to hear about Tweediekiwi's grandson. Hope that he makes a full recovery sooner rather than later.

Cut outs on the bridge seems a problem beyond the GD these days.

[tweediekiwi]

Thanks for the kind wishes YM. He'll be right in about 5 or 6 months after skingrafts and physio is completed. At least he's proved that he's not 20 feet tall and bulletproof or "The man they couldn't shoot, root or electrocute" Much calmer life for him from now on. So, I can do a watch on the bridge if you like, polish the brass whilst I'm there and see where the hell we are. Piscatorial eh? Drunk and smells like fish? All the Best Shipmates.

[Engine Serang]

Top Gear did a show about a car racing against a catamaran set in New Zeland. Most entertaining show but my takeaway was the prevalence of dirt and gravel roads in NZ, asphalt and concrete played a cameo role.
Little wonder All Black rugger players would give their right arm to get a club in UK or Ireland.

[tweediekiwi]

Yes and we get the world rally champs every 4 years or so. They from Cape Reinga in the North to Bluff in the south, mostly on gravel roads, but venture onto the highway for short heavily policed sections. How's the ship going? Very quiet up here on the bridge, just me and my brasso, and very dark outside. Unless someone has blindfolded me ...