Fight Club____for Sailors

[Sonofasonofasailor]

It's truly amazing to me how many people can get soooo upset about absolutely NOTHING.

I wish you all well and happier horizons.

[Nonkjo]

Seasickness! Here's something funny!
I don't get seasick. It was never a problem I had. But there was this one time...

The boat had just sidled up to Fenwick Pier in Hong Kong earlier that day and some of us decided we were going to hit the town and get pissed! So the Petty Officer 1st Class who was in charge of our work space gets a room at the Sheraton, across Victoria Harbor on the mainland and we decided that AT1 McDuff's room would be the perfect launchpad for our drunken terrorizing of the British Commonwealth! Unfortunately I was on watch the next day and couldn't stay out overnight so I "figgered" to get nice and toasty before heading back to ship. After the better portion of a bottle of Johnny Walker Red and about 9 Foster's, I shuffle/stagger out and head home.
Anyone who has ever ridden the Star Ferry in Hong Kong can probably tell you that that's probably not a good idea after throwing back a few!
I got so seasick that someone (I don't know who) informed one of the ferry crewmen and they requested an ambulance be waiting on the other side! By the time we arrived, I had already "pumped out" the excess alcohol and was much better. You always are! Still, it didn't keep me from being escorted by paramedics back to the the ship 1/4 mile away. I spent the next 20 minutes explaining to the quarterdeck watch and the officer of the day that I had on a "few" drinks but the pitching of the ferry had upset my stomach. Thank goodness that all happened before the hand-over!

MORAL: If you always play life's cards close to your vest, how do ya ever expect to have any good stories?

On a more serious note though, experiences make us who we are. There is a fine line between reckless and heroic but if you're not willing to at least flirt with one, you'll likely never be the other. Many inspiring feats of this world were initially gambles. Sometimes you've got to say, "To hell with the odds." That's why we remember not only guys like Chuck Yeager, Jimmy Doolittle but also Col. Custer and General Pickett!

I always say that greatness courts each of us outside our comfort zone. That's the whole point. Things wouldn't be great if they were commonplace. I think this is why there is such a difference of opinion about this thread. We as humans sometimes have a difficult time controlling the urge to extinguish the brightest burning stars among us.

[CharlieCobra]

Hear hear!

[Pirate's Booty]

Don't forget Amelia Earhart, Joan of Arc and Susan B. Anthony - you men are the only brave and heroic ones. Many women thrive on adventure and a stiff challenge.

Not to mention a stiff drink or two!

[Surfesq]

Ellen McArthur is my favorite!

[toastchee]

Ellen is a hero to me. I'm a dude.

[Nonkjo]

Originally Posted by Pirate's Booty

Don't forget Amelia Earhart, Joan of Arc and Susan B. Anthony - you men are the only brave and heroic ones. Many women thrive on adventure and a stiff challenge.

Not to mention a stiff drink or two!

I stand duly chastised!

[lonebull]

Wow! Curiosity had me open the thread, entertainment kept me reading. You guys are a hoot. I am prone to extended passages in my 8.7 Columbia, modified (meaning beefed up) to handle offshore conditions. When I first bought my boat I took her out in 25+ winds and tried to break what would break in the bay. She'd just round up. A few times the swells would catch just right and .......wooo... I'd release that sheet and pop right up. Later on in my sailing, that practice came in very handy. That was over twenty years ago. I'm still sailing that same boat. We've punched through waves and ripped through crystal clear smooth water while watching the breakers crash high into the sky on the reefs. Although I have faith in her abilities I do all I can to not abuse her. Anyway, I didn't see "Two Years Before the Mast" mentioned in the sailing books. It was an expose, of sorts, into the lives of commercial sailors during 1895 to 1900's. Seems the sailors then would have much more preferred a hot cup of coffee to their alottment of rum. Alas the coffee was only for the officers. Oh. EPIRB. I monitor VHF as well as HF while on the high seas. So many times I've heard the Coast Guard break in, give the co-ordinates of the signal, then advice vessels in the area to keep a look out. Not very comforting. There's an EPIRB on board my vessel, but I look at it as a "hail Mary pass". When I travel offshore I go out with the frame of mind that I am going out alone, without society's safety net, because, well, I am. Kudos to all those drawn to the water, at all levels.

[toddrtownsend]

Surfesq, thanks for starting this forum. I raise my glass to you and all of our friends at this 'table.' This fourm is the closest thing on the net to sitting in a beach bar and telling 'sea lies' to each other, philosophizing, and oggling waitresses [sorry, Pirates Booty, but we're guys].

I love it!!

Here's one to piss of the naysayers.


I left Florida in 1995 [what am I an idiot?]. At the time I owned a 21' Southern sailboat. A nice little boat. I asked a sailing friend of mine to sell it for me [yeah, I left in a hurry, but not for any interesting reason]. 'Tom' had sailed with me a few times.

Tom like to tell tall stories, but I thought I could trust him. I couldn't but that comes later.

A guy that worked for Tom, named Pedro, lost his granddaughter in a car accident. Pedro was understandably bummed. Tom and a another friend decided they needed to get Pedro's mind off everything. Tom's bright idea was to take Pedro out for a sail. Yeah, on MY boat.

The boat was anchored about 50 yards off Downtown Sarasota. The three arrived at the boat drunk. They rowed out to the boat but decided they needed more beer. They left Pedro and rowed back to shore. When they returned; no Pedro. They looked everywhere and couldn't find him. Now they have to call the Police, still drunk.

The next morning, Pedro's body is found about halfway around the shore of the park; a floater. That sucks, Pedro was a good guy.

I heard this story from other mutual friends; never hear from Tom. About 18 months later, I was in Michigan by then, I get a letter from the Sarasota County Sheriff. It seems that my boat, which I thought Tom stole, was found floating across Sarasota Bay toward the gulf in a Tropical Storm. The sheriff towed the boat to the city dock. When no one claimed her, they moved her to the city yard. The letter asked, do you want to pay the storage bill or do you want to let us sell the boat in the auction. I let her go.

My family was worried I would retrieve her and sail away, which had been an earlier plan with another boat [more later]. Little do they know, I have put a plan to action. I will be back on the water in no more than three years; when I'm 45, never to return. I HATE winter.

"Stay on the path, boss. There's gorillas out there."
Capt. Ron

TrT

[Nonkjo]

Hey lonebull,
Like I said, I'm green, but if you ever need crew for the weekend...If you ever want company while blasting around Corpus Christi Bay...if you ever need a partner in crime to skim the coast up to Rockport and moon the yuppies...Gimme a hollar. Dinner and the first round at "Dorado's" is on me.

James