I recall many years ago being at a similar Seminar with Engine Supers. The Deck Supers were a bit miffed they weren't invited or hadn't the wit to organise one of their own so they had a competition to come up with a collective noun for a group of Engine Supers. The usual words appeared, a flock, a herd, a crew, a troupe but the winner was;-

A nuisance of Engineer Superintendents.

Who said the Deck Department lacked a sense of humour.

Eyup ES I have a complaint to make, the radio man has let me down big time, bookies cursing cars reversing i had the bottle of smoke. He did not put the bet on.

Ah yes, smoking - I stopped some years since but I was the type of smoker who created a firestorm when I inhaled. Cigarettes, cigars, pipes…
I ceased for the usual reasons;
Health and wellbeing
The smell on my clothing which permeated the entire wardrobe.
The shunning and shouting when one lit up in the ‘wrong’ place.
Oh, and shoreside prices may have had a significant influence.

I have just seen those remarks. I won't keel haul the little beast for missing the ship tax on your BLT (betting-letter-telegram) as the administration doesn't allow them (but for small donation to Mrs Varley's Fund for sailor-boy sons .....). What I will have the little sod for is broaching the Tawny while 'in charge' and being caught at it. The next thing you'll be reporting is that my stash of left handed literature has been raided.

E-S,
1) just about everyone, I think.
2) You had more than one deck super?

Respect Varley, I did not think that you were familiar with the bottle of smoke song.

Well then RT, sing us the song then! Some of us haven't heard it.

For the majority that horse runs as often as it's name suggests and wins are even rarer.

I had the bottle of smoke, have a look on utube, it's an uplifting song by the Pogues beware of the swearing, let me know what you think.

What horse?
Who's horse?
Am I missing something?

You had more than one deck super?

Good heavens no. They were more Cargo Supers than anything else plus a couple of Supercargo's contracted out as demand required.

Wake up ES and get a good wash with cold water in the back yard you can dry your face on your vest. You should know this song well i play it in every Irish pub i go into, if you have never heard it it is time to hang your head, shame on you....."twenty fucking five to one my gambling days are done i had the bottle of smoke and my horse won.

E-S that sounds a little like the post proper-officer-era. Occasional difficulties in cargo handling were usually sorted by masters on leave if the ship manager or marine super could not sort by telex or loud telephone call.

Exception might have been with our US operation. The only mate that was trusted to discharge unchaperoned was a lady. The others had to have a hand holder (in Europe often an ex-company North Sea pilot). I did shotgun on a new to management vessel which was anticipated to be problematic. It was but in one way more unusual than the blackest of crystal balls could have forecast. The mate could not convert between barrels and cubic metres - and we had the adventure of the loaded trip (once the figures had been agreed) before us yet!

That Pogues song has a great rhythm and beat to it but I can barely hear the lyrics through their Irish brogue. I can imagine dancing around drunk to it though. Who needs lyrics when your teeth are floating on the evenings consumption?

When I have spent my nest-egg on wine, women and song and have no assets left I will launch my book on an incredulous public. It will have a snappy title such as, "Ship Managment a Den of Thieves", or, "British Tickets now not Worth a Damn".
Writs will be issued but as I have no assets they can go hang and the Police will arrest me, hopefully not the West Midlands Serious Crime Squad, but I tell the truth.
While this farce plays out ships will sink and women will cry.

:applause::applause::applause:

Isn't it grand to be bitter, twisted and curmudgeonly ?
Welcome to the club ...

To which the classic response;
Oo asked you? :cloud:

Now now. None of this doom and gloom. I've just won Lotto, a free ticket and $23NZ, so you can all come to the bar and I'll shout you a round.
""YOU AROUND!!""
Better now?

Sounds more an order than an invitation, I'm on my way.

My greatest win on Lotto and Euro-Millions was Euro 656 and I hesitated on the best way to spend it. in the meantime the Memsahib went out and bought a canteen of cutlery.
And we are still married.

Memsahib does not get out enough, does she know that cutlery is free in McDonalds inc wood stick spoons, and tell her she can stop buying salt and pepper. Job done. and many Euro saved.

Those memsahibs like the shiny things, don't they? Did you tell her to enjoy the cutlery because you were going to get her a diamond ring? That'd make the cutlery distasteful ...
Anyway, Es and I are bellying up to the bar. Who's round is it now?

Wooden cutlery, plastic cutlery what next? Soon the only steel knives will be in the hands of teenage thugs on electric scooters. My dormant right wing is getting harder to disguise.

You are not alone ..............
Here in Victoria only mugs obey the law the rest get off free.

Just been watching "Postman Pat goes dogging" on youtube is there chance of anyone on board that will teach me how to drive.?

I bet Jess took a dim view of that.