On Wed, 26 Sep 2007 21:11:14 -0500, Vic Smith
wrote:

On Wed, 26 Sep 2007 11:57:06 -0500, John H.
wrote:


I've read about some of those hair raising chair rides. Don't know if I'd
have the balls now to do it. When in my 20's? Maybe.

I think I was 19, maybe 20. My balls weren't an issue. I just used
the Navy's.

No, the QE2 wouldn't do. It would have to be a destroyer so I could stand
in the bridge and watch the water come crashing over the bow. Hey, that's
the dream. Maybe the Navy could make some bucks taking joyriders along!

You might get that on a cargo ship passage. Just bring the Captain a
bottle of whatever suits his nationality, and you can get yourself on
the bridge. It's not scared of you if you ain't scared of it.
But even the Navy can't guarantee heavy seas.
Man, you got me going. I used to go up to the flying bridge or the
walkway in front of the bridge windows to watch the bow bury itself.
I was more like the ship dove into the sea than the sea crashing over
the bow.
I was *always* the only guy out there. It was wet, and usually cold.
Gave me those "Victory at Sea" Captain-like moments, a nice break
from the usual fireroom drudgery.
But in 3 1/2 years on that destroyer, and maybe 500 days actually at
sea, we were in seas like that probably less than 10 times.
All main deck doors were secured, and I had to wend my way forward and
topside internally, climbing ladders by the CIC, radar and sonar
operations.
Though watching the bow bury itself and then struggle up again
was exciting, it wasn't particularly scary. Maybe because I was
already soaked with spray and wind, the bow failing to emerge from the
waves and me floating in the sea wouldn't have been such a shocking
transition.
OTOH, while walking down an internal passageway when the bow took a
dive, and you were suddenly walking downhill, every step downhill
added to the fear factor, because you were waiting for that sucker to
come out of the dive.
It was like being in a long coffin on a trip to visit Davy Jones.
When it came up from the dive, the whole ship would shudder,as if to
say "Whew, I'm back! Maybe we'll go later."
There was a main deck expansion joint just aft of midship, and you
could watch it move in such seas. I always figured that's where she
would break in half.
I'm glad I did my Navy duty and merchant marining before the Edmund
Fitzgerald went down. My imagination is active enough.
I wonder if they allow that song on ships?

--Vic

YES! You know what I'm talking about. Your description of the times on the
flying bridge is exactly what I've pictured in my imagination. Very cool!