this website has gone ballistic.

By design? Seem all user profiles are thus:



Maybe since the most recent site shutdown? @Tideland Prius , any ideas, or beyond your pervue?

 

See post #2337.

 

As before my mother's side of the fam has mariners in it... and to date don't think I've even been seasick. Have ridden the WSF ferries from Bainbridge to Seattle and back 6 yrs -- and let me tell you, whilst defo not the worst ride nor seas to be stuck in... have seen ferries heave 8' and flood the bikes and motos to the seats in the 'bow' heading to Seattle... and been on one when it hit the dock No problem w/ either...

That said... fact nearly dying being pulled under twice, doesn't bode well for sailing, neither professionally nor recreationally (which almost was my choice after the ASVAB). Sea legs, sure. Pushing my luck working on it? Nope

---

My Navy work buddy in Seattle told tale of being gently hazed by senior enlisted as a newb on the Abe Lincoln -- put him in the forward bow in high seas, and made him 'dance monkey dance' by seeing how high off the floor he could get, jumping as the bow rose then dived. Thought would be some videos on YT to corroborate this, but on the bigger ships you can catch some air -- and of course, deal with the rising bow as you smash into it, until you know how

 

Difference between a fairy-tale and a sea story:
Fairy tales begin with "Once upon a time....."

In the North Atlantic or Gulf of Alaska?
You do not go forward on the weather decks in heavy seas, or topside at all - without a pretty good reason.

MY very first ever first night at sea was spent in a warm, windowless sonar room aboard a survey ship.
I was expected to do nothing more than fill a s**tcan with puke as we pulled out of the Canary Islands into the teeth of a moderate storm.
I'm a Hoosier, and I was the FNG meaning (um....) 'fresh' new guy.
AS tradition dictates, chili and spaghetti was on the menu that night as we left.

Thus?
I was heavily featured in the 'puke pool.'

They lost.

 

Y'all making me tear up. ≽ಥ﹏ಥ≼ <3

 

The fishing boat had a Ray Jefferson VHF marine radio. I basically only remember Channel 16 -- the distress channel, monitored by US Coast Guard Channels Islands, the marine operator (channel 22?) and the weather channel.

The radio was my bud as I always got stuck piloting from midnight to dawn, as the skipper slept. Saw some beautiful sunrises, many pods of whales. And listening to the marine forecast repeat it's self on it's loop.

But it is a special kind of lonely holding down that watch alone each night as the boat plows through the never ending swells.

 

My favorite watch was the 4 to 8. Watch the dawn and then the whole ship come alive.

 

Same.

Ever see a 'green flash' up north?
I saw one only once - but then I was usually too far south to see them.

Sunrises in the tropics were generally spectacular, as were the sunsets!