Sea Stories and Tall Tales of the Seas by Forum Members

[Yobarnacle]

Gee! I wonder what that was all about?

[Yobarnacle]

I got hired by a company as Relief Captain. Vessel was still offshore, so they "hoteled" me on another of their vessels in shipyard. I went aboard, found groceries, cooked, and was cooling my heels watching TV.
At 6pm, the shipyard din stopped. All the workers went home.
Around 8pm, the racket started again. I investigated. This was a supply vessel and she had cargo rails. A massive railing system made of 10 inch diameter schedule 120 pipe. Purpose is so deck cargo doesn't beat up bulwarks. Also handy for hooking chains to when tieing down cargo.
There was a crew of 4 men aboard and they were cutting into the pipes of the cargo rails. Uh huh. Right. I called the office. Soon, Coast Guard, Federal Marshalls, DEA, Sherrif, State Police, Practically everybody came to the party. This supply boat had been working in Brazil for a couple years, and only just returned stateside. She was in shipyard for long over due repairs and maintenance. And to offload secret cargo, apparently.

[troy2000]

Originally Posted by Yobarnacle

Troy,
Hows your ribs tonight?

It's morning now, and the ribs are about like you'd expect: sore as !@#$.

You know how it is; injuries usually hurt more the 2nd day than the first, before they start feeling better. And slamming 200 lbs down on the concrete the way I did, with my hands in my pockets, made me a little sore and stiff pretty much all over...

A little generic Tylenol is working temporary wonders, though.

[ancient kayaker]

I know the feeling. I had a step ladder fold under me several years ago; one of those fancy ultra-light Euro types with a flimsy locking device. I landed across it with my ribcage acting as a kind of airbag. Nothing broke: the human body is amazingly tough . . .

[Leo Lazauskas]

Originally Posted by ancient kayaker

I know the feeling. I had a step ladder fold under me several years ago; one of those fancy ultra-light Euro types with a flimsy locking device. I landed across it with my ribcage acting as a kind of airbag. Nothing broke: the human body is amazingly tough . . .

WHO estimates there are 420,000 deaths annually from falls, and 37 million falls require medical attention.
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/facts.../en/index.html
A lot of those are from step ladders.

Your good outcome was partly toughness, but a lot of luck as well!

[thudpucker]

Did they have a Skull n' Crossed bones flag saying; "Don't even think about Hi-jacking this one!"

[ancient kayaker]

Originally Posted by thudpucker

Did they have a Skull n' Crossed bones flag saying; "Don't even think about Hi-jacking this one!"

As I understand it, the Skull n' Crossed Bones flag is reserved for use of Hi-jackers and therefore should not be appropriated by Hi-jackees . . .

I doubt it would scare off anybody, the medic-alert bracelet, bald head, wrinkles and liver spots are a dead give-away. They might pass out from laughing long enough for me to escape though!

[Leo Lazauskas]

Originally Posted by thudpucker

Did they have a Skull n' Crossed bones flag saying; "Don't even think about Hi-jacking this one!"

Just put a whole lot of step ladders around the vessel and they'll be too scared to hijack it.