Smudger Snippets
Created | Updated Nov 12, 2003
I suppose it's because I have so much time on my hands these days, that all these memories come flooding back to me.
Reunion
After finding an old shipmate on the HMY Britannia web site, we sent E-Mails back and forth and even had a few phone calls to each other. It was during one of these phone calls that we decided we would both meet up at the Yacht and have a walk round her for old times sake.
It was 32 years since we last saw each other - when we were both serving on the Yacht together. As the date drew nearer I began to feel excited and memories came flooding back, so many that I had to write some down in case I forgot them.
When the day finally came I was all ready to go, polished shoes, blazer and tie, the lot. It is not very often that I wear a tie, but this was a rare occasion. On the drive over I crossed the Forth Bridge, and my mind just went into rewind. I could remember, just like it was only yesterday, sailing out and under that Bridge on HMS Zulu, my first ship. It seemed hard to believe that this occured 34 years ago. What happened to all those years?
As I drove closer to the site where Britannia was sited, I frantically looked out for direction signs. I found the first one and then time appeared to slow down - it seemed like an age to reach the next sign. At last I saw her, sitting majestically against the backround.
It was so frustrating as I could not find a way in; every time I saw an entrance it was closed. After driving round in sheer frustration for a while, I stopped and asked for directions, but no one knew. Eventually I was told that I would have to go through the shopping complex to gain access. I eventually parked and walked as fast as I could to the entrance. Upon my arrival I showed my Yacht membership as that of ex crew. This gave me free admission. I sent my mate a text message saying that I had arrived an hour early. He, in return, sent me one saying that he was already on board and for me to meet him on the bridge.
As I made my way to the bridge my heart sank as I saw the state of our old ship. It was really depressing to see all the brass wear green with mould, not shining as we had kept it. The paintwork was showing rust, and the general state was poor. This took away all the excitement I had about my trip, and it was in this depressed state that I walked onto the bridge to meet Bob, my old mate.
I had a photo of how he looked 32 years ago, and had it not been for his blazer badge (Royal Yacht) I would have walked past him. We looked at each other, probably thinking the same, look what the years have done. We then embarked on our tour round the ship. Everything seemed smaller, but it was all there. We talked about all the memories as we toured around, but we were both stunned by the condition of the ship.
We got a tourist to take our picture as a token of the meeting, then went for a quick drink before going our separate ways again. It was great to see my old mate after all these years, but I think the whole day was an anti climax for both of us really. When you consider all the work we all put in to keep that ship up to those high standards that the older crew members showed us before they left. We both agreed to keep in touch with each other, but neither of us mentioned visiting our old ship again. Better to remember her in all her glory when we crewed her along with all the other dedicated hard working blokes who made up the crew. It was a sad day really, but at least we brought back some happier memories.
