I witnessed a rare event when I saw the boys on the Adrianople from Limassol doing a lifeboat drill while alongside in Foynes, Co. Limerick. The rarity of the event was the state of her lifeboat, from what I can see in the picture it doesn’t have a motor. So in 2008 there are ships going around with sail powered lifeboats. I suppose it might have its advantages, no motor maintenance, no fuel consumption all you need is a bit of a breeze and away you go. I wouldn’t particularly like to have to be involved in a rescue attempt if God forbid they had a man overboard or if they were caught in situation where they has to abandon in bad weather. I didn’t see the boat on the other side, it might have had a motor.
The badly painted name on the stern and the paint over job on the sail of the lifeboat reveals the former name of Golden Farmer, she was discharging grain on the day in Foynes.
“Vomit Point” and “The Vomit” are two interestingly named geographic points on the chart near St. Annes Head outside Milford Haven in Wales. They may have nothing whatsoever to do with getting sick, but I’m sure there are plenty of ferry passengers who might disagree after crossing the Irish sea being bounced around. The first question asked of visitors from England was “did you have a good crossing” meaning did you have to puke or not. Nowadays Ryanair transports more visitors to Ireland than the ferries, but the puking is still the same……
The name of the port here Milford Haven has been a cause for great amusement among some of the younger guys, they have changed the letters around a bit and abbreviated it to Milf. Heaven, pathetic really. Some people are easily amused, youth these days.
Sooner or later you get caught. I thought that I had a great scam worked out, buy an article on the internet from the US and get it shipped by UPS to me. Great door to door service sign on the funny upside down screen with the electronic pen and Bob’s your aunties plumber!
Well if only life was so easy, VAT has to be paid of course on imports, now with the $US doing so poorly at the moment it is worth doing a bit of pricerunning to see whats what where, so I figured out the price and even if I got caught and how could I, with my foolproof scheme I’d still be quids in. So I clicked and clicked and 4 days later the big brown van appeared and my new camera in it in a brown box. Result.
No mention of VAT, or import duty. I opened up and still no papers relating to VAT and import duty and the days went on and my smile got bigger, YES! the scheme worked, I started telling people and showing off the flashy camera, people were impressed, dollar signs started clicking into their eyes also, I got enquiries, what website, how much did you save, etc. etc., I willingly parted with the knowledge thinking how had this scheme not been thought of before and how clever I was.
2 weeks later, a letter arrives with a bill for VAT and duty, my UPS friends had done me the favour of importing my camera and paying the VAT. Of course they had the taxman always wins. How clever was I then. My smile inverted rapidly, I had to ring frantically to all and sundry to try to stop their clicking and clicking, fortunately they had been more cautious than me.
I still saved a few Euros, thanks to the cheapness of the deal in the US and the dollar rate.
Distant shot of the ship that was lying on it’s side in Antwerp taken through a lens of a binoculars. She is in dock in Antwerp being repaired after her capsizing IMC has a detailed report. http://www.imcbrokers.com/blog/2007/11/19/repubblica-di-genova-towed-to-drydock/
I was tempted to get closer but that would have meant breaking and entering, trespassing and ISPS infringement, so cowardice being the better part of valour, I decided to stay on my bridge and use binoculars.
The Chief Officer from the Wilson Garston http://timstimes.net/2007/12/30/drunken-sailor/ that ran aground on Christmas Day received a prison sentence of 3 months for “grovsjöfylleri” as they say in Swedish. For being drunk in charge of a ship in other words. The 33 year old Russian officer was alone on the bridge at the time and was asleep due to the influence alcohol and medication. He had 0.89 per mg of alcohol in his blood, the law in Sweden states that 1,0 mg is “grovsjöfylleri” but in this case because he was asleep and the ship grounded he got that sentence.
Swedish links Sydsvenskan with photographs and here also Sydsvenskan which shows how the ship became a tourist attraction.
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