Stories about life at sea

[ombugge]

Else Rømmen posted this story here: Handelsflåtens «gullalder»

My husband Per Rømmen still holds the binoculars steady!
He started his career at the age of 15 and on July 31 he will be 87 years old.

A little story that happened recently… we saw an obituary for someone we know, she was married to the brother of a man my husband sailed with, his name was Tor Kvernberg.. Per googled and found a phone number… he calls, and gets an answer.. it turns out to be Tor’s son! Per explains who he is and that he has sailed with his father… then he tells us that his father is at Kattem nursing home!! We live nearby! Per asks if it’s okay for him to visit him… yes, you just have to, he’s a bit demented, but he remembers a lot back in time!
Per leaves the same day, and the nurse locked him in… sat in his room and waited, because Tor was sitting and eating… then he came in… Per introduces himself and says “do you remember when we were 15 and took the train from Trondheim to Oslo and traveled by Stavangerfjord over to New York, lived in the sailors’ home before we enlisted at Ferngulf? You became a galley boy and I became a mess boy!” Yes, he remembered, nodded his head and smiled!
Imagine that! There they sat and reminisced and it’s been 70 years since they saw each other!!! Touching… even though you’re starting to get a little forgetful, I think most people never forget their time at sea and especially those who sailed in the “golden age” have many special experiences! Per will visit him again and bring pictures! Have a great summer!

(Google translation from Norwegian)

[AKBJR]

Funny how I remember almost every name from my first ship, not so much the final one.

[jimrr]

never thot of that but yea, true.

[tengineer1]

Yep, that’s why it became my final one. A little later I found out one of the reasons I and a few others disliked my final ship had been made marine crew manager for all the ships. I found that humorous and a sign of the times.

[Small_Craft_Advisory]

Pass the bottle!