Another trip on Taikoo
and we were in Campbeltown with
the wind howling and the rain
lashing down and the forecast
for a lot worse to come. At
times like that it can be
difficult to find something to
occupy the twelve crew’s time.
The Skipper had an idea and
disappeared ashore to see if he
could follow up his brainwave.
On his return he
informed us that he had arranged
a visit to the local distillery
in the afternoon. We duly
turned up at the distillery and
two company representatives
prepared to show us round but
first of all the older members
of our party –namely- the
Skipper, Mate, myself 2nd
Mate and a crew member who was
Belgium and had a lot of sailing
experience and was passing time
doing a trip with us before he
went to do his National Service
with a junior commission in the
Belgium Navy. His name was Emile
and was a tremendous young man.
Very strong, on one occasion he
was up forward helping to stow
our Number One Genoa, which was
a lot of sail. He was being
helped by the Bosun-( She who
tied me up) . Emile thought that
they were finished –grabbed the
neck of the big sail bag, swung
it over his shoulder and
proceeded to march down the deck
dragging the bag along the deck.
It was a wee while before he
heard yells and stopped to look
back. Not only had he been
dragging the big bag easily
along the deck but the bosun had
got her arm caught in the neck
of the bag and was being hauled
along with the bag. Emile hadn’t
noticed any difference in the
‘drag-factor’ of the sail bag.
As we waited to start
the tour the Company men offered
the four of us older guys a
dram- our choice – Blend or
Single Malt. Four Single Malts
were accepted. It was noticed
that when the Tour guide heard
Emil’s accent, the dram he
poured Emile was smaller than
ours. Anyway the tour round the
distillery went very well, our
youngsters had been given soft
drinks, so everybody was happy –
though there had been a slight
scowl on Emile’s face when saw
the difference in the glass
levels.
At the end of tour we
were offered a farewell dram and
the tour guide poured a dram for
the Skipper, the Mate and me and
one for himself. His hand with
the bottle in it hovered over
another glass –looked at Emile-
asked –“Do you really want
another? It’s unusual for a
Frenchman to really like
whisky.” Emile’s face was like
stone and we three were on the
point of verbal attack when-nice
as you like Emile said “ So I
believe- but I Emile –I am
Belgium!” Picked up the tour
guide’s glass and drank it-
quickly following up by throwing
back another small one
that the guide had poured for
Emile.
On board that trip
there was a young coloured boy
about 17 who worked in a
restaurant kitchen in Bristol
and had saved up to come away on
an Ocean Youth Club cruise. He
had picked Taikoo as he wanted
to see the West Coast of
Scotland. He had the most
amazing eyesight. We called him
Radar. He would call out “ Ship
ahoy” and point, as that was
what he had read the old sailors
did. We would look, sometimes
putting the binoculars to our
eyes. Nothing –and then “ Christ
there is a ship there.” One of
us would say. Time and time
again that lad would call out “
Ship ahoy” and point, and sure
as guns a vessel would appear.
Emile played the
guitar very well. Radar said he
could play the guitar also and
Emile handed him the guitar and
said- “Here Radar use mine.” It
became obvious that Radar had
only a very basic knowledge of
the stringed instrument. From
then on if Emile played he
always made sure he strung some
bum notes when Radar was around
and he would let Radar play his
guitar.
During the trip when
we had gone ashore somewhere
Radar happened to remark that he
liked the shoes Emile was
wearing. Radar wore an old
broken pair of trainers.
When the trip was
over, for company three of us
accompanied both Radar and Emile
into Glasgow, Radar to the bus
station, Emile to the rail
station. When we had said
‘goodbye’,
the Mate and I watched the two
new friends go their separate
ways. The Mate grabbed my arm –“
Look would you believe it?” I
looked - Radar was going into
the bus station wearing Emile’s
expensive leather shoes and
carrying the guitar. Emile was
attired in immaculate blazer,
grey slacks –and wearing his
yachting sea boots.
The Mate and I looked
at each other smiled and I said
–“ Now there is a good example
of Ocean Youth friendship"