Old Weather Forum

They must have a been a brainy crew. Mentioning the 'forward' toilet must mean that they had heads big enough for an aft bowl in addition, at least

It's amazing what difference an apostrophe makes.

For those unused to idiosyncratic naval terminology - the heads are the loos. Officers naturally had ones separate from those used by the mere ratings.

In the Constitution, and presumably others, the aft head was in the fancy quarter gallery. Nice view.

So what happened on the Poop deck?

The Sailor's Word-Book, by Admiral W. H. Smyth, 1867
POOP. [From the Latin puppis.] The aftermost and highest part of a large ship's hull. Also, a deck raised over the after-part of a spar-deck, sometimes called the round-house. A frigate has no poop, but is said to be pooped when a wave strikes the stern and washes on board.

I wonder if that's the root of the term 'I'm feeling pooped'?

I remember telling the friends' kids about the heads, poop deck, futtock shrouds, ratlines and spanker sail. They laughed their heads off

Haida just arrived in Nome July 1941, and received some bread from Kenns bakery.

From the 'The Nome nugget' paper August 24 1945

JIM PAPPAS WILL MOVE KENN'S BAKERY BUILDING
Jim Pappas has contracted to move the Kenn’s Bakery building off the Oddfellows down-town property so that the Oddfellows will be able to start on the construction of their lodge hall.

(No mention as to where it is being moved to)

Great find!

Jamestown has an unusual use for whiskey - I'm sure some of the crew had tears in their eyes as they were doing the mixing

https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 67_177.jpg

Bottom of left hand page.

If they felt free to use it for the blacking, they must have had a pretty good supply.

Chelan 1929.
https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 7-0005.JPG

0430 Sent landing party ashore for insane light keeper from Sarichef Lighthouse.
0530 W.W. Hashti (? spelling) second assistant light keeper, Cape Sarichef light, brought on board for transportation to U.S. Court at Seward. Hashti is alleged to be insane and was confined to ships prison for safe keeping.

http://alaskagoldrush.info/Genealogy_fi ... logy_H.htm has:
Haahti W.W.Seward Guardianship (Adult) 1929 Probate Case Files 189 36 Probate Docket OS 1219


Found a possible match, but no date.
http://www.sitnews.us/Pioneers/CaptainD ... brell.html

Probably the worst part of Dibrell's job was having to remove a keeper from his position because of mental instability. One keeper at Cape Sarichef, a lighthouse on remote Unimak Island, had to be removed because he constantly babbled about the ghosts of Aleuts who'd been murdered by the Russians and now haunted the island. The keeper's rants were so destructive they were driving his fellow keeps crazy, too.

Evidently it wasn't an easy post!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Sarichef_Light

Due to the privations they endured, civilian keepers got one full year off every 4 years of service. Circa 1933, one of the assistant keepers suffered a breakdown after two years at the lonely station.

I know a weeks' leave would not be worth it, but after the pandemic, I think I would like 2 months after a year or something. Waiting 4 years might not do it.

Wow Stuart, Randi, and Morgan. that sounds like a ghost story written by Dickens - all the worst things going on.

Sad, because it looks beautiful!

Chelen. 18 Aug 1929 Attu Island.

https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 8-0022.JPG

1515hrs. D. Brown, Sea 1c, whilst attempting to secure gripes on #1 surfboat fell overboard, wearing heavy clothing and ??.
A life ring was thrown immediately, landing about 3 feet from him. Brown although a fair swimmer upon coming to the surface was apparently dazed by the shock and treaded (?) water, making no move for the life ring.
Upon perceiving this B. Delgado, Off Std 2c, at 15:16 dived overboard, shoving the life ring over to Brown, and then stood by.
1517 surfboat #1 lowered and Brown, assisted by Delgado came onboard ship, apparently all right, and were sent to the sick bay for examination.

... wearing heavy clothes and heavy sweater.