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Lee looks back on his time at sea with the Tall Ships

Aberdonian Lee Taylor has fond memories of his time as a teenage Tall Ships member of crew – not least sitting an exam in the Atlantic Ocean.

Now an office & building manager at Aberdeen City Council, it was more than 30 years ago he arrived in Greenock as a fresh-faced 17-year-old to join the crew of the Sir Winston Churchill.

His headteacher at Northfield Academy had selected him and his friend Ewan for the experience in the early 1990s but this hadn’t prepared him for his first sight of the ship, built in 1966 as a training ship.

“Ewan’s parents had driven us down to Greenock for the start of the race and when we saw this big proper sail ship, I have to admit we were a little overwhelmed,” he said.

“Neither of us had done anything like it before. To be fair, we were still getting over the shock of being accepted and the school sponsoring us to take part.”

But they soon settled down into a routine as the ship set off sailing on its two-week journey up the west coast of Scotland to Orkney and down to the final drop-off point at Ipswich.

Volunteer crew

“We were split into three groups at the start, named after the masts – fore, main and mizzen – and we all worked eight-hour shifts with 16 hours off inbetween times,” said Lee.

“There was a core professional crew with the captain, bosun and others but most of the crew were volunteers.

“The ship was always cleaned for a couple of hours from 0800 and you spent time working in different areas, either in the galley or up in the crow’s nest or setting sails. There was also time spent with the bosun and we even got to take the helm and steer the ship.

“I do remember that each day, we had ‘Clean the Ship hour’, with its own song:

‘Happy Hour is here again; we’ll clean the ship from 9 til 10

If we don’t do it right, we’ll do it again

Happy Hour is here again.’”

Lee can recommend cleaning the brasses as a way to combat seasickness, as “it takes your mind off it”. This wasn’t something he suffered from himself although he did wake one morning to be told he’d been found the previous night sleepwalking. He was safely guided back to his bunk from the galley and says he has never sleepwalked since.

O grades and oysters

Another original experience was sitting an exam while on board the ship.

“Both me and Ewan had our technical drawing ‘O’ grade and although the school had tried to delay it for us, it turned out everyone had to sit the exam at the same time. Even if that was in the Atlantic Ocean in a ship off the west coast of Scotland,” said Lee.

“The exam paper was given to the captain and we had to take our setsquares and equipment with us. On the allotted day, we were separated into different cabins and the captain and bosun acted as invigilators.

“Being on a ship obviously didn’t distract us too much as we both passed!”

Other memories Lee shared are of not being able to dive off the ship when it reached Orkney as there were too many jellyfish in the water.

Something he did manage to experience there though was his first taste of oysters.

“I hadn’t realised you were supposed to douse them in lemon and swallow them whole so I began to chew,” he said.

Homecoming

Chewing oysters aside, he remembers one of the highlights of the adventure as sailing into harbour as part of the Tall Ships fleet.

“It was honestly amazing. I knew my parents were there in the crowds watching and we were sailing in, all stationed in different parts of the ship – in the crow’s nest and the yard arms, where the sails fold up from,” Lee said.

“I was in the upper yard arm harnessed on, standing there leaning back so you could see three or four people all on each yard arm, everyone laid out in a set pattern.

“It felt great sailing in to dock as we were welcomed by the huge crowds. It’s more than 30 years ago that I did it and I still have such clear memories of it.”

He also recalled the strong sense of camaraderie that was built up in the crews. There were lots of team games and tug o’ war every time they docked which he says built up a strong rapport, as well as a bit of competition, with the winning team getting “bragging rights”.

The return

Lee returned safely to dry land after his time at sea where he finished school and after a few years at college, joined Aberdeen City Council where he has worked ever since.

“When I heard the Tall Ships were coming back this year, I was scouring the ship lists to see if the Winston Churchill was coming back. I was really hoping it was because it would be great to go back on and relive my time on board. I still remember where my bunk was and everything.

“At the time, I had no idea what I was letting myself in for but it really was the adventure of a lifetime.”

The list of Tall Ships coming to Aberdeen this summer can be seen here.

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