Against The Sea

This novel is pure invention, but based partly on my own time and adventures in tramp ships during the middle of the twentieth century, and partly on the wonderful tales that seamen repeat to each other; tales that gather quite remarkable detail and embellishment as they circulate.

It has damn-all to do with cruise ships, real seamen regard those with disgust.

A ship at sea is a village, a tiny community of men cut off from the rest of world and dependent entirely upon one another.
In the merchant marine this works successfully by reason of training, experience, self discipline, and mutual respect.
Aboard Naval ships where there are military matters to be considered, they rely on formal discipline to get the job done.
The systems are not compatible, although it is easier for a merchant seaman to learn his way about a naval vessel owing to his wider training in seamanship or marine engineering and his 'can-do' attitude. Navy men and ratings are conditioned to obey orders and discouraged from taking independent action.

The first Calypso in this story is the distillation of an old ten thousand ton Bullard and King coal burner, the Umzinto, which was still trading around the African coast in the early nineteen-fifties, and several even older ocean going cargo ships I had the misfortune to sail in.
The second Calypso is also based on real ships, the Matipo, a sweet little four hundred ton Dutch built coaster which long ago sailed the New Zealand coast, and the Coromel, a tiny absolute bitch of a vessel in heavy weather, which was equipped with a pair of the marvelous Gardner engines.

So, on with the yarn ...

Oh, and yes, for any reader who may think seafaring is a jolly pastime, allow me to disagree. I’ve been there, done that, seen the Mermaid.
She bites with poisonous teeth.