Ohh Canada!!!!!

     As a young sailor, I always enjoyed pulling into foreign ports, even if they were next door.

"DISCLAIMER TO JUGM" This happened before we met, so what I did overseas before we met can not be held against me since I was a young sailor, Thank you....

     Late in 1990, I was fortunate to make a port of call to Halifax, Nova Scotia. First off, it was cold. I like a little cold, but when it is real cold, I hate it. The first day in port I had duty, typical standing watch, usually the mid-watch. That watch never bothered me, especially when the first night in a new port. When the drunks come back on board, you get some good intel on the places to go. Well that night, I did. Hell, the CO and XO came back hammered and running their mouth.

     I really enjoyed my first shipboard CO, AKA "Bullet Bob". We had a couple things in common. We both attended the same high school, not in the same years. His high school basketball coach was my Dean of Boys. This CO was a CO to admire. This guy would manipulate the Chain of Command and take advantage of their policies, which made it fun for all on board. He was an engineering officer who knew how to ballast a ship for max speed, still can see him on the bridge in his chair smoking and instructing the engineers over the "Bitch Box" of what to do. He would also call down to us and order us to erroneously report our ships position every hour to make us look like we were on station; however, when we were detached from a mission, we would mystically jump 300-400nm. When we were done, he wanted to go home the fastest way possible. Those were the good days. Sorry, Flashback....

     First night out in town was underway. Back in my early days I was under age to drink, but in a foreign port, the minimum age to drink was discarded by the COC. First place we go is to some hole-in-wall strip joint for about 4 hours. Money was flying, booze was flowing and then leave it to the mind of young sailors to instigate a fist fight on stage by the strippers. It all started with my buddy Jeff G who thought it would be fun to have two strippers on stage and only give money to one of them. Well lets just say we got out of there quick, laughing our asses off of course. We payed for it though, we stood outside for about an hour freezing waiting on a cab to take us to the next place.

      We arrive at our next destination. Go into this establishment and have fun in there, then find out that we can get in a interior central hallway of all the bars and transit between each one without going outside in the cold. These bars took up about 2 city blocks. So after about 5 hours of jumping from one party to another, we have 1 hour to get back to the ship. Well I don't remember whose bright idea it was to walk back but I wish I knew know so I could curse them out 23 years later. We all get back to the ship, a few puke, others pass out in their racks with their clothes on.

     Next morning we had briefs with our Canadian couterparts for a exercise we were up there for. That afternoon we were supposed to leave, however, mother nature said NO!!!!! 30 foot seas, Damn the bad seas. So here we go with another wild night in town.

    Usually the night before we leave port, I usually take it easy. Yes we all went out, but we were back at a reasonable time. It was a good thing. Next morning, seas were 25 feet and we got underway. Now I realize what the seat belts on our seats were for and what half-processed chicken nuggets look like rolling across the floor. I see this and what do I yell out, "Chalk one more for the Puke Board"

Have a good remainder of your week

Senior