Frigates vs a Ship of the Line - An Indefatigable Contest

Today in something of an 'emergency' video, we recount one of the most interesting contests of the Age of Sail, when the frigates HMS Indefatigable and HMS Amazon took on the 3rd rate ship of the line Droits de L'Homme in the middle of a raging storm.
The book in question - www.amazon.co.uk/Against-Odds-Battles-Sea-1591-1949/dp/1557500258
Free naval photos and more - www.drachinifel.co.uk
Want to support the channel? - / drachinifel
Model ships of many periods - store.warlordgames.com?aff=21
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Music - / ncmepicmusic

[@Drachinifel]

Pinned post for Q&A :)

[@and15re1]

Had the Tirpitz battleship survived the war, what would the allies due to the ship?

[@justdags6611]

How accurate historically is the Hornblower series of books?

[@liberalsockpuppet4772]

Have you done a video on the USS Constitution? She is a most excellent frigate. If so, the USS Essex is another frigate story that needs to be told. Ah, just found your video on the Constitution

[@themightynanto3158]

Aside from HMS Tiger what where in your opinion some warships that were well designed but ended up not performing as well as they could or should have due to various reasons?

[@timothytan4257]

When is the next Guadalcanal campaign episode coming out

[@rickansell661]

Note on the British prisoners: The prisoners on the Droits de l'Homme were returned to Britain in recognition of their attempts to save lives during the wreck. The crew of the Amazon soon returned home, having been exchanged for French prisoners held in England. The monument to those lost in the wrecks, currently broken due to storm damage, was erected after the Napoleonic Wars by a Major Pipon, formerly one of the British prisoners aboard the Droits de l'Homme.

[@paulhannoever7680]

Always very nice to hear about mutual respect between combatants. Somewhat ironic that the monument broke due to storm.

[@jona.scholt4362]

Didn't an episode of Hornblower use this for inspiration?

[@Admiralofthedeeps]

@@jona.scholt4362 i think they replaced the French ship of the line with the Indy and the two british ships were replaced with two french Corvettes, kinda switcherooed it round. Then Horatio arrives in the Papillon to save Pellew and the Indy and blows the french out of the water. Think one of them explodes and the other surrenders.

[@Trapsarentgay133]

That’s the episode devil and the duchess if I remember correctly

[@40watt_club]

WoW, thank you . Fly safe.

[@fatmanbravo6]

It's ok to want/need a day off every now and then. Especially if you/loved ones have legit medical/personal reasons. We appreciate your high quality content, more so given current circumstances. Please don't feel that you owe us anything, we are happy for the free entertainment.

[@kurgisempyrion6125]

Well said

[@Alobo075]

Agreed.

[@thatguynameddan2136]

I think you nailed it there.

[@jonathanhill4892]

Unfortunately, can't 'like' comments more than once!

[@khaelamensha3624]

Well said Fatmanbravo6! May I add we all wish a long and healthy life to Drach and Ms. Drach! Take everyone take care!

[@deaks25]

You know it's a top-tier channel when the "Emergency fill-in" video is still absolutely fascinating and interesting.

[@heisenberg1817]

Honestly I like these fill-in videos better than the dry docks

[@the_undead]

@@heisenberg1817 well you can't compare the Wednesday video to the 5-minute guide or the dry dock or whatever because they're all very different types of video. Personally I like the dry dock but that's possibly because I have many MANY hours where I would like some kind of content playing so that it's not just dead silence in my house and there's only so many times you can listen to the same songs.

[@crusadingtemplar]

​@@the_undead 100% with you there dude

[@amh9494]

Those words are synonymous... Why do people keep doing this?

[@thomas316]

"Might as well get you while you're here..." Official recruitment policy of the Royal Navy for hundreds of years, now being applied to the National Health Service (NHS) vaccination program.

[@johnladuke6475]

Does it also come with the free rum? Health Canada can't even get us shots, let alone grog.

[@TheEvilAdministrator]

@@johnladuke6475 IDK why we don't just waive patent protections for our pharmaceutical industry on, say, the CanSino vaccine (which we helped create but aren't getting shipments of, because the US screwed up our previously-cordial relationship with the Chinese by pressuring us to arrest/extradite Meng Wanzhou - which really put us between a rock and a hard place, since one way or the other one of the two countries was going to be upset with us) and then use emergency powers to compel any company capable of manufacturing vaccines to do so, and provide it at-cost to the government. We could even divert some of the money that would've otherwise gone towards those companies' profits to create an incentive for getting the vaccine - I think a lot of people would get the vaccine a lot sooner if you offered anyone who gets it $25, courtesy of the government. That could potentially really help with our vaccine supply, as well as encourage people to get the vaccine, if only our government wasn't so afraid to step on a few toes in order to get things done. I'm not saying everything the Chinese do is good - I certainly disagree with a lot of their actions - but what I can say for them is that they don't hesitate to act when they feel it's necessary; I think we here in the West could learn from that. Sure, it'd be heavy-handed and certainly controversial, but desperate times call for desperate measures. If crossing a few imaginary lines (after all, that's what laws and treaties are - imaginary lines; we can and should cross them if it's for the good of society) helps to bring the pandemic under control, then I think it's a no-brainer to do so.

[@bullettube9863]

You mean roving bands of nurses are impressing civilians into the NHS?

[@thomas316]

@@johnladuke6475 Traditionally they prefer lollipops 🍭. I think asking a child to drink a pint of rum 🥃 is frowned upon. No wonder the kids are turning to Tide Pods.

[@johnladuke6475]

@@TheEvilAdministrator Crazytalk! Let's just wait and see what happens, if it gets bad enough maybe we'll count as a third world country and get vaccines for free from a civilized nation.

[@AdmRose]

French: We’re invading England! Poseidon: No

[@YOUPIMatin123]

Or the Royal Navy in general to anyone thinking to have unauthorized vacations: No.

[@francoistombe]

Non.

[@davidtuttle7556]

@@YOUPIMatin123 unless that someone is a former Scot turned Continental pirate captain and damnable scoundrel.

[@vespelian5769]

Let's try Wales then.

[@tominiowa2513]

@@davidtuttle7556 - And later on Russian Rear Admiral, then bass guitar player for a rock band. 😉

[@Maddog3060]

Damn fine of the French crew to remember the prisoners and do the best to get 'em loose. We may poke fun at the French, but they wouldn't have been able to keep England on their toes if they weren't badass in their own right.

[@hallamhal]

Only the post revolutionary French would name a warship Rights of Man

[@denniscahill9683]

The name of the ship that Billy Budd was pressed from

[@inwedavid6919]

Sure, right of men and citizen were unknown to the citizen of England poor and dominated by noblemen and rich aristocracy, a bit like today too.

[@USSAnimeNCC-]

lol

[@tybaltd.1521]

@Zippy Dastrange More so because the entire worlds economy has been carefully crafted and manipulated to keep the American elite class in there positions of ridiculous fortune and anyone who tries to change it ends up dead.

[@knearhood8]

like the USSR named a battleship October Revolution.

[@icarus_falling]

Makes me think hornblower every time!

[@saadkhan1128]

It does

[@shaider1982]

I have read that Patrick Stewart based his take on Captain Piccard on Hornblower.

[@PsychicalTraumaPL]

Oh yes, it does! After all, C. S. Forester based His main character on all sorts of known, famous captains: Cochrane, Pellew, Nelson... Damn, I think it's time to reread the series 😁

[@andrestimmermanis7346]

@@shaider1982 I would have thought Pellew more than Hornblower? Or did you (and he) simply mean the books?

[@tominiowa2513]

@@shaider1982 - Was Captain Picard tone deaf like Hornblower, and did he get motion sick at the start of each voyage?

[@ColonelEviscerator]

Impressed. No small number of content creators would just take a day and rest instead. Don't work yourself to death and take care of your health!

[@sundiver137]

@Yannick 73 He could get a gig as an audiobook reader. I like his After Action Reports readings in the Guadalcanal series as well.

[@77thTrombone]

Actually it makes for an interesting juxtaposition: - Drach's reading skills - Drach's speaking skills when not reading They are very closely matched. Neither is obviously discernable from the other, which is to his great credit.

[@jptata3161]

Reading books is a time honored way to beat sickness, though typically one has their grandfather do it so he can skip the kissing parts.

[@MorningGI0ry]

Petition to get Drach to do an entire special in his French accent.

[@Katzenkotze85]

yeah, but better no^^ ;))

[@viridisxiv766]

all ships must now be reviewed in the corresponding accent.

[@benholroyd5221]

Oui.

[@Voron_Aggrav]

I've heard his many attempts to get the names right of Austrian, German, French, Italian and Dutch ships, Let's not add to that list of crimes against humanity shall we...

[@tominiowa2513]

@@Voron_Aggrav - Not to mention USS Galena, USS Keokuk (OK, only people that live near those places know the correct pronunciation), and of course the vernacular for USS New Orleans (N'awlins), USS New Jersey (New Joisey - OK, that is fake vernacular), and USS Missouri (Mihsurah).

[@charliebush9430]

Mate you did a 5+ hour drydock, still got an interesting video up and are looking after yourself and your partner, double up your rum and tea ration and take it easy!

[@billrich9722]

“Partner”. It’s his wife, dude. Get that PC shit out of here.

[@fredgervinm.p.3315]

Wife is no longer PC, suggests servitude.

[@foxtrotdelta225]

@@billrich9722 ???? How the fuck is partner PC?????

[@overbeb]

@@billrich9722 are you triggered, snowflake?

[@jodom5613]

@@fredgervinm.p.3315 Lmao no one thinks that. What?

[@RCAvhstape]

"A Reef of Dire Repute" sounds like a good name for a 70s prog rock album

[@michaeldonahue1009]

Or a seriously gnarly variety of cannabis

[@fireem]

Whenever any nation plans a attack during winter. The COLDEST winter in recent/living memory happens.

[@alfredsutton7233]

Love these ships under sail segments. I can’t imagine the sheer strength of will and discipline it took to fight a battle as described.

[@davidbocquelet-dbodesign]

wooden ships, steel men

[@tominiowa2513]

@@davidbocquelet-dbodesign - Used to be a board game called "Wooden Ships and Iron Men".

[@Perktube1]

This puts you right up there with Mark Felton in narrating a story.

[@sanecanadian2351]

Well, three years in and I'm glad you don't have myocarditis

[@powellmountainmike8853]

The HMS Indefatigable, being a razee, had the heavy guns of a 64 on her gun deck, and also the taller, heavier masts and rigging from here days as a 64. She was, in fact, a noted sailer, and also one of the most powerful "frigates" in the Royal Navy, although the term "razee frigate" might be a better description. A good comparison to her in power would be the U.S.S. Constitution, equally well noted as a fine sailer, also rated as a 44, and, like HMS Indefatigable, one of the most powerful frigates of her day. A good description of the HMS Indefatigable can be found in the book Nelson's Navy by Brian Lavery.

[@elcastorgrande]

On board the Indefatigable that night was Midshipman Horatio Hornblower, according to C. S. Forester..

[@jamesfogel7998]

"I'm going to make my main character a kick-ass Frigate captain. What better way to start out his career than serving under one of the most brilliant real captains of the age!" I still name my hero ship Indefatigable in any game that lets me.

[@halbutler4059]

Excellent job.

[@jamesharding3459]

I think it can safely be said that we'd prefer you take care of you and yours first. We appreciate the channel, but people are more important.

[@Barouche]

A pretty good reading, thank you.

[@Spitsz01]

Wow what a great story! I was on a small sailing boat on lake Erie a couple of years ago, near Port Stanley, and we got chaught in a code red storm. This must have been tenfold of what went through my mind at that time, but boy, I wouldn't have missed it for the world, looking death in the eyes. Thanks to my Uncle John and his sailor Jon we made it back to port, and they had this crazy grin on their faces all the time. True sailors.

I never told you about the time I beat off of a lee shore in a cyclone in the S. Pacific...

[@peterblood50]

If you need a break, for whatever reason, you should take it. Your fans will understand. This was a great explanation of the fight and contained many small "nuggets of knowledge" within it. Kudos on a fine presentation.

[@benlaskowski357]

Thank God, Drach. And kudos to your other half too. (Your lady, I mean.) Your naval content is second only to my late Dad's. I still have his Armada, pun not intended, of naval history books.

[@johnlavery3433]

Just when I needed something to listen to when I was putting together some warhammer minis

[@jamesbryant8133]

I just can't any more. Really wish I could but can't support them any more. Drak is good to listen to while playing warthunder though.

[@Gunninator]

Hopefully its not anything Xenos or else the inquistion might get called

[@johnlavery3433]

The aether wars box I’m afraid. Kharodon overlords and Tzeentch. But if it helps I just got the box to sell on eBay

[@Kevin_Kennelly]

The Patreon Drydock marathons work best for me. I can bang out an entire Panzer unit.

[@tominiowa2513]

@@Gunninator - I wasn't expecting a kind of Spanish Inquisition.

[@theodoresmith5272]

I go thomas cockrane on them. Nelson told him, when in doubt, charge the French and Spanish. It unsettles them.

[@AsbestosMuffins]

its amazing that in such horrendous weather they still decided its a perfectly good time for a naval battle

[@gregorywright4918]

To a British frigate captain, anything but the gates of hell is still a good time for a battle... seriously, that's why they had the warning about getting a court martial.

[@colbeausabre8842]

"Pour le encourage less autres" Read AT TWELVE MR BYNG WAS SHOT for the story behind Voltaire's famous aphorism

[@pxrays547]

Well, the powder was going to get wet anyway,

[@davidrasthammar1057]

Just a week ago i rewatched The Hornblower series, so seeing something on the "Indi" is nice.

[@ohioanempire]

All hands clear for action

[@NewDealChief]

Could you do the History of the entire Russian Navy, just a request if you would like to do it?

[@stevenpremmel4116]

If you have a few minutes spare, you know?

[@Drachinifel]

I can add it to the list, albeit even at around an hour it would be a whistlestop tour, the Russian Navy goes back a surprisingly long way. :)

[@Stormseer88]

@@Drachinifel Then perhaps make it as long as it need to be...😋😉👍

[@TomOhms]

Oh yes please

[@SuperchargedSupercharged]

@@Drachinifel yes I am ready for a 12+ hour video!!! Note I am still there at the end when you ask if we made it that far. Also I would pay you for a I survived the drydock medal. You are my favorite channel of all time! Started watching you back in Drydock 7

[@luminyam6145]

That was fantastic, thank you.

[@AsbestosMuffins]

French Planners: "The worst thing that could happen is if we all get scattered!" What Happens: The French get scattered

[@seandahl8441]

I truly enjoy your age of sail videos

[@YTMegiddo]

Thank you and hope you are feeling better!

[@davidlium9338]

Good luck and God bless both you and Mrs. Drach.

[@johnwhite7219]

I hope you get to feeling better soon. You do so much. Your channel is amazing.

[@JenteKramer]

What an experience this video was! I name it my favorite! Thank you :) Video ideas: - How did the costs of all the different things/parts of a ship of war, evolve over time? Food for crew, Ship itself, Ropes, Guns, Projectiles, Wages, Balast, and so forth. - ‘Just a calm & normal day’ in the life of one a at sea. What orders had to be given? How did people fill their day? Risky daily jobs? Food? Fights? What was the captain recording in his book? Were others writing things down? Common passengers. And now I’m gonna watch this video again :) Cheers and may the sun smile often on you and your wife!

[@abasasas]

We love any video you put out. Thank you for your time and effort.

[@abasasas]

Especially age of sail stuff

[@simonjolliff7411]

Very interesting and well read. You should do more of these.

[@HarrisonsHistory]

Wednesday afternoons never looked so sweet! Always an interesting topic

[@bdubbs]

fantastic audio. just lovely. so often overlooked.

[@jptata3161]

Ah yes, we'll make the signals for "It's safe, follow me" and "Oh God the ship is on rocks" the same thing. What could go wrong?

[@thekinginyellow1744]

Hennimore! "That Mitchell and Webb Look" for you non-British.

[@alanobrien3736]

Epic story telling, Drach, great work.

[@michaelbailey1578]

Thanks for your efforts.

[@ericmagnusson1990]

Excellent research. Thank you

[@pxrays547]

Very good, I enjoyed this as much as a regular Video of the Line. Thank you working this up.

[@Kanikalion]

I've been finding myself checking KZbin WAY too often for new Drach videos lately, and most the old ones have that red line along the bottom that tells me I've watched them :( . Glad you've recovered from the covid-poke.

[@Spherex]

This was fascinating. I would love to have seen an animated version of the entire battle and ship manuevering around throughout the entire encounter.

[@jayg1438]

In the USA the second shot is the one to watch out for. Get well, take care of Mrs. Drach and come back stronger. I love your material.

[@kaneo1]

We appreciate you take a day off now and then so you last longer (and give us more content over all).

[@AdamMcCulloughMerlin]

That was really exceptional. That book is on my wishlist now. Thanks for sharing. :)

[@agesflow6815]

Thank you, Drachinifel.

[@rafale1981]

Congrats on getting the shot! Looking forward to you „resuming your regularly scheduled programme“

[@misterthegeoff9767]

If this is what an emergency stopgap video looks like I can't wait to see the video we missed out on.

[@pxrays547]

Exactly!

[@erikberg1623]

Outstanding as usual

[@ivoalexander4201]

Fantastic. A most excellent story, thanks.

[@markhonerbaum6988]

An excellent view of these ships of the line in battle of which held morals in battle with honor and dignity, different times.

[@Deepthought-42]

You are entitled to time out and thanks for posting - you are part of my binge viewing during lockdown. Stay safe and well.

[@octopusfly]

Thank you for sharing.

[@ernesttravers7517]

Great info. Keep them coming

[@tommyrick4687]

Glad you and Mrs. Drach are safe and recouping. Thanks for the great informative content!

[@mban2748]

Thank you for this.

[@davidcartwright3097]

This is excellent! I'd love to hear more from this book! You are more than entitled to a day or two off now and then :)

[@stekra3159]

Congratiulantis hope you and miss Drach are well and are staying save.

[@charlescomly1]

Get well soon, thanks for the history, l like hearing about these old fighting ships.

[@louislowery2877]

Again another enjoyable Drachinfel, thanks!

[@shononoyeetus8866]

Can’t tell if I prefer the dreadnought era videos or the age of sail videos

[@ROTTERDXM]

Fortunately, we don't have to choose!

[@USSAnimeNCC-]

Just sail away just sail away

[@tominiowa2513]

I found the channel through the USS Monitor vs. CSS Virginia video.

Surely you jest. Maneuvering under sail requires real seamanship.

[@johnladuke6475]

YAAAAYYYY story time with Uncle Drach is always the best kind of episode!

[@dylanmilne6683]

Epic story. Great video too. Your oration continues to improve

[@Kameeho]

Well, it is good to know that I no longer have to worry about COVID-19 sinking my favourite naval content any time soon. While I know the ship classifications somewhat of the Age of Sails ships. Mind doing a video explaining more detail about it?

[@johnladuke6475]

I feel like there must be one already or else I wouldn't know what little I do about them.

[@westcoaststacker569]

Living far from there I looked up Penmarch Reefs. That is a crazy gauntlet to get a damaged ship in a storm out of, legendary captain and crew in real life. I imagine the reefs have claimed many ships over the years.

[@emptyness2583]

I find my time in the Navy to be a great supplement to your excellent videos!

[@sadwingsraging3044]

Nicely told Drac.

[@papajohnloki]

Good health to you and Mrs Drach

[@theexile4546]

Awesome! Woke up just in time

[@77Cardinal]

Glad you and the Mrs. got your needles. Good health and best wishes.

[@raywhitehead730]

Well, that was a stirring account! Listened to at midnight, from Riverside, California March 2021. Well done, sir! Now, to get a cup of tea.

[@AudieHolland]

Of course, Captain Pellew was also blessed with having a great crew and midshipmen like one Mr. Hornblower :-) I just looked up his bio on Wiki. Pellew was no less than a superman. In heavy seas, on another occasion, with a stranded East Indiaman, he swam over to the wrecked ship, installed a lifeline and saved almost all onboard.

[@ethanhatcher5533]

Yayyy, more storytime with Uncle Drach!

[@martinroth1263]

First of all: all the best and good health to Drac-Family; Secondly: I kinda like that "Fairy Tales with Uncle Drac" format.... and the stories about fights against all odds... it just catches me. :-) Keep it up, please!

[@tominiowa2513]

If Drach is telling Ferry Tales, I would like a 5-Minute Guide (more or less) about the roll-on/roll-off ship F/S Theodor Heuss, which sailed between Rødbyhavn in Sjælland and Puttgarden in Schleswig-Holstein.

[@dantreadwell7421]

Damn. What happened to that French man-o-war makes me shudder. Kinda sounds like Sir Edward may have been a bit of an inspiration for Hornblower. A bit of a badass he seems to be.

[@richardscales9560]

Drach keeping up the reputation for the English butchering the French language.

[@lsq7833]

Well, English itself is half made up of butchered French words.

Well done, and best wishes for your recovery and that of your lady wife! As a yachtsman and as a devoted reader of Patric O'Brien and Alexander Kent novels, I got a great deal out of your description of the maneuvering and efforts to survive the lee shore. I was heartened to hear of the honor and gallantry of the French in their efforts to rescue their prisoners. I am not French, but given the moral squalor of so many in the world, courage combined with decency is heartening for me as a human being.

[@westcoaststacker569]

"In 1840, Major Pipon, an English officer who had been a prisoner aboard, erected an inscribed menhir on the coast in remembrance of the tragedy. In 1876 it was broken into several pieces by the weather, but restored in 1882"

[@the-chillian]

Oh my. Yes, when I got mine I was out for the afternoon, and I know people who were feeling like you for the better part of a week. But that means it's working: the thing that makes you dead tired is your body's immune system firing up.

[@gregsmith1719]

Great video! Great story! Great paintings! If only I could understand you better - having to back up many times, then watching the whole thing twice. What a world!

[@tominiowa2513]

Fun Fact: At flank narration speed, HMS Drachinifel consumes 1.2-L of Irn-Bru per hour. 😉

[@mysss29]

Those descriptions were amazing! And I finally know what a ringbolt is! I really need to get more knot books....

[@ralphklene1357]

Greetings Sir! Been listening to you for a time now.. Am so fascinated by the amt. Of your information on the many many subjects. i believe you made it your life's work from an early age. From the very first coming across your Site , i've been Hooked ever since.. Thank-you and Most Respectfully !! RDK.

[@willkilla]

Love age of sail vids. I wish one could be done about the hilarious ship designs in the 17th century

[@kma3647]

Just a suggestion. I started reading Patrick O'Brien's Master and Commander series a few years back. It's a wonderfully entertaining introduction to the Age of Sail, but one which also opens one's eyes to just how technical a sailing ship is. There's a ton of jargon and concepts that are discussed quite casually but which do require some explanation to fully understand. This description of the battle with the Droits de L'Homme suffers from some of the same. What I would suggest is a short overlay when you use technical terms the first time to show what they are. For example, what's a mizzen mast? A yard arm? A top sail, etc? Overlay a small graphic showing the part of the ship, or a short text definition. It doesn't need to be long. The interested user can pause to read it. This way you still maintain the pace of your story telling and the visual focus on the artwork, but it does allow the non-sailor to approach the topic a little easier. Another option would be to link to a good source for that sort of thing in the description. Excellent story-telling! Sometimes it's very difficult for the modern listener to really comprehend what fighting such a battle would have been like, and why this action was both heroic and lucky for the two British ships.

[@donjones4719]

Hi. I'd love a Rum Ration on the newsreel footage that makes up your intro. Would love to see more of this footage, and I'm sure you'll have something interesting to say on the political reasons the First Sea Lords put newsreel camera crews on their ships, etc. Were there subtleties behind which ships got coverage, and when?

[@alun7006]

The aerial footage is of the High Seas Fleet as they sailed to internment. One of my favourite bits of footage ever - filmed from a British airship I believe.

[@williamlloyd3769]

Monument overlooking the shore is appropriate and thought provoking. Interesting design.

[@chrisbritt4266]

That was really cool I like that story and I hope you and miss Drac get better

[@bernardputersznit64]

JEEZ!! What an Unmitigated Cluster Fudge - Thanks for the harrowing tale

[@arkadeepkundu4729]

RN: *Indefatigable* Frenchies: _Hon! Hon! Hon! Et tu petit, Inzefattygayballs?_

[@redram5150]

“Ya did what in his balls?”

[@myopiniongoodyouropinionbad]

😂😂😂

[@creanero]

Captain Pellew: "Mr. Hornblower, hold my port. I'm about destroy this man's whole career."

[@jonathanlong6987]

😂

[@mikesummers-smith4091]

@@creanero I think Hornblower had left _Indefatigable_ for _Renown_ and the West Indies before this battle.

[@SirWilliamKidney]

Yay! Storytime with Uncle Drach is my favorite!

[@johnladuke6475]

I said almost exactly the same thing. The apology for a sick day isn't needed when he delivers a tall tale of the sea, yeah?

[@donaldkaspersen3768]

I am sorry that you had such a difficult time with the Covid inoculations but bodily responses vary widely. My wife and I went through both inoculations symptom-free except for the ache common to all intermuscular injections. Seaward though, my maternal grandfather was amongst the last of those who went to sea in commercial sailing ships. ( i am 76). He was shipwrecked twice. The first time on a coral reef offshore from Java- neither man nor cargo lost. The second was of an entirely different sort. The ship was caught in a brutal storm, perhaps a hurricane, my grandfather, third mate and ship's carpenter, was at his station distributing tools and giving instructions. Above deck, lines were breaking and the topsail of the mainmast was unfurled and its lines snapped somewhere above the deck. A young man was ordered to ascend the mast and free the sail to reduce the pressure on the mast. He never got there having been lashed to the mast by other free lines. Shortly, my grandfather heard the ship groan and placed his finger in some of the holes provided for the tools. Then the ship parted from the mainmast on both sides, leaving the young man and my grandfather alone at opposite ends of the mainmast. They came ashore, exhausted, on a beach and were found by some children and soon the whole village came and freed them from the mast. Like those British sailors in the above story, they had no idea as to where they were. They had no ability to understand the language they were speaking and my grandfather who knew almost every port from the Levant to the arctic Norway of his birth and had never heard anything closely like the language they spoke. After a day or so, the young man remembered that my grandfather spoke English and he thought that some words in English might help if one of the people in the village recognized it. After a few sentences in English, the man who seemed to be the one in authority sent off a boy who did not return until two days later, coming with a representative of the government in Tipperary. The British government got them back to Norway where they found out that they were the only survivors, saved by poor Gaelic speakers from southwest Ireland.

[@frederickgates4349]

This is terribly awesome