Ahoy there captains

The captains of the high seas are sure-fire types laddies and they know their men and their maps. Like the captains of industry back home. We all say that a good career at sea is an excellent prep for a career at home in industry. More ships.

And one for the high waves

Day is ended, dim my eyes, the journey long before me lies ... A valediction today lads on the high seas as we bury at sea the crew of the mighty and venerable warship the HMS Ivo Carnutensis, a lovely battleship and a big waggon of a gunship, but which alas was sunk without mercy by a brigade of French corvettes, the SS Elfgarcon and the SS Ignace de la Potterie that had lain in wait near the estuaries of London for the poor doomed maiden of the high seas. Yes, we take off our caps to day and sing olden songs of Tom Bombadil and Bilbo Baggins for these great ships. She didn't stand a chance, once the French got wind of her whereabouts. And a duplicitous lot the French are. Bonaparte laughing as ever, all the way back to his parisen coffee taverns, but we shall remember these great ships in a line that saw action against the interminable revolution of 1789. The HMS Hudson, the HMS Jordan, the HMS Hadden, the HMS Montmogery, the HMS Bede, the HMS Sharks, the HMS Toffalino, the HMS Lynch, the HMS Gilmore. Gawd bless 'em all.

Well there ye go

Ahoy there shipmates. It is not often that out here on the high seas one comes across a real slip of a French corvette that likes to sing along on the surface like a flying fish, but the SS Vincent Van Gogh has come into sight and I can her red enseign fluttering now clear as day through my telescope up here in the crow's nest. A nice little mover with a yaw and a keel that slices the water and leans to the left in high winds. Well done to all the petty officers on the decks of the SS Van Gogh. A nice mover. And a nice lean to the left.

Hoist the stars and stripes mateys

Aha there lads, here we are on the high seas, and there is a ship over yonder that is having a right old party, what with a few sailors and their concertinas, and that ship, saving your pardon as I am looking down me telescope, yes that ships is the Fair old English Rose, the Royal and V&A, where the shipmates are all partying on brandy and rum. Grand old time, ship drifting but at least the ship's company is having a great old craic. Martyrs Day, we are told. Or some such old English festival, probably from the time when the country was catholic, and the diktator Napoleon hadn't turned up, seized the imperial French crown from the bishops of Paris and ordained himself!!