Hi Deeps,
Can't lay claim to kipping on top of Torpedoes or in Torpedo tubes, most of the smart Alec's I used to hang around with in younger days would have thought it a hoot to lock me in a tube and then fire the thing, Boy what a wake up call and around 3 feet shorter not breathing very well either.
Only time I can lay claim to going to sleep below the water line was on an Isle of Man Ferry in the 1970's ( Yes, I am that old ) when Geoff Dukes' ferry attempt hit the wall and I.O.M. Steam Packet Co. Ltd. dragged out some obsolete cans which had seen service in the war ( Boer War ) by the look of 'em
Bikes were on the top decks and we were trying to Kip in the lowest area at the Bow of the Ferry , I'd just started to nod off with the dripping sea boot socks ( It rained from the moment I got out the door at home until we got on the Ferry some 200 miles later at Liverpool ) on top of the hot pipes above when there was an almighty bang which of course roused everyone as we thought we'd been torpedoed.
'As the panic began and the scramble to go topside was in full flow one of the ship's company told us not to worry as it was only a cross current the ship had gone through, the fun was later on when we disembarked.
Due to the cock up made in hiring these dated Ferries there were no proper disembarcation ladders or slipways available just long thick timber planks which were about 6 inches wide for the bikers to get off the ferry onto the dockside, so you can imagine with the rise and fall of the Ferry it was either 3 feet up or 3 feet down from the dock wall so you had to choose very carefully when to move off, get it wrong and it was the water splash for you.
One poor sod did just that, timed it wrong when the ship was on the way down and so was he as the front wheel went off the plank and a further 10 feet to inspect the water first hand with him on the bike, still remember the scream as he did it.
Had my head down many a big white telephone in the past following the odd embrocation or five but never used one as the alternative to the pillow.
Top this though, I can lay claim to falling asleep on a moving Motorbike at night when we were coming back from the British/American races at Oulton Park back again in the 1970's. Fortunately I was the pillion on my very good mate's Kwacker 900 which had a huge set of panniers and top box behind me otherwise Andrew would have fallen off backwards or sideways to inspect the road surface first hand, I only came to when he braked causing me to shoot forward and hit the back of his helmet with the front of mine , I distinctly woke up smartish and heard him say something like 'CANAL' I did it again someway down the road and in the interests of keeping my driver happy not standing at the side of the road decided to put my visor up a bit to get some cold air.
Bad move at 90MPH as the visor ripped completely off my helmet leaving me with a 100 mile trip with freezing wind hitting me smack in the mush but it did wake me up PERMANENTLY. As we arrived home and got off the bike my mate was laughing at my face, having a white smattering all over it , frosted up eyebrows, ice where the tears had been onto my skin. Had to borrow Mum's face cream for a few weeks afterwards to stop the stinging
Needless to say the helmet got binned soon afterwards and I got one with a visor that was integral to the helmet ( Cheap don't pay ) Oh! and I still got frosted up on other occasions as well in other areas.
Would you say we are even ?
Clarice
