Sea Daddy

The first day of my Naval career started early, My first treat was “Call to Hand’s” a long whistle followed by a deep voice repeating over and over again , I soon found out the whistle was called a “Bosun's Call”.

I suppose the training was always going to be set around the needs of the human stomach, breakfast was brilliant all you could eat just like before, a typical full English with eggs done in every way possible, people everywhere all in a hurry, there was a more sombre mood set due to the early hour, but it was obvious everyone was motivated and new they had a purpose

We had to march to breakfast as indeed we would soon to find out we would have to march to everything for the next three months.

My first day truly began when we had to stand in line to have our hair cut, there was no point in asking for a particular style, it was sit down and it was all off, there was muttering all down the line as someone came out of the door, generally followed by a few chuckles. The overall aim was to make everyone look and act the same, no room for individuals at this stage of the training.

The next queue was to receive clothing and shoes, you would think it would be simple, no not one pair of shoes, shoes, No1 boots, No2 Boots, No2 suit, No8 Shirt, No8 Trousers, 3 pairs of overalls, jacket water proof, coat foul weather, bedding, including three sheets and three pillow cases.
There was Naval accessories pieces of rope, 3 meters of silk, A wooden name stamp and paint, shoe brushes and polish, metal drinking cup, housemade, just about everything was given a number and a naval manual or “BR” book of reference which was to become our training bible.

The pile was just enormous and it was all expected to have names stamped on, folded in “naval fashion” and “stowed” correctly in the small lockers.

Enter the “Sea Daddy” each new class of entrant were all given one, A sea daddy was a naval rating that we were allocated to show us the ropes, right down to how to iron a pair of trousers, that task for most people I suppose was relatively easy but at sixteen having never done any ironing, and now expected to iron perfectly and put the creases in just right place was almost a crying matter.
Sailors trousers had horizontal creases on both legs, dependant on your height you had either five or seven. To tradition I was told it was for seven sea’s or five oceans. A sailors "Dicky" is another blog post, enough to say for now, it was a good trapping line for unknowing young ladies.

Sea Daddy - Someone who takes a less-experienced crewmember under his or her wing and expert tutelage. Often, and traditionally a Senior Rank, however the duty can fall on lower ranks with experience.