Farewell - "Fair Winds and Following Seas"

over 7 years ago (Edited)

Life's journey, keeping a promise!

Memoirs the past week, honouring a promise, doing what was asked by arranging my brother's ashes to be laid to rest in the sea. A man who's love as a seawater person went with him along his path of life. This is how events unfolded!

Sunday last week I was notified about the Jacky Fisher M.O.T.H. (Memberable Order of Tin Hats) Shellhole had arranged a plaque of rememberance on the wall for Sunday 3rd March. Fellow SA Navy/M.O.T.H. Fraternity honouring my brothers easy going, bantering, knowledgable self from many years of service 1968 to 2018.

Phone call on Tuesday my niece let me know the South African Navy had arranged a small craft to take two passengers out to allow us the opportunity to conduct a burial at sea, not in our wildest dreams did we think this would come to pass. We thank all personnel who assisted in arranging, we salute you, my brother would be proud and happy knowing his wishes have been fulfilled.

Photography shared all my own, nothing personal. My niece flew down from Johannesburg (sadly her brother was unable to make the trip), between the two of us we managed to take this emotional roller coaster ride together, I think we have both found some peace of mind, my brother (her father) her sister (my niece) are finally laid to rest together.

Eleven in the morning, we start heading out from the quayside, really hoping that sea was calm outside the breakwaters, I had already done a break-dance climbling on-board. Naval personnel on duty were efficient, obliging, extremely helpful every step of the way, it was easier to get onto this craft than driving on our roads to destination!

Looking at life through my brothers eyes, I now understand fully his deep passion for going out to sea, exhilarating I had forgotten just how magical the sea can be, another two sided coin, seeing life from a different angle!

MSC Cruise liner loading up for seafaring trip of passengers, boats in port unloading/loading the port is a busy place. An overcast day being on the water watching life slowly drifting by slowly throttling down to an easy pace, it felt like life was quietly drifting by, memories flooded in as did the speed on-board entering the ocean, leaving protection of the harbour.

What better way to say goodbye to a man of the Navy in Service and a Volunteer 50 years of his life. Previous day I grabbed his pussers rum miniature decanter, topped it up with pussers rum he recently opened (not by choice, the cork had eventually given in), upholding the right tradition, sharing some with him and his daughters before saying our final goodbye. Pussers rum bottle fitted snugly into equipment used in sea rescues.

Short, sweet and to the point. Dropped a tot, then followed Psalm 107 which forms a part of of the Royal Navy’s order of service for burial at sea. “Those who go down to the sea in ships and ply their trade in great waters, these have seen the works of the Lord and his wonders in the deep.” Some flowers remembering as many members of the family as I could one by one, after the tot hope I remembered them all....

After a quick few words (snot and trane) (tears) lasting under five minutes, we circled the buoy, took photographs for land marks should family ever wish to go out one day. As you can see it is not too far out, big swells gliding under your feet lifting you slowly up and putting you back down again, Oh if only life was like that permanently, with little turbulance!

Looking back to Duban Bluff, Salisbury Island and Port from sea. Salisbury Island, which is now joined to the mainland through land reclamation. It was formerly a full naval base until it was downgraded to a naval station in 2002, hopefully this will become fully operational once again in the near future.

Moses Mabhida Stadium is close to the Umgeni River mouth spilling into the sea, one human made landmark one of natures landmarks.

Small craft that took us out to sea via Natal Naval Base, Salisbury Island, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts making this become a reality. Namacurra craft used to protect our port and assist when called upon close to harbour, people often forgotten who protect our land.

Around the age of 14 he managed to convince crew on a tug in East London harbour to take him out one day, our parents knew nothing of what he was up to, perhaps this was the beginning of his love for everything Navy.

Age of 16 my parents arranged to visit family friends in Simonstown, a family living Naval life who made special arrangements for my brother to board a few craft, if memory serves me well one was a submarine. For him that was love at first sight, "hook, line and sinker", approximately a year or so later he signed up for National Service in 1968, this became part of his life joining Volunteer SA Navy Unit.

Volunteer at SAS Rand in Johannesburg, moved to Durban and joined SAS Inkonkoni. Following your dreams in life, keeping true to yourself, from a young boy begging a ride on a tug boat to the boisterous fully bearded man of the sea, many memories shared, 'sailor on' in the Navy.

Google maps got confused going onto water, found direction eventually and here is what turned up once we had arrived home.

Respectful and affectionate gratitude to SA Navy Fraternity and Jacky Fisher M.O.T.H. Shellhole

Sunday morning overcast with a little rain, settled into a hot humid morning, being out-doors under a big tree with birds singing, memorial service for shellhole Old Bill (my brother) plus another fallen, Jacky Fisher M.O.T.H. Shellhole and Mothwa held a memorable service for two of their dearly departed in a short period of time.

Understanding the loss in more ways than one! Looking at the honour, respect, jovial behaviour these people share, all with a common interest in Naval Service, paying the highest respect to one another and country. Sad to think many of the old shoes will no longer be filled, with young generation having no interest in becoming members.

Ideals MOTH organisation:
True Comradeship - by practising front line friendship in civilian life;
Mutual Help - by acknowledging the personal and collective obligation to help each other as in front line service;
Sound Memory - by remembering the fallen as a living companionship and to serve their memory in practical actions which rise above divisions of social status, race, or politics.

MOTH Acronym
M = Motivated
O = Obligated
T = Trustworth
H = Honourable

Naval Traditions, Toasts shared (as in my closing thought one of my brother's favourties) we drank... Yes Rum, (most present joined the Navy pre-1970, stick to old traditions), what else, you are with Navy Fraternity in a M.O.T.H. Shellhole still holding true to moral support for one another.

It felt good to meet the other part of his family, hear stories we were never privvy to, I sometimes sit pondering if Navy was always his first love, inextricably bound together thoughout his lifetime.

Life is short, embrace it, help one another. Memoirs of the past couple of day reflecting how much something means to someone else, keep true to promises wherever possible. Make tomorrow a better place for all, memories make up who we are, never forget, respectfully say goodbye.

Thought for Today: ‘Here’s to Tall Ships, Here’s to Small Ships, Here’s to all the Ships at Sea. But the best Ships are Friendships, Here’s to You and Me!’ ~ Short Naval Toast