Maple 01
Tacevals at "oh 4 fecksake" - a great idea - if you didn't win, you dain't lose the whole day - left time to cut the grass, walk the dog, light the barbie etc.
Unlike at ISK in 79, the siren went off at 1645 on a Friday as the Happy Hour bar was about to open - must be a wind-up? - Nope!, and it lasted all weekend - being on SAR at the time, we were exempt - deep joy!
Didn't last for long though! - during the next 'surprise', it was evaluated that the most rested and constituted crew was the SAR, and they were 1st on the ORBAT
More better, (or so we thought at the time). We were in Gib in 84 with an engine out and they called Taceval at ISK - oh! how we larffed, thinking we would be there for weeks, until the Staish (Silver Fox) authorised a 3 engine ferry transit - must be a wind-up?....Nope!
3hrs 55min day! Bugger! - never really endeared to that man for some reason?
However, in fairness, he did relieve me of the smell of dogsh*t, sewage and exhaust fumes for the rest of that weekend