Page 46 - The Sinking of the Patrick Morris - One Sailor's Day

ISSUE : Issue 74

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1999/6/1

than people think it has. But like they al? ways say, "The rocks got no mercy, but the sea got some." And it's tame. I mean, you go on the rocks and you're gone. The sea got a little mercy, but the rocks got none. The Captain (Roland Penney)--they picked the captain's body up that day, or the day after. We were coming in on the plane, coming down in Sydney, and his body was on a plane flying back to Newfoundland. But we thought that his body would be here, and all his crew mem? bers would go and see him. I think his family in Newfound? land didn't want that. They wanted us to re? member him as we worked with him on the ship. So he was flying out and we were flying in. Oh, you know, I had nightmares about it after, but gradually Ponnie j'rince & Florals Grill The Home of Scottish Hospitality 50 Reeves St. e r-i' ' r ' t SYDNEY 5o7-151U 1' :s "Cape Breton's Pub" DOWNTOWN SYDNEY 456 CHARLOHE STREET Let Your Tastebuds Travel The World. it worked off. I mean, nobody in their right mind could say they weren't scared. You had to be scared. You have to have a little fear. But I know one position I got in the boat, there was forty-seven of us, and the purser now, he had to jun?? in the water. The ship was going over, and she had everything on her deck, you know? And he had to go in the water. It was just luck that, when he went in the water like that, one of our crew members just pulled him right back in the boat.... And it was cold. But there was a lot of prayers in there. Oh, yeah. And you know, some guy'd be hol? lering. You know, when you see the sea coming, it was like a mountain. And when one sea would break, there was another one right behind it. JUst like going down in a cave then coming back up again. But she was a good boat, because when the sea come to the railing of the boat, you may get about an ounce of water. That's all that was coming over. 'Cause we were running off before the sea. The wind was north? east. And I was in the position on the boat like this. {Connie makes a tight grip.) My hands were on the rails. I re? member one of the--I don't remember wheth? er it was the quartermaster or the carpen- ter--he was saying "Con, listen boy, why don't you put your hands in your pock? ets?" • 'cause they were starting to turn blue. It was cold. I said, "Not much use putting my hands in my pockets 'cause I think this one will be next." He said, "Don't give up. Don't give up," he said. So that gave me a little more spirit. When you see the sea rolling, like when it comes about that far from the boat, the sea would break--and when it break, it all come up just like the white foam. And every sea--I was watching every sea coming. I mean, the other guys were saying prayers Even If You Don't. Cape Breton SuperValu's Now Welcome SYDNEY RIVER : MARKE sd'store . yfa&>rtg> We plan it all for you. 794-72SI 158 QUEEN ST., NORTH SYDNEY cm 46

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