Seaspray and Whisky: Reminiscences of a Tramp Ship Voyage

By Norman Freeman

This title is a classic tale of maritime misadventure, told through a lively and personal narrative. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1888173386
• ISBN13: 9781888173383
• Release Date: January 2001
• Publisher: Akadine Pr
• Length: 229 Pages
• Weight: 0.76 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.3" x 0.8" x 5.5"

Customer Reviews

Discover a Hidden Gem!

I was surprised to see that I was the first customer to review this book. Why wasn't this book a big hit? It reminds me of Frank McCourt. Mr. Freeman creates a fascinating and surprisingly sympathetic cast of characters out of the random, ragged, largely alcoholic and thieving crew of a rundown cargo ship. I could not put this book down and hated to see it end. I hope that someday he will write the story of his second voyage on the ship.

An armchair voyage on the good ship Allanwell

How can one begin to describe the madcap antics of the Allanwell's crew? The book is about an Irishman who seeks a job as a radio/radar operator on a nice clean ship with a respectable crew. He ends up on the Allenwell,a rusty tub with an appalling half-drunken crew and a crazy Captain, too. The ship is carrying a hold full of Vat 69 whisky from Britain to the United States. The crew is mesmerized as they watch it being loaded into the hold. You know they are thinking of theft. Is it illegal to break into the hold? Of course. Does that stop the crew from frequent pillaging? Of course not! Poor 'Sparks' (the conservative, quiet, radio operator) narrates the various onboard shenanigans throughout the colorful journey and back. Add bad weather, seasickness,two cooks with the most appalling kitchen ever to violate a health code ordinance and you have the making of a great read.Here is part of the crew's 'at sea' Christmas dinner: The portions were hidden beneath a cow-pat of thick, greasy gravy...the ham parboiled to squelchy disintegration. 'At least there's plum pudding to survive on' said Misery.Toni came rushing in, bearing a huge ball of blue flame on a platter. Mr. Yardley...from a safe distance, peered at the conflageration that was our Christmas pudding. There was at least an inch of...Vat 69 swashing about on the platter. The captain poured (water) over the flames. The sodden, smoking pudding looked like a cannonball come to rest after its explosive trajectory. "Maybe we'll get a bit of Christmas cake at least", said Misery (not a chance! Toni the server trips and cake goes all over the floor). And so the voyage goes. When the authorities look into the hold and find almost 1000 bottles of whisky missing they search every inch of the crew's quarters. Happily, the crew had quickly opened the portholes and tossed hundreds of stolen bottles into the Mississippi river long before the FBI arrived. No evidence found!This is a great read about a very colorful voyage!If you like salty sea-yarns, and want some laughs, this is the book to buy!A review bySpyrenee@aol.com