The Channels

©Graham Penney

Well it's nearly three weeks to the day lads
Since the anchor was straight up and down
And we said our farewells at the quayside
And we sailed out from Southampton town,
Well I won't say that it's been a good trip this time
The old man has given us hell,
Well the watch-keepers slave while the dayworkers skive,
I think next time I'll sign with the P & O line, but now…
We're on the downhill run, Southampton here we come,
Twenty four hours and then
There'll be tears, there'll be kisses, the kids and the missus,
I'm getting the Channels again.

Well the life in the engine department
Is as tough as the oil is black,
At the end of each trip you are shattered
And you swear that you'll never go back,

But if I had a nice cushy number, the same
As the 'leccy' or even the mate,
Or the purser, but purser's well they're all the same,
They've got cash on the brain, sell their granny for gain, but now…

By the morning we'll be off the Island
And the junior watch we'll arouse,
And we'll slow to take on the sea pilot
For the run down from the Needles to Cowes,
Well the rummagers with him, they're really bad news,
A scruffier lot I've not seen,
Well the rummagers rummage wherever they choose,
And your job you can lose if they find all your booze, but now…

Well my gear is all back from the cleaners
And I've filled out my custom forms too,
Sop we might as well start on the pour out,
'Till tomorrow there's no more to do,
We'll slow down for Fawley, It won't be long then
'Till we're passing the old School of Nav,,
We'll be signing off articles round about ten,
Down the gangway and then we'll be shoreside again, but now…