At what age did you first "batten the hatch"?

[kanrok]

I was 14. I was working a summer job on a tramp steamer. Ah, the salt spray. Life on the seven seas. What could be better?

[BigMcLargehuge]

1. Avast ye landlubber... no hatches ye batten I'll wager

and I have my spyglass on this misbegotten thread, arrrghhh.

[kanrok]

3. Yer a stern master.

[BigMcLargehuge]

5. Ahv got me cat o' nine tails ready

and a bucket of old salty brine for ye back ya swab!

[jeff30997]

2. What happened to your hod dog thread ?

:shrug:

[name not needed]

4. Yarr,

it was a cold september night and me had just killed me a man...

:D

[HEyHEY]

6. I was on the west coast of Vancouver Island when I was 14

We had hid in a cove for the day because the ocean was too raging. We were in a 90 foot (120 if you count the bowsprit) schooner (oddly equipped with yards)
So, it seemed like a break in the weather and the sun began to come out. So, we headed out. We hit 30 foot swells about an hour out. It was very freaky being in the riggins.
As the night went on it got worse. After my watch the real nasty shit hit. I remember not being able to sleep because I had to hang on to the edges of my bunk so I wouldn't fall off. You could see the huge waves in the portholes.
He soon had to "batten down the hatches" and only the experienced crew was on deck. The next morning we awoke. in Tofino. The captain said we were in gail force winds all night long.
Scary shit.

Yes, there is nothing better than life at sea.

[kanrok]

7. Geez...I'm seasick.

:puke:

[HEyHEY]

8. For a bit, I though I was gonna die

[mark11727]

9. Drink up, me hearties... yo ho.

[RushIsRot]

10. I have yet been unable to hatch a single Batten.

It must be style... Or perhaps the incubator is mis-calibrated.