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Another welcome break in Gibraltar. This time in Lotties Bar. Lt Cdr Curnock on guitar, seated next to him Dave Goodhead on about 14 pints an hour. In the foreground 'Father' Christmas on medication for Acne on his back. Father Christmas was a handy bloke to have around at mealtimes, as the acne oozing from his spots provided extra nourishment when spread on an unsuspecting fellow crewman's bread and butter!

A couple of the senior rate's enjoying a drink in the bar of the Bristol Hotel where we were accommodated in Gibraltar. The Hotel offered a unique source of amusement. It had a lift that was attached to the outside wall of the hotel and could accommodate 4 people safely. It was soon discovered that if you put 12 people in the lift at the same time and rocked from side to side it would cause the lift to come off it's rails. If everybody timed the swinging together you could get the lift to swing 15 to 20 feet. Enough to swing past the windows of other guest rooms and give the window a bang. The look on the occupant's face's as a dozen bleary eyed matelot's kept swinging back and forth, was a sight to behold. Another favourite pastime in the bar was to attempt the lifting of the Atlas Stones (Big stone balls of varying weight), usually done at the end of an evening's drinking. (Pete Longbottom, ?, Jim Halliwell, ?,Emma Peel).

On the Rock in Gib. A few of us decided to climb the rock at Gibraltar. When we got near the top there is an area where some Barbary Apes live, so we stopped to feed them and enjoy the vista. When one of the little bastards! grabbed my raincoat from under my arm and went off down the cliff with it. Only to share it with his friends who between them ripped it to shreds. The legend says that if the apes leave, it will be the end of British rule for the colony. It would have ended that day if I could have got my hands around their hairy necks!!