After driving down to Portsmouth for the 2nd time this year, a distance of around 660 miles, from my home north of Inverness, I was pleased to be given a place on the ferry that had just started discharging its large number of cars and large vehicles. As has happened previously the booking system recognised my car registration, and flagged that I needed the extra room due to having a Blue Badge seeing I'm a disabled War Pensioner on being handed the notice that alerts the loading staff of my disability I drove down the lane and parked behind another car, that also had a disabled person in it. Within 10 minutes I was directed to proceed onboard Victoria of Cowes, where I was directed to a suitable place next to the entrance for the lift. On finding a seat so I could watch what was happening during the crossing, which took me back to the time when I was a fully trained Sailor in the RAF Marine Branch, during which I mainly served on 120ft steel hulled Ocean-going vessels of the Seal Class, plus for a couple of months I was given the position of acting as the vessels Sgt Coxswain, who was given the task of taking the vessel out of wherever it might be berthed, as well as berthing at its home berth at the Admiralty Oil Fuel Depot in Invergordon, along with any other berth in some harbour where she might be carrying out some task away from her usual area. Being given control of such a large vessel was given to me only a few minutes before our captain was due to board for our overnight sail to St Andrew's Bay near to the town of that name. Our being short crewed had seen the Sgt Coxn, plus the Col Coxn not available due to Leave and a Course the Sgt was on. The captain looked stunned to find his senior deckcrew man, who was the No1 of the 6 deck crew, welcoming him aboard, as the 1st Officer's position was also short, with the Flt/Sgt Master Coxswain sharing the Watch keeping during the 6 days away from base. Only on being given the order to cast off all the lines did ithen discover the captain left the Sgt to take the Seagull out of her berth without any instructions other than 'Let's Go'. And the same happened during anchoring or going into some berth in a nearby harbour. Seeing as I'd only handled twin screwed launches of 63ft in leaving and berthing before, it was with great relief that the captain congratulated me, doing so several times, during the time I was carrying out what were several awkward moments berthing or leaving a berth, because it wasn't normal practice for such a low rank to be trained to handle just short of 200 tons with 2 x 2,200hp diesels. The captain's in command of Wightlink ferries, along with their crews, must be congratulated on getting in and out of the awkward berths at Portsmouth and Fishbourne, plus dealing with some yachting fraternity who don't fully know the regulations for preventing collisions in narrow channels, or think that power should give way to sail at all times, forgetting, except in narrow channels where the large craft is constrained to stay within the channel. Brilliant service, and I hope to be back down again in 2024.