>Today I was doing my daily chore / duty of taking a trip to the Coop Supermarket to get the luchtime supplies in. On the way through the shortcut, I smelt the unmistakeable smell of diesel fuel burning in a well-tuned engine. This was obviously a mistake because there were no trucks anywhere to be seen. When diesel fuel is burnt correctly, the smell is almost sweet and has a very distinctive “taste”. I actually like the smell because it makes me think of those salad days onboard navy warships steaming through the open ocean.

I was rugged up against the bitter European winter and the smell took me straight back to the quarterdeck of a frigate in the middle of the Indian ocean. I was standing there in my grey coveralls, talking with my shipmates and sucking in the “freshers”*. The ironic part is that the freshers on the quarterdeck was always full of diesel exhaust and cooking smells from the galley ventilation. We loved it nonetheless.

* Freshers is navy slang for fresh air. Almost any word can be “navy-ised” by adding ‘ers’ to it.
e.g. Sippers? Translation: Can I have a sip of your drink?
Steppers. Translation: Civilian clothing (one “steps” acrossthe gangway when going ashore, more often than not, in civilian clothing for a night out.)
Try it yourself – it will make you feel all salty and nautical.

If you want to learn how sailors have spoken since Nelson’s time, check out this RN page.