Rough going in an Australian Corvette

In the foreground can be seen the cook of the mess trying to steady himself and retain the bucket of washing-up water. On the left a rating with obvious feelings is making his way to fresh air, whilst in the background can be seen a peep of supper-time in the tropics of the interior of a Corvette, at sea. In the mess, "there is an atmosphere of stale tobacco smoke, sweat, the earbashing clash of distorted music and static from the sound reproduction equipment (mess radio), cursing, swinging hammocks, swaying objects and crashed crockery. In fact the absence of a perpendicular state leaves the average land lubber with the impression that the vast majority of these small ship sailors are insensitive to discomfort...The movement of a corvette in a rough or moderate sea keeps the matelot on his toes owing to the erratic motion, accentuated by continual changes of course during zig-zag procedure on anti-sub patrol." (Hodgkinson)