# Were you, like me, "carbonadoed" in the tropic seas?



## RayL (Apr 16, 2008)

Extract from Chapter VI of Robert Louis Stevenson's 'Kidnapped':

"... led us up the stair to a small room, with a bed in it, and heated like an oven by a great fire of coal.
... in spite of the heat of the room, he wore a thick sea-jacket, buttoned to the neck, and a tall hairy cap drawn down over his ears; yet I never saw any man, not even a judge on the bench, look cooler, or more studious and self-possessed than this ship-captain.
... "Captain Hoseason," returned my uncle, "you keep your room unco hot."
"It's a habit I have, Mr. Balfour," said the skipper, "I'm a cold-rife man by my nature; I have a cold blood, sir. There's neither fur nor flannel-no, sir, nor hot rum, will warm up what they call the temperature. Sir, it's the same with most men that have been carbonadoed, as they call it, in the tropic seas."

I found this to be true of myself after my sea career. When others find themselves comfortably warm, I often am not, and I want an extra coat or source of heat. Sometimes it's a problem in bed because my wife tends to be the opposite and gets hot very easily.

Has anyone else had these experiences as a result of their time at sea? Perhaps it is quite common but seldom spoken of.


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## Mike S (Dec 27, 2005)

Indeed!

I recall clearly visiting my home town of Sunderland in July 1965, rugged up in overcoat and scarf while the locals were in swimming!

They were all red like lobsters and I was shivering.

It was 42 F that day.

.......I guess they were desperate as the sun was shining! (Jester)


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## michael charters (Apr 4, 2010)

RAyL sAME GOES FOR ME, WERE A JACKET IN THE HOUSE. ALWAYS WORE PNTS UNDER MY OVERALLS AT WORK, MANLY BECAUSE OF WELDING. HOT WORK THEN COLD AT HOME. BUT ENJOYING HOT SUN IN ohio USA.


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## mrcanoehead (Sep 15, 2007)

Spent several voayges durring the 1990's in gulf of persia, stopping at such great places like Kwaitt city, mina suleman Bahrein, Abu Dabi, Dubai, Muscat, etc, etc, doing resupply for the american navy on one of our refrigerator sips, (former RFA LYNESS) spent many a sweltering summer over there, glad to leave & dreaded the return trip in the summer stretch, but yes , returned hom to noth america for one winter & couldn't stand the cold some days, to tell the truth, it was not the usual -20 or worse but sure felt like it, causing me to overdress & it looked funny, but i had troubles even durring the summer in the gulf region, particulaly the first summer there, found i was drinking about 20 l of water a day! & it would just run out of my skin, soaked clothes every day for 6months, head to toe, it was weird , but lived through it ....


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## RayL (Apr 16, 2008)

Thanks for those responses. It proves Robert Louis Stevenson's point that it is a common experience. This knowledge helps us all to understand ourselves that little bit better - and you have a new word to bandy about too - carbonado!

Regards.


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## Nick Balls (Apr 5, 2008)

Seen the opposite ! You know the kind of thing, AB walking up the road in Norway in January waring a pair of shorts...........


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

I know a lady who has no control over her body temperature. She can feel cold on the hottest days and hot on the coldest. She was in the US Navy, but it's got nothing to do with the Persian Gulf - it's a thyroid problem. If your internal thermostat is seriously out of kilter, I'd get a check up.

Good luck.

John T.


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## Frank P (Mar 13, 2005)

In the 1990's I spent 7 years off and on in Saudi Arabia and when I finally came back to the UK in 1999 it took a long time before I adjusted to the UK climate.

Cheers Frank. :sweat:


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## RayL (Apr 16, 2008)

Sounds possible that the phenomenon of carbonado is caused by a change to our thyroid's performance after being in hot climes for a long time.

I agree that we also see the opposite. My wife and I often wince when we see people cheerfully under-dressed on a chilly day.


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## TonyAllen (Aug 6, 2008)

RayL said:


> Thanks for those responses. It proves Robert Louis Stevenson's point that it is a common experience. This knowledge helps us all to understand ourselves that little bit better - and you have a new word to bandy about too - carbonado!
> 
> So when I read somthing that gets me hot under the collar
> then I know i've been carbonadoed Tony


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## RayL (Apr 16, 2008)

Er - nooooooooo.


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## pete (Mar 13, 2005)

RayL, I have exactly the same problem, I love the heat but I have Reynauds so it does make a certain amount of sense. My Wife loves the cold. Ahh well, like magnetism I guess, opposites attract......................pete


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## RayL (Apr 16, 2008)

Further thought from my post of 22 July.

I've often felt that the difference between me and a 'normal' person (e.g. my wife) is that I am a comparatively good conductor of heat so I tend to lose mine a lot more quickly. Whatever it is that causes "carbonado" leads to this physiological change, it seems to me.

I could be wrong, of course, but I just thought I should mention it in case it is relevant.

I wonder if it has ever been properly researched by medical folks?


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## cueball44 (Feb 15, 2010)

RayL said:


> Extract from Chapter VI of Robert Louis Stevenson's 'Kidnapped':
> 
> "... led us up the stair to a small room, with a bed in it, and heated like an oven by a great fire of coal.
> ... in spite of the heat of the room, he wore a thick sea-jacket, buttoned to the neck, and a tall hairy cap drawn down over his ears; yet I never saw any man, not even a judge on the bench, look cooler, or more studious and self-possessed than this ship-captain.
> ...


Most HULL Trawlermen still wore there 'Long Johns' ashore, Even in summer, Because they felt cold after taking there thick heavy sea gear off(Ouch),'cueball44'.


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## Pat McCardle (Jun 12, 2005)

Come to Sunderland to see the under-dressed girls in Winter with there pelmet skirts & bare shoulders...............Enough to warm any red blooded man!!


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## RayL (Apr 16, 2008)

As the originator of this thread, I find myself wondering whether it accidentally inspired anyone to seek out and read R.L. Stevenson's book? If it did, please would you let me know.

Inspired by the sight of Rannoch Moor, I first read it 49 years ago immediately following my first visit to Scotland.


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## tsell (Apr 29, 2008)

RayL said:


> Extract from Chapter VI of Robert Louis Stevenson's 'Kidnapped':
> 
> "... led us up the stair to a small room, with a bed in it, and heated like an oven by a great fire of coal.
> ... in spite of the heat of the room, he wore a thick sea-jacket, buttoned to the neck, and a tall hairy cap drawn down over his ears; yet I never saw any man, not even a judge on the bench, look cooler, or more studious and self-possessed than this ship-captain.
> ...




Lucky fella Ray, my wife doesn't get very hot in bed at all these days, sad to say.

Taff


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## billyboy (Jul 6, 2005)

tell me about it Taff. I got that tee shirt as well mate...LOL


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