About the Cachalots
Learn about who the Cachalots are, what we do, and our long, proud traditions and history.
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Celebrating the spirit of seafaring and the rich legacy of the sea
Founded in 1928, The Cachalots is a distuinguished maritime organisation based in Southampton, bringing together seafarers, maritime professionals, and those with a deep passion for the sea.
Our Club is dedicated to preserving nautical traditions, fostering camaraderie, and supporting the maritime community. Whether you're an experienced maritime professional, or simply interested in our maritime heritage, we invite you to explore our history, events and membership opportunities.
About Us
Initially membership of the Cachalots was restricted to holders of Foreign Going Master Mariners Certificates of Competency. Over time it has expanded to include a broad range of maritime professionals and enthusiasts.
Join UsWe aim to foster social and professional friendships amongst seafarers and shore-based maritime sectors in the Southampton area. Please read on to find out more about who we are, what we do, and how you could become a member of this vibrant community.
Learn about who the Cachalots are, what we do, and our long, proud traditions and history.
Read More
Discover who is elegible to join us and how you can apply for membership online.
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Read more about the interesting events we run and how to apply online to attend them.
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'The Cachalot' is our quarterly journal. Read selected articles from it in our online library.
Read Articles
Our online library contains selected articles from our journal and other items of interest.
Read Articles
Please click on the link for this month's edition. Previous editions can be found in the Cachalots library
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The Sea Pie Supper was held at St. Mary’ Stadium, on Friday 7th February 2025. 466 attended and from the positive feedback the event was considered to be a success.
This sevice is arranged by the Merchant Navy Association. The Cachalots are pleased to support it.
Full Event Details
The Lord Mayor of Southampton is the Admiral of the Port. We organise this event on their behalf. It is open to all in the local maritime community.
Full Event Details
Since its inception in 1928 the Club has always endeavoured to stage a mixture of formal and relatively informal events annually and the Sea Pie Supper falls into the latter category
Full Event Details
Our provisional programme of events can be found by clicking on the link under the picture
Full Event DetailsA Brief History of The Southampton Master Mariner’s Club (The Cachalots)
The Southampton Master Mariner’s Club was established on February 15th 1928, when a group of 21 Master Mariners, all square-rigged sailors, were invited to a meeting in the Southampton office of The Royal Mail Steam Packet Company. It was decided to establish a weekly luncheon club for holders of Foreign-going Master Mariners’ Certificates of Competency.
To ensure much-needed publicity the shipping correspondent of the local paper, ‘The Southern Evening Echo’, had been invited to attend at the end of the formal proceedings and he was appointed Honorary Recorder of the newly formed club.
Committees were quickly appointed, the Padre of the local Missions to Seamen was appointed Honorary Chaplain – and applications for membership flooded in.
The motto “In Omnia Paratus” (in all things ready and prepared) was chosen.
The secondary title “The Cachalots” was adopted on the suggestion of Frank Bullen, a Master Mariner and writer of stories of the days of sail. The Cachalot whale has the thickest skin, blows the hardest and spouts the most! It is by this title that the members are known.
As the Club’s fame and appeal spread it was decided, in exceptional cases, to extend eligibility for membership to “persons whose national status or service is, in the opinion of the Committee, such as to render them suitable for inclusion as Honorary Members. These individuals are known as Stowaways, rather than Cachalots.
Membership increased rapidly and the Cachalots soon found a clubroom in what had been the Royal Mail Company Officers’ Club. Catering facilities were installed and soon the members were meeting on every working day – including Saturday.
In those days The Port of Southampton was either home to, or a port of call for, many of the largest ships in the world and the offices housing the management of the owning companies were situated in the streets adjoining the port area.
The commercial and technical managers, lacking the qualifications to become Cachalots, attended the club as guests and it was not long before they sought a more formal attachment to the club and so Messmates were established and identified by a specially designed tie.
Initially Messmates were not allowed to serve on committees, but this stipulation was soon dropped and a while later the messmates tie was replaced with the Cachalots’ silver badge which all members now wear.
As more women became involved in the maritime industry, both ashore and afloat, they were warmly welcomed into the club and in 2019 we had our first female Captain.
The object of The CACHALOTS is to maintain and foster social and professional comradeship amongst Master Mariners and other persons having an interest in ships and the sea, and to provide in as far as may be possible, a convenient meeting place for members. The CACHALOTS shall be non-political.
In addition, The CACHALOTS aim to encourage and support maritime youth charities, and all those embarking on a career in the marine industry.
The Club presently has approximately 250 Cachalot Members and is based at the Royal British Legion Club in Southampton, where we have office facilities and a meeting room.
We are a social club that encourages friendships and links between maritime professionals (both at sea and ashore), maritime enthusiasts and any who have an interest in, or links to maritime affairs.
The club has been encouraging and fostering connections and friendships for almost a century. We offer social occasions and opportunities to meet like-minded people who all share a love of the sea. These range from curry lunches, formal dinners, social evenings, golf days to the prestigious Sea Pie Supper - there is something for everyone.
Anyone with a connection to the sea may apply to join using the online joining form link below..
It costs a one-off fee of £30 to join and then annually:
Additionally, you will be invited to buy £5 shares in the 250 club which keeps our costs down and gives members a chance of recouping their fees!
Online Joining FormThe objective of the Bursary is to encourage and maintain the younger generation’s interest in ships and the sea.
We offer this to Southampton and Winchester Sea Cadet Units to offer financial assistance for cadets to spend time on the offshore vessels TS Royalist, Jack Petchey and John Jerwood. For most cadets it will be their first time offshore, a new exciting experience in a controlled disciplined environment but equally important good fun even if they have to embrace new tasks, such as washing the dishes and using a hoover!
The applicants are put forward by the respective Commanding Officers with details of why they should be considered for a bursary award. Cadets awarded a bursary are required to write a report of their voyage for publication in the ‘Cachalot’