Anyone Interested in Ships

[tetsudofan]

Seeing the pictures of the Suez Canal reminds me of my trip through the canal in August 1966 on the P&O Chitral bound for Hong Kong. As we entered the canal there was a great big advertising board proclaiming "its quicker by BOAC"

 

Keith

Edited December 4, 2019 by tetsudofan

[chris p bacon]

1 hour ago, tetsudofan said:

Seeing the pictures of the Suez Canal reminds me of my trip through the canal in August 1966 on the P&O Chitral bound for Hong Kong. As we entered the canal there was a great big advertising board proclaiming "its quicker by BOAC"

 

Keith

 

 I have my Fathers photo of that board somewhere

[alastairq]

2 hours ago, Bon Accord said:

Most of the ports in the Perishin' Gulf were awful; blistering heat, the hot air off the desert where you can feel your skin crack as it dries out and the sickening stench of H2S everywhere. I never really noticed the latter in tankers, but when I first went back up the PG in a general cargo ship I remember almost throwing up as we neared Kuwait the odour was so intense. I didn't mind Bahrain for a run ashore, plus Dubai and the Omani ports weren't too terrible either.

Honourable mention should really go to the old tanker berth in Lagos, the one next to the slaughterhouse. Those who had the extreme misfortune to visit will certainly remember....

Aaaah, Lagos!  Went there around 68/69, as a very junior Nav cadet on British Hero. Very nasty. First ship. Got around a bit on the Hero. Ended up paying off in Aden, of all the equally sh$$$e holes. Spent a week there, in the old Crescent hotel, waiting for a flight out......any flight would have done!

Went back there a couple of years later, as an uncert. 3/O........Guardsman or Hussar, can't recall which at the time. The Russians had taken over the place by then.

Recall going to the assistance of a US flagged tanker in the PG, which had suffered a blackout. Fair to melting, they were. Ferried them in groups with a lifeboat to ours.....of course, their ship was dry, whereas ours had a well stocked bar, and working fridges. Needless to say, they were returned happier than when they arrived!

Edited December 5, 2019 by alastairq

[NorthBrit]

A Royal Welcome in Doha, Qatar.  28th November 2019

 

 

 

 

AIDA Prima and Azamara Quest in Dubai 29th  November 2019

 

 

 

[Kingzance]

11 minutes ago, NorthBrit said:

A Royal Welcome in Doha, Qatar.  28th November 2019

 

 

 

 

AIDA Prima and Azamara Quest in Dubai 29th  November 2019

 

 

 

Can’t say that being cooped up on one of those appeals to me, there’s no shed with a model railway to escape to!

[NorthBrit]

1 hour ago, Kingzance said:

Can’t say that being cooped up on one of those appeals to me, there’s no shed with a model railway to escape to!

 

 

This was our 60th cruise.  Loved everyone of them.

— And a Model Railway to come back to.  

[The Stationmaster]

5 hours ago, Kingzance said:

Can’t say that being cooped up on one of those appeals to me, there’s no shed with a model railway to escape to!

Each to their own I suppose KZ, something like that would be like hell on earth water to me but they're not too expensive and our preference for small ships definitely costs a good deal more for a week than several weeks on one of those huge things.  Hurtigruten with a few hundred passengers wasn't too bad although it was a pain at meal times except when there was a really decent sea running which kept lots of them in their cabins (and probably their bunks).   But small ships really suit me and I'm still lusting after a week on Vic 32 while I'm still fit enough to shovel coal but I bet there are rather a lot of folk who wouldn't fancy that one bit.

[KeithMacdonald]

Monaco is (in)famous for the ginormous glitzy glamorous gin-palaces (aka motor yachts).

 

Here's some we walked by earlier this week.

 

 

 

Edited December 5, 2019 by KeithMacdonald

[KeithMacdonald]

As The Stationmaster preferences are , err, a little more down to earth...

 

3 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

But small ships really suit me and I'm still lusting after a week on Vic 32 while I'm still fit enough to shovel coal but I bet there are rather a lot of folk who wouldn't fancy that one bit.

 

... here's something that was also in Monaco that might be more suitable for him?

 

 

In need of a little maintenance and TLC. New toerails, stanchions, fenders, and an industrial-sized washing machine for the mainsail, ropes and rigging. Probably a box full of white silicon sealant tubes as well?

[KeithMacdonald]

Actually visible on Google Maps as well.

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.7349129,7.4229153,2a,49.8y,88.65h,85.68t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sr2vRMm1n0FisGOqNF1ZPdg!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo2.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3Dr2vRMm1n0FisGOqNF1ZPdg%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D195.93887%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.7345717,7.4231319,2a,75y,331.06h,98.9t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sRHeSwQZrWgn2gMqyIPHxJw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

 

[BobM]

Hi Guys, Hope you don't mind the 'vintage' image but having come across this most interesting page just wondered whether anyone on here sailed or was working on this delightful ship...?

 

I did as a 5 and 6 year old, on my way to and from Sydney in the early 60's.....

 

P & O's Himalaya

 

Regards always

Bob

Edited December 5, 2019 by BobM

[New Haven Neil]

KZ and guys, thanks (not) for awakening memories of Rasty-nasty and,,,,err,,,,Ras Al Kaima?  (SP?)  Euww, would be happy never to go there again, or Suez.  I avoided Lagos though!  

 

I only loaded LPG up the gulf, Bibby's only had one VLCC (the pig of a ship that was the Yorkshire) and although I sailed on her twice it was all between Africa and the US gulf - taking coals to Newcastle, Nigerian fines to Texas!

 

As for VIC 32, John wanted us to go on her with him and Mrs Trackshack, but it is too basic in terms of accommodation for Mrs NHN to enjoy.  The Patricia would be OK but a bit posh.....Donk wouldn't like it.

 

The pig ship.  Leaving the Tyne on her maiden voyage by the look of it.  A motorship (8RND90) but with steam cargo pumps, all too much for 5 engineers to look after, as its unreliability was legendary.

 

 

 

[St Enodoc]

1 hour ago, KeithMacdonald said:

As The Stationmaster preferences are , err, a little more down to earth...

 

 

... here's something that was also in Monaco that might be more suitable for him?

 

 

In need of a little maintenance and TLC. New toerails, stanchions, fenders, and an industrial-sized washing machine for the mainsail, ropes and rigging. Probably a box full of white silicon sealant tubes as well?

They'd have to pay me to take her away.

[St Enodoc]

18 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

KZ and guys, thanks (not) for awakening memories of Rasty-nasty and,,,,err,,,,Ras Al Kaima?  (SP?)  Euww, would be happy never to go there again, or Suez.  I avoided Lagos though!  

 

I only loaded LPG up the gulf, Bibby's only had one VLCC (the pig of a ship that was the Yorkshire) and although I sailed on her twice it was all between Africa and the US gulf - taking coals to Newcastle, Nigerian fines to Texas!

 

As for VIC 32, John wanted us to go on her with him and Mrs Trackshack, but it is too basic in terms of accommodation for Mrs NHN to enjoy.  The Patricia would be OK but a bit posh.....Donk wouldn't like it.

 

The pig ship.  Leaving the Tyne on her maiden voyage by the look of it.  A motorship (8RND90) but with steam cargo pumps, all too much for 5 engineers to look after, as its unreliability was legendary.

 

 

 

"Yorkshire" of Liverpool?

 

Shurely shome mishtake.

[New Haven Neil]

33 minutes ago, St Enodoc said:

"Yorkshire" of Liverpool?

 

Shurely shome mishtake.

 

Bibby Line are a Liverpool company, so that is the port of registry.  Nearly all their ships were named after Shires.  

[St Enodoc]

25 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

 

Bibby Line are a Liverpool company, so that is the port of registry.  Nearly all their ships were named after Shires.  

Yes, I realise that Neil but it still looks bl00dy daft!

[62613]

On 04/12/2019 at 22:14, Kingzance said:

When I started my MN career, many of our ships bring crude from the PG (as it was then) were around 30,000 DWT and air conditioning was an afterthought. My last few ships had air conditioned engine control rooms and lifts to access them. How things changed in under 20 years!

BP. About a month off Lagos in the summer of 1976 during the cement crisis; there were. seemingly, crews who spent their entire trips swinging round the hook there at that time. Still, it gave us some practical skills in lifeboat handling!

I'll agree with your description of loading terminals up the gulf. Das Island and Umm Said were particularly bad, because you were stuck on the ship. At the latter was the wreck of the ss British Crown to remind you of what could go wrong while you were loading. Similarly at Bandar Mash, of course.

 

[alastairq]

52 minutes ago, 62613 said:

At the latter was the wreck of the ss British Crown to remind you of what could go wrong while you were loading. Similarly at Bandar Mash, of course.

 Thanks for that..I was trying to recall where it was [up there, so to speak] that  a wreck [in big chunks] was located on the mudbank opposite the loading terminals.....with the giant painted letters ''NO SMOKING'' ....one letter [pretty much] to each chunk?

 

I, too, spent a few weeks swinging at the anchor in Lagos Bay....first time I saw a shark being caught [Indian crew.....rope, meathook, and a nice curry afterwards.......loved the Indian crew ships...their own galley, where we apprentices [Cadets, as they were known in BP tankers...I still have my Indentures] would gather in our mucks on cargo watch for our meals...rather than the officers galley...whose curries weren't really a patch on the 'real thing'...

Trouble was, for us....the Biafran War was still in full swing. Government Navy had apparently run out of fuel.....and we were the replen, so to speak.  Had to wait until passage up the Lagos River was 'safe' enough....

 

For sheer desolation up the PG....I cannot think of anywhere worse than Kharg Island?

[Devastated..if that was at all possible, during one of the Gulf wars....]

 

 

[New Haven Neil]

Ah yes, our cargo ships had Indian crews - I used to disgust my fellow officers by ordering 'crew curry'.  Being a Geordie we were weaned on curry!

 

Only did the one trip on cargo, a shame as it was a great 5 months, the old Warwickshire.  Doxford 6 cylinder, smooth engine, if a bit of a nightmare to work on.  Being skinny back then I used to get all the crankcase jobs.  Added bonus was not going up the PG!  Doing 11 ports in Japan was brilliant.  When ships looked like ships.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[alastairq]

....................and a stay in port meant weeks, not hours?

[New Haven Neil]

Just been sent this from a friend on the Bibby Line Facebook page, the very young and thin NHN engineer cadet (hat on backwards to enhance lifeboat speed) in a lifeboat of the Warwickshire.  No idea where it is! 1976 or 77 we reckon, I don't have my discharge book handy. Dave Browne there was 2/O, he went all the way to command - nice lad.  Were we ever that young?  LOL.

 

[AncientMariner]

7 hours ago, alastairq said:

 

For sheer desolation up the PG....I cannot think of anywhere worse than Kharg Island?

[Devastated..if that was at all possible, during one of the Gulf wars....]

 

 

 

 

Kharg Island, oh boy.  I signed off a VLCC there in the early 1970’s as second mate and had to spend a night in the Kharg Hilton.  All guests were accommodated in a single room which looked similar to a scene in a wartime stalag prisoner-of-war movie with its walls lined with two tiers of bunks.

 

The next night was spent in Abadan, which was much more civilised, before finally flying home the next day.

 

John

[Kingzance]

I only ever joined one ship up the gulf, by launch from Ras Al Khaimah and around the early/mid '70's. A couple of years ago, SWMBO and her sister decided that they wanted to go somewhere warm for a week or so and went to an hotel there - I warned them but they knew better!

[alastairq]

Once went to Mina [in Kuwait].....and it darned well snowed!!!!

 

My time at sea occurred when the Suez canal was blocked....

So trips to the Gulf went round the Horn.....2 weeks either side....with a pause for either a helicopter, or a boat, at Cape Town for stores......once got a load of pre-ordered crayfish there...yum.

Therefore, much of my time was spent shuttling back & forth in the Med, tween either Banyas or Tripoli[Lebanon] and Italy/France/Sicily.

On one ship, the entire group of officers [engineers, deck, radio, even the steward] were confined to the ship, at Mersin, Turkey...after a fracas ashore...

We had our Discharge books stamped [literally...a stamp, postage]....and some squiggly writing, which, when roughly translated later [by the Company Agent] meant 'undesirable alien'...

The Old Man was not best pleased.....Never got sent back to Turkey again......

Anyway, trips to RazzleDazzle for orders....which meant a month out, to lordy knew where, as we wouldn't find out often for 3 weeks.....then back to the Isle of Grain....Not much at either end, really, and a  month in between, each way!

Nicest 'trip' I had [a 'trip' was the 6 months approx on a ship before paying off for a months leave [2 months after being made up to Uncert 3rd mate], was to Join British Merlin in smiths dry dock, North Shields.... a month sat there[or more?]...then the Merlin went on the winter Baltic run......which was really a good run for a tanker...only a few days between ports, then, being Sweden, or Finland, with the short daylight hours, nowt moved after dark....a day was 4 hours long!  Two BP tankers were stuck on the Baltic winter run each year...Merlin was usually one, cannot recall the name of the other ship?

Uk ports were usually Grangemouth or Invergordon...or Grain, or Rotterdam.....the Balti end could be anywhere....in winter, because of the ice, channel buoys were all lifted, and fir trees[]poles] stuck in the ice in their stead..hence no movement after dark...so if we arrived at tea time, there we stopped till the next day....if unloading took a bit longer than normal, there we stayed in port. Christmas in Norrkoping?  Pitea was the furthest north we got.  Aren't the Finns a funny lot?

[New Haven Neil]

2 hours ago, Kingzance said:

I only ever joined one ship up the gulf, by launch from Ras Al Khaimah and around the early/mid '70's. A couple of years ago, SWMBO and her sister decided that they wanted to go somewhere warm for a week or so and went to an hotel there - I warned them but they knew better!

 

 

Feel much the same about Dubai, Greyswift launches?  It's a different place now really, but noway would I actually pay to go there!