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Thread: Skycrest

  1. #1
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    Default Skycrest

    Junior Eng on Skycrest joined Rotterdam8/2/63 payed off Venice 16/1/64 were you responable for shaving me when we crossed the line ?

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    Default Re: Skycrest

    We obviously spent some time together on the Skycrest but I can't recall your name. Sorry I have taken a while to come back to this but laptop has been in intensive care for a while.

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    Default Re: Skycrest

    Hi David, Were you the saloon steward with Lofty.Everybody called me Taf/Taffy

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    Default Re: Skycrest

    Hi Don

    Guilty as charged that was me as Second Steward. Lofty (alias Jackie Brand) comes from the same town (South Shields) and I still see him from time to time. He never went back deep sea, after leaving Skycrest he went into cable laying vessels and more lately working on the offshore wind farms although by now he should be retired. After the Skycrest I went back in the deep sea trawlers for about 5 years before getting married and coming ashore, had one more go at it in 1975/76 but couldn't make enough money so said goodbye to fishing forever. Somehow I got into transport/logistics and spent the rest of my time up to retirement doing that, for the last ten years I was Operations Manager for Port of Tyne Logistics.

    You may recall two other engineers who might have been on the Skycrest at the same time as you, Big Jonny Gray from Sunderland who sadly lost his life at a relatively young age in an engine room fire on, I believe the M.V. British Trent.

    The other guy was Brian Hansen again from South Shields he came ashore a few years later and went back into the ship repair yards ending up in senior management, sadly he had a heart attack and died just after he retired aged about 60.

    I hope you are well it's like a blast from the past being in touch with you, where are you living now ?

    Stay fit
    Dave

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    Default Re: Skycrest

    Hi Dave

    Even after 50 years it is still sad to hear of the death of two shipmates who you remember always winding you up by telling you every thing is biger and better on the Tyne,

    I also remember when they left me alone they would start on each other, and say only one of them was a true gordie as one lived north of the river.
    I have some photos of all the engineers and lecy in my cabin with the usual tin of Tennants, I was going to post them, I don,t know how people will feel if I do that now(maybe members could help on this one).

    Where you King Cunute when we crossed the line?,I can remember one of you coming down the engineroom, me shaking in my boots as you had wound me something terrible as to what you where going to do to me?
    What I remember you treated me kindly, made me a skin head and washed me down with the fire hose, I have a photo taken in Cape Town of my hair cut and to think thats how I wear it today.

    When you think the Skycrest was a non- pool ship and a lot of nationality in the crew , I still say it was one of happiest ship that I sail on.

    Don

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    Default Re: Skycrest

    Hi Don

    I can't recall who played the roll of King Canute but it wasn't me, honest. I remember first time I crossed the line was in the Orecrest going down to Vitoria Brazil then back to Port Talbot (where else). Not the most dignified ceremony but it was all good fun and taken in good heart even if it did take a while for my hair to grow back, happy days eh.

    I agree with you the Skycrest was a happy ship, good crew mixed nationalities, Spanish, Italian, Yugoslavs etc. Captain Lowes was one of the nicest guys you could sail with as was the Chief Engineer but I can't recall his name.
    I think that is why I stayed on her so long, about 18 months, and there was plenty of variety in the countries and ports we visited, much better than the "iron ore run".

    I particularly liked Vancouver so when an old friend of mine emigrated years ago I couldn't wait to go out and see him. We've now been to British Columbia 12 times

    I often regret not doing the same thing myself as it is the most fascinating place.

    I also have quite e few photos from the good old days, fifty years younger and fifty pounds lighter haha.

    Hope we can stay in touch Don

    Cheers for now
    Dave

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    Default Re: Skycrest

    Hi Dave

    O Vancouver have good memories, while at anchor waiting for the berth on Vancouver Island C/E Patterson came into the duty mess and said Taf you have a visiter, and then in walked my uncle who had come out on the pilot boat. to cut a long story short while there I had my 21st birthday in Vancouver ,my cousins took me up a mountain that was covered in snow which had a cafe on the top and me in my best go a shoregear. We then went to a restaurant call The White Spot (I still have the matches that were on the table)for a meal. We also had a 21st birthday party good times.

    Do you remember the first cargo that we picked up after leaving Rotterdam?

    A while back I was swinging the lamp with an ex 2nd mate who told me that for awhile he was running grain from Vancover to Cape Town, and what did we pick-up in Cape Town for Communist China. I still have some bank notes from there I often wonder if they are worth anything.

    Cast your mind back to Friday 13th December 1963 can you remember what happened

    I felt the same about N/Z after we spent all that time on the coast, I applied to work in there Naval Dockyard thats another story.

    Speak again later

    Don

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    Default Re: Skycrest

    Hi Don

    That's the name I was looking for Patterson. Yes Vancouver was a bit special, the place you went for your birthday meal was probably Grouse Mountain which overlooks English Bay, at night it is quite spectacular. We have also been up there during the day watching the loggers carve animal shapes with their chain saws.
    White Spot is a huge chain of cafes throughout Canada and U.S. they serve up some awesome burgers as the Canucks say.

    I think when we left Rotterdam we went light ship to South Africa either Durban or Capetown (stopping off at Dakar in Senegal for bunkers) to load for Tsingkang China. If memory serves me it was sugar.

    I do remember some months later we ended up in New York and because we had indirectly come from a communist country the Customs guys stripped down every cabin looking for commie propaganda material. They even took my parrots seed saying it could have poppy seeds in it eh!

    I can remember being in Vancouver when Capt. Lowes told me Kennedy had been shot but can't say I remember anything about Fri 13th unless it was the day our cargo of alfalfa pellets from Long Beach caught fire just before we got to the Panama.

    I was also very keen on NZ and at one stage when we were in Napier a trawler owner who I met, offered to sponsor me to come back out and work for him.
    Another missed opportunity what !!

    If I can find a way to send a private message to you with my E-Mail address I will do so then maybe you could post those photos.

    Watch her when she rolls

    Dave

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    Default Re: Skycrest

    Dave all you have to do is click on 'Don Cook' in his message, that will bring you to private messages and you can send without anyone else seeing it

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  18. #10
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    Default Re: Skycrest

    Hi Dave

    Yes Grouse Mountain rings a bell.

    While we were in China did we play a foot ball match against a local side?.

    Do you remember all those guys turn-up on bikes with little stools and chipping hammers then then sit on deck all day chipping away.

    You mention that when we hit New York the customs guys went through the ship looking for any propaganda material, I had said material which I wanted to keep as a souvenir, ships agent took me and one other person ashore to appear before a judge and we were both fined, I think it was some thing like 25 dollars,I oftern wonder if I ever apply for a visor to visit the States will I get one?

    Keep Swinging The Lamp

    Don

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