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Thread: Elder Fyfes

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    Default Elder Fyfes

    Anyone sailed on or remember the SS CAVINA an oldie sailing on the Avonmouth to Trinidad and Jamaica back in the 1950s. Did one trip as engineers stwd. Carried up to hundred passengers as well as the bananas remember we got a stalk to take home, they were still scarce in those days of long ago.
    Stuart Henderson R396040
    k in the 1950s

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    Default

    G'day 396040 pray tell what did you do with the stalk once you got it home????
    Happy daze John in Oz.

    Life is too short to blend in.

    John Strange R737787
    World Traveller

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    Smile

    ref post#2

    Hi Happy Daze,
    My brothers & sisters scoffed the lot ! A stalk is the whole branch of fruit cut off the banana tree and in those long off days were actually loaded aboard the ship on the wharfies head one by one. I am not talking about a hand or bunch in this respect. This was the days of strict food rationing still in UK and a stalk was well worth the bother of carrying home via the train and a few pubs enroute
    I left school at 14 and joined the Royal Marines band as bandboy and the most enjoyable thing was getting three full meals a day. Was discharged in 1947 musically unsuitable so went straight to the MN via Vindicatrix. Now many ex Vindy boys complained about food and lofe on the Vindy but after the Maines I found it ok. My first ship as galley boy in 1947 brought me food unlimited ....... Heaven after the war years. No I am not a fat b............ Very reasonable actually.
    Only kidding, best wishes
    Stuart Henderson France
    R396040
    Last edited by Doc Vernon; 30th October 2009 at 08:18 AM.

  4. Thanks happy daze john in oz thanked for this post
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    G'day Stuart, thanks for that. Yes it must have been tough with food rationing during the war, I know ew still had it in some form up to about 1953. On reflection the Vindi was bloody good as it set so many of us on lifes best course.
    Happy daze John in Oz.

    Life is too short to blend in.

    John Strange R737787
    World Traveller

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    Default Elders & Fyfes

    I saw your post re the Banana Ship you were on. My best friends Brian Albert Young sailed on the Aruguani in th early 50's, possibly around 1952. I lost touch with him in 1954 when I came to Australia on the MV Woodford. THe last I heard of him was I believe he was working on the Cross Channel ferries on th e east coast to the continent. Is there any chance you may have known him?
    Cheers
    Frank (In Sydney)

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    Thumbs up last trip on the S.S Patia

    Hello shipmates any one on the last voyage ???? 1972 , sold to fiat cars' payed off Itlay Naples? Party every night great bunch ,from all over. any one here?

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    Default Pic

    Just thought i would post this Pic of the old Cavina in case anyone would like to see it!
    Cheers
    Senior Site Moderator-Member and Friend of this Website

    R697530

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    Default The Patia last trip.

    hi captain Kong, great post the skin boats, were {bad feeders} the same as my experiance the food was bad on the Patia, I lived on salad and banana s' and pink Lint for 7 months lost loads of weight, What did they feed the passengers' on?{ A Lovely looking ship } but now just parts for Fiat cars, great party ship plenty of drink e.t.c.,very young crew on her at that time, The derricks were the only time I ever used them on a ship for {cargo work } very outdated , only used them for stores and beer on all the other ships' I sailed on .

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    Default neville roberts

    Hi Kong, I remember mighty joe young too, he was skipper on the Manistee, a real crazy he was, had all the crew trified when on inspection used too wipe his hands along the alleyway decks and see if there was any dust, once thew an engineer out of the saloon for not being dressed right . or being late .also remember the narrow gage railway in TIko, and the land crabs that scurried away as it passed,and the mud hut bar in the village. does wer de days, Ha, Ha,

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    Thumbs up Cavina

    Hi,
    Thanks for the photograpgh of Cavina. She looked like a real ship eh ? I only did the one trip in fifties but a good trip round the Jamaica outports loading the bananas. Recall seeing Errol Flynns yacht off one of the places where he had a villa in those days. Lots of Appletons rum in Jamaica too and young kids diving for coins in the harbour.
    Stuart
    Last edited by Doc Vernon; 30th October 2009 at 08:19 AM.

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