Royal navy still don't get it

[Colin Wood]

Thanks, and for previous contributors, most Australian coastal masters were expected to get dispensations for all ports they visited. Also happy that JS had to fill in the chart in Darwin, which made life very easy for us.
In Darwin we only gave dispensations to Australian vessels. WE had a vessel on the coast called the mv"BLUFF CREEK" which was a rig standbye vessel and survey vessel. She had bee on the coast for some years and had been managed by Lombardo from Fremantle and has John Abernathy as the Australian master. She arrived in Darwin and I soke toher on the VHF aand arranged my boarding time. On Boarding John said you might as well have a beer as we aare not paying for pilotage. I must have looked perplexed so he said, look at our stern and there was the Australian red duster. Mick Lombardo had bought her and changed registration. We had several beers to celebrate the new addition to the coast

[j.sabourn]

Knew John Abernathy by sight and reputation as used to see him in the P and O hotel in Freo at the Guild meetings. The Lombardos as well , when met Brian on one of his cruises a few years ago he was in one of their establishments in the fishing harbour. They certain members of the family also worked for Total Marine when I did. The ship I mention about the diver was originally mastered by one of them but his certification was not correct for the job or something and I had to relieve him , forget the original name of ship but ended in Creek. And was converted for saturation diving. Darwin I never did get a dispensation for the port but was in and out like a yo yo , and was supposed to fill in their blank chart next time up there. When the company knew they had to send me up a day early which meant at least 2 days pay , they sent me to another ship working out of Dampier where I already had a dispensation for. Hope Brian enjoyed his Lombardos fish and chips. They were a big family and I had Vince one of the younger ones with me as a seaman at various times. Re Darwin the harbour master was fairly new and was off the Dover ferries. He admitted I had slipped the net, and was trying to get the paperwork straight, but as said never went back there to carry on with the 0ver 10 passages in and out pilotless. It was a straight forward harbour anyway once past the quarantine buoy. Cheers JS. PS The ship was an ex Lombardos and was called Miclyn Achiever and was the ex Cockatoo Creek. She was rigged for saturation diving probably long gone by now. This is in reference to the diver with a sea snake wrapped round his arm. The ship running into Darwin was the Miclyn Pride another ex creek or Lombardos ship but can’t rememer her original name. Cheers JS

[Captain Kong]

I was on an ESSO Tanker, we were heading for Le Havre, I called up the port and gave them an ETA for 1430 at the sea buoy.
They replied that the Pilot would board us there.

I told the Captain, Stan Haddy, [ long time dead now, but a great character] and said , "No Pilot , I am taking her in"
As we were approaching the sea buoy the Pilot boat was waiting, We steamed on right past him.
They were shouting on VHF. I said to Stan, "You answer the VHF,
He told them he was not taking the Pilot
You must take the Pilot, it is compulsary.
Stan shouts down the phone, "I didnt need a Pilot in 1944 and I am not taking one now."
So amid all the screams from Port Control we sailed into Le Havre and to the Oil Berth.
Waiting were about a dozen Port Officials, who came on board shouting. They went into his cabin.and after a lot of shouting I heard the chink of glasses and then singing the french anthem and they had a big party. so Stan won them over with his stories of the Normandy Invasion.

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