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26th March 2014, 09:32 PM
#1
ship rumours
I can recall on many ships i was on , the rumours would fly round,we would be steaming and waiting for orders, and each day there would be a new rumour, ie West Africa for ore, next day it would be, South America for beef, etc etc. Finally the real order would come through eg Durban for grain, now a new set of rummours, where to with the grain?. Then it would be good news bad news, bad news bulk grain, good news, shifting boards would be needed,, which meant several days in port, and much wine and women, aaaaaah the glory days of trampers, never to be seen again KT
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26th March 2014, 09:34 PM
#2
Re: ship rumours
Same on the Cape fruit ships, we never new where we were heading.
The address for insurance purposes was a park somewhere in London.
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26th March 2014, 09:39 PM
#3
Re: ship rumours
At least with Bibbys you know where you stood. A minimum of 6th months before any mention of home was made.
Regards
John
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26th March 2014, 09:40 PM
#4
Re: ship rumours
I think that it would be quite interesting to be on one of those,never knowing where you may get to next!
Wish I had taken the opportunity at one stage to join one of the Banana Specials from South Africa!
It would I am sure even these days be a great trip on one of the Trampers,as a Passenger imagine paying for say a Six Week trip,and landing up doing a three Months one at no extra cost!
That's what they say the Rules are! Great! Will have to think on that Mmmmm!
Now what do I do with Irene! Opppps!! haha!
Cheers
Senior Site Moderator-Member and Friend of this Website
R697530
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26th March 2014, 09:49 PM
#5
Re: ship rumours
only on one tramp baron bellhaven always a wear ar we going next ended going round the world out pannama back sueze long gone now keith
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26th March 2014, 09:55 PM
#6
Re: ship rumours
tramps the last of the proper ships
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26th March 2014, 09:57 PM
#7
Re: ship rumours
Just the same on Oil Tankers (aaahhhhhhhhhhh happy days.)
John Albert Evans.
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26th March 2014, 10:01 PM
#8
Re: ship rumours
#4 Ah Doc, If Irene is like me she will be thinking whoopie doo
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26th March 2014, 11:06 PM
#9
Re: ship rumours
Originally Posted by
Doc Vernon
I think that it would be quite interesting to be on one of those,never knowing where you may get to next!
....................
Think it may have to remain a dream now Vernon, as our type of trampers have long gone, but if you do find one, let us know because they won't need to advertise for a crew, we have a full one waiting to go, just imagine it, all us old codgers, some with sticks, some hard of hearing and the skipper shouting 'let go the spring' and one of us saying ' did he say stop playing with your thing'
I think my tramping days were my best seagoing days places would never have visited on regular runners..........don't forget to contact us Vernon when you find utopia
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27th March 2014, 12:02 AM
#10
Re: ship rumours
#4... Vernon forget your 6 weeks, you"d be lucky. Remember one passage on Cappys favourite ship 93 days from BA to Japan. Know one apprentice who was away for 5 years, and never got home.Ship payed off twice in far east after 2 year intervals, him being an app. had to stay. On finishing time had 12 months on ABs money. The Baron Boats were infamous for long periods away from the UK, but other companies were very similar. There is no way the present generation would put up with the same conditions. When on Foreign Flag vessels I always insisted on 12 months. The 2 year Articles were very handy for the shipowner. I joined the Maratha Endeavour in Montreal and she had european mates and engineers, at least 2 from Tyneside. Their 2 years were up in Japan but the Company talked them on to staying until the States, and they had that clause inserted in the Articles, However it was 2 and a half years when they finally got off, they were replaced by Indians, leaving the Master, myself and the Ch, Engineer only. She was a good ship however and I myself went over the limit and did 13 months, where I had insisted on 12 months agreement. Cheers Good sailing. John S. PS That particular Master that was there at the time had been there 7 years and been back to Gateshead for 2 weeks during that period. JS
---------- Post added at 01:02 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:31 AM ----------
#8... Marion is probably why I am still married, tried working it out once, the 25 years deep sea, was probably home about a total of 2 years in leave periods. Even now find living ashore a total different lifestyle to what used to. Any seamans marriage that did last was probably due to the fact that it suited. Those wives who couldnt bear to be away from their husbands would never make seamens wives. Saw many a young bloke dragged away from his vocation by wives obsessed at being on their own for long periods. The shipowner brought out this taking away wives to sea, which to me never worked as they saw too much and would never let their husbands off the leash by themselves again, and they had to try and find shore employment or say goodbye to their marriage.Apart from that women on a ship could be a darned nuisance, men living together for long periods of time did not take kindly to their protocol having to change for someone elses wife. Cheers John S.
Last edited by j.sabourn; 26th March 2014 at 11:44 PM.
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