Further to the semi sinking of the Helisoma

I joined Shell as a first trip Cadet in 1951 and left,seeking pastures new in 1961.
Some years later in 1971,I joined Unicorn lines in South Africa,then a general cargo ship Company trading along the African coast as far
North as the Congo in the West
and Madagascar and the Indian Ocean Islands to the East plus South America. this provided a welcome respite from Tankers.
A few years later,they purchased a second hand tanker from Shell-the Helisoma-to fulfil a charter with Shell South Africa. Searching their crew records for those with Tanker experience,they homed in on myself and I was back where I started.
The Helisoma was renamed Africa Shell after the first of the Graf Spee's victims and I joined as Chief Officer,later becoming Captain,and
when Unicorn started buiding their own Tankers,I took the africa Shell to the breakers in Taiwan.
Whilst with Shell,I joined the first of the H class in Harland & Wolff's yard in Belfast,thus probably becoming the only person to have sailed on both the first and last of the beautiful ships.
Helisoma had also had a Bermuda Triangle experience,when,somewhere off the Florida Straits she came on an unmanned yacht
(rather like the Marie Celeste story) in good condition,and deserted. The yacht was the Revonoc,and was owned by an American millionaire,Harry Conover-Revonoc being his name in reverse. Neither Harry or any other crew members were ever found.

Mike Robinson