Travel times: London to Amsterdam

[Ivan Cloherty]

Samantha, I will give you an extract from my log book for 1958 from one of my coasting periods, just substitute Amsterdam for Antwerp and it will give you an idea of time frames, because in the 1970's things hadn't changed that much on the coasting scene

Vessel m.v. 'Speciality'

Depart Goole 22.10 Arrive Kingswear 24.10
" Kingswear 28.10 " Berryhead 28.10
" Berryhead 29.10 " London 30.10
" London 04.11 " Seaham 06.11
" Seaham 07.11 " Newhaven 09.11
" Newhaven 11.11 " London 12.11
" London 14.11 " Blyth 15.11
" Blyth 18.11 " Antwerp 20.11
" Antwerp 22.11 " London 23.11
" London 25.11 " Antwerp 26.11
" Antwerp 27.11 " London 29.10
" London 01.12 " Antwerp 02.12
" Antwerp 03.12 " London 04.12
" London 05.12 " Antwerp 06.12
" Antwerp 08.12 " London 10.12
" London 12.12 " Glasgow 17.12

Most coasting vessels were designed to travel at 10 knots, few achieved that when in service, 8 to 9 knots was the average on a good day with a following sea and a fair wind, on a bad day you could be down to 2 - 3 knots or hove to because of the weather. Everybody worked 5 hours on and 5 hours off whilst at sea (except the cook/steward) when you had finished your 5 on, you may be approaching port, so your time was extended on river/pilot and docking duties, then attending to derricks and hatchboards ready to receive cargo, then battening down, flattening derricks and tarping up, then hosing down the whole ship to get rid of the coal or grain dust then back on river duties and then back on sea watches. 5 on/5 off, arrive at the discharging port sometimes in less than 24 hours, same procedure derricks/hatchboards/tarps etc. Some times you would discharge coal and move across the dock and load grain, which meant all the holds had to be washed down, a time consuming job. I have even discharged one grade of coal from Barry in Antwerp, moved across the dock and loaded another grade of coal for Swansea, even then the holds had to be cleaned and washed in case of cross contamination (special coals for special steels)

So you can see there was little time for relaxation, or as someone flippantly remarked before what did we do in port, picking your toenails and getting ready to go ashore, that would have been nice, the times we did manage to get ashore we were either covered in coal or grain dust and needed a beer to stop us suffocating, couple of beers then back on board for more work. In the times when we were not loading or discharging there were wires and ropes to splice, lifeboats to maintain, chipping and painting, cargo gear to overhaul, you should have seen the length of my toenails!!

I could go on, hope this gives you a better impression than toenail picking

[robpage]

" Blyth 18.11 " Antwerp 20.11 in Post # 11 ,

Two hours , well that is going some .must have had gin in the bunkers









Apologies in advance Ivan , I just could not resist that one !!!

[Ivan Cloherty]

That would have been nice Rob, wonder how many buoys we would have displaced with our wash

[robpage]

Bouys , washing , Was you in danny's Bar on Arrival

[Ivan Cloherty]

Bouys , washing , Was you in danny's Bar on Arrival

If I remember rightly Rob, THAT was actually my first foreign bar at the tender age of 16 on my first trip with PSNC, little did I realise what better times were to come upon reaching Havana. Our apologies Samantha, we have strayed from your quest and I blame that Rob!!

[cappy]

Samantha,
Depart Goole 22.10 Arrive Kingswear 24.10

. I have even discharged one grade of coal from Barry in Antwerp, moved across the dock and loaded another grade of coal for Swansea, even then the holds had to be cleaned and washed in case of cross contamination (special coals for special steels)


I could go on, hope this gives you a better impression than toenail picking

who put the sails up and down....regards cappy

[j.sabourn]

Samantha ..... The two epistles shown, one describes a deep sea vessel continuing with its crew and manning of that era. The second describes an actual coaster with probably no where near the manning of the deep sea vessel. Nowadays neither would be correct as to manning, you did however specify the 70"s. Regards John Sabourn PS Ivan didn't have time to cut his toenails between ports, hence he holds the Guiness Book of Records for the longest toenails at sea. JS

[j.sabourn]

#12.. Changed over to the tonic for manouvering. John Sabourn

[j.sabourn]

Re. 17. Samantha assume the book you are writing is a novel and not fact. Coasters and deep sea vessels had a different structure of certification for the manning. Was only on the posher companies like Stephen Clarkes who I believe carried a 2nd. Mate. I have never heard of a coaster having the likes of a 3rd. Mate. Nowadays any working vessel, you would be hard pushed to find a 3rd. Mate and indeed in some instances a 2nd. Mate. The same applies to the Engine room usually see a maximum of 2 engineers. I believe it was during the era that you are wanting to know about, things were on the move as re. shipping and home trade certification was not accepted by some ship owners, who wanted to put their ships on Middle Trade e.g down the Mediterranean you then came into middle trade certification. Nowadays things have again changed in an attempt to make the certificate structure universal (some Hopes) If your book is not fiction and a factual account of that era, further exploration of those times may be necessary. Regards John Sabourn

[Ivan Cloherty]

John, number 19, I think you will find that all ships over 200grt in 50's/60's and 70's carried a master and 2 mates otherwise they could not sail, it wasn't restricted to Stepheson Clarkes, just speaking as a man who was responsible for making sure that they complied with the rules and having some 500 men under my control in the 60's and 70's under HT/MT and FG. Ships under 200 GRT could carry a master and mate only and restricted to HT