Chief Stewards Info

[Ivan Cloherty]

#67... One bad year in the North Sea had to watch and listen to a f/v go down with all hands only a couple of miles away. JS

Had a similar situation with the 'Pamir' in 1957 getting torn to pieces ourselves but still went to help although everyone knew in their hearts there was nothing we could effectively do, but you still go, it is inbuilt into you and your profession, must have been a very difficult decision for the old man, the safety of your own crew or the safety of others, but if he hadn't have gone doubt he could have lived with himself afterwards, I doubt any of us would have hesitated to do the same

[j.sabourn]

#7.. Ivan forget the year and forget name of rig off the Eastern Seaboard of Canada but hadn't been in supply boats that long. However the Company I was with had one of their supply vessels over there and was involved in the disaster. The master was brought back to the UK ( Canadian Crew) and went as supernumerary master on another ship to relearn where all the rigs and such were in other words to get himself re-adjusted to the North Sea. Either the UK papers or Canadian papers had printed an article whereby some idiot had told them that the ship had been running down survivors in the water. This was obviously praying on his mind. He was ashore one night away from the harbour on the beach front with the usual crowd. He disappeared and I think everyone thought he had gone back to the ship. He apparently walked into the sea and his body was recovered the following morning in the harbour where the tide had brought it in. So much for the media. It was advertised on TV here last night about a (fantasy?????) film called Deepwater Horizon supposed to be from an actual incident and I wondered if this was the same disaster and if to watch or not, but hey this is Hollywood so how much truth is there is probably about as much as you hear from politicians and will give the unaware of, some sort of buzz. After my incident in the North Sea it was reported that one of the survivors had committed Hari Kari. It worried me for a long time afterwards if it was the same one I had taken the mickey out of when he asked for sea sick pills, he was picked up within 15 minutes of the first explosion and had not seen anything I believe to traumatise him apart from what we all saw. Another 3 met suspicious deaths over the next couple of years, and a couple drank themselves to an early grave over the years, so people I suppose do get traumatised. Maybe that was why on the last Documentary there were only 3 survivors interviewed. However this Deepwater Horizon according to the reviews only had one survivor and would be interesting to find out if it was the same rig I heard about from the master who walked into the sea. Cheers JS

[Captain Kong]

, DEEPWATER HORIZON . Brian
IT EXPOSES WHY IT EXPLODED AFTER MANY TESTS,
VERY INTERESTING IN THE GULF OF MEXICO, THE biggest EVER EXPLOSIAN OF A RIG.

https://youtu.be/GzIAotlNod4

[Bill Morrison]

Post #72. Hi John. Are you thinking of the Ocean Ranger drilling rig. 15th February 1982 she foundered with all hands. Seaforth Highlander was the supply ship involved. They almost rescued about twenty men in one of the rigs own boats but the line parted and they were all lost. Wikipedia carries a full report on the incident.
The skipper I new from my early days with the company a great guy from the Western Iles. I was talking to an old acquaintance a few years ago who was also with the company, as to what lead to the tragedy. He seemed to think apart from the Ocean Ranger episode the loss of the Seaforth Saga which foundered off Canada due a deck cargo of anchor chains breaking loose but all the crew survived. All this and his personal life apparently going wrong proved to much for him.
Bill

[j.sabourn]

#74... Thanks Bill and thanks to Brian for putting the Video up of the Deepwater Horizon, wont have to watch the Hollywood film they have made now. Yes you have clarified it now the Seaforth Saga I even thought was another ship, I was on most of the seaforth ships at one time or another, as apart from spending 4 years on the Seaforth Clansman used to do relieving jobs when on leave a week here and a week there. The story I heard about the Saga was they were backloading drill pipe and ship got overloaded and seas got up the deck ballast and tank air pipes and she just sank. Think I was even on the Highlander at one time will have to look up book. I met the bloke and was a very well thought of man, he seemed to be away in another world when you were speaking to him though. I don't remember if it was himself or someone else remarked on the press releases at the time. I may have been on the Clansman at the time and just up in Aberdeen relieving, if I was back in the North sea I would have been master on the Seaforth Commander but that was way after 1982, so probably was still on Clansman and away from Aberdeen on the West Coast of Scotland so probably got half a story. When were you in Seaforths,? I still keep in touch with Peter Bloomer one of the old hands there, you will also probably remember Micky Reid and a few more. Thanks for your post once again has put me straight once again. Back into the real world. Regards JS

[j.sabourn]

#73... Thanks Brian. Different rig I was getting my Knickers in a twist over. Notice in the film though that reference to the liferafts that were able to get away, that someone had heard my plea to have the lines (tug Lines) which opened them up have a steel heart to prevent them burning too quickly. All that one saw at the P.A. was the floating containers they are in without the rafts automatically filling with air. Everyone suddenly aware after the event maybe. Cheers JS

[Bill Morrison]

Hi again John. I was with Seaforth from 1975-80. They were still building up the fleet, started on the Hero there was eight engineers on her in preparation to join the vessels coming into service. One four hour watch a day, that's the way it should be!! Only sailed once with Peter Bloomer but Micky Reed and Ray Machron I was with for about two years on the Conqueror. I always think of Micky asking for the fool (fuel) figures in his Norfolk accent. I have some photos from my time from Seaforth and will try to put them on site.
Regards Bill

[j.sabourn]

I was mate with Mickey Reid for some time, on the Seaforth Emperor where he started to lose it. Was a good ship handler under the old system of tying up at the rig stern to, when it came to newer vessels and had to lie at different angles no tying up made him a bit nervous. When he left Seaforth think he went super with some stand by company in Great Yarmouth as saw him on the quayside once and was a changed man. Ray McCrone was from the old deep sea school. You may have known Bill Clark from South Shields who was Chief Engineer when I was there. He seemed to just fade away as well. I think Mickey Reids background he had been in the RAF rescue launches. Days long gone like the dive of a pub next door to Seaforths office on Waterloo quay. Cheers JS

[Colin Wood]

My first job as 3 mate on the Scottish Prince was BP37.5/month. Plus sunday's at sea or when 8 hours cargo work in port.

[John Arton]

The original poster was asking for info on Chief Stewards work/wages etc. On poster caused a bit of a fracas by saying that they were basically lazy pizzheads but we wont go there.
Until C.P. removed them as a cost cutting measure (much to the relief of many I can tell you) they were termed Purser/Chief Stewards and were day workers on a salary on par with at least a 2nd Mate in the late 70's/80's.
They were tasked with all the port paperwork and the monthly portage bill and on the catering side used to make up the stores list and also the daily menu.
They had a Chief Cooks ticket and were supposed to be able to draw up a balanced diet menu. In C.P. they were in charge of the Company Bond and used to issue cash subs for going ashore with.
It was only when they were removed and their role taken over by the Master and Chief Cook that we realised how little work they actually had to do on cargo ships. Port paperwork deep sea only came around about once a fortnight or even longer, ordering stores and drawing up menus was something any decent chief cook should be able to do and as for bond and cash work, well that takes about 10 minutes a day.
rgds
JA