How disappointed were you

[Lewis McColl]

When BP were getting into the LNG game with the Trader class ships we would spend several weeks at anchor every other day you would be told berthing tomorrow, it was hard to settle. Worst period was as your pay off date drew nearer you had it in your mind that you were going to get brought alongside to load.
Happened twice to me. One time I was spitting feathers though. I was due off for Christmas. Brought alongside on the 20th December to load for Korea via the Cape. We had to go alongside to load sufficient LNG to cool down so the oldman asked the company to send the reliefs out when we got out to anchor again while cooling down. Due off were Capt, C/Eng ETO and myself. All turned up bar my relief. He threw a sickie.
Got home the end of January. When my relief turned up first thing he says to me, I have arranged a holiday so I will need you back to relieve me in 8 weeks will that be okay? Asked him why he did not come out in Trinidad, selfish asshole says what !!!! 4 days before Christmas no way Jose. He ended up doing over 6 months that trip as I had outstanding leave back dating from over 18 months. BP apologised over the delay at not getting me off and thanked me for not kicking up a fuss. They sent my wife a nice Christmas floral arrangement. I was home a week when BP phoned me and said if I wanted to take my full leave and also the outstanding leave I was owed. When I was flying out to join again I met up with a guy at Manchester airport BP told me to page him. He was joining with me as Trainee Gas engineer. Plan was when I thought he was ready to fly solo I would pay off go home for a couple of months and then comeback and relieve him. This worked out well as we both got part of the summer at home and lined me up for the next Christmas. We sailed as back to back with each other for nearly 4 years. He would do me favours and and I like wise. He needed to be home for his daughters wedding so would I mind covering another round trip, why would you not do that for a decent bloke.

[robpage]

working with Sealink day on , two days off we would work out the rosters and reliefs to suit home life , hardly ever saw a sickie , but a fourth engineer rang in sick one day as his mother was dying and he needed to go and see her , as I was handing over to my relief he looked quite quizzical , the same guy had taken three days off several years before to attend her funeral

[Captain Kong]

My wife at the time, now deceased, had a habit of phoning the Office to say that I wanted extra time on board, and so I was doing 7 months instead of 3 and a half months.

[robpage]

she could have been helping you get sea time

[j.sabourn]

Or giving him time to. Sober up. JS. Never mind Brian were only joking. My wife did the same to me just before we left the uk, they were only 4 week swings though. Probably worried we couldn’t pay for the air fare. JS

[robpage]

The only fly in fly out trip Ì ever did was with gulf oil . We did 6 months on 3 months off the turnaround very often if we were on the west coast of the USA was always in Huntington Beach if you missed the 24 hours there then you will be waiting about three weeks for the ship to go down to South America reload and come back it was very easy to end up doing two extra three weeks if you wasn't careful if your relief wasn't in the boat that came out then the best bet was to start howling and complaining straight away