Blue funnel line

Thanks for the photos Brian one of those buildings could have been the Shanghai seamen club I think it might have been the one on the right , from what I remember it had large stone pillars as you walked up the steps again it was supposed to have had the longest bar in the world I spent a week there after coming out of hospital , I did hear that it became a Kentucky fried chicken outlet for a while some time back how true that is I,m not to sure but as we all know nothing stays the same , Ivan I well remember everyone used to dress the same ,you where in Shanghai before me that time I spent on the train was an eye opener that's for sure my first Chinese port was Whampo just outside of Hong Kong from what I remember best regards to all hands Dave .

No I,m wrong that's not the building I just looked it up it is now a hotel , just to walk through those doors again after 55 years what a feeling that would be ,to me it still seems like yesterday it is so vivid in my mind but experiences I had in recent years I have a job remembering but my time at sea now that's another thing although I only spent 12 years in the merchant navy I in my mind will always cherish those times more than anything I did when I left , I packed it up in 1970 to me it was all coming to an end as I have said before from what I know the whole of the great Blue funnel line was up for sale in the early 70,s along with many other great companies in 1965 I did the last voyage of another great little company the South American saint line so in my mind it was not going to improve I had been there at the best times it was time to move on and put the skills I had learnt at sea to good use ashore I got a job in the lift industry just because I was able to splice wire although in my 33 years working on lifts I only ever spliced rope regards to all hands Dave

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Originally Posted by kurutai

No I,m wrong that's not the building I just looked it up it is now a hotel , just to walk through those doors again after 55 years what a feeling that would be ,to me it still seems like yesterday it is so vivid in my mind but experiences I had in recent years I have a job remembering but my time at sea now that's another thing although I only spent 12 years in the merchant navy I in my mind will always cherish those times more than anything I did when I left , I packed it up in 1970 to me it was all coming to an end as I have said before from what I know the whole of the great Blue funnel line was up for sale in the early 70,s along with many other great companies in 1965 I did the last voyage of another great little company the South American saint line so in my mind it was not going to improve I had been there at the best times it was time to move on and put the skills I had learnt at sea to good use ashore I got a job in the lift industry just because I was able to splice wire although in my 33 years working on lifts I only ever spliced rope regards to all hands Dave

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The thing about splicing rope is you never forget how to perform any splice with eyes closed, I have just fitted a washing line in my new garden for the wife, Both ends have back splices, They are run through the swallow of two blocks from a sailing yacht that swivel and are secured by two shackles which is made fast on two masts that have two strops with eye splices, They fasten on cleats in a figure of 8 knot, And have figure of 8 knots 2 fathoms from the blocks to stop them running threw the blocks sheave, Funny how you never forget......................Ship shape and Bristol fashion. :thumb_ship:

#14... Ref to the two nights I got at home in 1953. I arrived home about 10 at night and had that and the following night at home and back to ship the next day. Its funny how the mind works but that invoked memories of what I did on those less than 2 working days. I went into the local tobacconist to get a packet of fags, and was served by a girl who I went to school with she would have been 16 the same as me, asked her out to the pictures, her answer was eeeeeehhh John I cannit I'm married. The same girl about 6 years later committed suicide, what a waste of a life. The other was going into a café on the sea front and ordering a cup of coffee, I only had a big white Fiver and no change, this cause a kerpuffle and had to sign on the back of it with name and address, I put my home address on. it was quite a few years before I was ever home again, but those two days was like being in a foreign world. Can remember clearly that 2 days yet cant remember last week. JS

Don't believe you!

The story of my first post-war voyage with Blue Funnel is told in my book, OUTWARD BOUND, which is now available on Amazon in both Kindle and print formats. The ship was the Samnesse, and I never had a happier time at sea.

Blue flu old boys have just had their reunion this weekend in Bangor N Wales, BlueFlu was always know as the Welsh Navy, lol

The story of my first post-war voyage with Blue Funnel is told in my book, OUTWARD BOUND, which is now available on Amazon in both Kindle and print formats. The ship was the Samnesse, and I never had a happier time at sea. Ian.

Hi Ian ,
I sailed on the SAMNESSE from December 1959 t0 June 1960,
When I joined she was the Glen Shiel and then we took her into dry dock in Falmouth and was renamed EURYADES of Blu Flu.
I wrote the story of the Voyage
`A VOYAGE TO THE SPICE ISLANDS`. The best and most exciting trip I ever did.
Cheers
Brian
POST No.3 on page 1 of this thread,

Here are some photos on deck and with Charlie Kakatoa on my shoulder. in our sarongs , Blu Flu uniform in those halcyon days.

There is a facebook page 'Blue Funnel for Old Timers' which is interesting to those wanting to get a glimpse into the goings on within the BF. I can detect a 'two tier' of postings. Those that were in the REAL BF pre late 60s, and those who were in Ocean Shipping & Trading in the 70s & 80s where tankers and container ships are discussed. I would concede they looked nice but, looked like a work up on deck with all those derricks.

I never fancied sailing on the Blue Funnel built ships of the 50s/60s, looked hard work on deck and had strange ratings, ,,,, Bosun Lampy , Leading Hands and then AB. What was all that about , a Leading Hand.?? was he Senior to an AB.
After my voyage on the EURYADES, SAM Boat, we were sent to join the New MELAMPUS, on her maiden Voyage, didn't like the look of her and some fellow calling himself a Leading Hand, telling me what to do. No chance,
Fortunately just before she sailed the 1960 Seamens Strike started in Liverpool so some of us walked off, Mr Greenwood sent us a letter saying we would not be welcome to sail with Blu Flu again.
They had done away with their SAM boats so had no more interest.
Cheers
Brian