Life in Blue Star

[robert spencer]

Known as Bob Spencer, I joined my first ship as Junior Engineer April 1970 in Avonmouth to Kiwi for a load of frozen lamb.
Spent the next 16 years sailing on many of the company's ships including:- Argentina Star, Tasmania Star, ACT4(my first horrible experience of box boats), Brasilia Star, Tuscan Star, Montreal Star, Almaria Star, Browning, Boniface, Andalucia Star, Romney and Churchill(ex New Zealand Star).
Enjoyed every minute of it. Would like to catch up with old friends.

[Captain Kong]

Hi Bob
Welcome to the site.
I sailed on a few Star boats in the 50-s,....New Zealand Star of 1935, Dunedin Star, of 1950 , Adelaide Star of 1950 and Tasmania Star of 1950.
Big Hungry Workhouses. Lousy accommodation, Lousy feeding, Heavy on deck, the only good thing about them was the Run to OZ and Kiwi.
A few story's of the voyages on `Seafaring Stories` thread in the `Swinging the lead Forum`.
Cheers
Brian

[Charlie Hannah]

I was on a few Star boats good run always had good crowds,backed out of the last one i was on in Auckland N.Z. a Ballbreacker and an A****** of a skipper!

[happy daze john in oz]

G'day Bob, did you ever sail with a navigation officer by the name of Tim Noble by any chance. He was with Blue star for a number oif years.

[Mike Rust]

I was briefly on Braslia Star in 74 as Junior Engineer. Good times but no one believes the stories.:-)

[Ivan Cloherty]

I was briefly on Braslia Star in 74 as Junior Engineer. Good times but no one believes the stories.:-)

Mike no one believes the stories of what we did in the 50's and 60's, when we sailed with people who had experienced being at sea during WWII and had no fear and knew how to enjoy themselves and instilled in us youngsters (then) the spirit of adventure, dare and do, and a reason to be glad to be alive, when most of us think back to the things we did in those era's (especially ashore!) we can only shake our heads and mutter 'I must have been insane' . They may not believe your/our stories but we know what we did and that is something no one can take away from us, enjoy your memories they are yours to keep and cherish. The other day for some unknown reason I was looking at some of my notes on my later life after leaving the sea, it would seem that insanity never quite left me!, why did I record them, I don't really know, but they have given me a chuckle

[Captain Kong]

Some times I can hardly believe my own stories, "Did I really do that?? was that man really me??" unbelievable.
What a fantastic life.
We were the last of the Seafarers, The world will not see our likes again.
Brian...........frantically searching for that bottle of Captain Morgans.

[Keith Tindell]

Ref 5, we all have crazy stories to tell from our time , most of us still wonder how we lived through it, but let's have the stories Mike, this is the one place that we can all relate to those stories, so get your fingers on the keyboard, regards kt

[Dennis McGuckin]

Hi Bob
Welcome to the site.
I sailed on a few Star boats in the 50-s,....New Zealand Star of 1935, Dunedin Star, of 1950 , Adelaide Star of 1950 and Tasmania Star of 1950.
Big Hungry Workhouses. Lousy accommodation, Lousy feeding, Heavy on deck, the only good thing about them was the Run to OZ and Kiwi.
A few story's of the voyages on `Seafaring Stories` thread in the `Swinging the lead Forum`.
Cheers
Brian

Hi Brian,Have been surprised at your comments that the 'Star' boats were bad feeders.
You paid off the Tasmania Star the trip before I joined.
There was an Aft galley for the crew. Also one midships for officers and any passengers.
So two ships cooks.
Now I don't know if it was the same cook aft when you were aboard, but he was a great 'chef'.
I ate from his galley all the time.
Have a photo of him someplace.
Sounds like you missed him.
You should have stayed on.
Also you would be able to dispel the slanderous rumors regarding my tab nabs started by one of our 'Strange' shipmates.
Also found the Argentina Star to be a good feeder.
Then again. I was in the galley.

[Captain Kong]

- - - Updated - - -

Thanks Den
Every Star Boat I was on was a lousy feeder, the Crew Cooks were alway plonkys, and we were always on our Pound and Pint.
6ozs fresh offal, per man, per day, per haps. We were starving with 15,000 tons of meat on board.
Homeward bound we used to go down the hatches and get a case of Corned Beef or a case of tinned Pineapples or peaches to survive.
They were hard ships when I was on them. It is all in my stories of them in Seafaring Stories thread in the Swinging the Lamp Forum.
Cheers
Brian.
The Tasmania Star was a sister to the Adelaide Star.