SalBoats

[Michael Bates]

I was on the Salambria and Salmela ,Hughie Murray was bosun on both ,a great man.

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I was 16 months on the Salambria a great ship with a great crowd mainly Shelties in 1967 and 1968.

[Bob Montgomery]

I was on the last SAL boat "SALVINA" 8 months sold and handed over in Singapore sorry sad day great ship great crowd run like clockwork .......got the TROUP HEAD after that then swallowed the anchor

[tom wilson]

Just checked my old discharge book, i joined the Salambria 2nd July 1968 at Los Angeles,left 1st September 1969 Montreal, 14 month trip great ship great crew a couple of English lads but most of the crew was from Leith, where did you leave the Salambria ??

[Michael Bates]

Just checked my old discharge book, i joined the Salambria 2nd July 1968 at Los Angeles,left 1st September 1969 Montreal, 14 month trip great ship great crew a couple of English lads but most of the crew was from Leith, where did you leave the Salambria ??

Left her when you joined Tom,what was your ports?we had settled into a japan to west coast canada,U.S.run sometimes doing Cedros island and Ensenada in Mexico after atrip up the great lakes and even down to Aussie up to India and Malaysia,loved that ship.Archibald was skipper couple of my mates stayed on Dave Robertson who was later to become a teacher and Peter Thomson an apprentice he ended up in the coastguard.Salmela was ok but not a patch on the Salambria crowd was not as good although there was acouple that was on Salambria namely Hughie Murray and Bobby Trotterand wee Danny McCloud was paying off when we joined.

[tom wilson]

Hi Michael, We done a couple of round trips west coast ,Canada ,Japan, then we went on a round the world trip,loaded Japan then to Borneo to load teak logs (right up one of the rivers into the jungle) then Singapore,Penang,Bombay,bunkered at Aden the on to Algiers to load US Mail and 4 American diplomats cars, New Jersey then the great lakes,went from there in ballast to Charleston to load cow hides,Panama up to Ensenada to load rock salt, we had to unload the cow hides onto the quay then load the rock salt then reload the cow hides,arrived in Tokyo roads had to anchor for 2 days quarintine with the hatches open to get rid of all the flies from the hides then the Japanese came on board and sprayed all the hatches,discharged in various Japanese ports then a full load general cargo for the great lakes where paid off in Montreal, i was 2nd cook/baker and the chief cook had done the previous trip with you Drew was his name (forgot last name) he was from Edinburgh,cannot make out the skippers name in my discharge book he was a follower of football and we played many games over the course of the trip(only time we got a half day) only problem was he was a Hearts supporter so we had Hearts strips (most of us were Hibs supporters so it did not sit well playing in Hearts strips) but it was a great trip and had loads of laughs

[Michael Bates]

Yes that was Archibald he was a.big Hearts supporter,Drew was Drew Inkster a bit of acharacter and an early riser to make Tabnabs for the boys when he was 2nd cook.Sounds like you got around a bit on that trip,thats what i liked about Salvesens every trip was a.magical mystery tour,Harry Miles a Englishman would have been Bosun on there at that time he only joined in April1968. I was on another tramp later the Grainton one of Chatty Chapmans and boy was she a.contrast to Salvesens a good crowd on deck from all parts of the country but the ship was a wreck although only 12 years old and the conditions were spartan to say the least.

[tom wilson]

Hi Michael, I could not make out the skippers name when you said Archibald i remembered it, yes Drew was quite a character but i got on great with him he only did another year at sea then went ashore as he had saved all his tax rebates and bought a couple of Edinburgh taxis (his Dad drove one and he drove the other), i remember Harry Miles he lived in Kelso in the Borders the Chief Steward (Cannot remember name) he also came from Kelso and they were good mates. I had sailed with Henry & McGregors (company owned by Salvesons) for a couple of years done a few more trips with them after the Salambria then joined Silver Line 1970 as Chief Cook then Purser Chief Steward, stayed with them until 1984 then came ashore, they were another great company crews were well looked after.

[Michael Bates]

I was on Buries markes,Shell,Chapmans,Elders and Fyffes,C.T.Bowrings before joining Salmela in Naples We went to Dunkirk and Felixstowe to load general cargo for New Caledonia and 90 odd empty containers on deck for New Zealand ,they were just starting a container service and wanted empty boxes,we had them on deck and had to fly the derricks all the way to N.Z. We got to Wellington and i jumped ship on a whim wasnt planned just decided to leave onthe day for some reason unknown to me.That was 1971 and i have lived here since then and of course i have been back to Scotland since several times,ive done a lot of travelling as i have kids living inAussie.U.S. Ireland as well as 2 here.life has been pretty good.

[tom wilson]

Hi Michael, I sailed with Union Castle,P & O,BP Tankers,Shell, Lyles of Glasgow (Cape Boats) and a few other small companies, some were crap ships but it was only one trip and then on to the next trip. If you google "Shipspotting.Com" you will find a photo of the Salambria in Adelaide on charter to Japan Lines, I now live in Barry,South Wales lovely small town, all my kids live near and see them every week, my 2 brothers emigrated to OZ in the 60/70s keep in touch with emails and when they come back to the UK for a visit. It has been a good chat remembering the old times. all the best for the future.

[Michael Bates]

Thanks Tom and the same to you,i worked in the port of wellington for 17 years in various jobs.but have been a self employed painter since 1992 and am still doing it.I still miss the sea,loved my time there.