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Thread: Chuscal

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    Default Chuscal

    What a great little ship and so many places we went to ,sun ,sand ,rum .Must have called at most banana ports that trip
    2 Jan 67 to 4th April 67 .Made some great friends ,where are you now? Michael Rossouw [KIWI]
    Last edited by Michael Rossouw; 29th August 2008 at 07:17 PM.

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    Smile M.V. Chuscal

    I remember the Chuscal, I joined her on 8/6/67 what a great ship for her size, spotless all over, the white wooden decks, and the grub was so far removed from what I had been on previous. Of course in those days I never knew how well off I occasionaly was, I had had a V.N.C. prior to that trip, and the skipper passed a remark about it, so of course after one trip I payed off. I should have stayed on it, like many a good job, but there was plenty of ships for us then, so I drifted from ship to ship in fact all my life. Looking at the photo's of all the ship's we had I think I was lucky to be at sea from when I was. Best wishes, Mick W.

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    Default SS Chuscal

    Sorry Mick, but the Chuscal was a steam ship!

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    Cool Chuscal

    I was in the ChuscalDec.61good job. Was in the Tilapa in Feb 56.Also done two trips S.S.ChanguinolaSept.61 to dec.61,then the Chuscal. I seem to remember the following trip after i left the Changuinola,she hit bad weather and a couple of the middies and the Bosun were lost overboard,very sad hearing that. Cha
    Last edited by Charlie Hannah; 28th November 2009 at 03:07 AM.

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    Default

    Michael Wisher ,the trip I did four of us got locked up and had to front up to an open air court session in a river port called Almeranti.Our crime ordering the barman to pour us several rounds of free drinks ,causing a fight ,hitting an ofduty police man ,then the army boys in their jungle greens with real guns put a stop to our silly games .Spent the night in the local slammer. Our captain and the American Ambasador bailed us out at $200.00 dollars each.So we were not allowed to sign off till our debt was paid in full.Plus no shore leave lucky we never got a DR.
    Last edited by Michael Rossouw; 4th January 2010 at 06:26 PM.
    Michael Rossouw [KIWI]

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    Default The good old days.

    I did three trips to West Cameroon on the Chuscal from 4th November '62 to March 26th of March 63 as second Radio Officer. It was the best ship I ever sailed on. I remember that we used to play deck golf with wooden mallets and pucks. On the first trip down there with Captain Hamilton, 4th Nov 62 to 9th Jan 63, we broke down off Takarodi Ghana for a few days, something to do with the desalination unit. As a result, we missed our load of bananas and had to spend Christmas anchored off waiting for the next load. It was a great time, lying in the sun at the "White Club" drinking beer until Captain Hamilton asked me and the apprentice to go inland to Yaounde to act as an escort for the niece of the British Consul. I was 17 at the time and I remember it well. Does anybody out there remember that trip? If so I would love to hear from them.

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    Default Eric Want

    Hi Ian
    Also sailed on Chuscal just after you in 1964 also spent nine months serving as third mate with Capt. Hamilton on the" Leith Hill in" 63 to 64 Gulf Coast to West Indies and Central American Ports he was a super chap and could not have wished for a better Master.
    All The Best
    Eric W
    Last edited by Eric Want; 9th December 2010 at 11:28 PM.

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    Default

    hi
    i think my dad guilford caple was on the chuscal the trip they lost 5 men, just wondering if anyone remembers sailing with my father, he also sailed on arthur albright

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    Default S.S.Chuscal

    Welcome aboard Wendy.I hope you find someone who remembers your Dad.
    That was a very sad tragic incident you mentioned about the CHUSCAL.
    Just one example of seafarers being called upon to 'do their expected duty',...and next minute they've been taken.....a great tragedy for their families-their loved ones never came home and,a very sad loss for their shipmates,imagine the feelings of those on board,who would have to continue to sail with the vessel home,leaving behind their shipmates...
    Seafaring was,and still is a very dangerous profession.Hardly any of us realised it at the time,we just knew we loved the life....and it could never happen to us......
    I Found the following on Ships Nostalgia Site,and must credit their members Dave Beaumont and Willie Mac for details and picture of the plaque from CHUSCAL.
     
     
    A Plaque to the memory of the five lads of the Fyffes banana boat "Chuscal" who were lost overboard in 1966. According to a newspaper report at the time the "Chuscal was 520 miles South East of Newfoundland. Around midday the lads were out on deck attempting to lash down a loose horsebox when a huge wave engulfed them and swept them all overboard. A crew member described the seas as mountainous with waves over seventy foot high. Because of the atrocious weather conditions the captain was unable to turn the ship round to search for them. (Photo courtesy of Dave Beaumont)

     
     
    Bosun ANDREW SELF
    A.B. WILLIAM LESLIE HARVEY
    Deck Hand MICHAEL SYDNEY SMITH
    Apprentice ALAN ROBERT McLINTOCK MOODIE
    Apprentice RICHARD MARTIN WILLCOCK

     
     
     
     
     
    R.I.P.
    Gulliver
    Last edited by Gulliver; 11th December 2010 at 08:16 PM.

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    Default

    My father was onboard Chuscal when they lost the 5 men, they were all great lads, my dad was very close to Michael Smith, the deckhand. my dad often talked about that trip, it took him a long time to get over losing such good friends.

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