tankers

[cappy]

just wondered how many folk swam in tanks after ship was degassed and ballasted
spent 11 months on indian coast from mina or abadan all over indian coast thro summer
lost 2 stone all hands wearing longis no air con and bad water grub not so hot
only way to cool sleep on deck
cameout of tanks body glistening told your bronzy would be the best
always some clever c...t to drop tank lid not a good feeling no health and safety then
all hands rushing tofreezer when cook opened it to try and cool best thing about trip good payoff also had monkey a good friend hard times good times set me up for life
regards cappyr683532

[Louis Makinson]

Yeah I can remember goin "tank diving" on British Prestige being washed off in a 45 gallon drum and being force fed :-/ a rather large tot

[j.sabourn]

My memories of tankers were about a year between two vessels the Laurelwood and the Hollywood. Joined the Hollywood in Bandur Mashore after a long drive in a jeep over the Desert. Joined her as Mate on a 4 mate ship , the Ch. Officer was only there for cargo purposes. Never been on a Tanker in my life previous to this. Loaded a full cargo of Naptha for Japan. Arriving Japan the Chief Officer was taken off and sent home, we then became a 3 mate ship with me as the 1st so had to do all the loading and discharging. They also paid off the pumpman who would have been a guiding light to me. Fortuanetley the 3rd. mate was an old tankerman and the Ch. Engineer and received a lot of help from these two. At end of time was flown down to Oz from Tehran nearly finishing up in gaol, was the time of the deposing of the Shah, and joined the Laurelwood which went on the Kiwi coast. Although the Kiwi coast was a good run even then, could never get the same feeling for a tanker as I had for a cargo ship. JS

[Captain Kong]

I spent quite a few years in Tankers mostly with ESSO, I did three SHELL tankers, TECTUS, NORRISIA and SHELL TRADER. and also cargo company tankers, `KENT` of NZSC and `WILLIAM WHEELWRIGHT` of PSNC and `CLUTHA RIVER` of Houlders. and the `TUNG TSING` of Hong Kong.
The KENT was one of the best ever. of those.
ESSO was the best ever company to work for. Best wages, best accommodation and feeding, best leave ratio.
and at the end, early retirement with a huge lotto size pay off and pension.
They paid for all College Fees and Examination Fees, best hotels world wide. and expenses.
That was the best move I ever made. after twenty years still spending the Pay Off.
Cheers
Brian.

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi Cappy.
Happy days swimming down the tanks, like you say as long as no one dropped the lid. We took a load of crude down to the new refinery in Freemantle on the Baron Kilmarnock the only tanker the baron line had, on the way back to the gulf did a lot of tank diving. She was built for the Dane's but taken over by the baron line, single berth lovely accommodation twelve months trip mainly on the Aussie coast great memories.
Cheers Des.

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[cappy]

hi des yes i am pleased at last to know others also swam down the tanks .....it was a great way to cool off on the indian coast ....i wonder if it would be stopped now on a merchnant ship it sure was one way to get an oil on your body for bronzying ........still think now of the consequences elf and safety were unknown in the 50s .regards cappy