Where are you ?

[vic mcclymont]

Yes John, Clan mainly general cargo. Clan 'r's' designed mainly for fruit, fully refrigerated, after holds had freezer compartments.
Some other Clans partially refrigerated.
Vic

[Captain Kong]

Regarding Fresh Water...………
you were lucky you didn't sail on this one...….

from my story of a voyage on the Dunedin Star in 1956,
we were in Rotterdam and I met a lad I had sailed with on the old EMPRESS OF SCOTLAND

" went ashore at 1pm and at the first bar stopped for a beer. Inside was a lad I had sailed with on the `Empress of Scotland` 18 months earlier.
He was on a Ropner boat, the `Levenpool`, a Fort boat; they were trying to get paid off. They were on a two-year voyage, coal from the Continent to Buenos Aires and grain back to the Continent.
They had all began to break out in scabs and boils with bad guts. They had complained about the water, which was pumped up from the after peak and told the tank was cleaned and cement washed in dry dock in Glasgow nine months earlier. They had the Union man over from London and eventually got the tank drained and then the manhole cover was unbolted. Inside they found the skeletal remains of a man and some empty whisky bottles. It was presumed that the man who cleaned it also had a few whiskies and flaked out inside. When the men shouted inside if anyone was there, no answer, then they battened down… When it was filled up he must have drowned and they had been drinking this contaminated water for nine months. So they were hoping to get paid off.
My mate was gulping ale down as fast as he could, trying to wash the taste of the ships water away. I was keeping up with him and eventually Oblivion. I remember nothing until I woke up at sea bound for London. Don’t remember going back on board or anything."
Brian

[Louis the fly]

With ref. to washing in salt water . The salt in sea water dries up the natural oils in the skin , in time a rash will develop all over the body. This is why there are fresh water showers to wash off the salt after swimming in the sea also in swimming pools to wash off the chemicals.

Dhobying your gear in salt water and drying in the sun makes them as stiff as canvas or carboard , this too will cause a rash , also soap will not lather in salt water.

Ships had salt water taps in the galley and bathrooms for washing down the tiled decks.

[Red Lead Ted]

I am always looking or thinking of life aboard ship to stir up conversation as Louis says we only tend to remember the good times and where all well aware that it was not all glamour aboard ship or a run ashore. I remember going ashore by taxi in Kingston I told the driver I was after a vinyl record sung by Jimmy Cliff it was the theme tune to a big movie in Jamaica called { The bigger they come the harder they fall } I was warned about the port being as bad as it is today not that I needed warning it wasn't my first time in Kingston, But I wanted this record with the original label from Jamaica, Taxi pulled up on the quay and as I was going down the gangway the mate shouted over the rail where do we go to find your body so we can send you home in an envelope are you out of your mind lad, Got in the taxi to say I was getting some dark looks would be an understatement got to a little record shop on a dirt road told the taxi to wait 5 minutes I am going straight back, Walked in and there must have been 20+ Bro,s followed me in it was then I started getting a bit nervy, The guy who sold me the record could not have been more helpful and the crowed that followed me in where all wanting to shake my hand and laughing there bloody head off, I think they actually respected my bottle for what I had done. Still got the record and its very rare indeed. Terry.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHAbj1pIT4g

[robpage]

Reading some other comments on food and water (or lack of) , never suffered any of the inconveniences on the Clan Ranald.
Water was plentiful, never any shortages all fresh.
Food was good and plentiful, only bad food we had was one Purser,who kept serving up nutburger rings. Burgers made likes doughnut,complete with hole in the middle, riddle with nuts, ghastly.
Vic

When I left Clan Line in 1972 there were experiments with a grill menu , order at breakfast for dinner , looked a good system

[vic mcclymont]

Rob, Ranald traditional menu.
Vic

[Captain Kong]

Where are you ?
With ref. to washing in salt water . The salt in sea water dries up the natural oils in the skin , in time a rash will develop all over the body. This is why there are fresh water showers to wash off the salt after swimming in the sea also in swimming pools to wash off the chemicals.

Dhobying your gear in salt water and drying in the sun makes them as stiff as canvas or carboard , this too will cause a rash , also soap will not lather in salt water.
Ships had salt water taps in the galley and bathrooms for washing down the tiled decks. Louis the fly.


Hi Louis , on some of the old ships that is what we had to do, wash and dhobi in salt water, and as said before on the QUEEN MARY and other passenger ships
the Millionaire Passengers, Movie Stars and Royalty, had to wash, shower and bath in Salt Water, There was a special kind of soap that was made for use in Salt Water. We never got that.
Go and stay on her in Long Beach, every tap still has the Original Notice...... SALT WATER HOT, … SALT WATER COLD..... today it is fresh water from ashore of course.
Brian

[cappy]

###i believe seamen in lifeboats in the tropics who used salt water to cool there bodies suffered greatly with boils caused by the salt water which became even more infected and caused great discomfort..cappy

[Ken Norton]

A story from my great grandfather who spent his whole life at sea as a skipper on the old sailing ships goes like this, when they spent many days in rough weather and had to go aloft they got drenched in sea water, they were wet for days and the salt used to bring them out in boils. He used to say it was particularly unpleasant when in the riggings holding on as they were in great pain, but the penalty for letting go was overboard and end of. Wooden ships iron men.

[Brenda Shackleton]

I LOVE this site !
It brings back so many happy childhood memories of my Dad's yarns and my 2 uncles (one MN ; one RN)
It is not only a mine of information but any question posed and everyone does their level best to be helpful and come up with an answer.
Thanks to all the mariners on this site whom I am proud to count as friends.
I'm here for the long voyage. Sail on !
Best wishes to all
Brenda