Around the world in 80 weeks

[Ivan Cloherty]

Philias Fogg did it in 80 days

Joined Wandby in London on 26th Oct 1960, couple quick trips across to USA for grain, second one to Avonmouth then sailed on our marathon as below,One of Ropners around the world in 80 weeks "Wandby"
Sailed 29th January 1961 Avonmouth-Flushing-Dunkirk-Suez-Djibouti-Hong Kong-Albany (Aus)-Balik Papan-Dairen-Moji-Sydney-Chinwangtao-Yokohama-Vancouver-Yokohama-Hsingkan-Shimonoseki-Nishiyama-Vancouver-Hsingkang-Kobe-Vancouver-Shanghai-Kobe-Newcastle NSW-Sydney-Hsingkan-Shanghai-Hong Kong-Whampoa-La Se Wei-Djakarta-Geelong-Tarakan-Shanghai-Shimonoseki-Newcastle NSW-Sydney-Hsingkan-Moji-Tahsis-Port Alberni-Vancouver-Nanaimo-Tahsis-Panama-Willemstad-San Juan PR-Baltimore-Camden-New York-Philadelphia-Antwerp-South Shields arrived 12th Sept 1963

Philias won, as it took us 80 weeks. Now come on you Liner men you must admit that this not knowing where you were going next was better than a "bus run" Couple nice bonuses drydock in Japan then later Engine repairs in Japan, times in port in Aus and Canada were shorter than times in port in China, where we were not allowed ashore except under armed escort.

Met my future wife in Avonmouth, had two dates before we sailed then didn't see her again for 19 months. No mobile phones or internet in those days couldn't even post letters in China, but I knew she was the one for me, still have the dance ticket from the night we met at the dance

Anyone else got any marathon trips

Ivan

[Tony Wilding]

My longest was 11 months and 10 days. Mv wanstead, watts watts and co.

[John Cassels]

My longest was 14 months 14 days , Naess Cavalier - bulk carrier. Left home at 16 and came home a month
after my 18th birthday.

Also did a few round the world trips , all of them on bulk carriers. Bit like tramping as you never knew
what the next fixture would be.

[John 45]

Philias Fogg did it in 80 days

Joined Wandby in London on 26th Oct 1960, couple quick trips across to USA for grain, second one to Avonmouth then sailed on our marathon as below,One of Ropners around the world in 80 weeks "Wandby"
Sailed 29th January 1961 Avonmouth-Flushing-Dunkirk-Suez-Djibouti-Hong Kong-Albany (Aus)-Balik Papan-Dairen-Moji-Sydney-Chinwangtao-Yokohama-Vancouver-Yokohama-Hsingkan-Shimonoseki-Nishiyama-Vancouver-Hsingkang-Kobe-Vancouver-Shanghai-Kobe-Newcastle NSW-Sydney-Hsingkan-Shanghai-Hong Kong-Whampoa-La Se Wei-Djakarta-Geelong-Tarakan-Shanghai-Shimonoseki-Newcastle NSW-Sydney-Hsingkan-Moji-Tahsis-Port Alberni-Vancouver-Nanaimo-Tahsis-Panama-Willemstad-San Juan PR-Baltimore-Camden-New York-Philadelphia-Antwerp-South Shields arrived 12th Sept 1963

Philias won, as it took us 80 weeks. Now come on you Liner men you must admit that this not knowing where you were going next was better than a "bus run" Couple nice bonuses drydock in Japan then later Engine repairs in Japan, times in port in Aus and Canada were shorter than times in port in China, where we were not allowed ashore except under armed escort.

Met my future wife in Avonmouth, had two dates before we sailed then didn't see her again for 19 months. No mobile phones or internet in those days couldn't even post letters in China, but I knew she was the one for me, still have the dance ticket from the night we met at the dance

Anyone else got any marathon trips

Ivan

That is some trip, how many of the original crew were left by the time you got home?

[Ivan Cloherty]

That is some trip, how many of the original crew were left by the time you got home?

All of them John, apart from one bad apple who was hospitalised in Japan and then flown home. He was a bit of a bully and dirty bugger, we were glad to see him go. He picked a fight with some Japanese trawlermen, not a wise move, he had to have over 200 stitches, as duty officer I had to be by his bedside when they stitched him up without aneasthetic............made me wince just watching.

Nearly forgot, a ginger headed engineering cadet was also flown home from Japan, after being given a geography lesson ashore by the Chinese Authorities because he had "Tibet" marked on his wall map, we were told to dump our maps, he forgot!, he came back aboard a nervous wreck no use to man or beast. Although the captain wanted to complain to British Consul's representative (Norwegian Consul) , he was told by the Chinese Commondant he could but "first you must get to him" impossible armed guards all around the s ship and no transport. I even had an armed escort when reading the draught marks morning and evening

Those were the days of Chairman Mao's little red book. I guess some others who were on the mainland China run in the 50's and early 60's could tell you some stories, we had plenty of unpleasant incidents and humiliation at the hands of the Chinese, but as my old mum would have said "its character forming" bless her

Signing off abroad in those days at your own request, you paid your own fare home, your replacement's fare out and any hotel bills, an airfare from Japan, or Oz or WC Canada equalled a years salary then, so that was a non starter.

We were a happy ship and a good feeder, good skipper and Ch.Off and Ch Eng and 2nd Eng and a lunatic of a Ch Steward, 2nd mate was nicknamed "Orbit" as he was always spaced out, he had shares in Gordons if he didn't then he should have

[John 45]

All of them John, apart from one bad apple who was hospitalised in Japan and then flown home. He was a bit of a bully and dirty bugger, we were glad to see him go. He picked a fight with some Japanese trawlermen, not a wise move, he had to have over 200 stitches, as duty officer I had to be by his bedside when they stitched him up without aneasthetic............made me wince just watching.

Nearly forgot, a ginger headed engineering cadet was also flown home from Japan, after being given a geography lesson ashore by the Chinese Authorities because he had "Tibet" marked on his wall map, we were told to dump our maps, he forgot!, he came back aboard a nervous wreck no use to man or beast. Although the captain wanted to complain to British Consul's representative (Norwegian Consul) , he was told by the Chinese Commondant he could but "first you must get to him" impossible armed guards all around the s ship and no transport. I even had an armed escort when reading the draught marks morning and evening

Those were the days of Chairman Mao's little red book. I guess some others who were on the mainland China run in the 50's and early 60's could tell you some stories, we had plenty of unpleasant incidents and humiliation at the hands of the Chinese, but as my old mum would have said "its character forming" bless her

Signing off abroad in those days at your own request, you paid your own fare home, your replacement's fare out and any hotel bills, an airfare from Japan, or Oz or WC Canada equalled a years salary then, so that was a non starter.

We were a happy ship and a good feeder, good skipper and Ch.Off and Ch Eng and 2nd Eng and a lunatic of a Ch Steward, 2nd mate was nicknamed "Orbit" as he was always spaced out, he had shares in Gordons if he didn't then he should have

Thanks for that Ivan, that was an epic voyage, China didn't seem like much fun in those days.
How long were you told the voyage would last when you left Blighty?

[Ivan Cloherty]

Thanks for that Ivan, that was an epic voyage, China didn't seem like much fun in those days.
How long were you told the voyage would last when you left Blighty?

John

Sailing with Ropners, Chapmans and other trampers you were never told how long a voyage was going to be, it was always "intimated" don't worry lads its only a short one this time ! Of course we had been lulled into a false sense of security having just previously done two trips on "Wandby" from UK to USA with grain. It was intimated that this 19 month trip would be another grain run, out to Hong Kong then probably Oz back to UK, no reason to disbelieve the intimation as on a previous ship "Levenpool" with Ropners I'd done four six week trips to West Africa from UK.
But as said earlier it was a happy ship in all departments, mind you nearly got my brains knocked out in Vancouver when the biggest stevedore you've ever seen came aboard looking for the third mate who had knocked up his sister on a previous visit, luckily his sister was with him as he took hold of me, she screaming "That's not him" turned out one of our illustrious EDH's had used me as an alias, by this time the Capt and Ch Off had arrived on the scene, surprising what a calming effect a bit of gold braid had on the man, an ex serviceman. The EDH was most apologetic everytime I walked in a bar after that a beer appeared on the counter, I told him if he was going to imitate anyone in the future it should be the second mate "orbit" as he could never remember where he was yesterday!especially when ashore as he was always too p*****d to raise a smile never mind anything else.

Don't you just enjoy going to sea !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Ivan

[Captain Kong]

Hi Ivan,
You mentioned the Levenpool, In December 1956 I was in Antwerp with the Levenpool and I went into a bar and met a guy I sailed with the previous year. He said they had been away for 13 months on the Europe to BA run with coal out and grain back. they were trying to get paid off.
During the voyage, the after crowd were all suffering from scabs, and bad guts, The water tanks had been cleaned and cement washed before the voyage started in dry dock in Glasgow so what was the problem. Eventually when she was in Antwerp they drained and then opened the tank and the remains of a body , by now a skeleton, was in there with empty whisky bottles.
They had the Union delegates and the British Consul down to the ship.
He was gulping his ale down as fast as he could trying to flush out any remains of the ships water out.
I joined him out of sympathy, I remember nothing after that. so what happened I have no idea.