worst journey

[denniswalker]

Hi all,what was the worst joining or homeward bound.
my worst would probably be joining in the suez.flew from Edinburgh to Cairo via London After landing at Cairio we were put into a old minibus ,which had no suspension so to speak,for seem a lifetime to the port of suez. Even after we arrived,we had arrived we had to wait for hours for a boat to take us out to the anchorage,then the agent having the audicity to demand to ask for money to the guards at the gate.
the worst coming home would have to taking a shell tanker to scrape in Alang.we dropped anchor around about 21.00,arond about 2300,we were put on a tug for 6 hours to the town with a airport taken straight to a flight bound for Delighi,then put into a smelly hotel for a night,then flew to Dubali,where spend about 8hours waiting for our connection to Heathrow,then on to Edinburgh.The ironic thing about it was that the lads that stayed on to beach the boat landed at Heathrow more or the less the same time as us.cheers dennis

[John Albert Evans]

I wouldnt say the worst but most disappointing. UK to the Gulf then to Oz then the Gulf again, back to Oz an d NZ no problem with that. Back to ther Gulf loaded for Thameshaven, been away just over six months looking forward to paying off.
In the English channel orders changed from Thameshaven to Rotterdam instead. (That was the disappointment) Then out to Curacao and the Lakes run for three months then three months up and down the Yankee coast. Then back to the UK
You just had to get over it and get on with the job. LIke I've said before Tankers were the tramps of the sea.
It was good trip

John Albert Evans

[happy daze john in oz]

Getting on the train to London in Southampton on pay off day. Too much beer at the station, then too much on the train. Must have been in a deep sleep and the guys at Waterloo station,and station staff, not taking too much notice. Woke up a few hours later in Basingstoke on the way back to Southampton. Had to spend the night there as no more trains to London until the morning. All part of th rich tapestry of life I call it.

[Tony Wilding]

Two come to mind, joining and leaving same Ship. MV Wanstead, *joined her in Antwerp, travelled from Southend to Fenchurch Street London, then Taxi to Waterloo Station , joined the Crowd there, were given ten shillings travelling money, Got a Night Ferry from Dover, i think a Belgian Ship, *our Train seemed to travel all over Europe befor arriving at Antwerp, was knackered, tired thirsty and hungry, got aboard and was told immediately to start work, no even a cup of tea first, all were put down the hatches clearing Dunnage, was not amused, especially as i was not a deck hand, not a good start. *paid off in Glasgow approx eleven months later, another night journey to London, after a couple of hours the train broke down, was a Diesel, *freezing cold in january, no heat or light, 5 hours later we moved towed by a steam train, *just remembered another bad one, *which was the start of other bad events, was told to join MV Riebeeck Castle at KGV , Travel by Coach to River Blackwater at Mersea in Essex, had to push Coach to start it, *arrived Mersea . blowing a hooly, *Ship at Anchor way out, River Blackwater gets very rough when wind against tide, was soaked to the skin going to Her by Fishing Boat, what a state she was in, had been laid up. half the crowd refused to sail, said i would stay if i got the 4/8 watch , *eventually sailed, Las Palmas for Bunkers, got so drunk dont remenber coming back to Ship, missed 2 *watches, was taken up top and told if i do it again a double D/R. dont know how i got away with it, *kept breaking down on return voyage, Generator Problems, and a full cargo of fruit, so Las Palmas again for 2 weeks on shore power , rebuilt the Gennies, on watch *alone in Port 4/8 looking after Donkey Boiler, thats when i almost set fire to the Ship , just changed a Burner and was lighting it, burning rag fell off the torch under the Boiler and ignited oil on Tank Tops, big panic and rapidly sober, extinguished fire. no body ever found out. *i stopped drinking for a long time after that, what a trip.

[Colin Pook]

I joined the Esso Guildford in Milford haven and was told we are going to Cadiz for dry docking so we wont be away long. Sailed that night and slow steamed, tank cleaning all the way to Cadiz arriving there on the evening of the 4th day. Told by the agent that our plane had left, and we would not go into the port till the next morning, so we anchored and prepared to catch up on our sleep. Around 23.00 all hell let loose with the arrival of a tug to take us ashore immediately. Upon arriving at the docks we were met by the ships agent who told us that no plane was arranged for us and that we had to spend the night in Cadiz. It was now after mid-night and with the agent in tow walking round the town looking for a hotel to spend the night. Eventually all of us were accomodated and at last could get some shut-eye. 08.00 and we were awakened by the agent imploring us to get up and get on a bus that was waiting to take us to the airport. Some 3 hours later we arrived at the border crossing at la linea--and there we sat in a roasting hot bus for about 4 hours because none of us had any documentation to say who we were or where we were going. Some time later the British Vice consul chappie came to our aid and managed to get us over the border into Gibraltar. Now what? Hotel again for the night and to catch the 07.30 flight to London. Arrived at the sirport to find that there was only afew seats available on the scheduled flight to London. You will have to wait for a charter flight to come out to pick you up tomorrow. Tomorrow came and we boarded a clapped out D. C Dakota, that because of the load it had to carry had to land at Madrid, Bordeaux
and somewhere south of Paris to top up with fuel. !2 hours later, I kid you not - we touched down at Luton where the Esso marine manager took us by bus to Thames House North to pick up our wages and get 'paid off'. And after all that most of us had to spend the night in the National Hotel in Russel Square!!
Colin R684420