THE GREAT LAKES

[Bill Cameron]

I too worked on the Great Lakes, in 1958, the best 10 months of my life, I was the Cabin boy on the MV Dundee, a vessell built in Burntisland especially for the Lakes, she was shallow drafted, and had a varialble pitch prop, a new inovation in those days. Her parent company was the Dundee Perth & London Shipping Coy. DP&L, on crossing the Pond we became the Newfoundland Steamship coy.
28 of a crew, all except one were from the Aberdeen and Dundee Pool, the donkeyman was a Islander from Skye., Our Skipper George Wood was under 5' 6" and had a special box on each wing of the bridge so he could see over,he was the best skipper I ever sailed with.
And the £6 a month cost of living bonus was good too.
We too travelled to Montreal, Toronto, St Catherines, Hamilton, Buffalo, Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland picking up general cargo to take to Newfoundland, places like Cornerbrook, Botwood, St Johns and many little fishing port where we took on fish and fish products fot the states.
Botwood was my favourite, the ratio of females to males was 8 to 1 Ahh 10 glorious months

Ref post # 42 I was there in Montreal, when the French Canadian public hated us too if we could not speak French, it was in the time of De Galle and his Quebec Libre speech, even the crew who were old enough, would not venture to Joe Beefs bar

[Kevin Mercer]

Richard,
Regarding post #40, it was the dockers and winch drivers I was griping about. As you say once ashore things were different. I loved Montreal as a city, good night life. In fact I had a Canadian girl friend in Montreal but she originated from Toronto so she wasn't French-Canadian. I had to finish it when she got too pushy about getting wed far too early in our relationship. She shared an apartment with two airline stewardesses up in N.D.G
Happy days
Kevin

[leratty]

Kevin I understand of course it was just I did not come across it on my three trips there & the last was all Quebec. Of course we were well aware of the troubles over the flag I recall them blowing up letter boxes during this period (((: Did you partake in a beer of three at 'Neptune's' in Montreal? A mate stupidly got a tattoo at the famous tattoo parlour near there & got serious stick from the Capt. for it too but too late. JC you were meeting airline stewardesses, man that did not come for some years for me sadly. They took over from nurses (: Yes many fine memories of beautiful Canada & its people, just that weather as I said too cold for man. Richard

[Dennis McGuckin]

Hi Leratty,
Have you never been to the beautiful WEST coast of Canada?
Nicer people than Quebec, and a milder climate than the UK.
Funny how most folks think of Canada at the Great Frozen North.
Of course some of it is. But we also have our interior with has major desert country.
Here on Vancouver Islan we have it all. From ski hills to lakes and old groth forrests.
After my years of seeing the world, this was the place I picked to live my life.
Best move I ever made.
Den.

[Stuart Henderson]

Hi Alec,
Interesting your photo of Vanguard stuck in ice in St Lawrence near
Three Rivers. I was there same time stuck in the ice on Cunards "Asia"
missed Christmas at home . I recall because of delay great days though
Stuart H

[Trader]

Hi Stuart,
I remember corresponding with you a few years ago about this incident. We were following the "Wendover" of Watts Watts which came to a stop owing to the amount of ice she was pushing. We were the next and so it went on with lots of ships astern of us becoming trapped. We then heard that the "Asia" was on her way, a big powerful steamship, surely she would break us out, but it was not to be she barely got past us, and with smoke billowing out of her funnel she also came to a full stop. I think we were there for about a week Stuart, have you any memories of this.?

Here is a photo of the ice-breaker "D'Hiberville" coming to the rescue.

Regards......Alec.

[happy daze john in oz]

Den, I hear there is a bit of a row going on about your flag, the one with the Maple leaf. Some one has claimed that the current leaf is not native to Canada but is from Scandinavia, any more info on this one?

[Bill Cameron]

Ref the "Flag" I take it you mean when our Red Duster and the Canadian flag were the same. I remember when sitting on the aft deck at smoko, and the cruise boats taking tourists, up the river I camnnot remember if it was Chicago, Detroit or Cleveland, but the guide would say "We are now passing the Canadian ship Dundee"....we would hurl abuse at the said guide in no certain terms, by shouting "We are all Scottish!!!!!!!" usually to no avail.

[Stuart Henderson]

...........I think we were there for about a week Stuart, have you any memories of this.?......

Yes I do Alec . Remember being told at the time the ice jammed in the bend of the river was 27feet thick, floes and everything. It certainly was an experience to remember and talk about in the pub back home....... . Recall being told to that the locals normally in mid winter and before the opening of the Seaway would drive across the frozen river in their cars, besides digging fishing holes in the frozen river. Asia was my first Cunard ship and see I stayed on her over a year, liked the run and the company and started as A/S and went on to 2/Stwd next ship Alsatia and went as P/CS
on with them for fifteen years, great times & memories, great shipmates too.
I do recall being in contact before Alec your photos just jogged my aging memories, terrible getting old isnt it, nowadays girls offer me their seats.............
Best of luck,
Stuart (George in Cunard) Henderson) in France

[Ivan Cloherty]

, nowadays girls offer me their seats.............

Now THOSE were the days !