what goes around comes around

[Keith Tindell]

Its just been announced on the local news that Almera in Spain is to start importing its fruit into the Southampton market by ship, thereby saving millions of road miles by lorry, well i never, something i was doing 50 years + ago on McAndrews boats!!, unfortunately the ships used will probably not be British, KT

[Neville Roberts]

I remember leaving the medi ad going up river too Seville for a load of oranges . and almost missed the tide had to run to get out in the sea created a large wave astern of us as we legged it down the river ,that was on the Vives a great little ship untl one trip we hit a hurricane coming out of the medi .that was it for me on the macandrews boats .back to the liners .

[Captain Kong]

+Hi Mike I was on the Valdivia, 1957, lovely little ship like a yacht. we went up to Seville for the oranges, run aground when the tide goes out and wait till the next to get up there.
I was adrift for three days with a beautiful little barmaid in a bar next to the Cathedral, and free ale thrown in, I must have been good in those days. A sailor was sent ashore to find me, he stayed, the Bosun came ashore to find us and he stayed, then the Mate came ashore to find us and had a beer and took us back in a taxi. No charge,
I did a few trips but had to pack it in, I was loosing too much weight with all the nocturnal activities and would have turned alky if I had stayed on that coast a bit longer.
Cheers
Brian..

[Keith Tindell]

I was on the Palacio, and later on the Verdaguer, i think about 3 trips on each of those was all my poor old liver would take. We also did the oranges, and later on the barrels of port!!, constant hangovers Regards KT

[Captain Kong]

They were good little ships, Valdivia and Pelayo. Cargoes of wine and port. No one drank tea in the mess, it was always a mug of Vino. Every port was fantastico. not the Spain of today, no touristas, all original and cheap, you could get legless for a shilling in the early 50s. and the women would actually fight over me.
Cheers
Brian.

[Roger Dyer]

What a welcome change to read the comments of Keith T., Neville and Brian concerning the ships of MacAndrews Ltd., that at one time were such a familiar sight in the ports around the coasts of Spain and Portugal. With an all-white livery, buff coloured funnel and green boot-topping (generally maintained in pristine condition) these fine little ships graced that part of the world for many years. During the period 1962-66 I had the good fortune to sail in four of them, the 'Verdaguer', 'Villegas', 'Pozarica' and 'Pacheco'. As others have already mentioned, life as a crew-member on 'Mac' boats was not without certain health risks, cirrhosis of the liver is one that comes to mind. You see, apart from oranges and other fruit they also carried dangerous cargo - Wine !!!, which most crews felt was their bounden duty to test for volatility and quality. In truth, the ships were almost perfect, excellent feeders, good accommodation (mostly), fantastic run and for the married man the opportunity to get home every month to see the wife and kids, if only for a few days. For most it offered the best of both worlds. In my opinion, this combination of factors presented employment opportunities that were amongst the best available to merchant seamen during my time at sea, but I'm sure others might disagree. To learn that MacAndrews had a close relationship with the United Baltic Corp., did not surprise me. Both, like G.S.N.C., were companies well above the average.

Like most ex-seamen, there are moments in my time at sea which, for whatever reason, shall forever remain in my memory. My first visit to Seville occurred one Sunday in summer. When we went ashore, it was early evening, a time when cool, lengthening shadows began to take the sting from the unrelenting heat of the day. The sense of peace that abounded made even more so by the sound of bells calling the faithful, which echoed around the walls of this ancient city. The light from a fading sun casting a crimson glow to the top of the cathedral, creating stark contrast to the darker shadows below. It was a scene capable of persuading the wavering agnostic that their is, indeed, a God in heaven. As with so many of his fellow countrymen, it was also a time when the Spanish father proudly led his wife and family in the traditional Sunday perambulation along the city streets and boulevards, forever casting a watchful eye to ensure his children did nothing to discredit the family. The sons, like the father, are dressed in suit and tie whilst the daughters, who remain in close attendance are, like their mother, dressed in their very best clothes. The conversation between them is muffled, as if the sound of a loud voice would somehow mar the sanctity of the occasion. For me, in the presence of so many people, it was this comparative quietness which made it seem so memorable. Now fifty years on, I wonder if with all the distractions that modern life has to offer, this family custom of the past has managed to prevail. I would like to think so, but have serious doubts.


................Roger

[j.sabourn]

Roger, I think society as a whole has degenerated since those halcyon days. Nowadays all is greed and people wanting the what they think is the best of everything mostly without wanting or expecting to put in the hard yards to get. I can never remember in those early years wanting too much money, in fact thinking back we were on peasants wages but still had a much better life style of those in society today. This present election on Saturday shows how people are going to vote on who they expect is going to put as much money in their pockets without having to work for it, and can see certain polllies using this in the hope of gaining votes. The country should be put first and foremost and all should go forward together. The present fairy leading the labour party at the moment is making that many promises that he is going to wave his magic wand and make everyones dreams come true is unbelievable. It is apparent to me that if he succeeds in getting in on Saturday he will be put out by his own party members within 6 months and another waiting in the wings is going to replace the same as last time, he has that many in his own party who dislike his person. I think your old images of Spain would probably be now replaced by fish and chips shops and possibly football louts rolling around the streets. Regards John Sabourn

[happy daze john in oz]

+Hi Mike I was on the Valdivia, 1957, lovely little ship like a yacht. we went up to Seville for the oranges, run aground when the tide goes out and wait till the next to get up there.
I was adrift for three days with a beautiful little barmaid in a bar next to the Cathedral, and free ale thrown in, I must have been good in those days. A sailor was sent ashore to find me, he stayed, the Bosun came ashore to find us and he stayed, then the Mate came ashore to find us and had a beer and took us back in a taxi. No charge,
I did a few trips but had to pack it in, I was loosing too much weight with all the nocturnal activities and would have turned alky if I had stayed on that coast a bit longer.
Cheers
Brian..

After all that no wonder you started wetting your knickers

[happy daze john in oz]

, you could get legless for a shilling in the early 50s. and the women would actually fight over me.
Cheers
Brian.[/QUOTE]

Now don't tell me Brian, they all had white sticks

[happy daze john in oz]

In reply to John #7 he is right on both matters, in fact all three I think.
The feral erection here on Saturday will will determin the path this nation takes for the next three years, fairies are not requiered, we need strong leadership not a screamimng egomaniac as we have at present.
My last trip to Spain in 1999 was an eye opener and no doubt symptomatic of todays society. Why go to a forieng country if you are wanting home from home? All I saw was English men and their ladies behaving as if it were Southend on Sun.
We were the lucky ones i believe, we had all we needed, worked for it, and were able to enjoy life without being a curse to others. Oh how the world has changed.