Tranquil WEE Places you have visited in MN

[Michael Lawrence]

ref post #9

Vernon. I have to make the trip to Scotland one day. Once loaded whisky at Plantation Wharf Glasgow but I don't think that counts as one city can be very much like another. Cardiff in Sth Wales is rising in popularity as the dock area has been rejuvenated and the city centre is well placed with parks as well as great pubs. Because I married Welsh, when I first came ashore I settled in the Post Office Cardiff in 65 and worked there until 91 when I was moved to help in transport in Bristol. Now live in Zomersat where the cider comes from. Sometimes regret the wife wasn't living in Cardiff New Zealand when I met her. Still at 70 having fun and finding life easier now I don't chase the 'talent'. I wouldn't know what to do with 'It' if I caught any. Mike

[Doc Vernon]

ref post #11


Gee talking about Cardiff Frank,
Recall going there in 1958 with one of the Lads off the Dunnottar Castle,stayed at his Mums place for the Week and he took me to a few Haunts there,unfortunately i cannot recall their names (just as well haha) but one i remember very well was a place that you went downstairs (night life) well when we got to the bottom of the stairs all i saw was bodies all over Frank and thick smoke everywhere! What a jolt!
But had a ball mate! haah!
That where i used my first Tailored Suite too!
Cheers
Vernon

Bet its changed somewhat these days!

[Harvey Williams]

ref post #1

In response to your new thread, may I firstly thank personally all my fellow shipmates who have said so many wonderful things about my home country of Wales, of course I agree with you dont I. Now back to the task in hand, back in 1970/71 I was 2nd Steward aboard the Urshalim, a bitumin carrier, we were running between the Northern U.S. Boston, New Haven, Fall River, Providence, over to Scandinavia,Narvik, Oslo, Fredericia ( I have already written a little prose on this place, look under embarrasing mail ) Anyway back to the States we had cargo for a port right down the Hudson past New York City and a good few miles up to a place named Royston,I think it was a Thursday or Friday we arrived there, it consisted of a jetty where we tied up, about a dozen houses, belonging to the local workforce, a little store, a gas station and of course a BAR. I forgot to mention, it was mid January and the snow was a good few feet deep, all we could see from the ship was a pure white landscape, anyway we happened upon this little hostelry first evening there, the owners were living in a camperhome outside the Bar as work on the upstairs accommodation had come to a halt due to the weather, the owners were Mother Father and of course Daughter ( Dont worry no-one copped for it.) as we were there for the weekend we invited the family aboard the Ship for a traditional Sunday Lunch, Roast Beef, Yorkshire Pud the full Monty, well we were then invited between us to the local population for a meal Chief Steward ( Billy Marshall ) Chief Mate, Sparky, Bosun, and myself went to one place the rest between us shared out among the rest of the population. On the last evening Tuesday I think it was, we had one great leaving party in this local Bar, I have never seen Friendship like it. It may have only been a little dot ( not even on any map Ive seen) but I will never forget Royston, New York State, Long will you reign in my affection. Have any more of you Shipmates happened on this jewel?
Harvey

[Duke Drennan]

One of the nicest little ports that I visited was on an ore carrier up the Baltic into the Gulf of Bothnia to a place called Lulea, Sweden. It's right at the border of Finland. You have to sail around numerous little islands on the way in.
From a history standpoint, I read Winston Churchill's 6 volumes of The Second World War and it mentions how the Germans sailed up there to get their iron ore, and also from Narvik. Makes you wonder just how much they've got if they've been pulling it out of the ground for so long.

[Terry Smith]

ref post #1

I think the nicest little port that I ever visited was Nelson in New Zealand back in 1961. Only room for one deep sea freighter alongside the main wharf, and a tanker-handling berth. It was high summer and the sun shone from dawn till dusk for the entire week we were there. Friendly people, beautiful scenery and wonderful beaches. Of course, the pubs supposedly shut at 6.00pm in those days and didn't open at all on Sundays - supposedly.
I understand the port has been expanded considerably since those days, but I can't imagine the district as a whole having changed too much.

[Geoff Anderson]

ref post #12

hi vernon . can you remember what part of cardiff it was.if it was the town centre it could have been the top rank , or if the docks there was a club at the pier head ,i cant remember its name now ,but a right dive, i was born and raised in ely. a nice area at one time .now really a rough place. best wishes geoff

[Doc Vernon]

ref post @16


Hi Geoff,
It was most definately in the town Centre somewhere,my memory eludes me exactly where but recall going home in a Cab and it wasnt too far either!
House had very large Gable Windows and a few Stairs leading to the entrance,very old place but well kept! Huge Rooms! Some of the biggest i have yet seen.
Cheers
Vernon

[Doc Vernon]

ref post #14

Hi,
Would this be it at all,looks very beautifull indeed!
Cheers
Vernon

[Geoff Anderson]

ref post #17

hi vernon .sounds like the top rank . big place under the shops in the main street. the other sounds like roath park area.built for all the biusness owners of cardiff. very posh place in its time . do you remember a large lake any where near by. best wishes geoff.

[Des Taff Jenkins]

ref post @16

Hi Geoff.
I joined the Trevose my firstship there as I've said. She was changing from Lascars to whites, had that many cockroaches she had to get fumigated. i was sent to a boarding house in Bute Street, only time I'd left home was the Vindi, I was terrified after hearing about how rough the place was, eight to a room, but the crew looked after me.
Cheers Des