Memories

[Ivan Cloherty]

Much more interesting work than loading/discharging containers!!!

Ain't that the truth!

[John Arton]

According to this it was taken on the "Perim" in Antwerp.
Rgds
J.A.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/richar...n/photostream/

[Tony Taylor]

According to this it was taken on the "Perim" in Antwerp.
Rgds
J.A.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/richar...n/photostream/

My memory of Antwerp was as a first trip apprentice, only been on board about 5 weeks and it was my first ever run ashore. The 4th eng and his junior took to Dannys bar. I was so green then, those two sat watching me when the "waitress" came for the order.
"She" was about 6 feet tall, with a tash and heavy 5 o'clock shadow, dressed in a French maids outfit with a deep voice to match.
My face must have been a picture as they fell about laughing for some considerable time.

[John Arton]

Tony
We used to tie up at shed 20 on the beaver boats and Danny's bar was a 5 minute walk away, mostly our time was spent in Erma's bar directly across the road as the dutymate could hear the winches rattling so cargo work was still going on and the duty engineer could see that the lights on board were still on so the Genny's were still o.k. all the while while they were supping ale. Erma's was the bar where everyone had put there name on the bulkheads, ceiling, even on the inside of lampshades. All gone now, replaced by fancy apartments, coffee houses, artisan baker's etc.
Antwerp a youth spent in a alcoholic haze and living on pomme frites lathered in mayonnaise, happy days.
Rgds
J.A.

[Denis O'Shea]

Was banned from the seamans mission in Antwerp because we told to leave by the stewardess but the place was still full of lorry drivers who had told us it was their base for most of the night, so refused to leave said we would go with the drivers. So we all left but the drivers went round the back and went back in joined by ourselves the stewardess went berserk when she saw us told us to go as we were barred and she would not serve us. It was time for us to return to the ship anyway as we were sailing early morning but we had a good laugh about the steward face when she realised we had sussed out what she was up to. Rgds Den

[Des Taff Jenkins]

I remember getting drunk in Danny's bar and leaving with some of those gold rimmed glasses under our shirts, when they tried to stop us one bloke said "Careful there girls we're fragile". I had some of them for years they went missing when we moved from NZ to Aus.
Des

[Red Lead Ted]

According to this it was taken on the "Perim" in Antwerp.
Rgds
J.A.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/richar...n/photostream/

Well spotted John, There was another clue in the original pic, If you look at the hatch cover on the holds ladder that took you down to her tween decks and lower hold, They always opened and for very good reasons fastened leaning Aft.

Although some of the oldies had the hatch ladder situated Port or Starboard And you had to remove a hatch board to use them. McGregor's a different ball game completely Terry.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/richar...n/photostream/

[Ivan Cloherty]

All those photos, of wheelhouses, derricks, masts, stays, decks, bringing back memories of the ones we've chipped and painted, of many hues on different ships: brings tears of joy and sadness, joy that we did it, and sadness of the life we've lost, but all the while glad that we experienced it, along with our adventures and misadventures, and remembering the characters we have sailed with, we had the best times and not a bloody container in sight. All sparked by one little photograph, thank you Mike

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi Ivan.
I took my palm and needle out and sat thee looking at that picture and visualized repairing a tarp, nearly brought tears to my eyes.
Des

[John Arton]

Only sailed with MacGregor type hatches or slabs on the forest product and container ships.
Worst memory of the MacGregor ones was on the Beaverfir in London when the O.S. had been down no.1 hatch and was in the process of climbing out over the coaming when the guys closing up for the night failed to see him and let the covers go at a run, trapping him between the coaming and the cover and decapitating him. I was just going out on deck to assist, heard the noise and the screams and thought it prudent, as a young cadet, to retire to a safer place. 10 minutes later the very white faced mate found my hiding place and instructed me to get a bucket and place the poor souls head in it. Guess you know what my response was. Fortunately the fire and ambulance brigades turned up and removed the body and head. The lads that had been closing were traumatized and were paid off and replaced prior to sailing.
Rgds
J.A.