Who remembers

[Mike Hall]

67425718_10216393746016312_6129299136077365248_n.jpg

[John Pruden]

yes mike and cleaning the deep tanks with all the wildlife down there? jp

[Keith Tindell]

I remember well, loading and discharging bales like that, is that a hatch tent suspended behind in the photo. I have heard of those canvas hatch tents, but never sailed in a ship using them, it was hatch boards in and a mad rush to pull the hatch canvas over, later of course it was Mcgregors, much less graft, thanks for another memory photo, kt

[Ivan Cloherty]

Just typed a memory and it disappeared into thin air. Loaded 8000 tons of those bales in February 1956 in Bluff NZ, took nearly 30 days. Funny how I can remember that but cannot remember the redheads name, but can see her face and cute dimples even now

[John F Collier]

The photo does bring back many memories for me of the 50s as it must do for many others on site, but one memory always comes to mind
when I see those wool bales. I took my son to see Cutty Sark about 40 years ago, we were the only sightseers on board and had a very
enjoyable time walking around undisturbed, when we were leaving we went to the lower deck for the gangway, I was amazed to see the
holes in her hull the ship was literally rotting away, just by the gangway exit was a group of blokes sitting around on wool bales, it was
very atmospheric and could almost have been a scene from the 1880s, although she was in a terrible condition Cutty Sark was till a ship,
she still had that feel to her. We went back about three years ago to see her after all the restoration work had been done, they did a
fantastic job and had many artifacts in glass cases also a huge array of old figureheads which brilliant to see but she didn't have that
feeling of a ship anymore while you were below deck, just a very well stocked museum in pristine condition, but on the main deck looking
up at the spars and rigging "The old girl was back" suppose you can't have it both ways. apologise if I strayed of thread "It was the bales that did it"

[Doc Vernon]

Good memories for me as well,although not at Sea at the time was working as Tally Clerk in Cape Town Harbour and with all the Shipping traffic those days saw virtually Thousands of those Bales loading and unloading into the Bowles of the Ships.
Good times!

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi Mike .
Could be any port in Aus or NZ although I don't remember using tents in NZ the bloke looks more like a Kiwi than an Aus, looks like the tent is up to keep the sun off but the bloke hasn't got the bronze Aussie look about him. There again it may be they are unloading in the UK on a nice summers day
Cheers Des

[happy daze john in oz]

The photo does bring back many memories for me of the 50s
she still had that feel to her. We went back about three years ago to see her after all the restoration work had been done, they did a
fantastic job and had many artifacts in glass cases also a huge array of old figureheads which brilliant to see but she didn't have that
feeling of a ship anymore while you were below deck, just a very well stocked museum in pristine condition, but on the main deck looking
up at the spars and rigging "The old girl was back" suppose you can't have it both ways. apologise if I strayed of thread "It was the bales that did it"

John you are so correct, was there just last week and it is now just another museum. The feel that at one time she was the fastest ship afloat is somehow lost with all the artifacts and information there now.

[Ivan Cloherty]

Hi Mike .
Could be any port in Aus or NZ although I don't remember using tents in NZ the bloke looks more like a Kiwi than an Aus, looks like the tent is up to keep the sun off but the bloke hasn't got the bronze Aussie look about him. There again it may be they are unloading in the UK on a nice summers day
Cheers Des

Interesting there Des, what did you spot to make him a kiwi rather than a kangaroo.

Most southern NZ ports as did southern Oz ports provided rain tents, as did a lot of UK ports, I have noticed from other forums that some have never seen them, never seen them used as sun shades!!

I would also say probably UK port because of the large structure close to ships side.

Has anyone noticed the stupid positioning of the hold access ladder direct into a winch barrel

[John Arton]

Interesting that either side of that ladder , painted on the coaming is "No smoking" but in French and German, if my rudimentary language skills are correct.
Also looking at the coaming there does not appear to be much of a rebate for hatchboards or slabs to sit in.
Can remember seeing bales like that being discharged in Dunkirk when I did a coastal trip with Blue Star as a schoolboy.
Rgds
J.A.