Against the odds

[Trevor Bodiam]

Board of trade acquaintances.

When i first went to sea old-timers would always call the rest of the crew board of trade acquaintances as when you paid off a ship chances were you would never meet them again. I’m not talking the large liners but generally about tramps and cargo ships.
I joined the Hain-Norse Trewidden in September of 1967 and met Arthur W. from Manchester, Brian P. and his mate Tony from Whitstable and Dick B. who was possibly from Oxford?. Seven months later we pay off good friends and never expect to see each other again
I join the Port Montreal in April 1969 and meet the same 4 men again and we have the trip of a lifetime with many loggings and much mayhem.
I grew up in Dover, the home of very many seamen but never sailed with a single one of them.
SO, how unusual is it to get 5 people from all over the country sailing together twice. 
I think it is rarer than winning the lottery.
Anybody else had an experience like this?

[Ivan Cloherty]

Once sailed with the same 59 men for 22 months with one of Ropner's 'sign on and stop on' tramping around the other side of the world a few years earlier than you, would have preferred the lottery

[Captain Kong]

i was on the RAPHAEL in 1954, AB.

[Trevor Bodiam]

My meaning in this post was to meet up on different ships, not returning to the same vessel and signing on again.

[Chris Allman]

My apologies - I have deleted my post.

[John F Collier]

My meaning in this post was to meet up on different ships, not returning to the same vessel and signing on again.

When I paid off my first trip my relief was an old school friend {Alan} that I'd known for years, it was to be his first trip and neither of us knew the other was in the MN, he sailed on the next voyage and left I stayed for for the next three trips, When I left the NZSCo and went to Shaw Savill I joined
MV Waiwera and once again my old mate Alan turned up and again waas my cabin mate. On the last trip of my first ship my cabin mate was Gordon,
when I paid off Shaw Savill's MV Afric my relief was none other than Gordon, he told me that since I last saw him he had left the MN got married
had a child and was now divorced, we were in Hull it was Christmas eve and I had a train to catch so I didn't hang about to listen to his woe's .
My brother in law also MN was ten years older than me and told me he was also on my first ship MV Orari some seven or eight years before me,
the lad that married my niece was also MN and was on another of my ships some years later, Houlder Bros MV Hornby Grange, "small world". Cheers

[Goldassor]

Life's a rollercoaster, isn't it? Sometimes it feels like the whole world's against you, but you've gotta keep pushing through.

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi Trevor.
I know this post is a bit old but.
I sailed out of Swansea and many of the same deck crew where on the different ships, especially tankers, I suppose it was a fairly small pool.
to draw from.
Des

[Goldassor]

Life's a rollercoaster, isn't it? Sometimes it feels like the whole world's against you, but you've gotta keep pushing through.

I've been in tough spots too, and I know how hard it can be. It's okay to feel down but don't let it drag you under. Remember, tough times don't last, tough people do. Panen123 you're stronger than you think, and you've already made it this far. Keep your head up, stay focused on the good stuff, and take things one step at a time. You've got a whole community here cheering you on, so don't give up.

[Mike R868356]

I worked liners and in the BOT days you were considered a BOT acquaintance, wasn't till de regulation that liner crews became families.