The worst ship you where on.

[Mo Docherty]

Hardship

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ben line without a doubt

[j.sabourn]

Ref. #10 and my reply. Similar with self guilt as someone told me the ship was lost with all hands in a typhoon and immediately thought I should have stayed as was the only one who knew the foibles of the vessel re. Stability. This guilt remained until I joined this site and learned otherwise that she remained afloat until reached the knackers yard , it was like a ton of bricks coming off my head. The only way I was able to get my flight booked to the uk was by threatening to call the surveyors in, which I blamed myself for not doing. However life goes on and the past gets pushed into the recesses of the mind. It sure gave me a broader outlook on the many sins in shipping and the fortunes made by the same tokens. But I would rather be poor and have a clear mind than some who didn’t. JS

[j.sabourn]

In 1970 tried to get into Saigon as a port of refuge , too many local ships crowded with refugees trying to get out plus the gunfire and as said previous thought it was Chinese new year , but was tracer , so turned round and made for Hong Kong as port of refuge . Ship was on Hong Kong Articles so had to close them and reopen new ones , when trying to get into Saigon the Chinese crew just sat on the deck saying they could not assist us as would be in trouble on return to China. The old man was sending out radio messages crew mutiny , I told him they are not they are just telling you that they don’t have any options in the matter . Anyhow with going to Hong Kong they were all discharged from vessel and philipinos employed in their place , they were a pound a month cheaper as well. Myself I preferred the Chinese. The ship was berthed opposite HK in Kowloon and the shipping master in HK called me over to visit him , so got the ferry across, his words , what the hell are you doing on that ship, I would advise you not to re-sign on again , my reply you pay my air fare home and I will go. He declined to do so. Arriving Japan as usual couldn’t get a sub and hadn’t been paid for 3 months I found later that allotments hadn’t been paid. So decided to come off the hard way. Cheers JS
Your query as to nationality started off with master mate , master from Southern Ireland and a Protestant to boot, the sparks also a very young Irishman of the other denomination and the two hated each other. chief engineer was from Sunderland he died in Singapore and managed to get to see him in hospital the old man wouldn’t tell me the hospital so saw the agent myself and got the info from him.the 2 eng was from Aberdeen Scotland but resided in Aberdeen Hong Kong. Both were replaced by Indians . Otherwise crew were all Chinese the firemen and deck crew from different areas in China so spoke their own lingo. So finished up with 3 Europeans myself the master and the sparks. sparks left shortly after me , and saw him back in the uk and got most of the scandal latterly from him . We may not have much money but we did see life. JS. Forgot to mention Hong Kong to Japan involved using Kaishioung as a port of refuge 3 times , the the first two goes the current was too strong and had to return to Taiwan it was 3 rd. Time lucky , she was a 4 knot ship with a following sea as part of a blade off the propellor was missing also. JS

[Michael Black]

The sloop John B....... sorry couldn't resist.
My worst ship was also the best, my last trip on the Icenic , the crew were great really great feeder ships bar was the best on the coast I had done the previous two on her but the fly in the ointment was the mate.
He was a real piece of work, had no man management skill at all an Irish man with a big attitude problem. The previous mate had been a real gentleman.
Regards Michael

[Des Taff Jenkins]

When I started this post I thought like Vernon we had done this before, But there may be still some good stories out there, and it seems I was right, I believe if anyone was on some of the old ships I sailed on all those year ago there must be. And they are all interesting reading.
Cheers Des

[j.sabourn]

#17 my story about the Glendalough I have told before Des but in a much lighter tone. But as it is over 50 years ago can add to without upsetting too many people or being sued for slander. However this late in the game who cares. The Glendalough along with many other misdemeanours had a writ place on the mast in Singapore , regardless we just sailed from the anchorage and ignored. This was the masters answer to that. His name was Lundy and was the reason why I asked about the name in previous posts. He was supposed to according to the sparks have been master on some Irish coaster years before which he managed to put ashore with loss of life , so anyone with Irish maritime knowledge may know more than me. He was a strange man and on receiving Radio orders to take bunkers in Dakar on passage from Poland to Karachi he came to me questioning them saying there are two Dakars in Pakistan which one do they mean ? I put him right , he still radiod back for confirmation , his reply from owners was ask the mate. A weird man who always disappeared in port supposedly on ships business. His lack of deep sea knowledge was disgraceful and I put it down to being on the coast too long. Anyhow those times for me have gone , but must still be there in one form or another. If other things were mentioned my own sanity may appear to be questionable . Cheers JS

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi John.
When you think back it's a wonder some of us survived, but we didn't give up, and now those times are some of the best memories? we remember because we survived it all in order to put it down here on this great site. It's the same reason we know how bad it was in much earlier times, of sail.
Des

[j.sabourn]

#17 They may sound like good stories now Des, but at the time they were traumatising events at the time and doubt today could react in the same manner as did then. There will always be certain events very personal and have to remain that way , some just for decency’s sake. British seamen have never received the reverence they deserved but have mostly been looked down upon , the likes of the Lady Astors of this world being the cause of their defamation . Seamen on the whole spoke their minds and medical and health wise were the most wise people in the world on looking after their personal health. Not like the good ladies recommendations about all being forced to wear a black arm band like they may have leprosy or even worse . JS

[Cameron Evans]

Does it mean I'm an inexperienced sailer if I didn't go through life-threatening waters like you guys? Like the craziest I've gone through is the beggining of a storm, but at that time I was already able to see the shore line

[j.sabourn]

#21 You should always learn from your own and others mistakes , and learning never finishes. If you think you are inexperienced then you are the only one to know , and should like Baden Powell and his motto always be prepared as best you can for the worse. Life is the same for everyone no matter what they do in life. No one here is casting aspersions on others integrity unless it is too obvious not to. Cheers JS.