First Foreign Port.

[Bill Morrison]

My first foreign port was Dunkirk when I was 14 years old and blue star line, my father's company, had offered me a trip coasting as a supernumerary in order to give me a taste of sea life.
At aged 17 I actually started my sea going career, first port was das Island up the Persian gulf, offshore loading, no shore leave, next port was Gothenburg, again no shore leave, finally got ashore in the next port which was Lisbon where we were in drydock. Had a similar experience as George in #1.
Also spent a number of nights getting drunk in the Texas bar.
Rgds
J.A

Hi John. Almost a carbon copy. Flew to Dunkirk from Southend to join my ship and sign on. Sailed within a couple hours for the Persian Gulf, Kharg Island. Loaded for return to Europe. Went ashore to the British Sailors Society, no alcohol two cans of Coke and a game of snooker!!
Sailed for Antwerp but over come with Heat Exhaustion, lucky to make it. They paid me off in Antwerp so ended my first trip to sea.
Bill.

[Des Jenkins]

Hi Bill.
You have my sympathies, knew what it was like mate
Cheers Des

[happy daze john in oz]

Recall my first port of call being Las Palmas and the lads going ashore to get their fill.
Many would then be seen a few days alter outside the medical center, got far more than their fill.

In Freo we had to take a ferry from the berth to shore, easy going but we did not like the beer there then.
Stuck to Rum and black, thankfully the guy on the ferry helped us ashore.

[John Paulling]

My first o/s port was Antwerp. It was a home run job on the Port Victor. I had joined it in KGV the same day as I had left the Vindicatrix. 31 March 1951I Funny how you can remember some names from the past, but the chief cook on that trip was old Tom Porter. I then did a further 3 deep sea trips with Don Burgess from the Scilly Isles and Capt. Ron Warick.
Other names have faded into the mists of time.
My last trip to sea (which I didn't know at the time) was on the Shell tanker Narica. We parted company in Sydney. She was there having a dry docking ETC the company refused to repair broken equipment in the galley, so as I found out later 9 of the crew had the same idea and jumped ship.
I have been here in NSW for the past 70 odd years now and am beginning to like it here, I think I'll stay. I have been an Australian citizen since 1967 and loving it.
Once a Vindi boy, always a Vindi boy. Still in contact with some on Skype Teams to this day. JP

[Doc Vernon]

Well i was a wee bit different to most here, as i had joined my first Ship the Dunnottar Castle in Cape Town, then being with UCL and they had a running agreement with the South African Govt then, to Employ a certain percentage of Jarpies then LOL.
I was one of the lucky ones, although i had experience in Silver Service on the South African Railways, Long Distance Train as Dining Saloon Waiter!
Alos the Dunnottar was three persons down from illness , 2 on the Catering and 1 in the Engine Room.
So we were taken on fast!

So off i went my first Voyage, happy as Larry but a wee bit sort of worried not knowing what to expect!
But i had not to worry as all went so well, made Friend fast even though a Jarpie> Mmm!!

So we were off back to London KG5 , this the being the first large port i saw, and Boy was i taken aback. All the hustle and bustle, not like Cape Town although that to was a busy Port then, but London was so much larger and so many more Ships , it was awesome !

Yes for a young Lad still a wee bit green, it sure was an Eye Opener, and one thing for sure, i learnt very very fast!

Then it was change of Ship and of course a change of Trip. Southampton this time , which was also a huge place , not as big as London, but still large enough!

Of course back to the Intermediate Run i went on the Warwick Castle, and then all those then Exotic Ports , some of which i found myself in situations at times that were Well you know > !! Mmmm!!

The Mail run also had some fair places as many will know , i liked Las Palmas, Madeira, and Ascension Islans very beautifull places and a lot of fond memories too.
The Round Africa Ports were also good some more of course than others.

Well that my bit , hope we get many more with their escapades soon!
Cheers

[John Paulling]

I was also on the Dunnottar Castle for 2 trips as bakers scullion from30/7/1953, - til 6 /10/53. Then from 22/10 1953 til 28/12/1953. First and only 2 trips with a good crew. names escape me now but the 2 brothers Charlton.
JP

[Ivan Cloherty]

My first foreign port was Seydisfjordur on the East coast of Iceland, I was working on the trawler 'Swanland' (built 1914) bound for the Arctic fishing grounds when one of the deckies got appendicitus and we had to land him there. I was 13 years old at the time. Although a memorable occasion, what I consider my first real foreign port was Havana when I was 16 years old, also a memorable occasion but for entirely different reasons