Assist?

[alf corbyn]

hi lads. vernon, i parked up on several UCL mailboats at maderia. we always anchored out and the crew were not allowed ashore to my knowledge. the boys used to dive from the bridge wings into the water and bring the coins up in thier mouths or between thier toes.there was always a lot of tradesmen on board selling wickerwork goods. chairs tables birdcages etc. they also sold canaries? which sometimes turned out to be sparrows with split tongues and pepper in the water to make them whistle. john the fish you were talking about were at ascention island, and the lads used to lower a breadbasket (wire cage) with a couple of rolls in and it immediatly filled up with those what we called cannibal fish very poisonous. the island belonged to cable& wireless i believe, and the staff there used to race round the old airfield in vehicles left there by the yanks after the war. the crew were all allowed ashore in st helena and they had dances for them. all the girls were very willing and i had two sisters all night for an old lighter and 50 cigs. alf

[Doc Vernon]

Hi Alf
Yes mate remeber now all those things and it brings back the old memories of those good and carefree days !
On that Diving ,was it also Madeira that the young Lads used to Dive off those very high Cliff Faces ! Gee they were fantastic,and i could sit and watch them for hours!
Cost me a few Shillings i can tell you!
Thanks for that!
Cheers

[Trader]

Hi Trader
Yes i remember the Fred Olsen Liners there,and i recall one especially that had just arrived from London Tilbury Docks!
It was there i believe to load i think was Tomatoes od all things!!
She then was off again to London to disembark her passengers!
Cheers

Vernon,

When I was on the Blenheim in 1970 I did ten fortnightly cruises from Millwall Dock, London to Madeira, Lanzarote, Tenerife and Las Palmas. Apart from passengers she also carried a lot of cargo which was loaded through doors on the starboard side. We took general out and tomatoes, new potatoes and bananas home.

Alec.

[happy daze john in oz]

That reminds me of one trip stopping at Maderai on the way home. Took a consignment of tomatos which were stowed on the forward deck. Rough seas in the bay and all that was left when we docked in Southampton was the tie downs.