Of Interest to some i hope

[Doc Vernon]

I am posting this in this Section ,as it not only contains some Oh such wonderful memories of my Younger days before and During my time at Sea and in Cape Town.
So many good old Pics of many Ships and other tings that i hope may also bring back fond memories to many who in their days sailed around Cape Town and of course went ashore, plus other ports around the Southern Coast .
Enjoy there is quite a lot to look at here,
After the First page you can click on other pages , which may be of interest as well
Cheers

https://sites.google.com/site/soulor...le-bay-harbour

https://sites.google.com/site/soulor...-harbour-craft

[happy daze john in oz]

There you go again Vernon, being all nostalgic.

But thank you for that, brings back some great memories, not just for me but no doubt for many others.

[Ivan Cloherty]

Very interesting, thankyou for posting

To see the Royal Marines on parade on 'Vanguard' ramrod straight, all the same height, and all in line, (bit different from todays where height is not uniform, some slim, some tubby and straight line an unusual occurrence) was nice to see.

What did intrigue me was the remark about a tug...…...'she had the radar mast in front of the funnel, which made her distinctive from other vessels' I have never sailed on a vessel where the radar mast was abaft the funnel, has anyone else, just curious

[Keith Tindell]

My father was a royal marine, joined as a boy, ``dad was always immaculate in hid dress and appearance until the day he died. In later years when seeing them, and other military units was always quick to point out that they needed a haircut, must have been very disappointed with me as a civvy in the MN, with long hair !! kt

[Keith Tindell]

Some nice pics of the old Stirling Castle doc, kt

[Doc Vernon]

Indeed KT
And her Sister ship as well the Athlone, both good looking ones and good to sail on!
Funnily enough i went back on the Athlone in 64 from the UK to South Africa . and travelled as one of the Passengers, although i was actually DBS , but was not in Crew accomodation, had my own Cabin, ate and mingled with the passengers etc like a normal everyday passenger!
There was some mix up i found out after, but it never got out, as i am sure there would have been a big cry out !! So free passage in style back home LOL.
Wonder what it cost the Company , i guess not much at all??
Cheers

Stirling Castle beat the old Record from Southampton to Cape Town in 1936 she took only 13 days and 9 hours ,beating the old record held by the SS Scott in 1893. of 14 days 18 hours.

https://www.shippingwondersoftheworl...ng-castle.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dext3eLdN_c

[Ivan Cloherty]

Just to prove I've read what you posted Doc. The tugs with the radar aft of the funnel intrigued me, so I looked at other tugs on the site. Most had their radars mounted on a small platform on the foremast, however the platform was erected on the backside of the mast instead of the front of the mast, so when the radar was operating the mast would have caused a blind spot right ahead on the PPI from approx. 12 degrees on the port side thro to 12 degrees on the starboard side, an important sector of seaway when navigating in fog. Can any tug handlers explain this, or was it the fad of some Marine Supt? who really didn't understand radar, not as improbable as it sounds, as I sailed with many old school Masters/Navigators who misused the information on the PPI incorrectly,

It is reported that at one time Blue Star removed the radar from all their vessels as their vessels were having too many 'radar assisted collisions' it would have made more sense to have sent their Masters and navigators on radar courses and much cheaper, not the fault of the Masters and navigators I may had as radar was installed on MN vessels before radar certificates became mandatory before sitting for second mates. There were a lot on the bridge sailing without radar tickets through no fault of their own

[j.sabourn]

Maybe it was an Irish tug Ivan , and was planning going backwards to Xmas across the Irish Sea. I got my first Radar Observers Certificate in 1957 , Didn’t make any difference though the old man would not have it switched on. Must have worried in case we broke it. Cheers JS.

[Ivan Cloherty]

Got my first one in'58, then the 'True Motion' couple years later, the only navigator on board to have one of any description, but I still had to ask the old man when I wanted to use it, didn't have enough stripes at the time and it wasn't allowed to be switched on twixt 0000-0800 as it disturbed the old man's sleep. Sailed on one of Van Ommerens, joined in drydock and she was having the latest True Motion radar fitted, the old man would only allow it to be used on relative display, what a waste of money for the company, he should have been sent on a radar course whilst the vessel was two weeks in drydock

[Doc Vernon]

Never in doubt that you read all posts Ivan and a good question it is, i wonder if there will be any who may see this and reply ?? As for me well i have no idea!
Cheers