Your shortest trip.

[Captain Kong]

Did you have a very short trip deep sea, we have done the longest trips so I thought we would do a shortest one.

54 Years ago, I joined a brand new cargo ship ready for her maiden Voyage on 10th October 1957, She was the CASTLEDORE, I forget what Company she belonged to. We had loaded a full general cargo for Buenos Aires and the orders were to load grain to Rotterdam and a two year contract, coal from Rotterdam to B.A. and Grain back to Rotterdam.
When signed on at the shipping office in Cornhill, Liverpool the Articles stated, something like this... A voyage of not more than two years duration unless the vessel arrives in a British or Continental Port.
That was OK cos if she was no good we could pay off in Rotterdam.
We joined the Castledore on the morning of the 10th of October, the dockers were just finishing cargo and we were dropping derricks and making ready for sea. She was a five hatch ten derrick job, midships accommodation for all hands, quite nice for those days.
After lunch the tugs came alongside, we were in Alexandra Dock. The Bosun shouts `Fore and Aft` I went out of the mess room and on the bulkhead was a copy of the articles in a frame. Something caught my eye, I stopped and looked and the word `Continent `had been crossed out. Hold on there, Bose, I shouted , `have you seen this ? "Take no notice` he said `Get forard.`
`No way` I said The articles have been altered` I got the crowd around and they all agreed the Articles had been tampered with. We are not sailing until this is sorted I said. The Bosun went and got the Mate. He came down shouting `Get Fore and Aft`.
We went down the gangway instead of pulling it in. I went onto the phone to the Union, [ even tho` I didn’t like the Union`] and to Cornhill Shipping Office and reported the incident,.
The Captain by now was screaming dementedly. `We are going to miss the tide, get back on board`.
Half an hour later the Shipping Master arrived with Paddy McGrath, from the Union,. He went to see the Captain.
It turned out that the Captain had realised that the word Continent would have created a lot of problems every time the ship arrived on the Continent and so he crossed it out hoping no one would notice. The Captain was told he had to pay everyone off and start again with a new set of Articles.
We each received one months pay for the four hours we were on board. He asked us to come back and re-sign. No Way, Thirty pounds in the back pocket, just like a real pay off day, The ship had to go through the Pool again and was held up for several days.
I think we had a lucky escape.

Cheers
Brian.

[David Williams]

Hi Brian.
Join a Shell tanker,the LATIRUS,at Swansea,had Lands End For Orders,
but for some reason sailed up and down the Irish coast for a couple of
days,docked in Ellmsere Port,so the majority of us paid off,and we had
to pay our own fares back to Swansea.

Dave Williams

[Mike Hall]

i have a few short trips to my name.
the first one was the catalina star,i signed on to sail on 22 aug 1961,but later that day
was in the seamens hospital,only to see the ship sail that day.

the second was the port halifax,signed on ,on the 2 jul 1960,and
paid off on 7 jul 1960 in rotterdam.

the third was the dunedin star,signed on,on 14 oct 1961 and paid off in liverpool
on the 16 oct 1961.

the fourth one was the sugar importer,i signed on,on 6 apl 1960,went to
port of spain,trinidad,and paid off on 7 may 1960.

[Captain Kong]

Hi Mike, I dd the Dunedin Star in 1956, five months to the Cape ports and Aussie coast. she was a good job tho` a bit hungry.
Cheers
Brian.

[Mike Hall]

brian,
i never had a problem with food,
as i worked in the galley.
mike

[Doc Vernon]

Hi Capt
Sorry but this just came to mind!
Its however true,and nothing meant !
Shortest Trip (does it matter on waht kind of Sea Craft) haha!
Anyway Cape Town 1953 (13 Years of age) the old Penny Ferry ! Not M/N i know!
Cheers

PS I like your Story!
Takes me back to one of your olderStories,when looking for a Gravesite in was it East London?
Thanks

http://www.bluestarline.org/dunedin2.html

[happy daze john in oz]

Shortest trip was a Blue Star, one day I lasted workng by. In KGV dock I think and althought I had been with UCl I had never seen sucha high percentage of 'Queens' as on this one. Went back to the pool office and they then sent me to Hull to join NZSC Paparoa.

[Louis the Amigo]

Hi shipmates, My shortest trip was from Pier head Cardiff, to under the seven bridge and back to Cardiff my very first trip to sea on the Westward ho paddle steamers p&a Campbell age 14yrs was very sea sick, now the seven bridge is the old seven bridge!!! I have a picture of it oil on board, painted by a local artist a few years ago will put it on site soon its called my first trip.

[John Albert Evans]

My first and shortest trip was Birkenhead Landing Stage to Liverpool Pierhead. (And back).

John Evans.

PS. I Have no idea how many times I've done it since, but its a lot.

[Captain Kong]

Good one John Albert.
What I should have said was ...
On Deep Sea or Foreign Going Articles

Cheers
Brian