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So many good times yes one or two not so good on a couple of bad ships but overall mostly good. I recall on 1st trip bunkering at Curacao seeing purportedly Capt. Morgans Castle & the water so green & clear I could see the props. Magellan Straits just amazing. Another trip experiencing a hurricane in Caribbean, all those mad mad times ashore on the Sth American Coast the Great Lakes most of all the many, many good friendships made with but few of them names remembered.
Moving up to docks in the Yarra in Melbourne on the Straat Cumberland in June 1969 on my way back to work in Singapore. I saw, tied up to a wharf, the SS&A Gothic that I was skippers tiger on for two and a half years; in a dilapidated state. She was on her way to the breakers in Japan. I had not known of the fire in her bridge some time earlier. I came across the bridge picture not long ago. That ship was good to me and it was quite a blow.
Richard
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1957/58 I was on a small tanker. Esso Ottawa, 90Tons. Home trade of course. We were coming ,in ballast,from Poole to Fawley. Like most small ships coming from West,we came in through the Needles. Strong wind over tide,sea like a mountain.anyone who knows the Solent area will know what I mean. I was on the wheel,she heeled over,the grating under my feet slid away,I was convinced she had gone past the point of no return.I think this was the only time at sea I was frightened.However like all good Clyde built Ships,she got us safely home.
Now tell the truth Richard, you were playing with matches again!Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard Quartermaine
With a matchless result, John.
Richard
Richard what was the story behind the fire, how bad was it, was it at sea any casualties? Sad she went to the breakers, sad for any ship I guess. Now days I am told ships as young as 6 years are broken up? Imagine when this current largest ship in the world goes there now that will keep them busy for a while. One ship I was on, the Warkworth was apparently caught in shell fire during the Cyprus situation then considered a total loss she was I thought a good looking ship too I had a great trip on her full of interesting events.
Another, the Suffolk, caught fire in Auckland, apparently it had been brewing for quite some time so thank God we did not have to abandon ship in the Pacific. Anyway we were towed to an island in the beautiful harbour eventually the fire was put out I think a couple of days. As I recall not one of the crew seemed overly worried yet we could have gone to kingdom come, what a blast, ha.
It was in August 1968 in the Pacific well on the way to Panama. I didn't know much about it until a couple of years ago from an old shipmate from Eastbourne, UK. I see on Wikipaedia that an earlier Gothic caught fire a hundred years ago. canny! Here is a report on the later event, it's down the page so scroll down when you open the site; ShawSavill's Corinthic Class Liners
We thought we were bullet proof those days. You mention Auckland. On the Gothic in early 1951 we arrived in the biggest dock strike in New Zealand. We anchored off Rangitoto Island for weeks and the Corinthic that had been scheduled to do the 1952 Royal Tour was following us. The delay changed all that and Admiralty decided to use the Gothic instead. We were painted white, with a gold band, had the troops come in to handle the cargo. It was all go from then on.
Cheers, Richard
On August 2, 1968, having left New Zealand several days earlier, Gothic suffered a devastating fire onboard. The crew were valiant and extinguished fire. Sadly seven lives were lost and the ship suffered considerable damage. She had to make it back to Wellington in bad weather conditions From the SS WEBSITE.
Brian.
I had many many good times. and a few bad ones too.
Bad one, called to the Captains cabin, "There you are, a telegram, your Dads Dead." severe shock,
another, "Heres a phone call for you on the bridge, " hello?" " Your Mother is dead". So never went to any funeral.
Watching my mate mate die and losing his body in the sea off East London.
.
Good experiences....
Standing on deck looking at Cape Horn, fantastic.
Sailing amongst the icebergs in the Scotia sea, Antarctica
Visiting Sir Ernest Shackletons grave in South Georgia and drinking a tot of rum the next one poured on his grave.
Crashing through 800 miles of ice down the St Lawrence on the Emp of France, when the winter came one month early.
Seeing a liner from the crows nest doing somersaults and shipping seas over the funnel in a North Atlantic winter storm
Getting the French Foreign Legion, survivors of the massacre of Dien Bien Phu off the beach and into the ship, Vung Tau.
Climbing Mount St Helens in Washington State after she had blown and looking down into the crater seeing the new dome a mile in diameter pumping Hydrogen Sulphide gas out, the mountain trembling and warm. The area like a nuclear holocaust for thousands of square miles, Awesome.
Walking around Ularu, the rock, and entering the caves and seeing the thousands of years old paintings of the aborigines.
Helping a Junior Midwife to deliver my two sons at home, incredible.
Waking up in hospital after a life saving operation. fantastic.
Having a tooth pulled by Mr Christian in Bolton, taking it to Tahiti, then taken to Matavai Bay by a descendent of Mr Midshipman Edward Young of the Bounty Mutineers, and burying the Tooth that Mr Christian pulled to bury it under the Bread Fruit Tree next to the memorial stone of the Bounty with Mr Christians name on at the same beach where the Bounty lay for six months waiting for the season. fantastic.
Seeing hundreds of beautiful places around the planet, many very few people have ever seen.
Not a bad life is it?
Cheers
Brian.
that's a true pot pouri of life how many shore wallahs could do and see that in sailors language we effin had it all and stood it all a great adventure like it should be