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Thread: First trip memories

  1. #81
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    Default Re: First trip memories

    Quote Originally Posted by Chris Thompson View Post
    Joined the Mv Silverfjord in LA(1972), How lucky can I have been, was allowed through US immigration on my discharge book with no visa either, when you are 21 you don't realise you know nowt, to this day looking back I don't know how I got through. Realised after a few days I was there like it or not, it wasn't till the 3week crossing from Japan to Panama that I realised this was for me. A 4 month trip that took in the delights of Nagoya in Japan back to Europe via the Mexican gulf. I think I bored my mates when I got home with recounts of where I had been. Smashing ship that I rejoined 6months later and it lasted through till around 2010, there are pics of it on shipspotting.com
    I joined with hair on my shoulders, as was the fashion and was extremely worried about crossing the line with stories of "hot cross buns and hair shaving" floating around, the 2nd decided to bend the line and I ended up one side long one side short, to be fair it must have been funny, didn't stop trips up the road in New Orleans and the other gulf ports though.
    you were lucky, I got locked up with an armed guard for about six hours in Miami airport, while on route to Kingston Jamaica, because I did not have a "transit" visa.
    Yanks were worse than Russians, would not allow me to go to toilet until I threatened to p-ss on the deck. Treated like a criminal, could not phone consul or US relatives. Armed escort to next flight and escorted to my seat, passport handed to stewardess with instructions not to give me back till airborne.

  2. #82
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    Default Re: First trip memories

    Doesn’t have to be the US for awkward immigration officers , British consular officers can be just as bad. The one in Trinidad refused to issue me with a passport, and finished up with a bit of s rough house, ( in a previous post).Their excuse later, they thought I was one of the Great Train Robbers. So even in those days must have looked like a villain to some.maybe it was the broken nose. JS
    Last edited by j.sabourn; 4th January 2019 at 11:45 PM.

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    Default Re: First trip memories

    Stories such as these and the other Thread about ones 21st Birthday , are so interesting, and bring back many memories to us all, this is the sort of thing that this great site does, keeps us oldies together with our good and sometimes bad memories.
    It also keeps the mind so active ,which in turn of course helps us in our Mind Health.
    For the Newer Members i hope that all of you will read and join in with your Stories, which will go a long way in helping the site keep going as it is ,and making it even more of interest ,not only to Members but to so many Guests that look in here.
    As the Merchant Navy is ne that has done so much for so many, and there are so many that dont even know what it is, these posts will enlighten them as to who we were and are still.
    Thanks to each and every one that has contributed with their Stories!
    Sone short and some very long, but in all they are Great!
    Cheers
    Senior Site Moderator-Member and Friend of this Website

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    Default Re: First trip memories

    The truth never hurt anyone. Vernon. Some stories may be off course in their assumptions but are written mainly not for personal gain, unlike media and other professional reports written deliberately to mislead. I believe I posted one not too long back about a media story put out on tv about a ship working in the Mexican gulf. it had the master and crew. Stigmatised before even the Enquiry I have just come across my correspondence on such as happened not too long ago , and before consigning to the rubbish skip am in two minds wherever to reprint or not due to the labour involved In the reprinting out and discarding what would be construed by some sea lawyer as slander, which the truth is always liable for. As far as I am concerned the freedom of the press does not surpass the freedom of ordinary people to speak the truth even when it does not correspond with some of the garbage put out as news. Cheers JS...
    Last edited by j.sabourn; 23rd September 2020 at 10:35 PM.
    R575129

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  6. #85
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    Default Re: First trip memories

    There is one main problem with the stories we all put on site at times.

    Some, though fully true, would sound so crazy to any one who was never at sea or overseas in our times that they were made up.

    But as we all know we all have tales to tell that are mad but true.
    Happy daze John in Oz.

    Life is too short to blend in.

    John Strange R737787
    World Traveller

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    Default Re: First trip memories

    Left Manchester on the midnight train to London Dec 23 1954, leaving my mother crying her eyes out on the platform at London Road Station, to sign on the City of Pretoria on the morning of Dec 24. I was a Marconi Radio Officer and we were entitled to "Captains leave" whereby the captain can grant up to three days leave without it being deducted from annual leave. I was back in Manchester that same day and was able to celebrate Christmas Eve with all my mates. Returned to the ship on Dec 27 but we didn't sail until Jan 2. We left the East India Dock and arrived at Rotterdam the following morning. That was my first time visiting a foreign country. We then sailed for Middlesbrough where the skipper let me go home again! I spent another three days at home where my dear old mum was beginning to be sick of the sight of me. We then sailed from Middlesbrough back to London where I was awarded another three days captains leave. I had to go to the Marconi office to sub some money from my pay as I was just about destitute and I owed my mother quite a lot. I got as much as I could from Marconi after spending a mere two days at sea. It was about seven days later when we finally sailed for Capetown via Las Palmas where I finally learned what being at sea was really like. I was apprehensive about sea sickness but I was happy to be immune even in the Bay of Biscay. We returned to London about three months later where I enjoyed a similar process before I was transferred to another ship. (After some leave, of course!)
    Sea life got a little harder after that!

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    Default Re: First trip memories

    Quote Originally Posted by Bill Astbury View Post

    Sea life got a little harder after that!
    Haw, C'mon Bill ! Sparky was always considered the Bobby's job on any ship, always first down the gangway on arrival and invariably the last up it on sailing days, and in foreign ports always had the most time ashore and only came back on board for a rest!!


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    Default Re: First trip memories

    My first trip was in September 1970, on the 4th day when just about to sail from the first port of call there was an attempted murder onboard. Worried in case the news was in the UK newspapers as my Dad would if been down waiting on the ships arrival back in the UK To drag me back home

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    Default Re: First trip memories

    Frank ... ' Blood Alley ' Genoa ... enough to make any seafarer " scared " ... saw a terrible bust-up there in early 60's ... car jack was used to bash someone.
    Norm

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  12. #90
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    Default Re: First trip memories

    Quote Originally Posted by Ivan Cloherty View Post
    Haw, C'mon Bill ! Sparky was always considered the Bobby's job on any ship, always first down the gangway on arrival and invariably the last up it on sailing days, and in foreign ports always had the most time ashore and only came back on board for a rest!!

    How true! But it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy!

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