longest time between ports

[Graham Evans]

Sometime in early1966 I was 2nd Mate on the "Ardrossmore", Mullion & Co HK, formerly the Irish Elm. Departed Shanghai for Santiago de Cuba via HK, Pulau Bukom, Aden, P.Said, Gibraltar. All these were bunker stops, this tub burned 24 tons of Heavy Fuel a day for about 9 knots, a steam up & down job. I cannot remember how long this trip took but I was most probably a raving alky when we got there. I am unable to elaborate on the passage time as my ex. burned all my sight books, but I did 18 months of these trips, including Haiphong, where we were nearly shot up by the yanks, only survived on champers, G.H.Mumm 1955, ex Foreign Legion stores.When I finally got home, I was in such a bad state that my Father, (ex. Reardon Smith), wanted to send me to a nut house somewhere to dry out!! With hindsight & many years later, I came to the conclusion that I had probably become mentally unstable, (gone around the bend) we usually had a load of larfs, in & out of Commie jails, them were the good old days. I certainly wouldn't care to sail on today's tickbox, unisex, beerless, no smoking, floating offices! What are they going to do when the next war starts?, all real sailors are long gone to the big scrap yard in the sky.

[Graham Evans]

That was the "Cement Armada".

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi Neville.
Like Stuart I did the same run on a BTC Tanker Kuwait too Wellington NZ and the same things happened breaking down on a regular basis. In eleven months on that ship The British Builder we had eleven days ashore, it was my last deep sea trip untill I went on the NZ coast.
cheers Des

[Gordon Turnbull]

Longest would be the same as others I guess, slow steaming round the Cape from Milford Haven, load at Kharg Island, slow steaming to Europort. First tanker and swore I would never join another. Unfortunatley the money won and I stayed :-)

Did have 6 weeks at anchor off Jeddah once. Not good. Beer locker was locked on arrival and we never got any till we sailed!!! Fireman got caught stealing everybody's aftershave to drink. Brut that he was. :-)

[Captain Kong]

Hi Gordon
I did that run for a few years on ESSO, over two months round the Cape to Gulf and then more than two months back, slow steaming, sometimes drifting with the Aghulas current and the Benguella current to save fuel, BUFCON they called it, Bunker Fuel Conservation. Certainly mind bending.
I remember one time after six months flying home and when I arrived in Manchester at rush hour around 5pm, thousands of people all aroiund me, rushing about, I froze, I had never seen so many people for six months. I had to hide in a corner for a couple of hours shaking all over, a weird sensation. Until I could face the world again.

[Captain Kong]

Sarky git.

[Gulliver]

QUOTE

"I had never seen so many people for six months. I had to hide in a corner for a couple of hours shaking all over, a weird sensation. Until I could face the world again."


Brian,that may not be as weird as you think.Something similar happened to me.
　
As you know I swallowed the anchor after twenty years at sea.I then embarked upon my second career in the transport industry,during which,from the years 2000 to 2007 I worked for TfL in London,commuting by tube and bus daily,and very often attending seminars and meetrng people in connection with the job,so I would say ’ introverted’ is not my middle name.

However,until 2002 I had never been abroad again or wanted to.After all I’d seen very many countries during my time at sea.
I preferred(and usually still do) holidaying in this country.
In 2002 I booked a 5 day break in Lisbon, which was always my favourite European city.
Upon arrival in Lisbon I checked into the hotel and went to sleep.
Waking up in the the morning I had a sort of panic attack,and was overwhelmed at the realisation I was in a foreign country,what was I doing here…it never felt like that at sea,ever.
From my room I could look down and see the traffic and people and I felt apprehensive and nervous.
I ended up staying in my room,having room service until the evening before I could pluck up the courage to go down to the street,and go out.
Of course I enjoyed it and then had a great holiday,and I’ve never felt those feelings again since that episode.
Perhaps it really was anxiety, and in your case understandable if you’d been on the tanker for six or so months then taken out of your ‘comfort zone’ into a home environment again.
I bet more than a few here can relate to a similar experience…
　
　
As for Michael ’ Hughes‘s reply,that is to be expected from the man .
Perhaps he’ll ask one of his many ‘sock puppets’ to support his anti-social retort……

All the Best
Gulliver

[Captain Kong]

Thanks for that Gulliver,
After six months on a 300,000 tanker, a crew of 26 who you never see, men turned in , men on watch etc. Alone on watch on the bridge, no one to talk to for four hours, a dry ship for six months, so no one to talk to in the dry bar. Some times never see land, no going ashore, round the Cape at least 15 miles south of the coast, in the Gulf anchor off Saudi 40 miles offshore to load from a sub sea pipe line. then take her back around the Cape using the currents as conveyor belts. They are lonely ships and after the six months it is quite an ordeal to be suddenly confronted by thousands of people around pushing and shoving their way past.
I guess Mr hughes has no idea of real seafaring.

[Ivan Cloherty]

Know how you feel Captain

Upon coming ashore, I had to spend three months in the office before being let loose as a Supt. If I had not been getting married in month 4, then I would have gone straight back to sea. Coming ashore enduring that same train journey, seeing the same bloody miserable faces morning and night drove me up the wall. I used to miss trains at night, catch a later train just so that I could see different faces.

Also having a 60 mile train journey each way everyday I was appalled at the lack of manners displayed by some men in those days (the 60's) I often offered my seat to la femme only for a man to jump in it, now I am no James Bond or large in stature, but believe me they didn't stay seated for long. I thought if this is shore life you can stick, only my beautiful bride to be kept me focused and ashore. Mind you looking after 22 ships I spent as much time away from home as I would have done at sea, but you get used to it

Ivan

[Captain Kong]

Mr Hughes
I did not enjoy your comment saying I was suffering from DTs. and if you know all about the type of ship I was referring to then you would have understood what it was all about.
Six months on a dry ship, Flying home from Saudi Arabia on a Saudi Airllines plane, Dry Planes too. Waiting to see wife and children and you thought I had DTs
What a silly man you really are. Mr Hughes. Say something intelligent next time.