Ex Shipyard Fitter/Sailor

[Tom Hirst]

Tom Hirst here, Halifax Nova Scotia, Canada, Sailed NSP draggers for a short while before going ashore in '78 to the Dartmouth Marine Slips for 17 years. Several delivery trips, most noteworthy, (to me, at least) was "getting my head wet" in HMCS Okanagon. Currently retired and disabled, but unable to stay away from them blasted steel pointy, floaty things

Thank you for your acceptance.

Cheers, Tom,
Halifax, NS

[Ron B Manderson]

welcome to the site Tom.
Glad you could join us.
Enjoy
Ron the batcave

[Ivan Cloherty]

Welcome aboard Tom, join this motley friendly crew into voyages past, present and those we wish we could do, or in most cases do again. We look forward to your regaling us with some of your memories and stories

[John Albert Evans]

Hi Tom,
Welcome to the site. I'm sure you'll enjoy the banter.
I lived in Kentville NS. 2000 to 2013. I enjoyed it there very much.
John Albert Evans

[j.sabourn]

Hi Tom, used to visit Halifax quite often in 68. Worked for Saguenay Terminals on the Sunprincess. Must have visited about 8 times in the year. Bloody cold in the winter. Cheers John Sabourn

[Doc Vernon]

A very warm welcome to this great site Tom,i am sure you will find lots to read ,some serious some just banter,and others plain laughter! LOL
Hope we will have the pleasure of your company for a long time,and tha you will in time post some of your Sea experiences here!
Looking forward to reading them!
Cheers
Doc

[John Arton]

Tom
Welcome aboard.
Guys at last someone who could repair the virtual ship should it ever set sail without having to revert to tabnabs to patch her up after our trusty navigators ran her up the rocks having been distracted so much by grey marions jokes they forgot to plot the position.
Went to Halifax for bunkers on a fully laden Cape sized bulker in the early 80,s. After bunkering and upon heaving up the anchor found loads of old anchor cables and wires and electric cable wrapped around it. Had to get a workboat out with a burner on board to cut them free. We were assured that all the electric cables were redundant and not live so in freezing cold weather the guy on the work boat started cutting through all the cables. The very last one he cut through dropped into the water and with a flash and a bang a large section of the North side of Halifax went dark. We got out of the harbour as fast as 122000 tons of iron ore plus ship could go.
Also in the winter of 69 my girlfriend in St. Johns N.B. was an ex Miss Halifax...not a lot of people know that.
rgds
JA

[j.sabourn]

About that same time John we had a stewardess from, the ex British Guinana, her sister was also a miss world contestant and she was as good looking as her sister. Was what I thought seasick all the way from Trinidad to Halifax ( winter) took her ashore to the Captains Cabin, and also in Quebec to the Chateau de Frantenac. Then found out she had joined the vessel pregnant and what I assumed seasickness was her getting rid of the baby. No more free feeds on me, think the 3 mate married her. One of the many reasons don't like women on ships. Cheers John Sabourn

[Bob Hollis]

John, you must have met her somewhere indoors. Outside all I remember seeing was a bundle, either approaching or departing. No way of telling which sex.

[j.sabourn]

#9 If referring to my post Bob. She would have had my Parka on. She had no cold weather clothes. As for meeting inside just took her down the gangway. Believe it or not there was no evil intentions in my trying to get her to eat as really felt sorry for her. Shows how close one could get if accused of otherwise. Oh to be young again, would not be so chivilorous now. Cheers John Sabourn