Memories of the Seychelles

[ken carr]

The Seychelles without doubt was the most popular destination on the Brocklebank run, I can't think of another that comes close. I consider myself very lucky to have made 7 visits between 1955 & 1964, now gentlemen close your eyes, you are a few hours from MAHE navigating between those beautiful volcanic Islands rising strait from the sea and covered in green palms
Treasure Island perhaps????
During my visits to this Paradise it was a British Crown Colony and remained so untill 1976, in those days it was rather quite peaceful and very laid back, residents where very friendly indeed, always ready to share a beer with you,the language was Creol sort of a mixture of French and English
To my knowledge Brocks where the main shipping Co to supply and visit the Islands ther was however another service running between Mombasa-Seychelles-Bombay and return, the Islands did not have a Airport.
I have a few yarns to spin so lets start with the one and only Sharky Clark,from what I wastold Sharky was a Canadian, apparently his Canadian Royal Navy ship left without him a few years earlier, Im not sure if this story is correct??? He did however have a close relationship with one of the local Ladies and between them they ran Shaky Clarks Bar, and having spent a few nights there would highly recomend it
I have a lot more stories to share, Visits to the outlying Islands the beautiful Beau Vallon Beach and Resort, but firstly lets have some input from all the Brocks guys who think as I do Yes it was a PARADISE
Regards
Ken Carr

[Philthechill]

Ken! Salaams! I was very fortunate in going to The Seychelle's on my very first trip on Maskeliya early 1961. The "Duke of Bootle" (Dougie Ruddick) was Chief and he knew the owner of The Beau-Vallon-Beach Hotel who duly invited all us off-duty Engineers to go over and spend the day with him. He insisted on us all having a go at water-skiing and said it was so simple he would demonstrate the launch technique by staying fully-clothed and being towed off the beach. He stood, on the ski's at the waters edge all ready for his boatman to gun the motor and pull him off (unfortunate choice of words!!!). Just before the boatman opened the throttle the motor stalled and several vital minutes were lost as he attempted to restart it (I say "vital minutes" because the gently lapping waves started sand building-up on the ski's, until they were buried!). Eventually the motor fired-up and, on full throttle, the boat was aimed at the open sea. What happened next was like a sequence from a comic movie! The tow-line tightened and with a shouted, "Here I go!" our erstwhile "instructor" shot forward! However his ski's remained in the sand whilst he, true to his "Here we go!" performed a fabulous parabola from ski's to sea!! We were all mesmerised by this seemingly selfless act of immersion, fully-clothed, just to give us all a laugh and cheered him to the echo!!
"Fully-clothed" sounds a bit like he had his Saville Row pin-stripe suit, bowler hat, brief-case and spats on but, of course, even though he was the hotel owner he was dressed for The Seychelles with just his shorts and shirt on!
He emerged from the briney none the worse for his "demo" saying "That's how NOT to do it!!"
Needless to say we all had a wonderful time both at Beau Vallon Beach and in Sharky Clark's Bar!!!
I was very fortunate as, in total, I went to The Seychelle's four times whereas some old hands in Brock's never went at all. Happy memories! Phil(Hippy)

[R58484956]

Stayed at the Beau Vallon Beach hotel when President Marcos arrived, he arrived at the island with 2 DC8 a/c. We were told he was an expert water skier, so off he went and shortly after wards he fell from the skis, we all clapped and cheered and were shortly confronted by his armed guards who pointed their guns at us, as they did not like anyone taking the P*** out of their beloved president. Imelda shook her fist at us which of course raised another big cheer and hand clapping. They all left hotel shortly afterwards back to airport.

[ken carr]

Hi
I have returned to this thread wiith some very interesting news indeed a short while ago I received a message {via Ships Nostalgia}from a gentleman by the name of Andrew Clark who is the grandson of Sharky Clark, firstly many Thanks to SN for having made this contact possible, you deserve a medal, Having exchanged a few emails with Andrew I can now say that Sharky was left behind by a Canadian Navel ship but he was most definatly an Englishman, no doubt we will find out more at a later date, Now Andrew is seeking any information at all on Sharky's stay in the Seychelles ie who was the Lady with whom he ran the Bar, has anybody got photos ?? The time period is from 1955 to say 1965 approximately. Come on now you Brocklebank ANCIENT MARINERS get your act together, start performing and assist this young man learn about our HISTORY
Regards
Ken

[BlueScouse]

I visited the Seychelles just once, as a first trip engine cadet on the Maihar, in 1976. We carried a tug for use in the airport,for pulling the jumbo jets around. No tugs, ship had cp prop and thruster. Remember we all turned to at 9am to 11am, then left duty mate,engineer and electrician onboard.Everybody else asshore.Only there for 3 days, but will never forget it.

[Philthechill]

Hi
I have returned to this thread wiith some very interesting news indeed a short while ago I received a message {via Ships Nostalgia}from a gentleman by the name of Andrew Clark who is the grandson of Sharky Clark, firstly many Thanks to SN for having made this contact possible, you deserve a medal, Having exchanged a few emails with Andrew I can now say that Sharky was left behind by a Canadian Navel ship but he was most definatly an Englishman, no doubt we will find out more at a later date, Now Andrew is seeking any information at all on Sharky's stay in the Seychelles ie who was the Lady with whom he ran the Bar, has anybody got photos ?? The time period is from 1955 to say 1965 approximately. Come on now you Brocklebank ANCIENT MARINERS get your act together, start performing and assist this young man learn about our HISTORY
Regards
Ken Ken! I've also been contacted by Andrew and given him as much "gen" as I could on MY visits to his Grand-father's (Sharky) Bar. I fear, since the place has been turned into "Butlin's-by-the-sea", it's lost that wonderful "tropical-island-paradise" we, in Borock's were VERY fortunate to visit. Salaams, Phil(Hippy)

[Burned Toast]

Was in the Seychelles on the Lutetian, We had cargo for the hotels and a motor cruiser on deck. What a great run ashore.

Ray

[R798780]

The Seychelles without doubt was the most popular destination on the Brocklebank run, I can't think of another that comes close.
To my knowledge Brocks where the main shipping Co to supply and visit the Islands ther was however another service running between Mombasa-Seychelles-Bombay and return, the Islands did not have a Airport.

Regards
Ken Carr

Brocklebanks were known as the Direct Boats, being the only service straight from UK. I only managed three trips which called at Victoria (Mahe).

The first one, as apprentice, we took a Labrador (dog) direct from UK. The family dog at that time was a Labrador and I don't think the other apprentice was into dogs so after a couple of thunderstorms and the resultant nervous tantrums the dog lived in my cabin. A kennel in the verandah Cafe on the Mawana in a thunderstorm is not the best place for a nervous dog. The only other thing that upset the beast always occurred at about quarter past midnight. It stopped when I suggested that the dog would arrive in the 4th engineers house at five to four in the morning if I heard "cats" being hissed / whispered out side my door again.

Most popular destination....................without a shadow of doubt.

[john g]

If I remember Costains were involved in the airport construction, we carried some of their bods from Cape Town to Victoria on the Mahout, at that time the Islands were unspoilt apart from the "golf ball" on the hill. I think the old man was John Lyle ? fell off a motor bike he got in Rotterdam while running round the deck .......the Costain guys sent him a crash helmet later in the trip.We carried a lot of motor bikes and furniture that trip,bought by the crew, destined for Calcutta.

[bryanm]

I also sailed with Jock Lyle when once again he fell of a motorbike on the boat
deck, he badly scraped all his face so he must have been a bugger for punishment. On this occasion I think he borrowed the motorbike from one of the Asian crew members as I recall.

Bryan Miller

[Derek Roger]

I can tell a few yarns on the Seychelles but they have been previously posted so will see if I can find them ; if not I will post again as far as my memory allows .

A good friend of |Sharkey was George Black Ch/ Eng from Dundee . Have not heard of him for ages ; hope he keeps well .
Derek

[john g]

I also sailed with Jock Lyle when once again he fell of a motorbike on the boat
deck, he badly scraped all his face so he must have been a bugger for punishment. On this occasion I think he borrowed the motorbike from one of the Asian crew members as I recall.

Bryan Miller

Hi Bryan were we on the same trip ? Mike 4/E and Rosie were on their honeymoon ......no one can forget that ,it even appeared in the Cunard Brock news rag. I think an old mate Charlie Clark C/S appeared at some stage.

[Don A.Macleod]

I can tell a few yarns on the Seychelles but they have been previously posted so will see if I can find them ; if not I will post again as far as my memory allows .

A good friend of |Sharkey was George Black Ch/ Eng from Dundee . Have not heard of him for ages ; hope he keeps well .
Derek

Derek
At the reunion last October Charlie Drought(they had been good friends and kept in touch) told me that George had passed away about three years before. Did a couple of deep seas with him on Maihar and Manipur.

Going back to the thread I never did make it to the Seychelles unfortunately but having seen a lot of Japan over five years kept me away from the Red sea and the Indian region which compensated I suppose! Donald

[Derek Roger]

Thanks for the sad news about George ; I sailed with him on Mahout and Markhor . He was a good friend of my late fathers and I would see him when on leave from time to time .
In Durban he put the coveralls on and took bunkers for me ( I was 4th Eng ) so that I could have time with some of my family and family friends who visited the Markhor during our short time in port . Always a gentleman .

Derek

[bryanm]

Hi John
It must have been back in 1970 when I was assistant purser and Ernie Prevost
was the Purser but he paid off in Cape Town or Durban with some drink related problem and I took Mahout as far as Colombo when Charlie Clark joined. Believe he went ashore shortly afterwards as a catering superintendent but sadly died in a car crash not long afterwards.
Regards
Bryan

[ptrjames]

Hi John G

It seems we may have been shipmates on Mahout Aug 1970. I recall
a 4TH Eng and his new bride on their honeymoon that trip, If I remember right they hailed from Birkenhead area. Seem to remember
the 2nd Eng had his wife with him also.
I was the Ist Leckie..

Regards
Peter

[Bluto]

I can tell a few yarns on the Seychelles but they have been previously posted so will see if I can find them ; if not I will post again as far as my memory allows .

A good friend of |Sharkey was George Black Ch/ Eng from Dundee . Have not heard of him for ages ; hope he keeps well .
Derek

sadly George passed away May 2007, he was a good friend to my brother Laurie and myself,hope life is treating you well,
Ian Cleall-Harding [Bluto]

[Derek Roger]

sadly George passed away May 2007, he was a good friend to my brother Laurie and myself,hope life is treating you well,
Ian Cleall-Harding [Bluto]

Thanks for that Ian . George was always the gentleman ; always dressed to the hilt ( number 10;s when the occasion required )
I will pass on the news to Alan Atack who now resides on Loch Tay . Alan knew George and Lawrie very well .

Regards Derek

[john g]

Hi Bryan / Peter Yes we were all on the same trip......now thinking about names and events....long time ago. I will be in touch. cheers John

[Robbyg]

I recall visiting Mahe in the Seychelles in 1959 on board HMS Leopard.
The day before we arrived at Mahe, we had a signal from Sharkey "Have no fear, Stacks of beer...Sharkey" How he managed to get this signal to us remains unknown.
We anchored off Mahe and as you got off the liberty boat at the jetty, Sharkey was waiting in his clapped out old jeep to take us up to his bar.He also returned you to the jetty after a good afternoon/evening session!
He was an Englishman and was "married" to a lovely local girl. He had two most beautiful daughters that were definitely "out of bounds".
The duty shore patrol from the ship made Sharkeys their HQ and were usually more p****ed than the lads on shore leave.
Sharkey attended with his wife and daughters a cocktail party on board, held by the skipper for local dignataries. How Sharkey got in on this one is another mystery but thinking on I think this genuine old rogue, cos that is what he was, had is fingers in all the pies!
It would be nice to discover what become of him and his family.
I have nothing but fond memories of him and his bar.
I believe that it was the Colonial Bar/club in Mahe that was for Officers only, so out of bounds to us lower deckers.......Luckily we had "Sharkeys"
RIP "Sharkey"

[Jim S]

Thanks for that Ian . George was always the gentleman ; always dressed to the hilt ( number 10;s when the occasion required )
I will pass on the news to Alan Atack who now resides on Loch Tay . Alan knew George and Lawrie very well .

Regards Derek

I have just found the posting of the passing of George Black.
I was a lowly J4/E when I sailed under him on Mathura November 1963 to April 1964. - I next saw George in late 1974 or early 1975 when offshore with BP - I was in Middlesbrough to view accommodation modlules for the North Sea Production Platforms. Noticing Markhor in the port i went on board and to my surprise George recognized me after all these years. He took me on a tour of the ship. As Derek says George Kydd Ferguson Black was always the gentleman.
Mind you he seemed to like to be a thorn in the side of the Master.
Requests for the air conditioning on Mathura to be run fell on deaf ears and he was the only Chief Engineer that I ever saw with "scrambled egg" on the peak of his uniform cap - always worn by him at boat drills. - That too I think was just to get up the nose of the Master.

[Lefty]

Hi, I feel a bit of an intruder here! During my apprenticeship I sailed on the Eastbank and we left UK c1960 on a Brocks Charter. It was by far the most interesting voyage I ever was on! Places like Jiddah and Djibouti, then Aden with NAAFI stores. Then the jewel in the crown, The Seychelles! I think I remember Sharky's Bar quite near Big Ben Clock on the street straight up from the wharf? Great run ashore! Even better party with the local hob-nobs on board!
Later in my sea-time I had a pal at college in Warsash who became a Master of a little Island Trader between Mombasa and the Islands. He was a Kenyan white and I think he married a girl on Seychelles. I met up with him in Mombasa whilst delivering a fishery research vessel from Mauritius to Saudi Arabia.
I think he had a nickname like Tiga and if he reads this I hope he gets in touch!
Better head back to Bank Line pages now!!! Lefty (Howard)

[metmanjon]

During 1963-1965 I drank many an evening in Sharkeys. He was quite a raconteur and told tales of fishing with Omaney and Travis. I was usually served by a very polite young lady called Ginny but I never knew her family name.

[Philthechill]

There was an article in yesterday's "Mail", (yes I DO read it-------Shock! Horror!!), 26/4/12, about a Yorkshire bloke who bought a small island in the Seychelles (Moyenne) in 1962 and has lived there ever since.

During beery conversations, in Sharky's, I can't recall any mention of this bloke. However I've no idea how far his island is away, from Mahe, so it may well have been logistically impossiblem, then, for him to transfer from one to another.

I have looked through my (many!!!), "Inbox" messages to try find the e-mail address of his grand-son (Andrew), who contacted me, and others, a while back for any stories about Sharky. I wanted to alert him about this programme but, unfortunately, I can't find it.

However I would doubt there being any mention of Mahe as I would imagine the section of programme, about this bloke, would concentrate on HIS island and nowhere else.

It'll still bring some wonderful memories back! Salaams, Phil(Hippy)

[metmanjon]

Ken! Salaams! I was very fortunate in going to The Seychelle's on my very first trip on Maskeliya early 1961. The "Duke of Bootle" (Dougie Ruddick) was Chief and he knew the owner of The Beau-Vallon-Beach Hotel who duly invited all us off-duty Engineers to go over and spend the day with him. He insisted on us all having a go at water-skiing and said it was so simple he would demonstrate the launch technique by staying fully-clothed and being towed off the beach. He stood, on the ski's at the waters edge all ready for his boatman to gun the motor and pull him off (unfortunate choice of words!!!). Just before the boatman opened the throttle the motor stalled and several vital minutes were lost as he attempted to restart it (I say "vital minutes" because the gently lapping waves started sand building-up on the ski's, until they were buried!). Eventually the motor fired-up and, on full throttle, the boat was aimed at the open sea. What happened next was like a sequence from a comic movie! The tow-line tightened and with a shouted, "Here I go!" our erstwhile "instructor" shot forward! However his ski's remained in the sand whilst he, true to his "Here we go!" performed a fabulous parabola from ski's to sea!! We were all mesmerised by this seemingly selfless act of immersion, fully-clothed, just to give us all a laugh and cheered him to the echo!!
"Fully-clothed" sounds a bit like he had his Saville Row pin-stripe suit, bowler hat, brief-case and spats on but, of course, even though he was the hotel owner he was dressed for The Seychelles with just his shorts and shirt on!
He emerged from the briney none the worse for his "demo" saying "That's how NOT to do it!!"
Needless to say we all had a wonderful time both at Beau Vallon Beach and in Sharky Clark's Bar!!!
I was very fortunate as, in total, I went to The Seychelle's four times whereas some old hands in Brock's never went at all. Happy memories! Phil(Hippy) Sound like Gerry LeGrand who owned the Hotel des Seychelles at Beauvallon. The Beach Hotel was further along the Bay and owned by a woman called Madam Delorie. I can't say that I heard about the bloke from Yorkshire you mentioned but there were a lot of uk exiles and remitance men scattered throughout the island who never visited Mahe. if you are still interested in the Seychelles log on to Facebook site Seychellois. A lot of the members were around in the 60's.

Metmanjon

[metmanjon]

I recall visiting Mahe in the Seychelles in 1959 on board HMS Leopard.
The day before we arrived at Mahe, we had a signal from Sharkey "Have no fear, Stacks of beer...Sharkey" How he managed to get this signal to us remains unknown.
We anchored off Mahe and as you got off the liberty boat at the jetty, Sharkey was waiting in his clapped out old jeep to take us up to his bar.He also returned you to the jetty after a good afternoon/evening session!
He was an Englishman and was "married" to a lovely local girl. He had two most beautiful daughters that were definitely "out of bounds".
The duty shore patrol from the ship made Sharkeys their HQ and were usually more p****ed than the lads on shore leave.
Sharkey attended with his wife and daughters a cocktail party on board, held by the skipper for local dignataries. How Sharkey got in on this one is another mystery but thinking on I think this genuine old rogue, cos that is what he was, had is fingers in all the pies!
It would be nice to discover what become of him and his family.
I have nothing but fond memories of him and his bar.
I believe that it was the Colonial Bar/club in Mahe that was for Officers only, so out of bounds to us lower deckers.......Luckily we had "Sharkeys"
RIP "Sharkey"

I remember playing football against the Leopard in Stanley Falkland islands sometime between Sept59 and Sep 1962. were you there during that time. I was there as a metman.

metmanjon

[ken carr]

Hi Phill,
I think I can assist you with the email address,I still have it in my old PC Shall attempt to re-connect and download his address and forward it to you Privately of course
Stay Happy
Ken

[Brian Brown]

I recall visiting Mahe in the Seychelles in 1959 on board HMS Leopard.
The day before we arrived at Mahe, we had a signal from Sharkey "Have no fear, Stacks of beer...Sharkey" How he managed to get this signal to us remains unknown.
We anchored off Mahe and as you got off the liberty boat at the jetty, Sharkey was waiting in his clapped out old jeep to take us up to his bar.He also returned you to the jetty after a good afternoon/evening session!
He was an Englishman and was "married" to a lovely local girl. He had two most beautiful daughters that were definitely "out of bounds".
The duty shore patrol from the ship made Sharkeys their HQ and were usually more p****ed than the lads on shore leave.
Sharkey attended with his wife and daughters a cocktail party on board, held by the skipper for local dignataries. How Sharkey got in on this one is another mystery but thinking on I think this genuine old rogue, cos that is what he was, had is fingers in all the pies!
It would be nice to discover what become of him and his family.
I have nothing but fond memories of him and his bar.
I believe that it was the Colonial Bar/club in Mahe that was for Officers only, so out of bounds to us lower deckers.......Luckily we had "Sharkeys"
RIP "Sharkey"

I sailed from Tilbury late December 1958 aboard the Brocklebank ship Maskeliya as 5th Engineer and have been recalling that paradise while reading these threads (thanks to every one for their input) Ron Iliffe was Ch. Eng. and George Snaith was 2nd Eng...George had his wife with him that voyage...
You mentioned Sharkey's 2 daughters in your thread. One of these young ladies travelled from the UK home to Mahe with us on that trip...and here is where '...old age introduces a degree of license...' I seem to recall a sweeter than usual scent descending into the engine room via the vent fans with intakes on the boat deck...I believe filling in the watch log took a little longer especially just after dinner in the evening.
Are these ladies still alive I wonder and is there anyone else who travelled on that trip or indeed within the greater family of Brocklebank stalwarts who would be inclined to let them know that there was a time...