[Mick Spear]

I did a few trips with Joe Shell in the mid to late 80s. Not a great outfit to have been with, but some good people i sailed with there. However, there were some odd and - i don't mind admitting - mad people on their books. One that meets the latter catagory was a Bosun named Ronnie Pickering, if he were alive today he would be in his 80s i'm sure. Never felt safe with him around! I was the only pool man on the ship when i sailed with him and he sort of singled me out as he was a Bristol man and me a Cardiff man, and the fact i wasn't contract gave him the green light to have a dig when he felt like it. I could always give him as good as with the patter, but i treaded carefully as he was a beast of a bloke. Does anyone on SN remember him? By all accounts he was a good seaman, but in my books one monster of a seafarer!
Some of the good shell contract men i remember apart from my good mate Gary Harrison now a Captain with Chevron: Captain Mike Geddis a real gentlemen;Chief Officer Bateman; Chief Officer Tom ? Natacina 1987;Engineer Andy keast; Sparky Trevor Bint; ABs: Fozzy bear aka tony hulland; Paul Hagan; Alex Wilson; dennis patton; Dave Bloomfield; Chris Furnish; Chris Patten; Peter daltry (what a guy); Mick Mcculloch (now RFA); Bob McGregor aka Maureen (now RFA) Paul Purvis; John Scott from Hull; Arthur prater; Paul Dillon; Eric Cordiner; Cooks: Tuesday weld aka Billy Cook (non contract like myself) Tricky Dicky aka Richard Roberts (now RFA); Jimmy Brymer; Dave Heron; Tommy Gollin; Bob Thomas; Denver Atkinson (a character) Stewards: Fred aka Phillip Lang (great guy); Peter Barnes aka Miss Barnes; Fiona aka John Williamson.
Numerous others i can remember faces and such but their names are now escaping me.
Anyway, i hope some members can remember some of these guys?
MickS

[davidpayne]

Hi Mick I sailed with shell 1989 till 1996, and sailed with Some of the guy's you mentioned. Denver Atkinson, Paul Dillon and Eric Cordiner. I had my first trip with Dennis Patton, What a bloke!! I have never seen anyone drink so much and still be capable of work!! Eric is in on face book if you want to look him up!!
regards
Dave Payne

[calvin]

hi mick sailed with ronnie pickering late seventies on the felipes he was orgre then i was second steward and we had plenty run in he also had run in with lots of deck crew but them were the days

[geoffakelly]

capt geddes stands out miles as he was as i remember one of the best captains i had the pleasure to sail with....anyone remember when i saile once as a steward and the chief steward would only talk to me via post it notes...it was 86/67 on the lepeta..shell was full of mad men who had that stare..

[Mick Spear]

Yes he was one of the best i sailed with too Geoff. He was on the Tribulus with us. Can you remember when he popped down my cabin for a drink one afternoon in Japan? He used to build model boats in his dayroom.
Mick S

Originally Posted by geoffakelly

capt geddes stands out miles as he was as i remember one of the best captains i had the pleasure to sail with....anyone remember when i saile once as a steward and the chief steward would only talk to me via post it notes...it was 86/67 on the lepeta..shell was full of mad men who had that stare..

[Billieboy]

Originally Posted by Mick Spear

Yes he was one of the best i sailed with too Geoff. He was on the Tribulus with us. Can you remember when he popped down my cabin for a drink one afternoon in Japan? He used to build model boats in his dayroom.
Mick S

Hi Mick, were you on Trubulus when the side fell out off Ireland?

[Mick Spear]

No, i left a few months before that happened. i remember reading about it, it went into Bantry Bay for shelter if i remember right?
Mick S

Originally Posted by Billieboy

Hi Mick, were you on Trubulus when the side fell out off Ireland?

[Billieboy]

Originally Posted by Mick Spear

No, i left a few months before that happened. i remember reading about it, it went into Bantry Bay for shelter if i remember right?
Mick S

Not sure if it was Bantry Bay, I know that they had to do a survey before gong in for temp. repairs, they nailed an 80 ton patch on the side, threw in a couple of salvage pumps and steamed to Rotterdam.