Any one from the 'M' boats before being sold on in the 80's
An occupational hazard when sailing on Bayano and Barranca (the wee container ships) - there every week !!Ian Haldane said:Seem to recollect Puerto Cortes being an amusing little place - at any time of the day or night (*))
Did my first trip to sea on "Ariguani" in March, 1955 - I was 2nd R/OJohn Rogers said:Never on a "M' boat but sailed on the "A", "B" and "C"
ARIGUANI, BAYANO,CORRALES,and the CAVINA . Oh!! Happy days.
John
Fyffes ROs were from Radio Companies (Marconi I think) so probably not known to whoever printed the lists. I sailed on Morant in the '70s as a 'Freelance' and wasn't on the list, I did however, have a fine timeDoug H said:Jim S: No Radio Officers??
This was a Fyffes circular and omitted R/Os as they were not direct employees of Fyffes.Doug H said:Jim S: No Radio Officers??
Could this have been Morant? I joined her in dodgy cir***stances in Genoa (story already posted elsewhere on site). She had previously been trading up the US west coast and RO had got into trouble with white powdery substances purchased in Central America.Jim S said:This was a Fyffes circular and omitted R/Os as they were not direct employees of Fyffes.
As an aside, a good many years ago, and I cannot now remember the ship.
But I recall a newspaper report that a Fyffes ship had sailed up the US East Coast without an R/O. I believe they had left a sick R/O at a previous port.
Possibly the thinking had been that they would be in VHF contact on passage up the coast but this cut no ice with US authorities and were fined for the breach.
Could well have been - I was not with Fyffes by then and it was just one of these things that caught the eye in a newspaper - the passing years have clouded the detail.trotterdotpom said:Could this have been Morant? I joined her in dodgy cir***stances in Genoa (story already posted elsewhere on site). She had previously been trading up the US west coast and RO had got into trouble with white powdery substances purchased in Central America.
John T.
can coinfirm as on vessel @ time as 2/0. charterers paid up as cargo urgent. passage was from Golfito to Albany via canal. Illness was not drug related.Jim S said:This was a Fyffes circular and omitted R/Os as they were not direct employees of Fyffes.
As an aside, a good many years ago, and I cannot now remember the ship.
But I recall a newspaper report that a Fyffes ship had sailed up the US East Coast without an R/O. I believe they had left a sick R/O at a previous port.
Possibly the thinking had been that they would be in VHF contact on passage up the coast but this cut no ice with US authorities and were fined for the breach.
Thanks Andy, obviously a different episode.Andyroo said:can coinfirm as on vessel @ time as 2/0. charterers paid up as cargo urgent. passage was from Golfito to Albany via canal. Illness was not drug related.
I was on Mazatec late 83 Golly,Tela,ETC.........Happy Days,Now where did i put that pure coconut oil,suns coming out!Andyroo said:Any one from the 'M' boats before being sold on in the 80's
Hi Jim,. this is indeed nostalgia, I knew or sailed with many of the above. Knew frank Parsons because he interviewed me for job as Junior Engineer and later appointed me to first job as second Engineer (Tilapa Voy 2) I was saddened to learn of so many deceased but then I realise 47 years have passed in some cases. However Jimmy Leatherbarrow was a shock likewise Bob Banks (in tragic cir***stances) can anyone elaborate ?I have listed the names of Fyffes Line staff that I remember during my time with the company from late 1967 until mid 1974 to see if it awakens any memories, good or bad. I apologise in advance that the names I remember are predominately engineering.
Eng Supts;- Frank Parsons, Bob Thomson, Tommy Chambers, Derek Griffiths.
Chief Engs;- "Sam" Greedy, John Smith, "Silias" Hall, Pat Stockbridge, Frank Meredith, Andy Beveridge, Brian? Clarricoates, ? De Rozario. Pat "Snecky" Inverarity.
2nd Engs;- Pat Carey
Elects;- Eric Taylor, George Briggs, Ken Carlisle, Hugh King, Mike Ryan, ? Williams, "Spider" Webb, Ernie Stanhope.
Refrig Engs;- Jimmy Leatherbarrow, Trevor Owen, Kevin Murphy or might have been Murray, Benny Banks, his brother Bobby Banks.
Captains;- Chubb, Hamilton, Thomson, the one from Arran, there was another "Aberdeen" Thomson, Hill, Dole, Young, Morris, Booth, Hodges, and Evans.
Gilbert who was Mate became Master before I left.
Pat Carey became Chief Eng on Rio Cobre.
Marcus Bowden who was 3rd Eng on Camito became Chief Eng on Barranca and when I last heard was with the Dutch based " "White Ships" Ship Management Co.
"Sam" Greedy became Supt and then Operations Manager before the demise of Fyffes.
I heard from Marcus Bowden a couple of years ago that some of the above have passed away. Tommy Chambers, Frank Meredith, Eric Taylor, Hugh King,
Jimmy Leatherbarrow and in tragic cir***stances while still serving Bobby Banks.
Yes you were lucky Darien and sister Davao were fine looking ships but engine wise they were dogs. The previous German owners were glad to get rid of them.Torrin said:Jim
It could have been worse when I first joined Fyffes they asked me to join the Darien in Japan. Fortunately or unfortunately suppose which way you look at it she had a major engineroom fire of the coast of Japan. No one hurt I think but she was towed to a Japanese port for repair, on joining the Magdelana in Genoa everyone on board said I was very lucky to have missed the Darien.
Jim you might be able to answer this, one of the M boats hit an uncharted reef in the carribean sea and she had to be towed to Savanha for dry dock and repairs. The old man was highly thought of by crew on the Motagua. I think his first name was Emyln ?
Apparantly there is a statue on this reef dedicated to three scotsmen who lost there lives there.
Cheers Alan