[WilliamH]

Todd
The Grand Banks cruiser in the "Moon Base" picture is the Tybah, it was bought by Gray Macks for the exclusive use of Chief Executive (Gulf). Bernard Howe and Alex Blair had there own cruiser which they used for fishing.

 

[B.Nicholson]

RayJordano & Jim Todd, John Garrod got divorced from Pauline about 7/8 years back and got married to some young Indonieson bird and had to change his religion. All this info from another Nomis skipper who ive lost contact with.
Jim Great to hear from you after all these years will be in touch very soon by e-mail my ISP is Talk Talk,cheap but crap, as too many users,am able to get online sometimes in the afternoon or early morning. School holidays ! a waste of time as all the kids watching porn
B.Rgds Bob
how I wish we could go back to the old days when people respected each other and everyone had a job. But

 

[Kaituo]

Friday at The Moon Base

Hi,Sorry to hear Chas (pocket size Errol Flynn) Proctor had slung his hook.
Great Photo of the Moon Base,and the `Runnymede`,that must have been just before she headed off for Fiji ?, Dave Parry C/E went with her and stayed about 6mth., doing a training hand-over.Whilst he was there he met a Kiwi girl whom he eventually wed,I dont know what happened to him after he left Gray Macs though for all the years until I left I got an Xmas card from them.Never a letter just a card from somewhere in Cornwall. Was Colin McCluskey or Charlie captain of the `Grayguard` at that time of that pic ? I seem to remember I was working Port Rashid at the time.

I have some photos of `Runnymede`and the `Al Kabeer` and as soon as I can get myself fixed up with a scanner and learn how to use it I will post them.

I dont know if I am coming down with the Mexican Swine Flu but I started doing some Spring Cleaning/Painting and it was not long before I was PIG SICK of it all On that note I will end and get myself a San Miguel to get the paint fumes off my chest
Jim

PS...I notice the Company `Grand Banks` cruiser in the foreground......I hazzard a guess, it was a Friday and a `fishing` trip was on the cards ?

Great photo of the Moon Base and makes you realize how small some of those boats were.

Can't be Friday otherwise James Brennan would be standing by the Tybah wearing his white gloves ready to take Macaskill and Co on their cruise to Fasht Dibbal.......
Probably a Saturday morning when the Base Shore Bosun had to clean up all the empty bottles and take the boat back to Khor Khaliya...........

Wonder what happened to James ? Last I heard he was working for ADMS in Abu Dhabi but that was years ago...........

Iain M

 

[B.Nicholson]

Great photo of the Moon Base and makes you realize how small some of those boats were.

Can't be Friday otherwise James Brennan would be standing by the Tybah wearing his white gloves ready to take Macaskill and Co on their cruise to Fasht Dibbal.......
Probably a Saturday morning when the Base Shore Bosun had to clean up all the empty bottles and take the boat back to Khor Khaliya...........

Wonder what happened to James ? Last I heard he was working for ADMS in Abu Dhabi but that was years ago...........

Iain M

Hello Iain,
James Brennan was Gen Manager for Mansal (Qatar) in the 90s. I worked for him for about a year. His wife I believe owned and run a school in Doha and sons run a diving school.As far as I know they all still there. Must be part of the fittings by now.(==D)
Colin McCluskey was skipper of the Gray Venture for lots of years, I relieved him for a month when his mother died in 1980. Best job ive had in my life.
rgds Bob

 

[Kaituo]

Just a couple of pics I found... One of Hualong (ex Gray Titan) down by the head as usual and coming to assist a tanker berthing at one of the offshore terminals in China .

The other pic is of the GMMS Dream Team at the 1984 Soap Box Racers at Bahrain. You might remember the girls from the Sherlock Holmes and Sheila Cocking (the driver) who worked in the Mina Sulman Office as a draftswoman.
Much better looking than some of the skippers we had...........



Iain M

 

[todd]

Hi Ace,
I don`t know if it has the same effect on others but when I see something I sailed on (with) it tears the **** out me,When you spend so long with a `working` boat and you & the crew work so well together it is so very hard to forget,Even though I have been out of the business for donkey`s years it is still something I find very difficult,NO ! !,impossible to forget and for that privilege I am deeply grateful.It is only people who have done this sort of thing and made `good` with what was available to keep all safe and running smoothly that will understand how my mind works(I hope,?,) We all have had our problems with OUR mates,but the pride we all had in our jobs,and the friendships we made outweighs all.
I thank everyone for the Good times and the `Bad` because it only made us better at our chosen professions.
God Bless,

Jim.

 

[todd]

Just a couple of pics I found... One of Hualong (ex Gray Titan) down by the head as usual and coming to assist a tanker berthing at one of the offshore terminals in China .

The other pic is of the GMMS Dream Team at the 1984 Soap Box Racers at Bahrain. You might remember the girls from the Sherlock Holmes and Sheila Cocking (the driver) who worked in the Mina Sulman Office as a draftswoman.
Much better looking than some of the skippers we had...........



Iain M

Anything , anybody, everything was BETTER looking....and I expect still is[

 

[Kaituo]

Moon Base Racers

For those with better memories than me, maybe you can identify the guy in white coveralls standing on the GMZ 7 deck ? This pic was taken just after we shipped James Hunt's Formula 1 car from Dubai to Bahrain (in 1980 ? ? )
The other folks from L-R are me, Mohammad Yusuf, Lawrence, Peter Moss, Larry Taylor and 'dont remember'. The guy was acting Marine Super I think.....


Iain M

 

[Kaituo]

Does anyone remember the name of the old Laker which was owned by Abdulla Nass & Co and was used for hauling gravel from Ras al Khaima to Bahrain ? It used to berth next to the GMMS Marine Base in Mina Sulman and sank with some loss of life during a shamal in the early '80s.
The skipper was an old Brit who went on to work with Nass as Marine Manager.
How that ship managed to make it all the way from the Great Lakes to Bahrain never ceases to amaze me.....


Iain M

 

[todd]

Gray Macs people.

Iain,
Sorry I cannot help with either query, I have a photo of `Asean Leader` high and dry off Nass` yard, Phil and I got into action to refloat her (being the only 2 people at Moon base at the time) I never did get a `purse` out of that......I wonder mmmmmm I wonder if Phil did ? Everyone else was at the Brit Club.....How come I wasn`t ? Strange VERY strange. I will try to get to Malaga in the next week or two and see if I can get a scanner sorted out.I have dozens of good pics to post.
Regards Jim.

 

[Kaituo]

Iain,
Sorry I cannot help with either query, I have a photo of `Asean Leader` high and dry off Nass` yard, Phil and I got into action to refloat her (being the only 2 people at Moon base at the time) I never did get a `purse` out of that......I wonder mmmmmm I wonder if Phil did ? Everyone else was at the Brit Club.....How come I wasn`t ? Strange VERY strange. I will try to get to Malaga in the next week or two and see if I can get a scanner sorted out.I have dozens of good pics to post.
Regards Jim.

Well, strange enough in this Small World, a guy in my local pub in Kuantan tells me the Laker was called the 'Emerald'....... Apparently he worked for Wimpey in Bahrain and they were the main customer of Abdulla Nass and his crushed rock and hence were in a bind due to the loss.
The Emerald was apparently swamped and sank after leaving Ras al Khaimah fully laden and with hatch covers wide open. No distress message ever sent out and the survivors were picked up by pure chance by a Dutch tug ( Stevin ) which was towing a rock barge to RAK from Bahrain.

 

[Cobbydale]

Iain,
Sorry I cannot help with either query, I have a photo of `Asean Leader` high and dry off Nass` yard, Phil and I got into action to refloat her (being the only 2 people at Moon base at the time) I never did get a `purse` out of that......I wonder mmmmmm I wonder if Phil did ? Everyone else was at the Brit Club.....How come I wasn`t ? Strange VERY strange. I will try to get to Malaga in the next week or two and see if I can get a scanner sorted out.I have dozens of good pics to post.
Regards Jim.

AL QAWI & AL QADER

 

[todd]

Qawi,Qader,Hamed

Eddy K and I were running pipe from Bahrain to Castoro at Um Shaiff for a gas line to Das Island. We were `on site` together when a Shamal started to blow and we were given orders to return to Bahrain. We took a bit of a hiding on our way up North and as I arrived first I arranged a meal on the Hamed. Eddy came in a couple of hours later and after he got rid of his barge came alongside.During our dinner Eddy told me that his crew had wanted to go ashore to the Mosque, (we were at anchor in the Khor) he told them it wasnt Friday and what was the rush ?...they replied that they wanted the "Thank Allah" for getting them `home` safely.....Eddy nearly blew a gasket and informed them "It had nothing to do with Him.......He was the F***in Skipper onboard there."

Ah......The Good Old Days (Jester)

 

[WilliamH]

Re. the Emerald.
I knew this vessel well, when I worked at Bahrain Slipway. One morning I went onboard at the Abdulla Nass yard to discuss some repairs with the Captain, his first name was Abel, I can't remember his surname. We were sitting in the saloon, Abel eating his breakfast, I was drinking coffee, we were the only two in the saloon. Next to me a place had been laid for a meal, all the cutlery etc. The steward came in, placed a full English breakfast in the place set and then stood at the saloon door. After a while Abel looked up turned to the steward and said, "OK let her in". The steward opened the saloon door and in bounded Abels dog, jumped onto the seat next to me and ate the breakfast that had been placed there, "oh!she often joins me for breakfast" said Abel "she's the only one that talks any sense on here"

 

[Kaituo]

Re. the Emerald.
I knew this vessel well, when I worked at Bahrain Slipway. One morning I went onboard at the Abdulla Nass yard to discuss some repairs with the Captain, his first name was Abel, I can't remember his surname. We were sitting in the saloon, Abel eating his breakfast, I was drinking coffee, we were the only two in the saloon. Next to me a place had been laid for a meal, all the cutlery etc. The steward came in, placed a full English breakfast in the place set and then stood at the saloon door. After a while Abel looked up turned to the steward and said, "OK let her in". The steward opened the saloon door and in bounded Abels dog, jumped onto the seat next to me and ate the breakfast that had been placed there, "oh!she often joins me for breakfast" said Abel "she's the only one that talks any sense on here"

Bill,
I remember Abel ( who survived the sinking of the Emerald ) and his two housemates, Tex Rankin and Alf Knight. They must have been in Bahrain since God was a boy.....they lived in an old house behind the PLO office in Adliyah with a string of Seychelloise girls.
Tex Rankin carried out the conversion of the tanker Al Soreya after it was gutted by a fire at Ruweis. Got paid a fortune in advance for the job and drank all the money before the job was finished..........
Tex was eventually repatriated to USA penniless by Guy Baldwin of IMS who was disgusted that a fellow American would be sleeping rough in Mina Sulman........
There were certainly some Star Turns in those days .........mind you, you didn't have to go out of GM to come across a few! The Rolls Royce driving Engineer Supt comes to mind........

 

[todd]

Rolls Rider

We ARE talking about AB are we not ? Got up everyones nose that Brown two-tone Roller especially when parked alongside Bernies Volvo. I also got up the nose of the `locals` as,if I remember correctly,only `locals` could own Rollers, an little fact AB had `overlooked`.Mind you it did get him a trip home rather sharpish (egg)
I often wondered what became of Rankin...I used to see him a lot outside the Middle East Hotel, I think he used to go to the artisan club across the road. He was the quintessential` banana shaped cowboy.

 

[Liverpool George]

Hi jim found U again after all this time (george Alker)

Hi jim i often have wonderd where u were ,& I still have the drawings U did for me of the tamhow im a lettel older now knocking on to 80 & still verey fit ( thank God) im in to Model tugs bilding radio Cont/T am in the middel of a model of the runnymede Happy days at das Il. must try & chat to alan brown (plums) have u herde from him ?? im still in Anglesey love to here from u Jim


GEORGE (JAGUAR) ALKER.

 

[Cobbydale]

Hi jim i often have wonderd where u were ,& I still have the drawings U did for me of the tamhow im a lettel older now knocking on to 80 & still verey fit ( thank God) im in to Model tugs bilding radio Cont/T am in the middel of a model of the runnymede Happy days at das Il. must try & chat to alan brown (plums) have u herde from him ?? im still in Anglesey love to here from u Jim


GEORGE (JAGUAR) ALKER.

Hi George,
Glad to hear your still around been a few years since we sailed together on the old KINGHOW up and down the straits with the stone barges.
Cheers
Alan (Plums) Hughes

 

[B.Nicholson]

I sailed with Tom Jessup the football hooligan (did he tell you that story?)when he was with UTC. He also managed a pub in Hull (Talbot) for a while before going back to sea. I aslo remember John Garrod from UTC, his father Capt. Barney Garrod (ex Blue Funnel) was a marine manager with them. As you say Tom is now a Humber pilot, Good lads all of them.

Ray
Spoke to Thomas yesterday (phone) he said you are a **** for mentioning him as a football hooligan. Going to either deck you or buy you a pint and have a laugh at the next meet. LOL Think it will be the latter? Ray were you on the Salvor Commander?
I sailed with Brian Jordan, he was my Chief Mate , an incredible seaman and a mover of men. Brian had a gift of getting the best out everyone . A tiny man but he Had it, the crew loved him. They would break there balls for Mr Brian.
Mr Brian ! I say with respect.

 

[RayJordandpo]

Got a PM from Tom today, he doesn't live far from me so we are going to get together for a pint, hopefully get some of the ex tuggies (what's left of them) and make a bit of a reunion and swing the old lamp.
Brian was my brother, he passed away in India some years back now, he died of stomach cancer.
I was never on that vessel you mentioned, regarding tugs and supply boats I was with UTC for quite a few years and also a spell with Theriots in the North Sea. I also spent 5 years with QNNTC in the Persian Gulf. I've been a DPO for the past 25 years.
I was only joking when I called Tom a Football hooligan. Come to think of it though, it's looking very likely that Hull City will get relegated then we will be playing the likes of Millwall again. Tom! you will be able to organise a "meet up" with their "firm" and get revenge for them ripping out our seats at the KC. (hee hee)