Small world
I joined in Rotterdam too
I was 16, my first trip and flew into Rotterdam in the middle of the night, arriving in the early hours with only a night watchman awake
I was tall, skinny and dark haired, but so was the other cadet Dick Clarke.
We were in Madagascar for Christmas, then we went to Reunion Island then over to Townsville in Oz to pick up lead and copper ingots. I remember the lead slabs were about 3 feet square and 9 inches deep, but weighed 2 tons each. I can't remember whether it was on the Antrim or the Armadale because we went to Townsville on both, but heading back from Townsville to Durban for bunkers we hit a big storm. The dunnage securing the lead slabs started to give way in the hold and the lead slabs were polishing between layers and then started sliding free. It was too rough to enter the hatch via the deck, but fortunately we could access the hold via a bulkhead hatch in the engine room. Captain murray was concerned that the lead slabs would get up a head of steam and puncture the ships hull. He and I had some whiskey (which I hated) and then went through the bulkhead to resecure the slabs with dunnage that had come free. I think I was too young to be as scared as I should have been because slabs really were sliding around. But we managed to do it, I think there were only a few loose slabs, but it had to be done.
Went ashore in Townsville with Wally and deck boy whose nickname was 'Mouse'. Went in Woolworths and bought a jigsaw puzzle

I have a photo of them somewhere and the ship.
Captain Murray was a strange fellow, he used to potter around the bridge area wearing nothing but a pair of tartan shorts. He told me off for socialising with the 'crew'. It wasn't a lot of fun in the officer's mess
Wally was a really nice guy, he was kind to me, but he liked a few sherbets as I remember
Used to be a big deal arriving in port and waiting for the agent to bring the mail. Must be a different world nowadays with internet etc. Container ships were only just starting to appear at that time, meaning only 24 hours in port (glad they were after my time). I remember spending 2 whole weeks in New Orleans on one trip. And 130F in the shade in Jeddah.
I did a trip on the Armadale in 1972 (also captain Murray) when it was only about 18 months old. Beautiful ship, and air conditioned which was amazing then. Dick Clarke lost a finger when trying to steady a hatch beam and was flown home after hospital treatment. It came as shock to me to find out that the Armadale was abandoned by it's crew after an explosion and fire in 1989.
I was caught at sea in Hurricane Agnes in June 1972 and got to Darwin in Oz after it had been flattened by Cyclone Tracy in 1974. All in all, on reflection, a seafaring life was a lot more risky than it actually seemed at the time
I was with BP Tankers between 1975/6 but gave up the sea to get married. Only 5 years at sea but they were some of the happiest and most memorable years of my life. I can remember most of it with great clarity, but don't ask me what I had for lunch yesterday
I can't quite place your name but I'm certain I would recognise a photo of you from that time.
Phil