Wednesday, 26 August 2009

Enroute The Falkland Isles

Leaving the Saint Keran I spent my first Xmas at home since shipping out, returning to LNC Edinburgh in Jan 84 to complete my training and sit class 5 ticket. Unfortunately failing chartwork and navigation with grades E and D, passed the orals though and grades A and B in other papers. The marine superintendant paid us a visit and asked for volunteers to take the M/V Saint Angus to The Falkland Isles. My first trip deep sea and with a bosun. Joining at Sunderand the ship was fully stored and fitted with an osmosis plant to produce freshwater, the cargo crane securely lashed on deck we set for Southampton for completion and departed  for Port Stanley stopping for 4 hrs at Acension Island for bunkers and toilet roll. Four on eight off watch keeping for five weeks three days and two hour overtime a day the ship was gleaming inside and out spending many hours on the windy hammer while in the Doldrums.  Crossing the line for the first time the ship was prepared for ceromeny great fun. Arriving in the falklands some five weeks three days from departure. The ship took over from Saint Brandan and we set about suppling the numerous forces bases on The East and West Islands loading at FIPAS  in Stanley Sound all manor of cargo from tanks,missiles, fluffy penguins, food, plant, bobcats and petrol oil and lubricants. Being self discharge I fine honed my crane and forklift skills and learnt to load and rig cargo nets and containers  for discharge by chinook helicopter. We also carried a work boat manned buy three coxswain from The RCT Maritime to ship cargo up the more inacessable places. 
Photographs M/V Saint Angus southbound enroute Southampton to Port Stanley entering The Roaring Forties. Showing Deck Crane securely lashed to deck using chains and bottlescrews.And launcing of Trojan 1 at North Arm Settlement

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