After some consultation with the boss (her who must be obeyed) I have decided that I want to give driving ships a miss for a while and fancy going back to driving over the water. Can anyone recommend some companies to try in NE Scotland? Holiday relief would be OK.
Try Panalpina in Aberdeen ( used to be Grampian Int) 01224 661000
or
Grampian Continental from Kinnelar 01224 791144
Thanks for that will save the info for future reference because I have been asked (and agreed) to do a six week stint on a small ship called the ‘Christine Y’ running mainly out of the Tees to Amsterdam and thereabouts. I join her next Wed/Thurs.
raymundo:
Thanks for that will save the info for future reference because I have been asked (and agreed) to do a six week stint on a small ship called the ‘Christine Y’ running mainly out of the Tees to Amsterdam and thereabouts. I join her next Wed/Thurs.
For those interested in things nautical;
marinetraffic.com/ais/shipde … =311846000
Ross.
Yup, that will be my ‘wheels’ for a while
Don’t forget your walk round checks, Ray! But seriously, what’s the routine when you join a new ship?
Actually you weren’t wrong when you said ‘dont forget the walk around checks’. reason being is that I have to sign a ‘masters handover form’ which is part of the miriad of paperwork involved nowadays. It normally includes that I am satisfied with various items appertaining to the seaworthieness of the vessel along with dates of any surveys due, water tight integrity, life saving gear blah blah and more bloody blah. If signed as all well then if something is found by port state control or MCA in uk (if they decide to do a spot check) I could be in trouble.
Most important bit for me though is the quantity of duty free remaining.
I have had this ship before so no problem with the various navigational equipment and different engine configurations encountered but sometimes if first time onboard will do a short trip with the master thats being relieved. Not exactly an assessment but could be likened to one.
Good thing about this little ole lady is that she carries two navigating officers an engineer and a cook plus deckhands so my hardest task will be making my cup of tea when I will be on watch at sea 'tween the hours of 8 till 12 and signing a few papers etc. Cushy little number until something goes wrong 
raymundo:
After some consultation with the boss (her who must be obeyed) I have decided that I want to give driving ships a miss for a while and fancy going back to driving over the water. Can anyone recommend some companies to try in NE Scotland? Holiday relief would be OK.
The grass is definitely greener isn’t it?
I would bloody kill to have your job, I just didn’t get involved early enough.
I don’t suppose my RYA Competent Crew certificate is worth very much 
Bigr250. Great site for checking ships we have been on, or ports we are interested in.
Wheel Nut:
Great site for checking ships we have been on, or ports we are interested in.
The power of t’internet mate 
Ross.
Quote… ‘I don’t suppose my RYA Competent Crew certificate is worth very much’
Probably worth more than some of the dodgy certificates that have been discovered by the authorities that originated in some of the Eastern States bordering on the Baltic Sea and thereabouts. Various certificates could be bought in Klaipeda for a few hundred dollars from a recognised and approved centre.
I point blank refused to put my signature to a form giving my then chief mate (few years ago now) a Certificate of Equivalent Certificate (CEC) issued in the UK for his dodgy one when asked to by the dodgy ship owner.
bigr250:
Wheel Nut:
Great site for checking ships we have been on, or ports we are interested in.The power of t’internet mate
Ross.
These type of AIS sites can be a right bloody pain in the arse as well. No longer can we say ‘‘sorry love couldnt get ashore to phone you, or mobile has no signal’’ cos now she can see exactly what we’re doing and where we are.
Also call me on skype, no answer !!! WHERE WERE YOU, WAS CALLING ALL NIGHT ■■?
Any other posts going?
My boy has cleared Warsash Maritime Academy with an unlimited OOW and is currently on the agency doing a round trip Poole to Clyde on a tug as a Mate, third job in as many months but he’s looking for something more permanent, bit balls out I know and not wishing to step on any toes but anything going in your neck of the woods?
He’s willing to travel, having served on vlcontainer boats out of Taiwan 
I’ve never worked through an agency so your lad probably know more about that than me, the maritime ones can be as bad as the truckin ones I think, advertising non jobs.
Driving down to the Tees dock this evening to join the ship tomorrow morn, does that mean I have to log in to shipping type sites and forums from now on? 
raymundo:
Driving down to the Tees dock this evening to join the ship tomorrow morn, does that mean I have to log in to shipping type sites and forums from now on?
Absolutely 
We’ll consider allowing a few posts from you on here though, if you’re good 
Thanks Simon,
If I see any lorries about to drive off the quay into the dock I will try to take a picture of it, otherwise not a lot of interest here to post about.
Simon:
raymundo:
Driving down to the Tees dock this evening to join the ship tomorrow morn, does that mean I have to log in to shipping type sites and forums from now on?Absolutely
We’ll consider allowing a few posts from you on here though, if you’re good
Hi raymundo
just came croos this post while browsing around, maybee you could do a diary with picture for us all
good luck happy sailing.
david
Will post anything I find interesting but theres nowt interesting about Cleveland Potash in Teesport and where we discharge in Amsterdam is just about the same. Supposed to be summer with smooth sailings but so far spent some of most trips leaping all over the place. Arrived in Montrose this morning at six and away again for the Tees this afternoon if it dont rain.
Being on here is like the league o’ bloody nations 
Pakistani chief officer (who tried to tell me the other day how to do my job!!! soon put him straight on that matter) and the rest of the lads are Filipinos who arent a bad bunch, all told theres six of us on here and as we carry a second mate I only do from 8 to 12, so quite a cushy little number.
The problem with me is that when I’m at sea I would prefer to be back on the road but when I am I would prefer to be back at sea 
Bloody scab. I’ve been on strike twice with no pay.the first 1981 in Sydney (5weeks) then Montreal just 10 days late 80’s so we could prevent our once mighty merchant fleet flagging out and employing cheap foreign labour working our ships on our coast. All to no avail when the likes of you with your grandfathers class 5 fishing ticket are competing with flip flops for a bag of rice. Raymond stay where you are.! On that stores barge cause all the true seamen have left when the ensign got F. O. C.
When i was 2nd i was responsible for the unloading, the mate thee loading skipper sea watches. WTF are you doing the 8-12 on a coaster and you skipper avin a laff master b
ates
On motorola. Defy stuck at wembley plant
You want to get your facts right before you start spouting off. I hold a British Home trade masters ticket and have done so since they were made compulsory for coasters. 2nd mates F/G tickets are two a penny and maybe the owners went FOC is because you lot priced yourselves out of a job with the help of the likes of John Prescott & co. And how many deep sea owners employed Chinese, Laskars and other ‘third world cheap labour’ to do the menial jobs that you lot thought you were too good for.
Deep sea men with the snot and braid and posh uniforms just to impress the slappers.
I also hold a F/G Nederlanse Antilles masters certificate which now as an equivalant is on a par with a British one.
Furthermore the wages paid here to the Filipinos with their cost of living back home means they get more in real terms than I do, and they at least are prepared to work for their wages. During the strikes you caused I worked on the Thames at the time and I never got paid either but was not involved in your dispute so suffered financially as well on your behalf. Thanks for sweet FA !!
Next round? 