Ships from under the Southern Cross

HEMIPLECTA

2009-12-15T23:11:00.000-08:00

Photo Credits: Unknown Source

British Shell Tanker 'H' Class

Photo Credits: Don Ross Collection

Entering Port Adelaide Outer Harbor

Photo Credits: Unknown Source

This vessel, a British Shell Tanker was a very good job, she went to a multitude of ports, was comfortable and a black oil tanker. Anyone who has worked on tankers back in the old days liked the black oil tankers rather than the white spirits vessels, simply because the valves etc were easy to turn and every thing worked very freely as per on the others the lubrication dried up and consequently the valves were much more difficult to rotate.

GORDY with my lady MOGGY

2009-12-10T21:25:00.000-08:00

Pacific Grove California

A nice day out around the Monterey Peninsular visiting a monastery at Carmel and other historical sites including Cannery Row, the famous Sardine company

of the 1800's

NELCEBEE

2009-12-10T04:21:00.001-08:00

Moored at North Parade close to the Birkenhead Bridge

Nelcebee up on Central Slip

Coming through the Birkenhead bridge

The Nelcebee steaming past number 10 berth Port Adelaide

THE NELCEBEE

The Nelcebee is purported to be one of the oldest vessels in the world. I stand to be corrected on that but I have heard it said from good sources that the Nelcebee is the third oldest vessel of her kind still in operation.

The FALIE

2009-12-10T00:54:00.001-08:00

The Falie at no. 10 berth

Photo Credits: Adelaide Archivist Flickr

The Falie at her berth North Parade Port Adelaide

The Falie going through the Birkenhead bridge with the Nelcebee and

the Ulonga in the backround at North Parade

THE FALIE

The Falie was an old Ketch built in Holland in 1921 but was transformed a number of times during its lifetime and to date is still operating albeit a part of the Ketch preservation Society at Port Adelaide.

I was privileged to spend some time on here back in the early 1970's on the KI run as well as the Stenhouse Bay Gypsum trade. All good experiences for me and I wouldn't have swapped that for all the tea in China.

ULONGA

2009-12-10T00:20:00.001-08:00

THE ULONGA

Ulonga as a paddlewheeler and before conversion to a ketch

Steaming past the Duntroon

Ketch Ulonga unloading bag grain at Tragedy Dock (no.2 dock)

Port Adelaide

The Ulonga towing the Nelcebee home after a mishap

off Glenelg Sth. Australia

The Ulonga full steam down the gulf to Kangaroo Island

I worked on the Ulonga as a crew member for two years, it was an old converted Murray River Paddle wheeler and came to Port Adelaide in 1949 to start a new career servicing the out ports in the South Australian Gulfs.

Most of the time it ran between Port Adelaide and Kingscote Kangaroo Island and did many grain trips across the St Vincent Gulf . The Ulonga also did trips around the bottom of York Peninsular where she loaded Gypsum at Stenhouse Bay for the Plaster Works in old Port Misery.

She eventually sank a few mile off Second Valley after springing a plank in her keel area (red gum planking).

"Baggy Bill" Webster was her main skipper (owner Skipper for a long time) but when she sank Skug Cutler was the Skipper with Reginald Murch as the Engineer.

TIMBARRA

2009-12-09T23:33:00.001-08:00

Photo Credits: L. REX

Photo Credits: Don Ross Collection

She did a few trips to Japan, Hong Kong and I think if I remember to the US as well. Very uncomfortable in the crews accomodation, hot as hell.

MOUNT KEMBLA

2009-12-09T23:26:00.001-08:00

Contemplating the day on the poop of the Mount Kembla

Photo Credits: Don Ross Colletions

The Mount Kembla as the Regional Endeavour, converted to

an oil survey vessel.She is shown here laying off on anchor off

Outer Harbor Port Adelaide. Barney Ellis was Bosun when I was on her.

Photo Credits: Clive Fisher

The Mount Kembla about to go under the Sydney Harbor Bridge

The "Mount Kembla" was built in Whyalla in 1960 and was run and operated by the Australian National Line. It was on the black and tan run from Whyalla, Port Kembla and Newcastle most of its life till it was sold to an Oil Exploration Co. and was renamed the "Regional Endeavour" and then to just the "Endeavour"

BP ENDEAVOUR

2009-12-09T22:49:00.000-08:00

Credits for this photo go to (c) Chris Howell (Torrens on SN)

BP Endeavour as the Oriental Unity

As the British Cygnet at Cape Town

As the BP Endeavour at Port Adelaide

The "BP Endeavour" was one of the British "Birdy Boats", namely the "British Cygnet" built in the UK approx. 1962. She was renamed the "BP Endeavour" when she began trading out of Australian Ports till a suitable vessel was built for the Australian Trade.

When the new "BP Endeavour" was finally completed at the Newcastle ship yards her name was changed once again to the BP Explorer. Eventually her time was up in Aust. waters and she was delivered by an Australian crew to Singapore where she was returned to the home country auspices and took on her original name once again, the "British Cygnet".

The last I have heard of her was she was taken over by another shipping co and called the "Oriental Unity"and continued as such till she finally went to the breakers

BARWON

2009-12-09T22:12:00.001-08:00

Barwon as when she was sold, renamed "Ability"

Alongside no 2 berth Port Adelaide

The Barwon at sea after her conversion from derricks to cranes

MACEDON

2009-12-09T21:50:00.000-08:00

Photo Credits: Don Ross Collection

Macedon departing Port Adelaide

At no. 9 Glebe Island Sydney

This is another smaller vessel I sailed on, much like the Kooliga, sister ships I think built on the same plan at least. The Macedon was built in Germany but the Kooliga was built in the UK.

Nice little simple style conventional ships but boy could they roll, especially when light ship.

I spent 2 years on this ship with my father, he stayed there as Bridgeman/Mudpilot (quartermaster) for 17 years and it was his last ship at sea.

KOOLIGA

2009-12-09T08:10:00.000-08:00

Photo Credits: Unknown Source

Note the Cranes....after conversion!

Photo Credits: Don Ross Collection

With her original gear!

Here she is shown with both gear and also when she had cranes. I was on her when she had Cranes. She belonged to Associated Steamship at that time and was doing a lot of trips to Port Kembla carrying rolls of steel for the car plants and Gypsum from Stenhouse Bay back east.

I did seven trips straight on the Kooliga from Melbourne to Stenhouse Bay, it got a little monotonous in the end but, the fishing was great...Paddy the Pig was Bosun!

GERRINGONG

2009-12-09T07:49:00.000-08:00

Gerringong

Photo Credits: Don Ross Collection

Entering Port Adelaide Outer Harbor

At Bell Bay Tasmania

The Gerringong, another of good comfortable vessel I crewed upon...nice, sea kindly and pleasantly comfortable.

She was operated by Bulkships LTD and managed by Associated Steamship Co.

A good ship to work on, relatively new at the time I was on it so everything was spic and shiny.

MINKARA

2009-12-09T07:40:00.001-08:00

The Minkara as the Rickie Miller

Photo Credits: Don Ross Collection

Minkara in Adelaide Steamship Colors

LAKE MACQUARIE

2009-12-09T07:10:00.000-08:00

The Lake Macquarie on her way in

Photo Credits: Duncan Montgomery

Entering Port Kembla...I think!

Photo Credits: Don Ross Collection

Entering the Port River, Adelaide Outer Harbor

This vessel is the Lake Macquarie, an ANL vessel that I was on for a while, very easy ship to work on. If I remember rightly, I was never a watch keeper on her...I was a day man come wheelman.

I turned to in the morn and my job was to look after all the running gear like hatch wheels, wire pennants, shackles etc, a real cushy little number with lots of peaceful moments...very enjoyable job.

BUNKER THREE

2009-12-09T06:52:00.000-08:00

Photo Credits: Don Ross Collection

BUNKER THREE just after completing a swing from Caltex berth

and heading up river with tug Condor pushing with 1000 tons

of HFO aboard

Photo Credits: Don Ross Collection

The Royal Yacht receiving its bunkers at Port Adelaide

whilst the Queen is aboard, note her standard flying up high

Bunker Three Engineer the Late Bill Paterson at the helm

Bunker Three bunkering the tanker "ERA"

The old Lewis...one of the early boats that pushed the Bunker Three around

Photo Credits: Jan Hendrik

The Condor a small pusher tug that pushed Bunker Three

around for 8 years

Top photo Bunker Three fueling Ovens class

submarine and bottom...about to go alongside QE2

Bunkering a Russian ship at no. 4 berth Port Adelaide

Photo Credits: Adelaide Archivist Flickr

Bunkering the Reefer City Port Adelaide

ACCOLADE 1

2009-12-09T01:07:00.001-08:00

Accolade one going through the Birkenhead Bridge on its from Brisbane during its maiden voyage 1966...to North Parade Wharf Port Adelaide.

Photo Credits: Adelaide Archivist Flikr

I was on this vessel four times, the first time five weeks after she was brought into service back in 1966. She had twin caterpillar engines and they were extremely noisy, because of the noise difficulty it became a very contentious issue between the crew and the office at Adelaide Cement Company so in the end steps had to be taken to eradicate the engine noise down, mainly at sea so the crew could find quiet peaceful times to rest between watches.

TROUBRIDGE

2009-12-08T23:07:00.001-08:00

The Troubridge in her Adelaide Steamship colors. I am the tall skinny

kid with the beanie standing on the foredeck with the big swede Haakon Kvinge and Donny Gill...Johnny Bell is standing near by.

It is Christmas time, check the Christmas tree up on the fore mast!

The Troubridge in her R W Miller colors, heading up river

THE TROUBRIDGE: I was on this vessel on four separate occasions, a total of over 5 years. It was a roro ferry operating between Port Adelaide, Kangaroo Island and Port Lincoln. It began the service following on from the old Karatta in November 1961 and finished October 1989 handing over the run to the Island Seaway.

The Troubridge was bought by a Turkish shipping Company and renamed the City of Famagusta. She changed hands again three or four times after that and consequently renamed again. The Island Seaway didn't stay on the KI. run too many years after the Troubridge finished and virtually followed in her footsteps to the Mediterranean Greek Islands.

I will add more information as it comes to light.

IRON FLINDERS

2009-12-08T22:48:00.000-08:00

Iron Flinders at Fremantle

At the lay up berth Whyalla

The Iron Flinders was the first of the two Explorer class BHP ships.

She was built at Whyalla in 1959 followed by the Iron Dampier in 1960.

My father Don Ross was Bosun on the Iron Dampier during her maiden voyage and my brother was on her also, at a different time of course but, I was the only member of the family to crew on the Iron Flinders.

IRON DUKE

2009-12-08T22:39:00.001-08:00

Photo Credits: Don Ross Collection

The Iron Duke, built in 1943, another BHP Chieftain class I crewed, a couple of times in fact. The Grey Ghost was the Donkey man but I cant remember the Bosun unfortunately. Possibly it was Jack Crooks.

IRON WARRIOR

2009-12-08T22:33:00.000-08:00

The Iron Warrior as the Caloundra

She was originally built as the Balook

Photo Credits: Don Ross Collection

I picked up the Iron Warrior after she changed her name from AUSN's Caloundra. When I was first on her she was a coal burner but the second time she had been converted to an oil fired ship. One thing I did notice, she was a far easier ship to work than the first two, one being the Iron Monarch, another the Iron Duke and the Iron Baron.

IRON BARON

2009-12-08T22:10:00.001-08:00

The Iron Baron and the Iron Monarch laying at 13 and 14 berths

Tragedy Dock Port Adelaide

Photo Credits: Don Ross Collection

The Iron Baron entering Outer Harbor Port Adelaide.

She was another ship I crewed multiple times, a good ship.

I was on articles late 1965/1966 till she completed her final voyage and went to scrap.

IRON MONARCH

2009-12-06T21:19:00.000-08:00

Photo taken by Brian (Bronco) O'Neil

Gordy (standing on the right) on the Iron Monarch 1962

From the left, Eugene Augustyn and Kenny Swift.

We are towing a lifeboat into Warnambool from an aborted rescue early that morning.

Photo Credits: Don Ross Collection

Arriving Port Adelaide Outer Harbor

Photo Credits: R A Priest

These are pics of my first ship, The BHP vessel SS Iron Monarch, I went to sea on her on the 2nd of April 1962. I was 14 years old at the time and didn't turn 15 till the 14th of July of 1962
I spent approx. 10 months of my deck boy time on her and later re-joined as AB on a total of four different occasions.

The Iron Monarch was an old BHP vessel built during the war (1942) at Whyalla South Australia. She sailed in many convoys during the 2 WW. After a long fruitful life she eventually went to scrap in 1972.

The bosun was Alan Renwick and his brother Angus was the Donkey man. Laurie Sumner was the Store Keeper and they all spent a number of years together on the Monarch. Another two old sailors were a part of that ship board family also...very well known on the coast, namely Kenny Swift and Charlie Brooks

I enjoyed my time with all these guys. A couple I associated with and very thankful for their encouragement / education during that time were two sailors from Adelaide Brian (Bronco) O'Niel and JoJo Barton.

It was a good job for young fellows willing to learn the ropes as young seamen as she was one of the last real conventional ships on the Australian coast, everything from squaring up, steering and breaking out the gear took much manual labour...definitely no automation here.
Need I mention hatch boards? They were bloody heavy!!!

The Iron Monarch in her war time livery. Note the big cannon

on her poop...she also had ack acks on each wing of the bridge.

The Iron Monarch took part in a number of convoys during WW2

Leaving Rapid Bay After loading Limestone from the 'T' head

I did a number of trips there and to Ardrossan also.