Well, since it's a bit quiet around here, I submit these pics taken the other day for your general interest. Don't need to tell you which I'd rather be on. Bit of a swell, yes, but it's not exactly rough weather! Not for the good old QE2, anyway - MAJB

The 777 only has two, of course... although I hear BA are investing in a new design of replacement aircraft now - MAJB

We have the following note from SMA member John Carroll which he has not asked us to post but we choose to:

Dear family and friends,

I have booked to do the coast2coast walk from 26th May until 6th June 2008. Graeme Collin will also be doing the walk, and my brother Ian will join for three days half way through. Anyone else is welcome to join for all or part !

There are two charities close to my heart that I am attempting to raise money for. The first is Great Ormond Street hospital because they carried out a successful heart operation to my son when he was 6 months. The second is the RNLI due to the fact that I am an ex seafarer and the people working on the lifeboats, saving lives, are all volunteers. The cost of the walk will come out my own money, however if you wish to donate to one, or both charities, then please see the links below. I do NOT want anyone to donate more than £1 to each charity.

www.justgiving.com/coast2coastgoshcc
www.justgiving.com/coast2coastmay08

Many, many thanks.

Anybody recognise this 'before' and 'after'?


This message is received, and is reprinted with permission:

Hello....I am surprised as you might be??? For many years I have been banging away at the computer, looking for names from my B&S days! I never thought about SMA! I'd never heard of it! I met Robbie Kidd in London and a few others in HK, but I had lost contact with guys like Mike Kelly, Dave Lyon and the crowd from the middle 50's.... I am still in HK and at 74 still running for the bus and working for Asia Pacific Fire & Loss Adjusters. I don't do any surveying any more because I am unable to get a permit to enter any dockyard or cargo handling area because I am over 65!... Apparently anyone over that age is not covered by the Insurance Company, So the young Chinese surveyors do the work and give me their notes and I write the reports! It's a great job! I don't go into the office, they send the documents to me at home by email, and I just enjoy every day typing out reports, puttering about in the garden, doing a few push-ups....and I have some compelling hobbies, like writing short stories, poetry and still play chess, plus I went a bit native and took up Chinese painting! No Joking! You can see some of my work here. My two daughters are grown up too, they got their mother beauty and my brains (Lucky not the other way around). I have been scouring the SMA and looking at the photo's and I just feel so happy reading and seeing some of my old pals....I really feel wonderful...Sailing in China Nav. was a great adventure for me, I loved every minute of it, and I missed a my old pals after I left. My memory has been working overtime all day remembering all the names, but the faces have really got me stumped(The older faces that is) All the faces I have in my memory have been locked in a time machine that took off into outer space in 1959. I will probably be awake all night to-night. I see that it is a membership site, but I am still looking for the sign-up page, I will go back and have another search, in a minute. Please get back to me, and say hello.....I lost all my photos and stuff from my B&S days, in a shipwreck situation in the Paracels in 1964, maybe you might have some in you photo-albums. All the best.....hope to hear from you!

Part of the MAJB reply said: "There was a legendary tale doing the rounds when I lived in Hong Kong that you and Robbie were stopped one night by the constabulary and when Robbie gave his name as Captain Kidd, the officer said to you "Oh, and I suppose you are Davy Crockett?" Is this a true story?"

I remember that time...Me and Robbie were gallavanting around London like a couple of swells, he drove the car and I was the navigator, I gave the intructions like , left here, OK this is a right turn, etc...but one time I was late with the call and we drove into a 'One Way' street. We stopped immediately in order to make a U turn when suddenly there appeared a constable looking into the car. Me, the passenger on the left rolled down the window and he pushed his face into the car (Obviously testing for the smell of beer) and then asked us what we were up to and I did all the talking since I was the nearest to him, and I was very polite and friendly, and I even bunged in, "We are old shipmates from the China Coast having a drive around London". This seemed to amuse the copper, and he said, "I see, and whats your name looking past me." And I quickly said, "He's Captain Kidd!"....And Robbie said, "Good evening officer." and gave him a friendly smile and a nod. Then the copper froze for a second, and then looked at me and asked that famous question, "Oh, and I suppose you are Davy Crockett?" Well the three of us were silent for a long second, then I said, "Officer, you are not going to believe this." And I took out my London dock pass and gave it to him. He studied it and looked at me then looked at Robbie then back to me, then he said to me, "Can you vouch that he is Captain Kidd?" And I said, "Yes Officer he is Captain Kidd!" He gave me my pass back and said, "Get out of here and don't make this mistake again!" We got out of our predicament right away and off we drove again. Robbie said to me, "Wow, we were lucky we got off with a warning." and I said, "Luck had nothing to do with it! That copper couldn't go back to the station and tell everybody, that he'd just given a traffic violation ticket to a couple of guys called Captain Kidd & Davy Crockett....he would have got locked up!" Robbie and me had a rare old time in London Town and we joined some real swank clubs. I joined Royal Mail Lines, (hence the dock-pass) and I did the bowler & brolly turn, like a real toff, and got a way with it. But HK was calling me back, and I surrendered and joined Sarawak Steamship Co. and sailed around Malaysia & Indonesia for a while. Just loved Island hopping on a little trampship, even picked up the Malay/Indonesian bahasa language, helped in the delivery of three babies to deck passengers in one year, and since I was the Chief Mate I had my own speedboat, which I stowed on the poopdeck. When the sea was flat calm I would get down my boat and take off, it was a twenty foot hydoplane with twin 80 hp johnson engines. One Indonesian guy from the Surabaya Yacht Club came on board asking for a trip on the boat with me, He was carrying a pearl handed gun strapped to his waist, so I said, "Hey what are we waiting for!" Once we had moved off the wharf and got him seated, I pointed the bow into open water and took a firm hold of the wheel, and pushed the throttle to the floor. The bow rose high in the water and the engines roared, in 5 seconds we were travelling at 80 knots over water like glass. The 'G' force pushed my shoulders firmly against the back of my seat making my whole arms rigidly stiff clutching the wheel tight. In 6 minutes we were 10 miles from the ship and I slowed down to walking speed and looked at my companion and asked him gently, " Ada ai?"...How you doin'? He was comatose, but the adrenalin was pumping in me, and I said to him laughing, "Now we are going for a ride...." What a cheek, this guy coming aboard my ship with a weapon. Yet there were other sweet moments that still live on in my mind. Three years with B& S was a great adventure. Since I discovered SMA I almost feel that I'm back! Thanks for the warm email....be in touch.....Jimmy (Skipper James M. Crockett)

Talking of dangers at sea...



Word reaches us that Brian Cushing and Julian Thorogood are intending to row (scull) up the Thames on Friday 25th April. Yes, you'd better read that line again, I certainly did. Are the breweries closed? Have they joined a cult? We may never know... anyway, Julian writes that "Brian and I will be flying the Red Ensign from the stern and generating the normal hand signals when passing the Houses of Parliament. Unbeknownst to land lubbers we have scheduled our effort with a flood tide but don't let the Corporates know that!! My youngest Son and Brian's youngest Daughter will be in the chase boat acting as personal trainers. We pass under a number of bridges so anyone that wants to drop anything on us your time has come... we hope to end up at the White Swan, Twickenham for rehydration. A number of SMA members will be present. We of course could well be in the oxygen tent at the Teddington Royal Infirmary..."

This is clearly the most exciting news to come from London for many a moon so it is hoped that all those who would like a good laugh will turn out for the event and share an ale or two in the White Swan whether or not our hardy adventurers ever arrive. We did a little research into their chosen vessel...

‘Megan’ – historic Thames camping skiff – built by Turks in 1888 and part of the Turks fleet that was used by Jerome K. Jerome on his historic journey. The skiff is kitted out in full Edwardian camping mode to include canopy, wicker baskets and seats.



This can't be right, of course... they must have stripped her down for the trip, given the personal weight they have to carry. Anyway, those who would like to know more should download full detais of this bold adventure here in PDF format. Good luck, fellows!

STOP PRESS: As at 26th April, 2008, Jules' and Brian's epic Thames voyage is now online in our Rogues' Gallery - MAJB

Jules' and Brian's epic Thames voyage is now online in our Rogues' Gallery. Not to be missed! - MAJB

See 2008 Thames Cruise pics, now online - MAJB

Stu Shields has received this CNCo Newsletter from Vancouver, albeit some 43 years late. A good read, though... anyone onboard to remember this occasion? - MAJB

We're on a roll here. Miles Dodd writes:

"I posted some CNCo ships' photos at:
www.rhiw.com/y_mor/ships_photos_02/cnco_01.htm
On the same site some Blue Funnel:
www.rhiw.com/y_mor/blue_funnel_02/ships_07/ships_07.htm
and a couple each of Brocklebank and PSNC.

Hope the CNCo ones at least may be of some interest."

We're certainly nurturing nostaligia this week! - MAJB

We've come across this early recruitment poster...

Talking of odd-shaped balls reminds me of sporting activities in the Philippines. I don't know why I have never thought to mention this before, but those of you who might remember the New Bangkok Bar in M.H.Del Pilar, Manila, will be delighted to know that superstar British megamanageress Sylvia Rushbrooke has moved on to quite different things back in Old Blighty. She founded and owns Le QuecumBar in Battersea, London, which is already one of the finest jazz establishments to be found anywhere. Do drop by for a drink or a meal and show her that CNCo lives! Maybe she'll even get some San Mig in. Just don't ask where you pay the bar fine... :)



The web-brat apologises for this picture of M.H. Del Pilar in daylight. I realise that it will be unrecognisable to most in such conditions - MAJB

Go here to see grass actually growing at Gullivers, Bexhill!

Alistair Thomson has requested that we post this picture of one of his favourite ladies...



It is, of course, a Doxford LB 520mm bore 3 cylinder engine similar to that installed in "Soochow". The web-brat knows nothing of these things, but believes this particular animal to have been a 2,500bhp unit which became known as the "Economical" because of its low fuel consumption of only six tons a day. Perhaps we should build some more - MAJB

Just in case you're curious, the drivel that may be appearing at the top of your page indicates that AOL are to close down our free guest book (Ship's Log) facility that we have enjoyed at no cost for eleven years. Good innings. I am working on alternatives, have no fear.

One of our members has asked how he should go about backing up and saving the contents of our web site and, indeed, has spent some time trying to do so. This is not necessary, folks. The main SMA site pages are not hosted under AOL and are not under threat; only the guest book format needs to change, and you can leave that to me. This page will not disappear; when the facility closes down, I will have backed it up myself and archived it, just as with all other previous years, within the main site for your future reference.

Hope this is clear. To repeat, no member viewing this site needs to do a thing. Just have another beer - MAJB

There's no more!