Baron Murray (1984 - 1985)
I first joined the bulk carrier Baron Murray at Geelong on 28th. July 1984, leaving her back in Geelong on 23rd. October 1984. She was previously built and owned by the British Phosphate Commission (BPC) for the phosphate trade between Australia and Nauru, in later years also loading at Christmas Island. During this three months, we loaded at Nauru twice and discharged at Geelong, Adelaide and Newcastle. I next joined the ship in Hobart on 31st. January 1985. After part discharging in Hobart, the ship proceeded to Geelong to complete discharge then to Gladstone to load coal for India (Visakhapatnam and Haldia). After discharging the coal in India the ship returned to Geelong via Christmas Island to load phosphate. I left the ship, again in Geelong, on 19th. April 1985.
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| While the ship, waiting to load, drifted off Nauru some the crew whiled the time away by fishing. |
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| Nauru airport. |
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| Approaching the loading berth at Nauru, early in the morning. |
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| Some of the mooring gang approaching the ship in a work boat. |
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| The Nauru mooring gang (mostly Gilbert Islanders) making the ship fast to buoys, under the phosphate loader. |
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| Running a headline. |
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| Loading in progress. |
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| The island's enticingly named fish and chip shop. |
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| Fully laden with phosphate, the ship sails from Nauru back to Australia. |
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| Early morning in Geelong. |
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| The chartroom. |
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| A newer and smaller ANL bulk carrier, Lake Hume. |
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| A BHP bulk carrier berthing at BHP's Newcastle steelworks. |
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| Another bulk carrier on the phosphate trade, Nauru Pacific Line's Kolle D, also berthed in Newcastle. |
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| BHP's Iron York arriving in Newcastle in evening sunlight. |
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| After sailing from Newcastle the night before, Baron Murray moored in Sydney harbour to take bunkers before continuing on to Christmas Island. |
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| Baron Murray loading coal in Gladstone for discharge in India. |
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| Baron Murray's purser, waiting for shore officials to board upon our early morning arrival off Visakhapatnam. |
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| Discharging coal at Haldia. |
During our call at Haldia, the ship's agent arranged a day trip to Calcutta for any of the ship's complement who wanted to go. The journey took approximately 2 hours each way by taxi and our cabs had to travel in convoy because of fears of bandits on the rural roads, especially when returning at night.
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| A roadside vendor and his stall. |
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| A rural bus stop. |
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| The ship's 2nd Engineer smoking his pipe while our cab (background) is being refueled. |
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| Our cab driver. |
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| Calcutta street scenes. |
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| Early morning arrival at Christmas Island. |
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| The Administrator's residence. |
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| Christmas Island work boats. |
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| Manoeuvring to moor under the loader. |
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| The shore mooring crew making the ship fast. |
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| Loading begins. |
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| A container taken to be loaded aboard the East Crystal. |
Great captures, Tim, not only of the ships but also of the people and some of the ports you stopped at.
ReplyDeleteNice pictures, Tim.
ReplyDeleteI'm also deck officer, and it's kind cool to see these pictures and how the things used to work in the past.
I have some old officers friends who I had the pleasure to work together onboard, and they used to tell me histories about that time.
Would you remember Jeff Pilder from your ANL days Tim ? He was a Chief Engineer.
ReplyDeleteGreat pics, thanks. I was sparkie in Baron Murray around the same time as you, but we did a Japan run, so a different trip.
ReplyDeleteHiya TIM, I was at sea a number of years and my last 27 years was working as skipper/bunkermaster of the Esar Bunkering Barge Port Adelaide. I bunkered the Baron Murray a few times when she berthed at Osborne, Port Adelaide. My Brother Warren Ross was on her for two trips to Nauru. Nice ships layout btw of your page. I have a ships page in FaceBook called SHIPAHOLICS OZ - Gordy, Don and Wozza's old ships - ship board memories!
ReplyDelete