Nice one Brian. It looks a long time ago. You can actually see the hills.
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Nice one Brian. It looks a long time ago. You can actually see the hills.
...derelict now, but still floating and in use as a breakwater at Powell River, British Columbia.
http://www.yoliverpool.com/forum/att...1&d=1261360446
They are unique because they are the only floating concrete freighters left, nine from WWII and one left from WWI.
http://www.concreteships.org/ships/powellriver/
Here's a shot taken from the shoreline of the three closest in the shot above.
http://www.yoliverpool.com/forum/att...1&d=1261360446
The ships are providing a breakwater at the pulp mill in B.C. and I took these pictures last July.
Powell Lake is in the background of the first picture, and the locals like to say that Powell River, which only flows about two miles from the lake to the Strait of Georgia, is the shortest river in Canada...:)
Nice one Az Gila.
Fascinating bit of Mercantile Marine history,I have read about concrete ships,seen lots of lighters and barges that were concrete,but never so many hulks.What a useful end for them,thanks for the posting AZ Gila,
BrianD
These vessel (C1-S-D1 type) were of the single deck type, with raked stern and modified cruiser stern. there was a big shortage of steel in WW2
The bridge and poop were built of concrete and the deckhousing was constructed of wood.
The ship had seven dry cargo holds, deep tanks and machinery space.
For propulsion there was a 3-cyl. triple expansion reciprocating engine with steam from oil-fired water-tube boilers, all situated aft.
The engine produced 1.300 ihp. Speed was 7 knots. Accommodation was provided for a crew of 39. of 4800grt
good right up about them on google and wilkipedia
A lot were used as breakwaters in Chesapeake Bay and about seven in the Powell River.
I never saw a ship but in the 50s I saw a few barges, they had wooden battens around the hull. I think they were in the Sharpness Canal and docks when I was at the Vindi. There may be one or two of these barges lining the banks of the Severn with all those other steel ones.
Captain, the Powell River tourist folks claim that nine of the WWII hulls are there, not seven.
I didn't mention it very explicitly, but while these ships are a breakwater, they are actually still floating. The uniqueness is that these hulks are actually afloat, and have even been repositioned as the Powell River wood mill has been downsized and turned into a pulp mill.
A good history - better than wiki...:)... is here...
http://www.thesunshinecoast.com/about/gianthulks.html
Quote:
Originally Posted by captain kong
Hi Az-Gila,
thanks for that info.
I just read it on the Concrete Ships .org
I personally dont know what is what with these vessels. They must have been well built if they are still with us.
This is what the article said..................
The Powell River Floating Breakwater
Of all the concrete ships built during World War I and II, only 10 are known to still be afloat. These ships form a massive floating breakwater on the Malaspina Strait in the city of Powell River in British Columbia, Canada.
The breakwater was constructed to protect the logging pond of the Powell River Company pulp and paper mill (later purchased by Pacifica Papers).
While nine of these ten ships were built during the Second World War, the tenth ship, the S. S. Peralta, is the last remaining WWI concrete ship afloat.
In December of 2000, the mill was downsized as the result of a corporate merger between Pacifica Papers and NorskeCanada. The mill no longer processes raw materials, so they were planning to remove a few ships from the breakwater. The company changed its mine and decided to keep all ten ships, but rearranged them.
YOGN 82
S.S. Henri Le Chatelier
Quartz
S.S. P. M. Anderson
S.S. Peralta
S.S. Emile N. Vidal
S.S. John Smeaton
S.S. Thaddeus Merriman
S.S. L. J. Vicat
S.S. Armand Considere
That site is very interesting reading, amazing what concrete can do.
http://www.thesunshinecoast.com/about/gianthulks.html
I wonder what the effect of a heavy sea has on them, on a steel ship they can hog and sag, bend, what is the effect on a concrete ship I wonder.
Cheers.
kong aka Brian.
I know it is not a ship photo but it is a `boat`and the sea and the season of fun.
I did this for my grandchildren.
Ha, love it Captain.Quote:
Originally Posted by captain kong
I took this one in March 1967,we were approaching Bombay as we passed,she was "as stately as a galleon,she glides across the sea." Ageless and perfect of line. Those Arabian boatbuilders created some magnificent craft,
BrianD
Here is the Helwick Light Ship, for many years she stood guard by many of the sand banks in the Bristol Channel.
She is now preserved in Cardiff. She is a cafe/ restaurant, and a Chapel.
Last summer I climbed up the Light tower to take the photos of the fore and after decks.
Many of our light ships have been demolished so it is good that some have been put to an alternative use. She is owned by the Christian Society..
The Helwick Lightship
The Helwick LV14 was last stationed off Rhossili, on the Gower Peninsula, in South Wales. The beam from the Light tower could be seen from 25 miles away and warned sailors of the Helwick Swatch, a treacherous sand bank.
Weighing 550 tons with an overall length of 137 feet, the Helwick was built to withstand all the might of the sea. It took eleven people to crew the vessel with seven on board at any one time. In 1975 landing platforms were added so that the crews could be changed by helicopter
Nice one Captain.
Here's a picture I got sent for Christmas.It is the Tea ship Falcon and is shown passing Portsmouth on a very blustery day.It was painted by S.Frances Smitheman, about whom I know nothing. Nice study though,
BrianD
Hi BrianDQuote:
Originally Posted by brian daley
The following is his Biography...Enjoy
Reg.:)
http://www.smitheman.com/biography.html
I saved this one for today,a hospital ship.....................I am having an operation at 2.30 p.m. It just seemed appropriate.
This is the Booth Liner Lanfranc in her hospital ship livery. She was built in 1907 and did service in WW1. No mention of her wartime record ,nor of when she was scrapped.The study was byD.W.E Gutman all of whose known paintings are of Booth Line ships.
Well that's it for now folks, be back soon I hope,
BrianD
Best of luck Brian, hope all goes well!
Tony
Hi Brian,
Didnt know you were going in today
All the best , Hope all goes well.
HMHS.Lanfranc - Torpedoed and sank 17th April 1917 by UB 40
Wishing you well Brian:PDT_Aliboronz_11:
Good luck with the operation Brian.
And leave them bloody nurses alone...
Hi Brian, Look after yourself, everything will be ok.See you soon.
Reg:)
Hope all's gone well Brian,get well soon!:nod:
This is the Berengaria a liner with a chequered history. She was built in Germany as the Europa but was bought by Hapag and renamed Imperator. Hapag had her fitted out to be the most luxurious ship ever for the Atlantic run,they wanted to outdo Cunards Oceanic. She was launched in 1912 and made her first voyage in 1913,it was a dismal failure due to her top heaviness.
All her top deck panels were stripped out and replaced with lighter material and the magnificent bronze figurehead was removed,this,and the addition of several hundred tons of cement ballast reduced her tendency to roll and she re-entered service in 1914. Shed was laid up for the duration of WW1 and was sequestered by the Americans for service as a troopship in 1919.
In 1920 she was chartered by Cunard for the North Atlantic run and was later allocated to Britain as war reparation. She became Cunards flagship in the 20's ,renamed Berengaria and was modernised. Her wiring was so badly corroded that she had constant trouble and was eventually retired in the mid 1930's. She was sent for scrapping in 1938 and this was finally completed in 1946.
She was a looker though!,
BrianD
Nice one Brian. Good looking ship.
Berengaria, named after Queen Berengaria, wife of King Richard, the only queen of England who never set foot in England, she died and was buried in France.The first of Cunards Liners to be named after a Queen.
This is me on the Sailing Ship, Leeuwin of Freemantle, Western Australia a couple of years ago.
I climbed aloft and over the futtock shrouds and onto the yards to furl sail.
Also heaving up the Crojack yard
I was 72 years old then, Not too bad for an old timer. Just had to show I could still do it.
CHRISTMAS AT SEA.
Christmas Day 1953, On the New Zealand Star, we were anchored in Algoa Bay in Mozambique waiting for a berth.
We had a Christmas dinner in the mess room with Christmas Cake and then with a few crates of ale all the Sailors and Firemen, Greasers etc sat on the poop and supped the lot.
On deck thats me on the right with open shirt On there is Johnny Freeman, Ronnie Vickers of Birkenhead Charlie Dry of Liverpool , Les Shimmin of Liverpool, Paddy Penson of Newry.
Here is me on the wheel on the QE2 on her final world cruise in April 2008.
[not realy, just posing, the iron mike was on, auto steering.] the Quarter master is in the corner by the window.
Also the QE2 entering the Panama Canal for the last time.
On either side are an engine on rail lines. These are called Mules, they pull the ship through the locks when connected by wire ropes.
Many a first trip Deck Boy has been fooled into collecting bread to feed the Mules.
Act your age, Brian. Should be a zimmer frame for you now, none of these high jinks.Quote:
Originally Posted by captain kong
;-)
Good advice Kevin,
I am slowing down a bit now, till the next time, all this cold weather is bringing out the pains in the old joints.
You keep it up mate - hope I have half of your energy should I make it into my 70s.Quote:
Originally Posted by captain kong
:PDT_Aliboronz_24:
Cheers Kevin,
A large glass of whisky every day is the trick, Doesnt kill the pain but I just dont care I have it.
Cheers , hic!
Nice one Captain. A man half your age couldn't make it up that rigging. You keep it up...
I shall ackowledge age
when the call of the far wild seas
no longer stirs my blood,
When my eyes cannot see
what a boy would see
the beauty of a homeward bound ship
harbouring on the flood.
Only then will I sit in the lee of a harbour wall
conjuring up dreams from the rivers mist
of the places I have seen
and of lips left unkissed.
A poem that was posted in `Ships Today and Yesterday` a few years ago.
dont know the poets name, but he must have been a good Seafarer.
Nice one Captain.
SS GLOUCESTER CASTLE.
This is the SS Gloucester Castle, of the Union Castlre Line.
On 21 June 1942, my birthday, I was up and out early round to my mate Clogger Farnworth`s house, His brother Joe Farnworth was off to join a ship, SS Gloucester Castle, at Liverpool.
Clogger and I helped to carry his sea bag to the bus stop. "Where you going to Joey" I asked.
"To South Africa` he replied, " Wish we could come as well" we said.
Joe sailed that day in convoy to Freetown, Sierra Leone. then on alone towards the Cape.
On the night of 15 July 1942, she was attacked by the `Michele" a German Raider, Captain Ruckstele, [sic]. Shelled and torpedoed, she sank just South of Acension Island, 93 passengers and crew were killed including Joe Farnworth, aged 17. Deck Boy.
The survivors, 41 were picked up by the Germans, some were transferred to another German ship then the rest were taken out east, three taken off in Singapore to work on the Burma Railway , one died, the others taken ashore in Japan and used as slave labour in the coal mines and steel works in Osaka.
they did not get home until January 1946.then the story came out. Mrs Farnworth was then told that her son Joe had died nearly four years before.
Captain, Helmuth von Ruckteschell of the Michele, was tried for war crimes at the end of WW2, and in 1946 was imprisoned at Spandau.
In 2001 I joined the QE2 to sail to Cape Town. I told the Farnworth family including my old mate `Clogger` and took a Merchant Navy wreath with me.
I spoke to Captain Ron Warwick about the incident and he said he would make arrangemets when we got in the position of the sinking.
On the day south of Acenscion Island a table was laid on the upper deck with a red ensign over and with the wreath I had brought.
with many passengers , a lot of them ex Union Castle, Captain Warwick held a Service over the place of the sinking. then after two minutes silence the Wreath was cast into the sea, A few tears were shed by some of the ladies. The dead of the Gloucester Castle had had their first Service. The Family was very pleased it had happened.
Built in Scotland in 1911.
Gloucester Castle was built by the Fairfield Shipbuilding Company in 1911 for the Union-Castle Mail Steamship Company. Her tonnage 7999 GRT, a length of 450 feet and 7 inches with a beam of 56 feet 2 inches, her speed, a humble 13 knots.
In September 1914 she was converted to a 410 bed hospital ship In 1915 she was serving in the Galipolli campaign.
Although well identified as a Hospital ship with her large Red crosses painted on her hull, she was torpedoed on the 30th. of March in 1915 on a trip from Le Havre to Southampton, with 399 passengers on board, only 3 died. She did not sink and was taken in tow for repairs In 1919 she was back in service with Union Castle on the South African run.
Gloucester Castle and the Raider, Michele, the Gloucester Castle sinking in the First World War in 1915.
This is another colour plate from the Book of Pictorial Knowledge. A Union Castle Liner lies at the quay in Table Bay,South Africa, being loaded with goods for Britain,the artist has captured the scene so well;makes my feet itchy just looking at it,
BrianD
P.S. Can anyone make out the name,I have cataracts and find it a little difficult to read it,
BD
I note from the - at last- updated Yahoo map I see the iris has gone from her berthing on the Thames. Can someone confirm when the evil deed was done
Hi Brian,
There is no discernable name showing, I had my magnifying glass on it. It could have been one of the pre war Arundal Castle class scrapped around 1959.she was in Hong Kong when I went to scrap the Good Hope Castle in 1959
My guess would be the Winchester Castle, the name doesn't seem long enough to be any of the other two funnell UC Ships. eg Warwick. See attached
Another illustration from Pictorial Knowledge,all the information is shown in the picture so I'll shut up,
BrianD