The story so far: ships occasionally lose containers at sea – there are explanations although we could make comparisons to a ‘runaway train’ situation, ie., it’s out of control and it happens very quickly. In 2020 the Japanese-flagged ONE Apus lost approximately 1,816 containers in heavy seas north-west of Hawaii. Theories over the loss range from a rogue wave snapping the securing pins to the fact that…
Approaching Lagos’ shoreline from twenty-five km, there are fishing boats. Way out at sea, before the shipping channels, buoys and city lights emerge, basic small craft little more than dug-outs with modest outboard engines and outriggers drift around. You wonder why they are so far out and also wonder how they navigate back in darkness, In answer to why the boats fish so distantly is because sheer…
Well, I wasn’t in the Royal Navy, but if their conditions were as bad as for Merchant Navy crew, it must have been rough. On my first trip (1972) I must have been lucky in assuming that all the ship’s company including the skipper were working class. After all, only the shipowners – prosperous as far as I could tell in pin-stripe suits with…
Story by James Hart. Statues on Dublin quayside commemorate the victims of the 1847 Famine. The appalling conditions of coffin ships was documented by one Robert Whyte, a passenger and journalist who, in his book ‘The Journey of an Irish Coffin Ship’ (1847) wrote of the desperation: of emigres denied food, clean water and medical attention – indeed, typhus, dysentery and starvation were part of the sometimes…
Fantastic 80th Anniversary events in Liverpool last weekend. James O’Hanlon captured the spirit of the weekend with these two fantastic videos.
Landed in Dover, but some aren’t so lucky.Yep, it was me. I was the one who discovered an illegal migrant hiding on the car deck at five am whilst just 40 minutes from Dover. It’s not such a rare occurrence as expected, but contrary to standing orders which states we should immediately call a security officer – security? – that’s a joke…
An excerpt from ‘Victims of Atlantis’ by John Richardson Monday 11 November 1940 was Armistice Day; a day of remembrance when the warring sides of WW1 ceased hostilities and came to peace. On board Atlantis a service was being held at 0800 in honour of those men and women who’d lost their lives in the conflict. However, while the service was in…
Footage from the ceremony on Sunday at St Nics in Liverpool.
Following our last article by James Hart, John Richardson sent in some fantastic photos of The RMS Lancastria which I’ve posted below. Thanks John, a fantastic archive.
Introduction:A day which is probably more in people’s minds due to resumption of the Premier League football season rather than the commemoration of Britain’s worst maritime tragedy – a disaster which took the lives of an estimated 3000 to 5800 sailors, soldiers, airmen and civilians. Yes, it was a long time ago – but to keep football supporters still interested perhaps there are parallels between the 1939-40…
‘I often enjoy my work’ – or so a sex-worker’s statement read on a flyer from the red-light Museum of Prostitution, although the respondent didn’t say whether she enjoyed her work all the time, or with all her clients – we can only imagine on this one. Located on Achteburgwal Street, bang in the middle of the red-light, the museum, a good starting-point makes no…
Footage from today’s service at the Pier Head – the weather held out for us.