New 24 March 2008
TEESSHIPS
INBOX!

I have apologies to make to a couple of my friends who sent me stuff many moons ago but which I have not got around to showing until now!

The first was a "voice from the past" in the form of Robin Wighton who used to live in Redcar but moved down south quite a few years ago. He wrote:

Hello Ron Mapplebeck, Before you fall from your chair in astonishment let me congratulate you on your web-site . As a very recent convert to the web I am still finding my way around the shipping sites. To my delight I saw Tees-Ships so naturally I had a look .You are I gather still an active member of the  W S S  through the branch in M’bro ,whereas I am content to follow the activities on the local River Thames. Today was a clear-out day as far as my photos were concerned and I came across the attached. It is taken from a slide, I remember it was a cold day and I was too idle to note the name on the stern thinking I would check it in The Evening Gazette but as usual I forgot to do so…As the picture was dated April 1965 I am hoping that somewhere you can identify this ship in M’bro Dock… Regards Robin

The picture:

I was able to reply:

Always great to hear from a "voice from the past"! Glad you're still following ships, even if only now on the Thames. As luck would have it I can identify your tanker! I made only two visits to the docks in April 1965 but on 14 April 1965 I noted the THORSTAR and tried to take a photo of her! I have just been trying to find my print, but when I look in my notebook I see I have it marked as "underexposed" - so not fit to print!
Anyway, a modicum of checking on the internet for other Thor Dahl ships confirms they carry the C funnel colours clearly visible in your view, so I don't think there's any doubt about it! From my own notes:
THORSTAR (LR/IMO 5360376), owned by Thor Dahls Hvalfangerselskap A/S (managers A/S Thor Dahl), registered Sandefjord, Norway. 12521gt, length 556' 0". Completed Nedrl. Dok & Scheeps Maats, 8-1953, ex Sheratan-56. 1965 (so later in the year of our sightings) renamed GEODOR (Liberia), damaged by stranding 12-1969 and broken up 1970. (several references in Marine News during 1970).
From: http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/nigoco.htm
it can be noted the SHERATON was built for the van Nievelt group. I do have their fleet history (a Dutch publication) so, if I look, I'm likely to find that includes a view of the SHERATON.
Anyway, good to hear from you. Keep in touch, and keep checking TEESSHIPS!!!!
Ron

Then there was this follow-up from Robin:

Dear  Ron, Many thanks for coming to my rescue with regard to my picture of 40 years standing…As you might imagine there are lots of places to see ships from the banks of the Thames and I am constantly looking for that picture that makes my day….The estuary is so wide when the weather appears to be good, a haze can hang over the water which shows on the finished photo and really spoils your day. The photos I have added were taken on the wrong side of the river, low sun on 26 November 2006.The location was Canvey island stood next to the calor gas plant, further up the river is Coryton and Shellhaven. Three tugs service these berths all unfortunately built in Holland . So it was very unusual to see a tug emerge from the River Medway and hang around. Soon over the horizon loomed a ship which is the Norwegian flag tanker LATANA  with LADY BRENDA alongside. The other photo taken in the dying light of the day is the ATG flag EBERHARD . You may recognise the tug as being of Japanese origin. 
What really surprised me was the report of a M’bro tug towing a forepart of a new destroyer from Pompey to Glasgow , oh how things have changed….As far as the tug John H Amos goes, no reports on local tv or radio as to its movements. Some years ago I passed her on the mud at Chatham  when sailing on the Kingswear Castle the local paddler which was reboilered by a Co in Annan courtesy of one of the lottery funds. 
The Thames is full of ferries and container ships and now car carriers so tankers at least provide some relief from the horrors of the deep. At one time the Dart ferries actually carried Ropner funnel colours. The only thing that really connects the Tees and Thames are the tanker traffic the most obvious being the Yarragas series of ships…. Enough of this tirade thanks again for your help do keep the lines open. Cheers Robin.

(Pleased to see Robin has now become a fairly regular contributor to RIVERSEA INTERNATIONAL.)

Above photos copyright Robin Wighton

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Similarly, John Winstanley sent me a couple of recent views of ships at Hartlepool:

WILSON TANA
Wilson Tana (ex Husnes--built 1977-4907gt) rolling in the groundswell entering Hartlepool - 21 March 2007- Maltese flagged , Norwegian owned by Wilson Shipowning A/s Bergen--looks Japanese built -any ideas?
I replied: Yes, outline career at:
(24.03.07: amended) http://www.miramarshipindex.org.nz/ship/show/200903 
Japanese built as SUMBURGH HEAD for Salvesen, one of four similar ships - BARRA HEAD, HOOK HEAD, and RORA HEAD (built 1980). Think all four are now with Wilson.
... and getting on for those full 30 years since I saw the SUMBURGH HEAD in the distance as a newish ship in September 1977, crossing the North Sea for my first visit to Hamburg.
Still looks good. Memories!

KAPITAN YAKOVLEV
Kapitan Yakovlev (built1996-4998gt) also rolling about the same day at Hartlepool--another Maltese flagger but owned in Arkhangel ,Russia by Shipline Four. Similar sized general cargo vessels but how things change in 20 years

SIDER JOY
a rather more dull image this time---but also odd---Sider Joy (3289gt--built 2004 by Volhardings ,Hoogezand,) owned by BNB gmbh & co.kg,Hamburg but flagged in the UK ! -- seen leaving the Tees on 17 February 2007.

Thanks Robin and John, with my renewed apologies for delay in posting!