Lerma
Comments from the forum - 1
May 1985: Captain M. Bellamy, C/O: R. Duncan, 2/O: A. Williamson, R/O: V. Cullen, C/E: D. Archbold, 2/O: P. Price, 3/E: A. Coombs, Elec: J. Atkinson, C/S: C. Harry.
The crew list above is the same as for when we took over the ship. I joined the ship in Newark for familiarisation and Phil Price joined in Houston I think, we then sailed with the Japanese crew back to Japan. Sailing with the Japanese crew was a good experience and we ate like kings on US10.00 per day, it was rather embarrassing to ask the Chief Steward for smaller portions, had some beautiful fillet steaks along with beer and wine for dinner in the evenings plus Black Label whisky from the Captain. On arrival in Japan, Yokosuka, the Captain asked Phil and myself back to his house for dinner the first evening where we met the whole family and felt very honoured. The Japanese crew left the next morning and the rest of our RSL colleagues along with the Mexican crew joined. By this time loading was well under way and we sailed the next afternoon for Long Beach. Considering this was the first car carrier RSL had managed, apart from the Skeena, everyone took everything in their stride and adapted very quickly with no problems. Going back to shared bathrooms and no hot water for the cabin basins was, however, rather a shock to some. Mike Bellamy. Posted on the forum 19th March 2010.
Joined Lerma 30.10.85 in Balboa, Panama.
Master: R. V. Duncan,
C/O: Mike Frazer,
2/O: Jerry Coleman,
R/O: Eric Bromham,
C/E: Danny Trigg,
2/E: Phil Price,
3/E: Karl Negele,
Elec: John Atkinson,
C/S: Nigel Frost.
Ports visited. Balboa, Houston, Jacksonville, Norfolk, Kanda, Yokosuka, Manzanillo (Bunkers 3 days), Norfolk, Newark, Providence, Kanda, Yokosuka, Manzanillo (Bunkers 2 days), Houston, Jacksonville, Norfolk, Yokosuksa, Manzanillo (Bunkers 3 days), Houston.
I must have been the second crew on Lerma. An enjoyable and eventful 6 1/2 month trip.
Flew out to Panama to join vessel with Cat/Off Nigel Frost. A 10 hour flight to Miami, then changed planes for the 2 hr flight to Panama. We were actually sat on the connecting flight, seat belts on and listening to in flight music, when somebody from Immigration came on board and booted us off the plane.(No Panamanian paperwork !). Our bags went to Panama and we were left in Miami, so booked into Holiday Inn for the night. Set alarm for 4am to phone Paul Hunt in Cardiff. About 10 phone calls later all problems were sorted and we flew on to Panama that afternoon. Found our bags lying in a corner at Panama airport.
Memories of Mexican crew buying van loads of washing machines, and TV's in Kanda all of which disappeared in Manzanillo Pilot boat in the dead of night whilst at anchor off Manzanillo.
Also this trip was Captain Peter Burroughs last trip at sea as he suffered a heart attack whilst ashore in Manzanillo on 2nd May 1986. Jerry Coleman. Posted on the forum 19th March 2010.
Disclaimer: The statements on this page are the views of the person who posted them on the forum. The events took place many years ago and in most cases rely on those people's memories, and so we cannot guarantee the accuracy although every effort is made to check it.
Lerma. Page No.[1] [2]Memories from RSL staff. Page No. [1] [2]