Maria Elisa
Comments from the forum - 1
After 40 years I get mixed up with my Cardiff City (Sara Lupe) and Houston City (Maria Elisa) but I did enjoy my trips on both these vessels between 1969 and 1973.
If I remember rightly Julian York was quite tall with a magnificent moustache.
I have fond memories working cargo on these vessels , winches getting mega punishment from the stevedores night and day, a good experience for me in how to deal with people and the problems they cause. John C Gardiner Lekie. Posted on forum 8th October 2011.
We were on our way up the Mississippi river to New Orleans when two of our generators broke down, we had to anchor off Port Sulphur to repair one of them to enable us to carry on, as we required two for stand-by for arrival in port. We had to split up into two shifts, six hours on, and six hours off to repair one of the gennies for us to carry on. This took us two days to complete, and we finished about four thirty in the morning, the Pilot was ordered for six o'clock, so while we were waiting we decided to do a spot of fishing, we caught a catfish, and as I put my foot on it to hold it down to take the hook out, it flexed the spine on it,s back and it went straight through my engine room boot and through my toe.
The Sparky contacted the Coast Guard and they said that I had to go straight to hospital to have it removed. They were going to send a helicopter for me, but there was no way I would go in one of them as I hated flying, so they arranged for me to leave the ship on the pilot boat.
I had the spine removed in the hospital in Port Sulphur and had to join the ship in New Orleans.
I would be interested to know if anyone else remembers this voyage. Mike Burt. Posted on forum 14th January 2012.
I was Master of the Maria Elisa, a couple of years later, when a similar generator failure occurred: this time it took place whilst manoeuvring in Galveston Docks. Jon Hewson was again Chief, and I recall him telling me about the episode in the Mississippi. I also remember very well, he and I looking for a phone box, deep in the heart of Galveston’s Dockland, late at night and I can recall a very irate TWM at the other end of the line. Mike Jones. Posted on forum 15th January 2012.
Delighted to read your postings and to know yet another "vintage" M.E. Officer is still around! I was the O.M.on that voyage (Oct.74 to March 75)and consequently submitted the photos. I take it you were the chap with glasses? as it seems someone else has been misidentified as you? We joined in Acapulco and left in Ensenada but have no idea what we did in between!
Anyway, glad you are enjoying your retirement "messing about in boats". John Cann. Posted on forum 15th January 2012.
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.
Maria Elisa. Page [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]
Memories from RSL staff. Page No. [1] [2]