John Ritchie
Joined Vancouver City at Cardiff (cargo on fire) as Chief Steward/Purser from Clan Line and others!
A pleasant happy 6 month voyage with good company,before leaving the sea and ending up
owning my book and antique shop in Weymouth.
My claim to fame was being dunked into the sea whilst ship anchored off Wakayama,helping
Chief Engineers wife, Joan,onto bottom of accommodation ladder from shoreside ferry,ladder
platform gave way with me in it! Remember thinking as drifted towards stern how big the
rudder looked! Cannot quite remember how was fished out, I think by excellent handling of
the(large)shore tender and expertly thrown life belt from high up bridge wing by 2nd Officer
Geoff that nearly killed me by landing on head losing my glasses!
Remember filling in accident report,state of weather 'slightly choppy' to which Captain McNulty
laughed and said it was flat calm. I said it wasn't where I was!
What really bugged me from coming from shore visit was none of us had been drinking, just
sightseeing for a change (Mind you on accident report,'what treatment needed'.. I entered
2 brandies..) Lucky escape.
Good times though, well remember Sandy Bruce, Ken The radio, Geoff and wife Mary Collins,
Chief Engineer and wife Joan, Keith ('Bean') electrician, the cadets, Roderigo my steward etc.
One other thing I remember well was crossing the line ceremony (have forwarded rather
poor photos for interest) and walking over the Lions Gate bridge to Vancouver with Ken (R/O)
and being checked on by very pleasant police in car to make sure we were alright (not
jumpers ?), perhaps it was only mad Englishmen who walked over(sorry Ken you were
Scottish!).
April 2018