Hi Brian3rdEngineer
I found your Engineroom photos which have brought back memories - I don't think we ever sailed together, but I definitely sailed with your Generator Signals, possibly on the Ibn Qutaibah in winter 78 I'm fairly sure they were only single arm home signals though.
The piston photo reminded me of the last couple of trips I did before the great payoff
Having plenty of time on the night watch in port (8 till 8 but don't tell the second) and being asked by the 2/E to prepare for a piston change in the morning - imagine his surprise / slight consternation to find it already out, rings off and already cleaned up (I must have had a good Donkeyman as well) 2/E was Hilton Begg, couldn't decide whether to thank me or give me a b--- for going to far, but decided to thank me.
Russ-UASC
Did you do any trips as 3rd Officer after your UASC Cadetship - I did a trip with a British ex cadet from your part of the world (loved Golf) probably on the Ibn Malik 80/81, when we got to Kobe we had a slight conflict of interest (Harbor Lights) which probably, in a very convoluted way, caused me to find the love of my last 35 years.
After a wasted trip to Cardiff College for 2/E Part A and a double USA on the Al Rumaithiah
My next time back out to Japan was on the Ahmad Al Fateh in 1982.
The night-life in Kobe was dead - Harbor Lights had become an Japanese Karaoke Bar with only the Mama-san left there.
Later in the trip - Keelung, we had to shelter from a Typhoon overnight while Keelung was hit. Next day we went in to port and I went ashore, ending up at the China Bar an hour later at about 11 o'clock in the morning.
It was completely empty apart from one girl serving behind the bar - all the rest had gone home because of the typhoon. After a couple of beers we started chatting and some how it came out that she had been the Manageress of Jimmy's Record Shop in Kaoshiung that I had met 4 years previously.
After 7 days in Keelung, (should have been 24 hours but rained every day) we had agreed that on my next leave I would go out to Taiwan for a Holiday with her.
2 years later - after getting my "Thank you and goodbye" from UASC whilst on leave in Taiwan Sept 83. I flew back to Taiwan and married her.
On a previous ship the other J/E and myself received some good advice from the Captain (Terry Hunt? Lived on the Wirrel and hated people wearing denim in the Ships Bar or ashore - It's workwear only!) Never think about marrying Taiwan girls - the marriage isn't legal and they aren't allowed to leave the island.
Always being one for a challenge, I went out to prove him wrong and succeeded - just!