ACAVUS (2)

About

Completed 1958 as "ACAVUS" for STUK. 2-5-1984 arrived Kaohsiung for scrap.

IMO number
5001633
Call sign
GXQQ
Construction number
867
Tonnage
18.200 ton
Beam
21m
Length overall
170m
Year of construction
1958
Year of renaming/broken up
1984
Service for Shell
1958 to 1984
Cargo
Class
Flag state
Home port
Manager
Shipyard
Status
Photo(s)

Comments

Sailors

Name Job Period Details
Peter Tuner assistant steward
Gordon Owen Carr 2nd engineer 1958 to 1959
Clive Scholey junior ordinary seaman 1959 to 1960
Roy Stephens steward 1959 to 1961
Edwin Mortimer extra 3rd mate 1959
Kevin Bedford efficient deckhand 1959
Don Bennett 3rd mate 1960 to 1961
Colin Mclean deck apprentice 1960 to 1961
Roy Stephens steward 1960 to 1965
Geoff Walker assistant steward 1960 to 1961
William Austin catering boy/galley boy 1961
Edward Harry Andrews fireman 1961
Brian Daley deckhand 1961
Allan Stourton ... deck boy 1961
David Else 3rd engineer 1961 to 1962
John Watts apprentice engineer 1961
Roger Craig Dickson catering boy 1961
Harold Porter 3rd mate 1962 to 1963
James W. Crosby extra storekeeper 1963 to 1964
Chris Burls 2nd mate 1963
David Else 2nd engineer 1963 to 1964
Norman Thomas assistant steward 1963 to 1964
Geoff Walker 2nd cook 1964
Hugh Connolly crew messman 1964
Mike Riley apprentice engineer 1964 to 1965
Lionel Williams junior ordinary seaman 1964 to 1965
Robin Keer-keer 2nd mate 1964 to 1965
Chris Robbins deck apprentice 1964 to 1965
Alan Watson deck apprentice 1964
Mike Muir 1 junior ordinary seaman 1964
Geoffrey Walker assistant steward 1964 to 1965
Alan Drury fireman/greaser 1965
Ed Cuthill engineer 1965 to 1966
Herbie A. Battye deck apprentice 1965
Peter Newbery chief engineer 1965 to 1966
Dave Howden 2nd mate 1965
Alex Smith deck apprentice 1966 to 1967
Mike Taylor 2 radio officer 1966 to 1967
Alistair Montgomery 2nd engineer 1967
Trevor Palin deck apprentice 1967 to 1968
John Wilson 3 5th engineer 1967
Mike Taylor 2 radio officer 1968
Peter Alan Chambers 5th engineer 1968 to 1969
John Mc Auley 5th engineer 1968
John Wilson 1 5th engineer 1968
Richard Basey apprentice engineer 1968
Peter Rees 2nd cook 1968 to 1969
Gavin Hair assistant steward 1968 to 1970
Ian Croucher 4th engineer 1969 to 1970
David Bunn 2nd steward 1969 to 1970
Desmond Doyle master 1969
Peter Cole 5th engineer 1969
Peter Graham chief officer 1969 to 1970
David Shepherd catering boy 1969
Ken Wood deck apprentice 1969
Keith Marston 5th engineer 1970 to 1971 joined Trinidad - paid-off Jamaica
Barney Boylan 2 2nd steward 1970
Trevor Palin 3rd mate 1970 to 1971
Steve Lynas deck cadet 1970 to 1971
Allen Higgins 3rd engineer 1970 to 1971
Philip Longton ... 3rd engineer 1970 24 days only
Stephen Catchpole catering 1970 to 1971 1st trip
John Parr catering 1971 1st trip
Roger Duke 2nd engineer 1971
Gordon Kent 2nd mate 1971
John Lewindon 5th engineer 1971
John Bennett 4th engineer 1972
Bob Norton engineer cadet 1972
Donald Travis chief officer 1972
Phil Hutchins engineer cadet 1972
Robin Ellis engineer cadet 1972
Chris Goode assistant steward 1972 to 1973
Andy Jankowski deck cadet 1973 to 1974
Murdo Campbell senior ordinary seaman 1973 to 1974
Allan J. Mckay 5th engineer 1973
Robin Spencer cadet 1973
Paul Harper galley boy 1973 Last Trip
Malcolm Mac Donald 5th engineer 1973
Peter Elphick ordinary seaman 1973
Chris Matthews chief engineer 1973
Stuart Gallaway 3rd mate 1973 to 1974
Nigel Sharrock 5th engineer 1974 to 1975
Hugh Cromie 3rd mate 1974
William Denzil ... efficient deckhand 1974
Frank Melling 5th engineer 1974
David Whyte engineer cadet 1974 to 1975
John Ross 2 2nd mate 1974
Ian Falconer deck cadet 1974
Alan Robertson deck cadet 1974
Brian Crew supernumerary 1975 wife of brian crew supernumary
Brian Crew 3rd engineer 1975
Phil Chenford engineer cadet 1975 1st trip
Mark Adams deck cadet 1975 to 1976
Bob Marshall 2nd mate 1975
Richard Graham ... 2nd mate 1976
Stephen Catchpole 2nd cook 1976 to 1977
Kevin Anthony Hardy catering boy 1976
Robert Jones grade 1 seaman 1976
Colin Osman 3rd engineer 1976 to 1977
John Pickering chef kok 1976
Keith D. Rourke 2nd cook and baker 1976
William Smith assistant steward and messman 1977
Nicholas Charle... 2nd mate 1977
Chris Spencer chief officer 1977
Erick Weston engineer cadet 1977 second trip cadet, excellent trip. Joined Puerto Rico July 77, left Wellington Dec 77.
Nick Roberts 3rd officer 1977
Thomas Malcolm ... 3rd engineer 1977
Simon Humphrys deck cadet 1978 to 1979
Sam Little chief officer 1978 1st trip
Bernard Kates radio officer 1978
John P M Cusson chief officer 1978
Christopher Pen... junior ordinary seaman 1978
Fred Craig chef kok 1978
Alan Susans 3rd engineer 1979 to 1980
Chris Wilkinson deck cadet 1979 This trip included West Africa followed by Canada, memorable
Paul Ayers able seaman 1979 to 1980
Hermand De Werd 2nd officer 1979
Paul Price 1289... radio officer 1979
Alan Burns radio officer 1979
Chris Grimson 3rd mate 1979
Steve Harding radio officer 1979
Geoff Akehurst 2nd mate 1979
Paul Hagan able seaman 1979 to 1980
Bernard Reynolds chief officer 1979
Sean Pulford assistant steward 1979 to 1980
Eileen Brown deck cadet 1979
Mike Ford radio officer 1980
John Tarling 3rd mate 1980
Roger Roue chief engineer 1980
Rob Robeznieks steward 1980
Paul Crouch 5th engineer 1980
Mark Roy Watson efficient deckhand 1981
Alan Paddy Neil deck cadet 1981
Derek Swadling deck cadet 1981
Don Shanahan 2nd cook 1981
Geoffrey Forster 2 chef kok 1981
Robin Ellis 3rd engineer 1981
David Nesom chief steward 1981
Andy Davies 3rd mate 1982
Ian Nicholson deck cadet 1982
Stuart Bradley engineer cadet 1982 to 1983
David R. Byrne 3 pumpman 1982
Mike Castle 2nd mate 1982
Dave Olpin 2nd engineer 1982
Gary Timmins able seaman (grade 2) 1982
Robin Macleod 2nd mate 1982
DanielBrown able seaman 1983
Martyn Botterill 5th engineer 1983
John Peter Briand master 1983 1st trip
Mike Jelfs efficient deckhand 1983
kevinkstephenso... Third Mate 1983
Mark W. Dottin motorman 1984
Tony Breakell 3rd mate 1984
Roland Wysner ab sst 1984
Keith Browne messman 1984
Jonathan Rushton chief officer 1984

Anecdotes

Date Visitor Anecdote
06/05/2017 - 21:56 Tony Dodd

I joined the Acavus for my final trip as an apprentice engineer August 1970 but I can't remember where that was. I completed the required total of 18 months sea time as we apprentices did in those days on her. We were carrying white oils (quite a change after bitumen on my first ship and crude on my second) and we were often discharging up the US west and gulf coasts. She was the first vessel on which I came across a sewage treatment plant which had been fitted in preparation for trips up the St Lawrence Seaway although I never did that route. The Hamworthy system used to get blocked up with cigarette filter tips thrown down the heads and hammocks for hamsters quietly disposed of by any young lady on board. As the E/A doing the 12-4, keeping it working was delegated to me - perhaps that's why some said I was full of sh!t. My only trip to Punta Cardun, Venezuala was on her, where we almost lost a 1st trip 5/E who fell in love with one of the girls at La Estrella - the innocence of first trippers versus the experience of an apprentice almost out of his probationary time ;-) . I became a fully fledged 5th engineer on her March '71 on passage to Halifax, Nova Scotia where we discharged a cargo of Stove Oil and I paid off. Nice flight home with TCA (long since gone).

07/12/2015 - 21:41 Ginger Thomson

joined her at shell haven jan 65 , first trip ,when signing on , a stoker chasing the cook , with a hammer , down the stair well from mess room , then the next was stoker screaming murder , as cookie was chasing him with a cleaver . Being green as green and 15 [ galley boy ] , mam can I come home was my thoughts . They had been drinking there docking bt 4 bells , next I saw them best o pals after some shouting , thankfully the weapons , was removed by other crew members .
We sailed that night , well no sleep ship being tossed , all over the place jan gales s/e coast England , glad to see north shields , run ashore to working mans club with some boys from Geordie land , when up getting Newcastle ale for the boys they asked me to ask the boy at the bar fa hung the monkey , WELL THAT WAS MY FIRST SMACK IN THE FACE IN THE MERCH , alas , many other would follow , all part of growing up .
We went to tranmere , then good old happy valley curacao , amazing trip and fast learning curve , did not wont to go home , a life on the ocean wave , the 60's

10/07/2014 - 18:14 Nick Roberts

Joined her in Cape Town in late 1977 (With Sue - her first trip "Wife"). There had been a suicide on board on her way to Capetown, and we walked on board to find a fist fight going on on the flying bridge between the C/O and an AB. My first job was to return to jetty hut and call the Police! This was the worst "British" crew I ever sailed with on a vessel that should have been excellent on her round the world lube oil run. (Unfortunately it was matched by one of the worst Masters I ever sailed who refused to take any disciplinary action.) We had an AB returning drunk from a trip ashore in Aussie who picked a fight with the Aussie jetty man...and ended up in the water between the hull and the jetty for his troubles... and on another occasion I was dispatched ashore to round up the drunken crew from a bar so that we could sail?? Things improved with a new C/Off and new Master...and some of the crew got paid off...

10/13/2011 - 00:54 Trevor Palin

I was also first trip apprentice on her in 1967. Happy memories of both voyages and a happy ship.

09/26/2010 - 13:15 Roy Stephens

will have to look out all my photos ihave got about 10 from the time that she was in the far east sorry to see she has beenscraped was a great ship i sailed on her for 2years

12/13/2009 - 14:05 Bernard Reynolds

After our all expenses paid caribbean holiday I had to work. Later on in the trip we load lubricating oil in Rotterdam and Rouen for West Africa. Just before we got to our first port of call which was Las palmas Capt. Palmer received a telex from Shell International to take on fresh provisions for the 4 Shell personnel in Luanda
When we were in Lagos an old ship mate of mine "Dave Lake" came on board. We had been on the old Desmoulea as Cadets. He invited Shirley and I to a dinner party that he was having that night in his apartment. There were 10 of us and his cook served up a georgeous curry.
In Luanda Capt Palmer handed over the provisions, evidently food was difficult to get because of the civil war which had recently ended. The Manager was Belgium and had there for 14 months and hadn't been able to get a permit to buy food to bum all his food. We were invited to a party which was given by a German. Capt Palmer took with us several whole fillet steaks. We got chatting to the British Consular Staff and their wives. They told us that before they went there they had been given a loan to buy tin food to ship out with them. They said that there was only so many ways that you could dish up corn beef and spam. When we told them that we had whole fillets of steak. They said they hadn't had fresh meat for 6 months. I had never seen people drooling at the mouth before.
The Portuguese cargo supervisor asked me if I could let him have some frozen chickens and fresh milk. He was married to a Swedish girl and had two young children. We gave him 6 chickens and 10lts of long life milk. Next day he gives us 10 kgs of fresh coffee beans from his grandfathers farm.

12/06/2009 - 18:28 Bernard Reynolds

With reference to our two week holiday in Curacao I have remembered the surname of the C/E and his wife. They were Brian & Jill Egan

11/26/2009 - 00:17 Bernard Reynolds

Free Carribean holiday on Shell January 1979. Shirley & I flew out to Curacao with the C/E and his wife (Brian & Jill). When we arrived in Curacao the agent gave us all an envelope with money in it. We said "whats this for". He said "we don't know when the Avavus is coming here you are staying in the Holiday Inn Hotel. The money is for your meals". We were there for two weeks soaking it up by the swimming pool. There were some good cabaret acts on in the hotel. One day we hired a car and toured the Island. Every few days the agent came along with another envelope full of money. I remember the old Singapore days when we used to get a dohbi allowance so we got that as well.
A great time was had by all. Then one day as we lazing by the pool and there was the Acavus on the horizon. Oh well! all good things must come to the end.

10/09/2009 - 19:46 John Parr

After coming out of dry dock in Bremerhaven we sailed to the med and then back to Hamburg where we colliced with a coaster in the river Elb. All that nice paint damaged but no serious damage. This was my first ship that i joined in Seattle in 1971 aged 16.