My trip on the "Irish Elm" in 1970 by Charlie McCurdy

At the time I was a Deck Cadet with Ocean Fleets (Blue Funnel and Elder Dempster Lines) and was transferred to Irish Shipping in an exchange scheme between the two companies. I must admit it was one of the most enjoyable trips of my sea going career. Happy days.!

For your information the voyage commenced in Antwerp on the 22nd March 1970 and finished again in Antwerp on the 8th July 1970. As you can see from the photographs we crossed the Atlantic with a full cargo of continental vehicles for the U.S.A. including a deck cargo of U.S. Army wagons.

The army wagons and a couple of hatches of cars were discharged in Savannah, and the remainder of the cars discharged in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Using the empty hatches that were discharged in Savannah we loaded a part cargo of phosphate in Tampa for Chinhae in South Korea.

After Korea we loaded a full cargo of Japanese cars for Europe in Nagoya and Yokosuka. Our voyage was as follows. Outward :- Antwerp, Savannah, Tampa, Panama Canal, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chinhae in South Korea. Homeward :- Nagoya, Yokosuka, Panama Canal, Amsterdam, Drammen in Norway, Aarhus in Denmark, Bremmerhaven and Antwerp.

All photos ©Charlie McCurdy-- January 2009

2nd Mate and Engineer check liner Irish Elm 1974

2nd mate shoots the sun Irish Elm 1974

Competition night officers bar Irish Elm 1974

ER Control room Irish Elm 1974

Irish Elm passing Irish Rowan 1979.

Pat O'Halloran here. "I was Chief Engineer on the Irish elm when the photo of her at sea  was taken. The year was 1979 and the Elm was on her way to Rotterdam drydock to be handed over to the Greeks, two of whom where on board at the time. We were enroute from Fredricia in Denmark having unloaded a cargo from New Orleans I think but definitely the Gulf Of Mexico and it was early 1979."

Pat O'Halloran