Considering she was now 45 years old she was in very good condition with many of her original fixtures and fittings still in place. Some of the cabins were locked including Dads and the Captains which was a bit of a disappointment. In the Chief Officers cabin we found a pile of original shipyard drawings which covered the ship throughout her life and many refits.
Dad could still remember his way round the accomadation and soon we were on the bridge, here I found the last used Red Duster in the flag locker, I couldn`t leave that behind could I!. This had all been changed since the Bowater days but it was good to stand on the bridge wings and imagine what it must have been like thirty years before. When I climbed onto the wheelhouse roof i got the biggest delight of all, there on the funnel was the Bowater Houseflag, brilliant.
We then made our way down to the engineroom hear again it was an absolute delight. The engineers who worked down there really did look after her and I should imagine the older she got the more well looked after she was. We had been on the ship for about 4 hours when Morten came along and said it was time to go.
I was very grateful to Morten and pleased that I had taken my Dad back to one of his ships but in my heart I new that I had not completed the trip I had set out to do. I asked Morten if I could go back he said "Yes" so off I went again in March.
On the second trip I went alone just armed with a camera and note pad. This time all the cabins were open you will be amazed at some of the items I found and the pictures i took. Would you believe I found some Bowater china in the Captains cabin drinks cabinet!
A third and final trip was undertaken in May 2003 with my brother Robin, this was to remove the telegraph repeater off the engine. By this the ship had been sold to a metal recyculer in Latvia, her days were numbered. Morten was brilliant to the last and kept sending me photographs of the work they were doing to the ship to prepare her for her final voyage. He even sent me a short video clip of her leaving Esjberg harbour. I will always be indebted to Morten, his father and his team of workers for there help, kindness and generosity towards my Dad and I.
