A Shipping Order

We've all probably used the term “a shipping-order” when bulk-buying our own groceries, but how many of us have actually seen a real one? Prepare to be amazed!

A full transcript of the Vegetable Order sent by Chef William Ransom on 28th October 1962 in preparation for the Caronia's sailing from Liverpool on 05 January 1963 is now added to the Below Decks Virtual Tour.

The original document had been typed, with three carbon-copies, by the Kitchen Clerk from the Chef's hand-written notes. The order contains instructions to indicate where in the fresh and frozen stores areas aboard the “Green Goddess” these items were to be stored.

Just imagine taking delivery of 1½ Tons of onions and 12½ Tons of potatoes…

The 4-Minute Warning

The tensions and ramifications of the Cuban Missile Crisis lasted a good bit longer than just the last week or so of October 1962. The nuclear threat posed by the Soviet Union since the early 1950s meant the U.K. had been living with a system called “The 4-Minute Warning”. The reality being that in the event, there would probably be fewer than 3 minutes to react.

The events in Cuba did highlight what became a popular but very loaded question. It centred around an enquiry of what people would do if the alarm was sounded. Some bawdy mirth was generated if ever the question was posed as a bit of tea break “banter” in the workplace.

If you were romantically involved, that question could become very difficult to negotiate! The earnestness of the enquiry had gained an importance almost akin to a desire of creating a family. After a couple of difficult heart-to-heart encounters, my default position became that, if the outcome was so finite, then I didn't want to hear the advance warning.

After all, will the longest 3 minutes of your life before evaporation actually be long enough for the inevitable contemplation?

If you can contribute any information, do please get in touch…

Depart Alexandria 1.54pm
Steam N.East Alexandria to Beirut 332 miles

Log Abstract…
At: 13:54 (LT) 11:54 (GMT) Alexandria departure
332 nmi to Beirut

Arrive Beirut 7.36am

Log Abstract…
At: 07:36 (LT) 05:36 (GMT) Beirut arrival
Passage: 17 hours, 42 mins.
Voyage Distance: 332 miles
Average Speed: 18.76 knots

Highlights of the Holy Land

Depart Beirut 10.06pm
Steam to Haifa 67 Miles

Log Abstract…
At: 22:06 (LT) 20:06 (GMT) Beirut departure
67 nmi to Haifa

Sunday Arrive Haifa 6.45am

Log Abstract…
At: 06:45 (LT) 04:45 (GMT) Haifa arrival
Passage: 8 hours, 39 mins.
Voyage Distance: 67 miles
Average Speed: 7.75 knots

Haifa 1954

Haifa 1964

Log Abstract…
At: 21:12 (LT) 19:12 (GMT) Haifa departure

Clocks retarded 30 minutes at Midnight

At Sea
Steaming N.West Haifa to Dubrovnik 1,117 miles

Log Abstract…
At: 12 Noon 10:30 (GMT) Position: 33.56N | 29.22E
Travelled: 291 miles
Light airs, rippled sea, cloudy & clear

Clocks retarded 30 minutes at Midnight

At Sea

Log Abstract…
At: 12 Noon 11:00 (GMT) Position: 37.58N | 20.55E
Travelled: 510 miles
Light variable winds, slight sea, cloudy & clear
316 nmi to Dubrovnik

Log Abstract…
At: 06:24 (LT) 05:24 (GMT) Dubrovnik arrival
Passage: 2 days, 10 hours, 12 mins.
Voyage Distance: 1,117 miles
Average Speed: 19.19 knots
At: 13:30 (LT) 12:30 (GMT) Dubrovnik departure
302 nmi to Venice

Dubrovnik 1959

Dubrovnik, 1962

Arrive Venice 6.54am

Log Abstract…
At: 06:54 (LT) 05:54 (GMT) Venice arrival
Passage: 17 hours, 24 mins.
Voyage Distance: 302 miles
Average Speed: 17.36 knots

At Venice

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Sunday Depart Venice 6.36pm

Log Abstract…
At: 18:36 (LT) 17:36 (GMT) Venice departure

At Sea
Steaming South Venice to Catania 645 miles

Log Abstract…
At: 12 Noon Position: 40.59N | 17.18E
Travelled: 324 miles
Moderate Westerly winds, slight sea, low swell, overcast & clear
321 miles to Catania

Log Abstract…
At: 07:12 (LT) 06:12 (GMT) Catania arrival
Passage: 1 day, 12 hours, 36 mins.
Voyage Distance: 645 miles
Average Speed: 17.62 knots
At: 11:30 (LT) 10:30 (GMT) Catania departure
50 nmi to Messina

Catania 1959

Catania 1961

Catania

Steam Catania to Messina 50 miles

Arrive Messina 2.30pm - Depart 7.06pm

Log Abstract…
At: 14:30 (LT) 13:30 (GMT) Messina arrival
Passage: 3 hours
Voyage Distance: 50 miles
Average Speed: 16.67 knots
At: 19:06 (LT) 18:06 (GMT) Messina departure
177 nmi to Naples

Messina 1959

Messina 1961

Messina 1964

At Sea
Steaming North Messina to Naples 177 miles

Arrive Naples 6.12am

Log Abstract…
At: 06:12 (LT) 05:12 (GMT) Naples arrival
Passage: 11 hours, 6 mins.
Voyage Distance: 177 miles
Average Speed: 15.95 knots

Naples 1954

Naples 1959

Naples 1961

Naples & Italy 1963

Italian Sights 1967

Depart Naples 5.54pm
Steam to Villefranche 368 miles

Log Abstract…
At: 17:54 (LT) 16:54 (GMT) Naples departure
368 nmi to Villefranche

Arrive Villefranche Noon

Log Abstract…
At: 12:00 (LT) 11:00 (GMT) Villefranche arrival
Passage: 18 hours, 6 mins.
Voyage Distance: 368 miles
Average Speed: 20.33 knots

Villefranche 1954

Villefranche 1959

Villefranche 1961

Villefranche, 1965

Depart Villefranche 5pm
Steam West, Villefranche to Barcelona 272 miles

Log Abstract…
At: 17:00 (LT) 16:00 (GMT) Villefranche departure
272 nmi to Barcelona

Arrive Barcelona 6.54am

Log Abstract…
At: 06:54 (LT) 05:54 (GMT) Barcelona arrival
Passage: 13 hours, 54 mins.
Voyage Distance: 272 miles
Average Speed: 19.57 knots

Barcelona 1959

Barcelona 1961

Depart Barcelona 3.24am

Log Abstract…
At: 03:24 (LT) 02:24 (GMT) Barcelona departure

At Sea
Steam S.West, Barcelona to Gibraltar 517 miles

Log Abstract…
At: 12 Noon 11:00 (GMT) Position: 38.47N | 00.20E
Travelled: 176 miles
Strong to gale force N.Westerly winds, rough sea, moderate swell, cloudy
341 miles to Gibraltar

Arrive Gibraltar 7am - Depart 1.48pm

Log Abstract…
At: 07:00 (LT) 06:00 (GMT) Gibraltar arrival
Passage: 1 day, 3 hours, 36 mins.
Voyage Distance: 517 miles
Average Speed: 18.73 knots
At: 13:48 (LT) 12:48 (GMT) Gibraltar departure
296 nmi to Lisbon

Gibraltar and Tangier

Gibraltar 1959

Gibraltar, 1966

Steaming North Gibraltar to Lisbon 296 miles

Clocks retarded 1 hour at Midnight

Arrive Lisbon 5.42am

Log Abstract…
At: 05:42 (LT) 05:42 (GMT) Lisbon arrival
Passage: 16 hours, 54 mins.
Voyage Distance: 296 miles
Average Speed: 17.51 knots

Lisbon 1954

Lisbon 1959

Depart Lisbon 9.30pm

Log Abstract…
At: 21:30 (LT) 21:30 (GMT) Lisbon departure

At Sea
Steaming North through Bay of Biscay
Lisbon to Cherbourg 818 miles

Log Abstract…
At: 12 Noon Position: 43.24N | 09.07W
Travelled: 295 miles
Light E.N.Easterly winds, slight sea, fine & clear

Sunday Arrive Cherbourg 1.30pm - Depart 11.30pm

Log Abstract…
At: 13:30 (LT) 13:00 (GMT) Cherbourg arrival
Passage: 1 day, 16 hours
Voyage Distance: 813 miles
Average Speed: 20.33 knots

Paris & London 1964

Log Abstract…
At: 23:30 (LT) 23:30 (GMT) Cherbourg departure
64 nmi to Nab Tower

Cross English Channel 82 miles

Arrive Southampton 6am
End of 1962 Mediterranean & Black Sea Cruise

Log Abstract…
At: 04:00 (LT) 04:00 (GMT) Nab Tower abeam
At: 06:00 (LT) 06:00 (GMT) Southampton arrival
Passage: 6 hours, 30 mins.
Voyage Distance: 64 miles
Average Speed: 14.22 knots