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http://www.flickr.com/photos/daver6/5353321553/in/set-72157625797629324/
Webcam grabs today of the ALLIE B with the beautiful SS DAWN in tow at the Miraflores Locks of the Panama Canal:
The African Dawn was 1 of 6 C-4 vessels operated by Farrel Lines on their African routes during those years. All of them carried up to 12 passengers and had a crew of 54. They were 572 feet long, had a beam of 75 feet and a speed of 21 knots. Gross Tonnage was 11,309 and Deadweight tonnage 12,915.
According to a 1973 Farrell LIne's brochure: "Every stateroom on these modern air-conditioned freighters is an outside cabin. Each with private shower and toilet facilities. The dining room and laundry room are on the same deck as the passenger cabins."
"The lounge equipped with an up-to-date library, is one deck above. All passenger staterooms and public rooms have full size windows. And all are comfortably designed and pleasingly decorated"
Among the list of people who would not be accepted as passengers were: persons over the age of 80 years, children under the age of 18 unless accompanied by an adult, people who relied on canes or crutches, pregnant women, and a lone female passenger as the only client on the ship.passenger.
In 1977 I actually considered booking a trip to South Africa on one of the Farrell Lines ships until I found out that there was a long waiting list and when you got to the top of the list, you had to go on the dates offered or go back to the bottom of the list. The waiting time was about a year to 18 months. I was disapponted because I had travelled fron New York to South Africa in 1955 on Farrell Lines' African Enterprise (83 passengers max). (When I finally did go to South Africa 19 years later, I flew non-stop from New York to Jo'burg in under 14 hours.)
BTW, Farrell Lines' C-4s also occasionally used the St. Lawrence Seaway on their way to and from Toronto to pick up cargo bound for Africa.
Brian
[ 02-08-2011: Message edited by: Brian_O ]
Rich
quote:Originally posted by Linerrich:Hi guys, thanks for sharing these photos and background information. It seems that MARAD is really "cleaning house" lately, and I've also read that they're about to start scrapping (recycling) ships in California, rather than sending them to Brownsville. Rich
The old Mare Island Naval Shipyard received their first ship for dismantling HERE. More info on that dismantling effort HERE. I am not sure how capable the 'new' facility will be but the short distance to tow a single ship beats going all the way through the canal and taking a month to get there and saves an enormous amount of money.
Another ship I am keeping a look out for is the USNS H. H. Hess as seen HERE.
I have read that the entire Suisun Bay Ghost Fleet is expected to be gone by 2017.
A local news article HERE.
Brian_O: Very detailed and very interesting information. THANK YOU for sharing. I would loved to have been able to travel back then. Sounds like an adventurous way to 'cruise'.
More webcam grabs and images of other Ghost Fleet ships on their final voyages:
POPE and PATRICKPier 70 USS General John Pope (AP-110) 5-2010 - a set on Flickr
Pier 70 USS General Edwin Patrick (T-AP) 4-2010 - a set on Flickr
Cruise Talk: Pope and Patrick...waiting
RIDER VICTORYPier 70 SS Rider Victory in Drydock 3-2010 - a set on Flickr
ASPPhotoGallery (RIDER VICTORY in tow Miraflores Locks - Album_ID 3446)
WINTHROP VICTORYSS Windthrop Victory's last voyage 3-2010 - a set on Flickr
ASPPhotoGallery (WINTHROP VICTORY in tow Panama Canal - Album_ID 3442)
USNS MISSION SANTA YNEZPier 70 USNS Mission Santa Ynez 4-2010 - a set on Flickr
USNS Mission Santa Ynez 3-2010 - a set on Flickr
Cruise Talk: USNS Mission Santa Ynez in Panama Canal
GETTYSBURGExxon Gettysburg at Pier 70 5-2010 - a set on Flickr
http://www.travelserver.net/travelpage/aspgallery/pictures/Ad_3482_14.jpg
http://www.travelserver.net/travelpage/aspgallery/pictures/Ad_3521_7.jpg
http://www.travelserver.net/travelpage/aspgallery/pictures/Ad_3521_8.jpg
AMERICAN RACERSS American Racer 12-2010 - a set on Flickr
Cruise Talk: SS American Racer of United States Lines
AMERICAN RELIANCEIn Panama Canal
TALUGAUSS Taluga at Pier 70 BEA Drydock 7-2010 - a set on Flickr
http://www.travelserver.net/travelpage/aspgallery/pictures/Ad_3510_12.jpg
http://www.travelserver.net/travelpage/aspgallery/pictures/Ad_3510_13.jpg
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EARLHAM VICTORYS.S. Earlham Victory at Pier 70 12-2009 - a set on Flickr
PAN AMERICAN VICTORYUSS Pan American Victory -the end is near- 11-2009 - a set on Flickr
[ 02-16-2011: Message edited by: dmwnc1 ]
They were built towards the end of the era when good looks still mattered.
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