Hector Hawk

Easter Sunday Capt R G Franklin, Mate, C/E and a bunch of other Catholic crew went ashore to Vatican Square for Pope’s blessing.

Weather deteriorated rapidly in afternoon and Master and others could not reboard from agent’s boat. Weather continued to deteriorate and the vessel started dragging her anchor towards the beach. The second anchor was dropped but to no avail. Started to heave up anchors and use main engine but vessel’s stern grounded and punched rudder up and fractured steering gear cross-head. Afterpeak tank flooded but judicious use of main engine and dredging one anchor, managed to move the vessel far enough offshore to a decent holding ground where we remained waiting for tug assistance.

Tug arrived next morning and 'Hawk' towed to Naples for cargo discharge and subsequent drydocking .

Master and other pilgrims rejoined in Naples just long enough to pack their bags !

Capt Dave Cornwell replaced RGT Franklin as Master and Peter Boyle was the new Mate. Rob Metcalf and I remained as Apprentices.

We had 3 weeks in Naples before resuming the Banias/Tripoli/Fiumicino/Genoa service.

An Imodco Buoy was later installed at Fiumicino which was less prone to weather than the original spread mooring/submarine hose set-up.

Aground at Fiumicino - 1961

Sailing on The Spanish Main by Elisabeth MacMillan - 1966

Review - April 1967

Hector Hawk Left Taranto 30 June For Los Angeles & Curacao
Master	D H MacMillan
Chief Officer	J Wilcock
Second Officer	I Bell
Third Officer	B Preece
Cadets	M Leaver J Johnson
Radio Officer	M Holtby
Chief Engineer	T Drakard
Second Engineer	B Seignott
Jnr Second Engineer	A Harbron
Third Engineer	M Jackson
Fourth Engineer	W Barnicoat
Junior Engineer	C Pike R Smith
First Electrician	M Hannan

Review - February 1967

Voyage Notes by Capt D H MacMillan

Vessel	Built	Service	Tonnage
Hector Hawk	1959	1968 Sold to Monrovia	16808

Official Number

Ship Builder

Engine Builder

Engine Type

Screws

301017

Boelwerf

Tamise, Belgium

A/B Gotaverken

Gothenburg

Motor 6 Cyl

Gotaverken

Master	Date	Left	Destination
R G Franklin	4/1961	At Fiumicino
D Cornwell	6/1962	Genoa	Mina-al-Ahmadi
	3/1963	Antwerp	Bandar Mashur
A Mair	6/1963	Antwerp	Bandar Mashur
S K Williams	3/1964	Antwerp	S America
D Cornwell	9/1964	Belfast	Venezuela
	4/1965	Antwerp	Puerta Miranda
	6/1965	Wilhelmshaven	Venezuela
	8/1965	Antwerp	Wilhelmshaven
	12/1965	Isle of Grain	Wilhelmshaven
	3/1966	Genoa	Persian Gulf
D H MacMillan	4/1966	Antwerp	Puerton Miranda
	6/1966	Taranto	Los Angeles
	3/1967	Antwerp	Aruba
G Thomson	8/1967	Rotterdam	Venezuela

From Iain Mathieson

Easter 1961,

Hector Hawk was anchored off Fiumicino waiting on tank space to commence discharge of LFO thru the submarine pipeline.

Email the Site The Group Register Previous Page