The Christmas that got away.

Once upon a time I was one of the world's leading masters capable of taking charge of moving Oil-rigs. This was in 1973 when I was 36 years of age, Tina a year younger, Greg was nearly 13 and Gerard 10 with Velia definitely a twinkle in my eye!

I had finished a tour of duty in Nova Scotia with the family joining me. There I had command and management of a fleet of ships working offshore including around Sable Island, the Graveyard of the Atlantic. In 1973 I had commanded the "Ocean Shore" from its launch in Holland with subsequent hard work off Norway, Shetland, and particularly Newfoundland. Later I came ashore to London to work with the boss, David Shannon, [Dambuster,] in Cunard's offices when we severed links with a German fleet.

As December came David gave me an assignment from Shell UK calling upon my particular experience - they wanted a semi-submersible oil-rig "Sedco J" moved from the Norwegian sector of the North Sea to UK waters off the Shetland Islands. The move was considered a major challenge as the Norwegian location had required the deployment of 27 huge anchors rather that the more conventional 9 units. This was anticipated to be a huge task to raise these anchors and commence towing before the weather broke. The tow was a short distance so we all estimated the task could be completed before Christmas. Oh well, never tell the Devil your plans! So I set off just before Tina's birthday, the 8th December.

I joined the rig by helicopter flying out from Stavanger in Norway and started the operations with 3 colleagues on British ships from Cunard, we knew and respected each other from Canadian operations. I was chuffed and then they chartered in the world's largest tug at that time "Lloydsman" with a captain I also knew and respected. The breakout from the Norwegian location went like a dream. We hooked up the tow and headed to the British location off Shetland. The forecast was marginal but I decided to head in as the holding ground would only require 9 anchors. The weather became very poor and soon the wind was roaring from the west. I had to abort and headed off. Gales became a full blown storm and then all hell broke loose. No sooner was one system though the location than the next roared in not allowing any break.

A few miles to the south of of our location was another oil-rig called Transocean 3 that was to really create havoc. It was the most un-seamanlike vessel that I have ever had the misfortune to encounter 

 Built in Hamburg, Germany in 1973, the Transocean 3 rig was reported as a 'special self-elevating semi-submersible design', modified for use in the North Sea. Late-December storms in 1973 prevented the new rig from being moved to its first drilling location for Mobil, so the rig was anchored in 342 feet of water about 100 miles east of Shetland.

Between 29 Dec 1973 and 01 Jan 1974, the rig suffered progressive structural damage resulting from the storm conditions, leading to the evacuation by helicopter of 38 of the 56 crew at around 1800 hours on 01 Jan 1974. The remaining 18 crew were then evacuated by 2300 hours on 01 Jan 1974. The crew were transferred to the nearby Transworld 61 and Transworld 58 rigs. Four tugs were on stand-by to tow the Transocean 3 to Norway for repairs, but continued bad weather sank the rig in the early hours of 02 Jan 1974 before this could be performed. HSE documents from the UK state that a jackable leg broke away from the machinery house, leading to the subsequent capsize and later sinking of the vessel. Weather conditions at the time were winds of 21m/s with waves of 6m. A

later report for the Department of Energy concluded that the failure was caused by the inadequate performance of rings of wedges which were used to transmit bending movements between columns and cross-girders.

We weathered this storm but the "Lloydsman" split its deck and had to be released so we were left with the 3 Offshore Marine [Cunard] vessels. The floating debris from the Transworld created major problems for my operation and I had to divert. Night and day, it went on without a break, Christmas came and went, Greg's birthday, Tina's Dad has his birthday. Day after day, night after night. The whole operation was completed in February 1974.

Now you know why I so love to be home for Christmas, I have to make up for so many lost....