@@rozaliakonopka7617 @rosaliakonopka7617 Wow! Small world, Rosalia! Please ask your beloved son-in-law to tell them all on that ship, love and peace from Sis in UK, who NEVER FORGETS them ! Or their heavenly hospitality
@@CisVaughanLancaster Thank you on behalf of my son-in-law. I've already given him the message. I am sure that the entire crew of the ship is very pleased. Best regards and I wish you further wonderful journeys 🙏
What happens in that room on nTuesdays 1230-1 (or when ever it was)? And do the lorrie drivers get on the ferry or do they have different people pick them up on the other side?
@@VtorHunter Most of the freight on that ship looked like unaccompanied trailers (or drop-trailers as they're sometime called.) One truck takes the trailer to the port, unhitches from it, the trailer is then towed aboard the ship by a dockside tug unit. Then at the other end it's pulled off the ship by another tug and another truck and another driver then hitches up to the trailer and takes it to its destination. Saves paying a truck driver to sit on a ferry for 19 hours. So probably very few drivers actually make the tip on the ferry itself.
The worse sea crossing of my life was Aberdeen to Kirkwall in Orkney in October. Until then I always loved rough seas, thought it was fun. But Jeeeeeezus! Boat delayed for 6 hours because of storms. Never seen waves so high ever. Stuff flyingeverywhere, folks falling over. Then, because we weren't allowed outside, once the first person started to chunder it set everyone else off. Never been so sick before or since. It was grim, felt ill for 3 days after. We came back via Shetland. We were fully prepared with sickness tablets and wrist bands, the lot. It was like a mill pond in comparison to the outward trip. That sea is MEAN!! Fair play to the folks who work on it. Respect.
@ yes great adventure Was doing electrical testing on mobile phone masts Went to all the islands , small and large Roughest was Stornaway Waves coming over the top Shut doors twisting open with hull flex Toilets swimming with 2inch of sick I think I was the last to puke after a young boy puked over my feet I ended up using one of the litter bins as there wasn’t any sick bags left The purser sitting down reading a paper totally immune to sea sickness said I couldn’t use the bucket Well he was to late I put the ashtray top back on and left to another area sharpish lol
If only I didn’t get seasick, this would be perfect. I’m 76 and for the first time in my life I’m free to adventure. This looks like just the adventure for me.
The Scottish love the Orkneys because the weather reflects the howling blackness in their souls, or so Granny MacLeod always told us. But of course she was a Presbyterian.
My brother was in the Merchant Navy Captain he went around the world and moved to Canada with his young wife, and children spent the rest of his working life as captain on the BC Ferrys. He passed away in April, aged 88.
I love how respectful you are about filming! Always sensitive to the unsuspecting souls around you, as well as any relevant authorities. I'm definitely sticking around!
I once jumped on a ro-ro Ferry as a foot passenger from Rhodes to Piraeus , it took 26 hours back then. After an epic train journey over the Corinth Canal to Patra I took another ferry to Brindisi...another 16 hours at sea. Sadly age and ill health means I now have to enjoy such adventures through vlogs like yours.....thank you.
"Seasickness is caused by conflicting signals about movement received by the brain. This earplug trick has been used by sailors throughout the years. Simply insert an earplug into one ear; this fools the brain into ignoring signals from your ears and forces it to focus on signals being sent by your eyes. Sailors claim it works best if you plug the ear that is opposite to your dominant hand, such as your left ear if you are right-handed." 🙏❤💪
@@JimmyBoqvist Not sure how that would work since isn’t it the gyroscope in your inner ear that is in conflict with information your brain receives from your eyes? If you’re sitting in your cabin while it is tilting, your brain thinks it’s upright but your gyroscope says you’re tilting back and forth. This disconnect messes with the brain and you get nauseous. Not sure how plugging one ear will affect your gyroscope.
In the 1970s, I was stationed on a Destroyer. They say the hardest sailors come off of the Tin Cans. We spent many days in the North Atlantic, and we had days like you showed in this video. I've never heard of the earplug trick for seasickness, but I don't recall ever being sick at sea. For me, the rougher, the better. Ahhh ... such fun times in the mess during rough weather. As someone with a wee bit of Scots blood, I find the people of Scotland to be some of the best in the world. And Lord, do they know how to party. My ship pulled into Plymouth in the late 1960s, and we had an extended leave to play in the land of King Arthur. London was okay, but I always wanted to see Scotland, so I took a train and ended up in Glasgow. Knowing very little about the city, I walked from the station until I came across a pub that looked like something out of a movie. Inside, it was a bit confusing as it was crowded, and I was surrounded by laughter, music, and tobacco smoke. My kind of place. Not knowing how to act in a pub, and not wanting to offend anyone, I walked to the bar and ordered a beer. The bartender gave me a funny look and said, ""Ye're no' fae this neck o' the woods." I knew what woods meant, but I never heard of a fae. However, as a seasoned traveler, I got the gist. "No sir, I replied, I'm from America." The bartender reached over and rang an honest to God miniature ship's bell, said in a loud voice, "Hey awwbody, we’ve got a Yank in the hoose!" As people began to crowd around me, I began to look at where my exits were. The bartender continued, "Where in America ye frae?" There's that frae again. I told him and the people around me, "I'm from Texas." For the rest of the night, I never paid for a drink. There was singing, dancing, slaps on the back, and I'm sure a few jokes at my expense. At closing time, I even had a couple of invitations to stay at someone's home. My God, the Scots really know how to party. I enjoyed your video and the accent. Larry from Texas ... where the men are men and the women are not
@@margarethughes3763 I did. Even though my leave was extended, it wasn’t long enough. I packed a lot of memories into that leave. The sixties was a magical time in Great Britain, resulting in more stories. In Texas it is expected that you are an accomplished storyteller. Some funny, some sad, some a bit exaggerated. In Plymouth there was a barroom fight. Yes, there were Bobbies two by two. They didn’t carry guns in those days, but they all had stubby but stout nightsticks. They knew how to put a knot on your head. In London the hippies were in full bloom. My only regret is that as a young sailor, I wasn’t much interested in culture. So much I missed. Now, I’m told, England has lost much of its charm. A number of people I know who used to call it home, have moved elsewhere. A shame really, as I bet the common folk as just as inviting as they always were.
You were brave, Steve! My stomach was churning at the thought of the waves. I went on a cruise and the days we were at sea, not visiting land, I felt sea-sick all day. I had to go sit down mid-way through a visit to see the chef and his team prepping for the evening meal. My breakfast didn't want to stay down and my stomach was convinced I was climbing the highest waves in the world! 🌊⛴😱😉
When I was in the Royal Navy we were given Stugeron tablets to combat seasickness, the instructions on the wrapper said, “go on the upper deck for fresh air, scan the horizon and avoid diesel fumes and cooking smells”; great as I was a Submariner !!! Great looking basic food, especially the fried eggs. AJ
@@bostonrailfan2427you don’t…that was his point. Though in fairness when they are on the surface they do roll a bit and being stuck in a steel tube without a weather deck and horizon immediately visible you can suffer!.
@@SteveJones-om6ks after looking it over it’s not actually true, you’re suffering from a different yet similar issue: motion sickness, like you get on amusement rides. it’s possible on a submarine, it’s not common but if you’re susceptible then it can happen
@@lizvickers7156 and in the sub case it’s not entirely out of the realm of possibility that it happened when they did a crash dive or surfacing an odd sidetrack here, but fun
The helicopter was practising tailing the ship. We live on the Isle of Wight and sail a lot and and have several times been called up on the radio by the coastguard to ask if the helicopter can practise hovering over and synchronising speed with the boat. A huge downdraft and very noisy but quite amazing.
Exactly! They need to practice for potential rescue situations where they might have to hover over a moving ship, and due to noise and downdraft, they tend not to want to use passenger ferries or small craft. A cargo boat is perfect for their purposes.
@@pattyberan4523 An arm and a leg if you want a decent cabin and meals. I’m sure I paid over £500 last September . My week in a hotel in Brae cost about another £500. Shetland isn’t for the impoverished tourist. 😕
Brave man as always, Steve! Very many years ago my wife and I had flown from Shetland to Orkney for the weekend. I had to get back for work on the Monday, but the weather was bad and flights were cancelled. The only way home was on the cargo ferry from Kirkwall to Lerwick. They only took 12 passengers and our peerie bairn was the 13th! The three of us were in a cabin for two. The ship rolled so much that the curtains hanging along the bunks swung right across and hit the opposite wall of the cabin. It was particularly bad as we passed through the Sumburgh Roost (Sumburgh Roost is an area of sea off the south of Shetland where two tidal streams meet with dramatic results). We were very glad to get home to Shetland. (That was in the days of the North of Scotland, Orkney and Shetland Shipping Co - pre P & O Ferries and pre Northlink.)
Well , first time seeing your videos, I must say I thoroughly enjoyed! Got yourself a new subscriber sir ! I will now go look at previous vids ! All the best to you, Jules 👋
steve, i have just recently found your channel and have enjoyed catching up with your adventures. one of the things that i have been continually struck by and that really shows the kind of person you are, is how without fail, you always thank the drivers/operators of whatever mode of transport you have traveled on. it's that simple expression of gratitude that so many people seem to forget about but that you express so sincerely that means so much. thanks for sharing your adventures and for being such a positive example in these increasingly rude and combative times.
I agree fully about having good manners. We were raised that way by our parents and have of course passed that on to our children. It costs nothing to use them and will always show someone that they are appreciated. I always look out for that when watching any video. Lovely manners Steve.
I think you'd love a cargo cruise. I was in the RN for many years and there is nothing beats being at sea with the wind blowing fresh. We had few mod cons in those days and sleeping areas (the mess) could range between 20 and sometimes upwards of 50 people. Conditions were grim at times but I'd do it all again tomorrow if my old bones were up to it. Being able to see the horizon is a good antidote for sea sickness. Keep the videos coming, love em.
I was on Ton Craft Mine Hunters with the RNR during the 1980s and I believe we were the last ships to be paid 'Hard Liers' as we had to eat where we slept.
"Being able to see the horizon is a good antidote for sea sickness." I was told many years ago by an old salt that the 100% certain antidote is to sit beside a tree - works every time! 😉
we "lost" a 4x4 on the regular Shetland ferry. Crossing was a little "lumpy" & the articulated lorry with a trailer full of sand decided to fall over & crush our 4x4. That was fun with the insurance with the car insurance trying to say "that wasn't a road accident so nothing to do with us". LOVE Lerwick... great place (Gurkha Kitchen 👍)
I’m sorry to say that when I worked for the police in Australia and we had a car accident in our country town where a car had mounted the footpath and hit a front fence. Sadly the man had passed away, but not from the accident, it was from a heart attack. His car insurance company refused to pay for any damage as he was deceased at the time of the accident (even though technically perhaps by 45 seconds). It really was revolting the way that they weaselled their way out of paying for anything. Took his money in premiums for years though. We were all disgusted by their conduct at the police station!!
Great video. When I was eighteen, I came back from Southampton to Montreal in September on the Cunard Franconia. We sailed through the second hurricane of the season, Beulah. The waves were enormous, and the screws would actually come out of the water. You could feel it as they came back to bite the water. It was magnificent. I would love to experience a North Atlantic crossing again... but I wonder if I'm too old for that kind of adventure anymore? I was born in Dumfries, but I don't really have any claim on being Scottish, but I'm a proud Canadian who is doubly proud to be able to say I was born there. Cheers, and thanks for the great videos. They're well done.
You might try New York to Southampton on the magnificent Queen Mary 2. I did it in 2019. Lots to do on the ship and very stable even in a Force 8 gale two days out from destination. There were quite a few elderly passengers.
"Well,that's eight o'clock....I don't feel like breakfast but let's go and get it.anyway............Breakfast was really good!" What a trooper! Respect!
Loved the video. Some 60 years ago, when I was a wee lad, I went from Australia to England in a cargo ship. The memories have lasted a lifetime! Love to see you try another cargo ship voyage.
I've done a voyage like that on DFDS between Ghent and Göteborg. Those cargoships were mainly shipping Volvo parts and Volvos between the two ports (there is a Volvo plant in Ghent). On the way up, the captain and crew were pretty happy to have us on board, and I got an engine room tour. On the way back, the crew absolutely hated having humans on board and ignored us completely and the entire ship was off limits. So if you do something like this, your experience can vary very much.
Nice, love the coverage; as a former Navy man I can relate to the all-steel, no thrills environment, I almost get sentimental...but I was in the Pacific fleet, a much calmer ocean than the Atlantic, or the North Sea. But watching this video, as well as the one on the Iceland/Faroe Islands ferry has definitely given me ideas for my next travel excursion!
Certain accents in the English-speaking world have phrases that can’t be seriously said by all the accents. No Yank, Canuck, Kiwi, or Aussie is going to say “sneaky wee peek.” But a Scot? Perfection!
Thanks for stirring up my memories! Taking helicopters out of Aberdeen to floating drilling rigs halfway to Norway in 1975. Also taking supply boats to jack up drilling rigs or production platforms off Gt. Yarmouth, same time. I certainly got seasick then. Getting outside and observing the horizon worked for me. The crew had pity on me, a very young American learning about life in the North Sea. And wearing 'survival suits' in case the helicopter went down or you went overboard when transferring from boat to rig. The suits were bright orange, so your body could be found later....
We live in Halkirk but were recently in Aberdeen after a nightmare seven hour drive. My Wife really didn't fancy a seven hour return trip. So I had an idea! I booked the Northlink ferry to Kirkwall, disembarked at around midnight. I then drove across Orkney to Stromness. Handed the car keys to the friendly Northlink staff. We then embarked on "Hamnavoe" the Other Northlink regular ferry, spent the night on board in a cabin. The Northlink staff loaded the car onto Hamnavoe whilst we were asleep. We woke up, showered and went and had breakfast on board. Arrived in Scrabster from Stromness, where we drove the car off in Scrabster and drove the ten minute drive home to Halkirk. It cost us a very reasonable fare, we had a bit of a mini-cruise and an adventure. Didn't need to even put fuel in the car for the intended long drive home. Great video of yours, have liked and subscibed. Regards, Derek, Halkirk, Caithness.😀
My Dad was a Captain in the Merchant Navy and I spent many Summers onboard his various ships. This video brought back amazing memories of those times and of my Dad. I could actually smell everything as if I was on the ship. And even when I saw the step steps I could hear my dad shouting at me to watch myself on " those bloody steps. Don't break your neck" Amazing thank you so much
@@Johnketes54 TEV RANGATIA was used as hotel for squaddies after the fighting Falklands war. built as inter isle ferry north south isle new zealand 400 passengers for overnight trip converted to hold 1200 troops, had a septic tank for waste disposal (poop) NO ONE TOLD US NOT TO USE BLEACH TO CLEAN THE LOOS. result: all bugs killed ship smelt of sewage and one mess deck 300 bunks of squaddies feet and farts was asked never to serve beans and cabbage for meals
You really push the boundaries for us, this ferry is something I'll never do live but with your video you made it possible for me to do virtually. Nice one Steve. Love your blogs. Keep em coming.
I loved this so much!!! 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩You are top-notch in sharing adventures like this! 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩 LOVED IT! You should have over a million followers as you are an ideal traveling guide. I would take this over the regular ferry in a New York Minute! Bravo to all the crew! (Thank you for tacking on bits of the return trip!!!)
My lifelong bucket list trip. Scotland, then Ireland, and England. I Love the UK. I love the people of the UK. I am American, and a US Navy Veteran. I asked for Holylock Scotland, they sent me to Florida instead! My friend from Greenock has been to Buffalo many times, it is my turn to come there…so lovely!
Merchant ships are not required to have stabilizers and if you think this was difficult, then you should not cross the Atlantic with a merchant ship because then it can roll significantly more. The thing behind the locked door is the ship's slab where the crew can shop
My full appreciation for taking one for the team Steve! so glad that was you and not me…felt seasick just watching. Your face at times was more descriptive than words😂👍
Hi Steve. Thanks so much for this vid in particular. It brought back so many memories of the 2 freighter trips I have been lucky enough to take. The first was on a French freighter from La Havre to St. Maartin. Crossed the pond by sea in 11 days! Check! And just this past spring I spent 3 weeks on a container ship that did a circuit out of Barcelona down to Casablanca and up the Iberian coast to Vigo stopping at lots of different ports on the way out and back. I was the only passenger and had the run of the ship, spending many hours on the bridge talking with the Russian captain about life, times and the sea, and watching the blue med (and atlantic) slip by hour after hour. The food was basic, but the crew were friendly and in the end it cost me a little over 100 eur a day room, board and transportation. So much to relate, and this probably isnt the venue for it, but if your are interested at all, GO FOR IT!!!
My word, I love your videos. An escape from the madness of life. Thankyou so,so much, for opening my eyes to the possibility of getting out there while I still can. How lucky are we to have Scotland, I'm sitting in a cold flat in London, blanket wrapped round me. Pure pleasure watching your journeys.
Thank you for this, often wondered what the freight ferry would be like. Think I’ll stick to the regular passenger ferries! You mentioned the nice soap on Northlink - it’s made in Lerwick by Shetland Soap Company, part of Cope Ltd, look us up were a charity and social Enterprise 😊
Steve its likely the HMCG Helicopter was conducting some crew training, either for the pilots to shadow a vessel / casualty which they tend to do to help vector the RNLI to where they need to be (plus they have thermal imaging tech on board which is really helpful) - or it was for a potential training for the winch crew to put them on the deck which they would've been coordinating with the bridge crew from channel 16 - but based on the weather I guess this is why the ended up aborting it if this was their intention. I did some work alongside one of the helicopters as a Coastguard Rescue Officer here in Wales and it tends to be the reasons they come alongside a vessel like this without it being an emergency.
I was on the PS Wavweley and the coastguard helicopter followed us, then landed a crew member on the ship ( he was given a bag of cakes) and then winched him up as part of an ad hoc training.Made a great trip even better!
Arrrrrr Steve, I love it when i see you have posted a new adventure...You are so natural with your comments. Makes the trip so real for us watches! Thank you SO much..I never want them to end ...😅
I’m a Brit living in Sweden ca 2000 I decided to take the overnight ferry from Gothenburg to Newcastle via Kristianstad, it was February and we had a storm in the North Sea. I had a cabin on deck six probably under the Bridge, it was like being on a big dipper, I never slept a wink I could hear metal banging a crashing, so I went down to the bar area and met a Finish guy who insisted on buy me beer, which I didn’t really want as I had to drive the next day. At six in the morning I was like you out on deck as the stomach had passed and it was calm approaching Newcastle but the wind was incredible it nearly froze my face! I only found your channel last night and already watched 4 videos thoroughly enjoyed them 5 star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟. BTW I love listening to your accent my mother was from Dundee and I was born there moved to Southern England when I was 5 years old, spent a lot of summers in Scotland played golf once as a boy in Montrose. I am 78 and I want to visit Scotland soon and look up some cousins while I still can. Keep up the good work !
Very Interesting trip. Reminds me of the cargo ships Michael Palin took on Around the World in 80 days and the rough weather crossing the Pacific. Stoogerans are great to avoid sea sickness. I crossed the North Sea on the Amsterdam-Newcastle Ferry in the aftermouth of Storm Clara in Feb 2020 and that was a rough crossing. It made for a quiet crossing as most people stayed in their cabins but I had always wanted a stormy crossing and I was loving it. Also as we diverted to hug the coast it meant I saw the beautiful North Yorkshire Cliffs which you don’t normally see on the crossing but like you I missed my train as were were over 2 hours late.
@@jeanjacques9980 Though Shetland is a relatively low crime area it is still peopled by humans with the usual human failings. It's not a fantasy land and a quick look at the Shetland Times news site comes up with: "Five youths charged following Lerwick assault" " "Vandals trash Harrison Square planters" "Hefty fine after ‘one almighty punch’ causes permanent disfigurement" "Woman charged with supplying drugs" "Man ordered to pay £500 compensation to nurses he assaulted while heavily intoxicated in hospital"
cargo ship i was on arrived in port and the local fire brigade had a training exercise, find a live wieght dummy while wearing blanked breathing apps. i asked the head honcho to give the guys a tip when going down a companionway (stairs) ALWAYS go down backwards, i went to the pub had a bevey came back 4 hours later to find the team still searching, the head honcho was sitting down head in hands, i asked him if they had every done anything like this before? he said jokingly nope and if we get a call from you asking for help, your on your own pal. we was a 1500 tonner costal tanker
Surprised to learn that you were a cargo ship virgin, Steve! You're just the kind of guy who would thrive on that transportation mode! And probably Alicja too. Speaking from experience, I can only recommend freighter travel. Unfortunately, being over 80 now, I am no longer allowed aboard. Something to do with insurance and lack of medical facilities. Anyway, give it a go on the transatlantic route from Liverpool to Halifax. You won't be disappointed. And be sure to take Alicja with you next time! You could always pop over to Newfie again from Nova Scotia! 👍🇨🇦
Lorry drivers are the experienced professionals of all things travel. Always follow them for a good deal. Their business is sought after and while basic you’ll be looked after and in good company.
I was in the US Navy for 4 years. I loved going to sea. It was a large supply ship and didn’t move around much. When the destroyers came alongside for fuel they would really bounce around.
As an ex MN Engineer officer, that brought back a few memories. I spent all my time on cargo ships. 40 years ago the accomofdation was good, no bunks! Excellent food ( silver service ). Small swimmng pool - no satellite then, only video tapes - average trip was about 5 months, but could be 7. Storms? YES No hot food for 3 days, too dangerous to cook - noone allowed on deck - very tiring - one hand for the ship, the other for yourself. Very hard work, but I was young then!
I remember once I had to cook in a force 9. The captain on that particular trip was a rotten bastard! When I got on board, he gave me a nasty look n said "I shall be expecting hot meals from you every day." (I just thought "What?") Anyway, it kicked up a hoodie. He was as sick as a cat. & I took the greatest of delight in shoving a great, greasy fry-up under his horrified nose as regular as clockwork, hah
late 70's early 80's we had film boxes 9 reels of 16mm movies 3 movies per box and we could swap them with other ships in port otherwise stuck with same 9 movies for the trip. always pot luck on the movies inside 6 swaps in 5 months one ship and we always got back FLASHDANCE
Walport Telmar was the company we used. We were at anchor off Aqaba for 7 weeks, no film change we saw the film Nashville ( 1977 ) so many timeswe knew all the words!shville
Great video. Some points that may be of use. 1) In rough weather, put all your items on the floor of the cabin so that they cannot fall (off tables, etc). The carpet may also help to stop them rolling around in the swell. 2) When going down the steep steps, go down them using the same method as you use going up them (i.e. facing inwards) so that more of your feet can make contact with the step rather than just part of your heel being able to make contact with each step. This may make you more secure 3) Check the shipping forecast before you head out. If the weather is predicted to be rough, see if you can arrange to have a cabin in the middle of the ship since the nearer to each end of the ship you are, the more the ship is going to go up and down. It is a bit like a see saw and if you can have a cabin near the centre of the ship, the movement up and down won't be as much.
Steve's videos just get better and better. Love the balance between presenting and letting the scenery/images speak for themselves. Great filming as always and love the humorous bits. I'd love to go to Shetlands and ferry seems a much more interesting way than just flying.
my dad did a return trip on a cargo trip to Brazil a few years ago, no internet! but he loved it, he got a few days there before the journey back. Sailed from the south east of England
A trip on a cargo ship! Thought so, because of the hint at the end of that epic, epic Foula video. I take the adventure over a crowded ferry any time. Since I never get sea- or airsick, I'd have loved the wild waters. You're videos are informative, funny, have a wonderful human touch and I very well noticed how polite and respectful you are to everyone, too. You're work picks me up in difficult times. Thank ❤ you Steve!!
Wow Steve! Great video on par with a typical cargo/ferry/secret ship! Takes a lot of stamina and strong stomach on your voyage! Maybe it's a good thing ALICJA didn't go BUT being the traveler like you she would have probably been fine! Last day of the year here in Canada on Vancouver Island so to the both of you have a safe and Happy New Year! Cheers!
Watching this video (first full one of you I watch) I decided you are INCREDIBLE at these things. You all the things the viewer would want you to, you answer every question, you show all of the details without getting lost in them. This is perfect travel vlogging. You even answered my internal monologue that went 'I wonder if he sat in that window, I would'. And there you were (35:13) , legs dangling and all. You gained another subscriber. Onwards to a quarter of a million! Also, your photography/videography is great. All of the 'still' images you are doing are very pleasing. I don't know if you are a photographer, but I can assure you, you'd be good at it.
Great video, Steve! I would take this trip in a heartbeat. And it looks as if you fared better on this voyage than the last Aberdeen/Lerwick ferry trip a few years ago! Beautiful camera work coming into Shetland. Love the lighthouses...especially the Fair Isle at night. More ferry trips, please!
I crossed from New York to Bremerhaven on a troop ship in January 1961 and returned in February 1963. The Atlantic Ocean seemed to actually be angry to this lad who had never seen the ocean before. Ten days going and eleven days returning because a stop in Liverpool was added. Not an experience I am keen to repeat. But if one is determined to try such a thing permit me to offer some advice. Keep active both physically and mentally and keep your stomach full. Good luck!
I stayed in Lerwick for a holiday to recover from over working in my mid 20 's .I loved it , the countryside the people.I went by air turboprop from Heathrow . I would like to see you go to Halifax Nova Scotia I think you can go from Liverpool.
This is by far the most enjoyable thing I’ve watched on TH-cam in a long time. Brought back some happy memories (on the normal ferry), I especially remember seeing all the support vessels in Aberdeen bay and wondering how they all manage to anchor in perfect parallel to each other (yes I realised eventually) and feeling sick as anything and wondering why on earth I ordered a breakfast!!
You keep doing this to me. Your videos are brilliant and addictive, so I often lie in bed binge watching them late into the night. And what do you do? You have full cooked breakfasts, that’s what you do. I had to get up at 1:30am this morning and make myself a bacon sarnie with brown sauce. Didn’t expect that complaint did you Steve?
A great video! My father came from Australia by sea to visit us in Canada in, I think, the early 1990s. He was among a handful of passengers on a cargo ship that crossed the Pacific, travelled through the Panama Canal and up the east coast to Philadelphia where he took a train to Montreal. It had been on Dad’s bucket list and he absolutely loved it. And he would have been in his 70s by then!
I would take the cargo ship just for the adventure and the fact that there are not so many other people around. I take a few good books and some music and i am happy. I have been watching your video's for a while now and enjoyed every one of them. Keep them coming. Greetings from the Netherlands.
It used to be that during M.V Hamnavoe's annaul refit period the Helliar was drafted in to cover for her on the Pentland Firth route, which never satisfied Orkney's needs or wants because we had a proper ferry with capacity for 600 passengers being replaced for two weeks by a freight ferry with capacity for only 12. I think you got it spot on, "If you want to book a ferry book the regular NorthLink, If you want to book an adventure book the cargo ship."
Steve - That Restricted area is where they keep The Golden Rivet - If you ask permission they will find somebody to take you down to see it. 😋 Super video mate. 👍👍👍
I always wondered,,where my dad went for a few days ,when he said he was on the MERSEY FERRY,,and he used to sing every time he was. Leaving the house,,,SO FERRY ACROSS THE MERSEY,,!
Steve. Might say, even the cantakerous disposition of the North Sea is worth a night's, rock and roll challenge. Your reward. Outside and into the pure fresh island air then a few hours to enjoy the Norse influence of Shetland. Can't be at all bad. Your all in, bed and breakfast at sea and at 2010 prices to boot!
Great video Thank You! I was on the Northlink in Sept. to and from Shetland. I loved it! I don't no if i could do the cargo ship, but the regular ferry was great. We had neve traveled on an overnight ferry and it was actually a real treat for the hubby and I. We also enjoyed our week in Shetland, but it was certainly a long way from our home in California, and I don't know if we will get the chance to do it again, but the memories we have of our trip will last forever.
Great boat trip. This is the ship on which my beloved son-in-law works. He is one of the officers. I'm very proud of him.
@@rozaliakonopka7617 @rosaliakonopka7617
Wow! Small world, Rosalia! Please ask your beloved son-in-law to tell them all on that ship, love and peace from Sis in UK, who NEVER FORGETS them ! Or their heavenly hospitality
@@CisVaughanLancaster
Thank you on behalf of my son-in-law. I've already given him the message. I am sure that the entire crew of the ship is very pleased. Best regards and I wish you further wonderful journeys 🙏
Wow small world it's only bloody TH-cam @@CisVaughanLancaster
What happens in that room on nTuesdays 1230-1 (or when ever it was)? And do the lorrie drivers get on the ferry or do they have different people pick them up on the other side?
@@VtorHunter Most of the freight on that ship looked like unaccompanied trailers (or drop-trailers as they're sometime called.) One truck takes the trailer to the port, unhitches from it, the trailer is then towed aboard the ship by a dockside tug unit. Then at the other end it's pulled off the ship by another tug and another truck and another driver then hitches up to the trailer and takes it to its destination. Saves paying a truck driver to sit on a ferry for 19 hours. So probably very few drivers actually make the tip on the ferry itself.
As I’m disabled and living in a care home I love your videos and walkabouts. Enjoyed Azores too
Hello Roy! 👍I thought I'd just say hello as I read your message, and I too love Steve's videos! 😊
@ thanks for your message xx
I love how you can feel the exasperation in some of the signs they have up "PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE CLOSE THIS DOOR WHEN AT SEA"
I love these videos. No annoying background music and it's just raw, as it happens.
The worse sea crossing of my life was Aberdeen to Kirkwall in Orkney in October. Until then I always loved rough seas, thought it was fun. But Jeeeeeezus! Boat delayed for 6 hours because of storms. Never seen waves so high ever. Stuff flyingeverywhere, folks falling over. Then, because we weren't allowed outside, once the first person started to chunder it set everyone else off. Never been so sick before or since. It was grim, felt ill for 3 days after. We came back via Shetland. We were fully prepared with sickness tablets and wrist bands, the lot. It was like a mill pond in comparison to the outward trip. That sea is MEAN!! Fair play to the folks who work on it. Respect.
Went on this ferry to Kirkwall many years ago
Got stuck outside / offshore at Kirkwall for extra 8 hrs due to storms stopping us docking
🤢 🤢 🤢
@donaldross4217 ah, nightmare eh? Great stay on the islands but hardcore sea crossing out of season. Great adventure though.
@ yes great adventure
Was doing electrical testing on mobile phone masts
Went to all the islands , small and large
Roughest was Stornaway
Waves coming over the top
Shut doors twisting open with hull flex
Toilets swimming with 2inch of sick
I think I was the last to puke after a young boy puked over my feet
I ended up using one of the litter bins as there wasn’t any sick bags left
The purser sitting down reading a paper totally immune to sea sickness said I couldn’t use the bucket
Well he was to late
I put the ashtray top back on and left to another area sharpish lol
@@donaldross4217 😂mate! That sounds rough!!! I pity the fella who had to empty the buckets!!!🤢🤣
My worst crossing was from Zeebrugger to Hull. 2 weeks after the Townsend Torrison disaster 🤢🤢🤢
For someone who loves travel by sea but can't stand these huge touristy ships and crowds, this trip is pure gold! Thanks for the video!
Yes, so many plusses if you are physically able and don’t want to be pampered. It feels so much more free!
Ditto! 😀👍🍻
Excellent video typical Scottish weather 😀
Agreed. A real 'white knuckle ride '. Even further south the North Sea in summer is a fickle beast.
If only I didn’t get seasick, this would be perfect. I’m 76 and for the first time in my life I’m free to adventure. This looks like just the adventure for me.
This has to be one of the best TH-cam channels, once again just brilliantly produced, edited, just great.
Love it.
We’re so lucky to be able to travel with Steve.
Thank you so much!
That looked a rough ride !
Absolutely, always well produced. Would be interesting to know what you use to edit etc.
The Scottish love the Orkneys because the weather reflects the howling blackness in their souls, or so Granny MacLeod always told us. But of course she was a Presbyterian.
My brother was in the Merchant Navy Captain he went around the world and moved to Canada with his young wife, and children spent the rest of his working life as captain on the BC Ferrys. He passed away in April, aged 88.
I love how respectful you are about filming! Always sensitive to the unsuspecting souls around you, as well as any relevant authorities. I'm definitely sticking around!
I once jumped on a ro-ro Ferry as a foot passenger from Rhodes to Piraeus , it took 26 hours back then.
After an epic train journey over the Corinth Canal to Patra I took another ferry to Brindisi...another 16 hours at sea.
Sadly age and ill health means I now have to enjoy such adventures through vlogs like yours.....thank you.
Yes me to it’s a buggar !
You did it though, which is awesome, many will never experience such amazing adventures 🌻🌊
May good health return to you quickly.🫶🏼
Likewise
And memories…aren’t you so glad you adventured when you could? 😊
"Seasickness is caused by conflicting signals about movement received by the brain. This earplug trick has been used by sailors throughout the years. Simply insert an earplug into one ear; this fools the brain into ignoring signals from your ears and forces it to focus on signals being sent by your eyes. Sailors claim it works best if you plug the ear that is opposite to your dominant hand, such as your left ear if you are right-handed." 🙏❤💪
FFS never heard of this.. great advise..👍
Top info!
@@JimmyBoqvist I’ll just take one of my hearing aids out 😉
Helicopter... practice 👌
@@JimmyBoqvist Not sure how that would work since isn’t it the gyroscope in your inner ear that is in conflict with information your brain receives from your eyes? If you’re sitting in your cabin while it is tilting, your brain thinks it’s upright but your gyroscope says you’re tilting back and forth. This disconnect messes with the brain and you get nauseous. Not sure how plugging one ear will affect your gyroscope.
In the 1970s, I was stationed on a Destroyer. They say the hardest sailors come off of the Tin Cans. We spent many days in the North Atlantic, and we had days like you showed in this video. I've never heard of the earplug trick for seasickness, but I don't recall ever being sick at sea. For me, the rougher, the better. Ahhh ... such fun times in the mess during rough weather.
As someone with a wee bit of Scots blood, I find the people of Scotland to be some of the best in the world. And Lord, do they know how to party. My ship pulled into Plymouth in the late 1960s, and we had an extended leave to play in the land of King Arthur. London was okay, but I always wanted to see Scotland, so I took a train and ended up in Glasgow. Knowing very little about the city, I walked from the station until I came across a pub that looked like something out of a movie. Inside, it was a bit confusing as it was crowded, and I was surrounded by laughter, music, and tobacco smoke. My kind of place. Not knowing how to act in a pub, and not wanting to offend anyone, I walked to the bar and ordered a beer.
The bartender gave me a funny look and said, ""Ye're no' fae this neck o' the woods." I knew what woods meant, but I never heard of a fae. However, as a seasoned traveler, I got the gist. "No sir, I replied, I'm from America." The bartender reached over and rang an honest to God miniature ship's bell, said in a loud voice, "Hey awwbody, we’ve got a Yank in the hoose!" As people began to crowd around me, I began to look at where my exits were.
The bartender continued, "Where in America ye frae?" There's that frae again. I told him and the people around me, "I'm from Texas." For the rest of the night, I never paid for a drink. There was singing, dancing, slaps on the back, and I'm sure a few jokes at my expense. At closing time, I even had a couple of invitations to stay at someone's home. My God, the Scots really know how to party.
I enjoyed your video and the accent.
Larry from Texas ... where the men are men and the women are not
That's so good to hear Larry. My dad was Scots so I know what you are talking about.. Glad you had such a memorable time.
Luvverley!
Good memory 👍🏼
Thank you for sharing and thank you for your service!
Greetings from Fort Lauderdale 🌴👋🏼😁
😅😅 I bet you had a great time Larry
@@margarethughes3763 I did. Even though my leave was extended, it wasn’t long enough. I packed a lot of memories into that leave. The sixties was a magical time in Great Britain, resulting in more stories. In Texas it is expected that you are an accomplished storyteller. Some funny, some sad, some a bit exaggerated. In Plymouth there was a barroom fight. Yes, there were Bobbies two by two. They didn’t carry guns in those days, but they all had stubby but stout nightsticks. They knew how to put a knot on your head. In London the hippies were in full bloom. My only regret is that as a young sailor, I wasn’t much interested in culture. So much I missed. Now, I’m told, England has lost much of its charm. A number of people I know who used to call it home, have moved elsewhere. A shame really, as I bet the common folk as just as inviting as they always were.
You were brave, Steve! My stomach was churning at the thought of the waves. I went on a cruise and the days we were at sea, not visiting land, I felt sea-sick all day. I had to go sit down mid-way through a visit to see the chef and his team prepping for the evening meal. My breakfast didn't want to stay down and my stomach was convinced I was climbing the highest waves in the world! 🌊⛴😱😉
When I was in the Royal Navy we were given Stugeron tablets to combat seasickness, the instructions on the wrapper said, “go on the upper deck for fresh air, scan the horizon and avoid diesel fumes and cooking smells”; great as I was a Submariner !!! Great looking basic food, especially the fried eggs. AJ
…how do you get seasick in a ship that’s underwater? because of emergency dive or surfacing operations?
@@bostonrailfan2427you don’t…that was his point.
Though in fairness when they are on the surface they do roll a bit and being stuck in a steel tube without a weather deck and horizon immediately visible you can suffer!.
@@SteveJones-om6ks after looking it over it’s not actually true, you’re suffering from a different yet similar issue: motion sickness, like you get on amusement rides. it’s possible on a submarine, it’s not common but if you’re susceptible then it can happen
@bostonrailfan2427 Motion sickness, sea sickness both the same. They both upset your equilibrium, only ones on land and the other is on water.
@@lizvickers7156 and in the sub case it’s not entirely out of the realm of possibility that it happened when they did a crash dive or surfacing
an odd sidetrack here, but fun
The helicopter was practising tailing the ship. We live on the Isle of Wight and sail a lot and and have several times been called up on the radio by the coastguard to ask if the helicopter can practise hovering over and synchronising speed with the boat. A huge downdraft and very noisy but quite amazing.
Nah it was "Isn't that Steve Marsh? Here, hover over him so I can take a picture."
$281 for freight ferry compared to what? for a passenger ferry? 😱
Thank you for helping them train! Anything to help make our lives safer.❤
Exactly! They need to practice for potential rescue situations where they might have to hover over a moving ship, and due to noise and downdraft, they tend not to want to use passenger ferries or small craft. A cargo boat is perfect for their purposes.
@@pattyberan4523 An arm and a leg if you want a decent cabin and meals. I’m sure I paid over £500 last September .
My week in a hotel in Brae cost about another £500. Shetland isn’t for the impoverished tourist. 😕
Brave man as always, Steve! Very many years ago my wife and I had flown from Shetland to Orkney for the weekend. I had to get back for work on the Monday, but the weather was bad and flights were cancelled. The only way home was on the cargo ferry from Kirkwall to Lerwick. They only took 12 passengers and our peerie bairn was the 13th! The three of us were in a cabin for two. The ship rolled so much that the curtains hanging along the bunks swung right across and hit the opposite wall of the cabin. It was particularly bad as we passed through the Sumburgh Roost (Sumburgh Roost is an area of sea off the south of Shetland where two tidal streams meet with dramatic results). We were very glad to get home to Shetland. (That was in the days of the North of Scotland, Orkney and Shetland Shipping Co - pre P & O Ferries and pre Northlink.)
Wow! Although the cabin would be a bit crowded!
Peerie bairn is the same as poor wee bairn right?
Seeing the Fair Isle light house was honest thrill.
@@JazzFunkNobby1964 A wee bairn- nothing poor about it, except for that night on the way home to Shetland. The Orkney equivalent is “peedie”.
Well , first time seeing your videos, I must say I thoroughly enjoyed! Got yourself a new subscriber sir ! I will now go look at previous vids !
All the best to you, Jules 👋
steve, i have just recently found your channel and have enjoyed catching up with your adventures. one of the things that i have been continually struck by and that really shows the kind of person you are, is how without fail, you always thank the drivers/operators of whatever mode of transport you have traveled on. it's that simple expression of gratitude that so many people seem to forget about but that you express so sincerely that means so much. thanks for sharing your adventures and for being such a positive example in these increasingly rude and combative times.
And thanks so much to you!
I totally agree. Manners cost nothing and yet it can make the person who receives it happy and the person that gave it.
I agree fully about having good manners. We were raised that way by our parents and have of course passed that on to our children. It costs nothing to use them and will always show someone that they are appreciated. I always look out for that when watching any video. Lovely manners Steve.
@@karenglenn6707
Oh indeed.
Steve is always such a gentleman,
despite the travails he sometimes has to endure.
Steve, thanks for taking one for the team
Deep Fried Cheese for starters, God I love Scotland, please never change. 🤣
Really enjoyed this one. I would LOVE you to do a transatlantic cargo trip. I live vicariously via your channel. Thank for everything you do.
Try his 3 day ferry trip from Denmark to Iceland.
It's brilliant! 😁 🛳
I think you'd love a cargo cruise. I was in the RN for many years and there is nothing beats being at sea with the wind blowing fresh. We had few mod cons in those days and sleeping areas (the mess) could range between 20 and sometimes upwards of 50 people. Conditions were grim at times but I'd do it all again tomorrow if my old bones were up to it. Being able to see the horizon is a good antidote for sea sickness. Keep the videos coming, love em.
Cheers mate!
I was on Ton Craft Mine Hunters with the RNR during the 1980s and I believe we were the last ships to be paid 'Hard Liers' as we had to eat where
we slept.
The rough bit on the way down is called The Sumburgh Roost' and is where the Atlantic meets the North Sea. It is notorious for being rough.
"Being able to see the horizon is a good antidote for sea sickness."
I was told many years ago by an old salt that the 100% certain antidote is to sit beside a tree - works every time! 😉
Being able to see the horizon worked for me many years ago.
we "lost" a 4x4 on the regular Shetland ferry. Crossing was a little "lumpy" & the articulated lorry with a trailer full of sand decided to fall over & crush our 4x4. That was fun with the insurance with the car insurance trying to say "that wasn't a road accident so nothing to do with us".
LOVE Lerwick... great place (Gurkha Kitchen 👍)
OMG! And sounds like a typical insurance reply!
Truly hysterical. I write fiction and I could not begin to come up with that piece of garbage response
I’m sorry to say that when I worked for the police in Australia and we had a car accident in our country town where a car had mounted the footpath and hit a front fence. Sadly the man had passed away, but not from the accident, it was from a heart attack. His car insurance company refused to pay for any damage as he was deceased at the time of the accident (even though technically perhaps by 45 seconds). It really was revolting the way that they weaselled their way out of paying for anything. Took his money in premiums for years though. We were all disgusted by their conduct at the police station!!
@@karenglenn6707wow. Just wow. Insurance in Australia is an odd thing.
Its a good job you mentioned (twice) that it was a 4x4, otherwise we might have assumed that it was just a car.
Great video. When I was eighteen, I came back from Southampton to Montreal in September on the Cunard Franconia. We sailed through the second hurricane of the season, Beulah. The waves were enormous, and the screws would actually come out of the water. You could feel it as they came back to bite the water. It was magnificent. I would love to experience a North Atlantic crossing again... but I wonder if I'm too old for that kind of adventure anymore? I was born in Dumfries, but I don't really have any claim on being Scottish, but I'm a proud Canadian who is doubly proud to be able to say I was born there. Cheers, and thanks for the great videos. They're well done.
Wow thanks for sharing!
You might try New York to Southampton on the magnificent Queen Mary 2. I did it in 2019. Lots to do on the ship and very stable even in a Force 8 gale two days out from destination. There were quite a few elderly passengers.
"Well,that's eight o'clock....I don't feel like breakfast but let's go and get it.anyway............Breakfast was really good!" What a trooper! Respect!
Or - to paraphrase - if you want a travel Vlog, watch someone who's been on the regular ferry, but if you want an adventure, watch Steve Marsh 🙂
Please do a freighter cruise.
Loved the video. Some 60 years ago, when I was a wee lad, I went from Australia to England in a cargo ship. The memories have lasted a lifetime! Love to see you try another cargo ship voyage.
Wow! What a trip!
That must have been quite an adventure! Hello from Melbourne
Yeah that's proper sea journey not fannying around in local waters.
23:23 Steve, I love the pic of your cat on your phone, he or she is gorgeous, as I am a huge cat lover and I simply adore cats 😍😍😍😍
I've done a voyage like that on DFDS between Ghent and Göteborg. Those cargoships were mainly shipping Volvo parts and Volvos between the two ports (there is a Volvo plant in Ghent). On the way up, the captain and crew were pretty happy to have us on board, and I got an engine room tour. On the way back, the crew absolutely hated having humans on board and ignored us completely and the entire ship was off limits. So if you do something like this, your experience can vary very much.
Nice, love the coverage; as a former Navy man I can relate to the all-steel, no thrills environment, I almost get sentimental...but I was in the Pacific fleet, a much calmer ocean than the Atlantic, or the North Sea. But watching this video, as well as the one on the Iceland/Faroe Islands ferry has definitely given me ideas for my next travel excursion!
Certain accents in the English-speaking world have phrases that can’t be seriously said by all the accents. No Yank, Canuck, Kiwi, or Aussie is going to say “sneaky wee peek.” But a Scot? Perfection!
😂
Kiwis from the South Island may well say it. But it might sound more like "snucky wee puck".
Massive respect for the Captain and crew. If you think that was rough, try it out in the Winter!
Thanks for stirring up my memories! Taking helicopters out of Aberdeen to floating drilling rigs halfway to Norway in 1975. Also taking supply boats to jack up drilling rigs or production platforms off Gt. Yarmouth, same time. I certainly got seasick then. Getting outside and observing the horizon worked for me. The crew had pity on me, a very young American learning about life in the North Sea. And wearing 'survival suits' in case the helicopter went down or you went overboard when transferring from boat to rig. The suits were bright orange, so your body could be found later....
You certainly did take one for the team! As a person who gets seasick easily, I would have found that journey very difficult . Thank you for doing it.
I would have been laying flat in my bunk clutching a bag...defo no dinner
We live in Halkirk but were recently in Aberdeen after a nightmare seven hour drive. My Wife really didn't fancy a seven hour return trip. So I had an idea! I booked the Northlink ferry to Kirkwall, disembarked at around midnight. I then drove across Orkney to Stromness. Handed the car keys to the friendly Northlink staff. We then embarked on "Hamnavoe" the Other Northlink regular ferry, spent the night on board in a cabin. The Northlink staff loaded the car onto Hamnavoe whilst we were asleep. We woke up, showered and went and had breakfast on board. Arrived in Scrabster from Stromness, where we drove the car off in Scrabster and drove the ten minute drive home to Halkirk. It cost us a very reasonable fare, we had a bit of a mini-cruise and an adventure. Didn't need to even put fuel in the car for the intended long drive home. Great video of yours, have liked and subscibed. Regards, Derek, Halkirk, Caithness.😀
That's a smart idea, I like it! The overnight B&B on the Stromness ferry is a great service, I've never used it but one day.
Brilliant,thoroughly enjoyable video.First time viewing....subscribe..YES!
Thankyou,Steve.😊
My Dad was a Captain in the Merchant Navy and I spent many Summers onboard his various ships. This video brought back amazing memories of those times and of my Dad. I could actually smell everything as if I was on the ship. And even when I saw the step steps I could hear my dad shouting at me to watch myself on " those bloody steps. Don't break your neck" Amazing thank you so much
@@michaelpotts9800 I got the smell as well momentarily the floor polish the diesel
@@Johnketes54 TEV RANGATIA was used as hotel for squaddies after the fighting Falklands war.
built as inter isle ferry north south isle new zealand 400 passengers for overnight trip
converted to hold 1200 troops,
had a septic tank for waste disposal (poop) NO ONE TOLD US NOT TO USE BLEACH TO CLEAN THE LOOS.
result: all bugs killed ship smelt of sewage and one mess deck 300 bunks of squaddies feet and farts
was asked never to serve beans and cabbage for meals
You really push the boundaries for us, this ferry is something I'll never do live but with your video you made it possible for me to do virtually. Nice one Steve. Love your blogs. Keep em coming.
I loved this so much!!! 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩You are top-notch in sharing adventures like this! 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩 LOVED IT! You should have over a million followers as you are an ideal traveling guide. I would take this over the regular ferry in a New York Minute! Bravo to all the crew! (Thank you for tacking on bits of the return trip!!!)
My lifelong bucket list trip. Scotland, then Ireland, and England. I Love the UK. I love the people of the UK. I am American, and a US Navy Veteran. I asked for Holylock Scotland, they sent me to Florida instead! My friend from Greenock has been to Buffalo many times, it is my turn to come there…so lovely!
Merchant ships are not required to have stabilizers and if you think this was difficult, then you should not cross the Atlantic with a merchant ship because then it can roll significantly more.
The thing behind the locked door is the ship's slab where the crew can shop
Interesting! Thank you!
It is just laundry store
This stuff is the mystery I will get into one day, loving the interesting and wholesome content!
My full appreciation for taking one for the team Steve! so glad that was you and not me…felt seasick just watching. Your face at times was more descriptive than words😂👍
**Thank You** for sharing your trip! I love ferry trips also; and I love watching how things work aboard! Blessings from Roanoke Virgina, USA 😊💜
You are a natural filmmaker. Very good! Gratz on your channel.
Hi Steve. Thanks so much for this vid in particular. It brought back so many memories of the 2 freighter trips I have been lucky enough to take. The first was on a French freighter from La Havre to St. Maartin. Crossed the pond by sea in 11 days! Check! And just this past spring I spent 3 weeks on a container ship that did a circuit out of Barcelona down to Casablanca and up the Iberian coast to Vigo stopping at lots of different ports on the way out and back. I was the only passenger and had the run of the ship, spending many hours on the bridge talking with the Russian captain about life, times and the sea, and watching the blue med (and atlantic) slip by hour after hour. The food was basic, but the crew were friendly and in the end it cost me a little over 100 eur a day room, board and transportation. So much to relate, and this probably isnt the venue for it, but if your are interested at all, GO FOR IT!!!
Thanks so much for this!
My word, I love your videos. An escape from the madness of life.
Thankyou so,so much, for opening my eyes to the possibility of getting out there while I still can. How lucky are we to have Scotland, I'm sitting in a cold flat in London, blanket wrapped round me. Pure pleasure watching your journeys.
Hi Steve I really get inspired by your videos I want to thank you for entertaining me
I truly loved watching you. By watching you I have traveled in places I never dreamed about. Thank you
Thank you for this, often wondered what the freight ferry would be like. Think I’ll stick to the regular passenger ferries! You mentioned the nice soap on Northlink - it’s made in Lerwick by Shetland Soap Company, part of Cope Ltd, look us up were a charity and social Enterprise 😊
Steve its likely the HMCG Helicopter was conducting some crew training, either for the pilots to shadow a vessel / casualty which they tend to do to help vector the RNLI to where they need to be (plus they have thermal imaging tech on board which is really helpful) - or it was for a potential training for the winch crew to put them on the deck which they would've been coordinating with the bridge crew from channel 16 - but based on the weather I guess this is why the ended up aborting it if this was their intention.
I did some work alongside one of the helicopters as a Coastguard Rescue Officer here in Wales and it tends to be the reasons they come alongside a vessel like this without it being an emergency.
Thanks so much for this!
No..... the crew tipped them off that Steve Marsh was on board, and they came along just to see if they could catch a glimpse of the man himself!
I was on the PS Wavweley and the coastguard helicopter followed us, then landed a crew member on the ship ( he was given a bag of cakes) and then winched him up as part of an ad hoc training.Made a great trip even better!
I'm certain that the helicopter was there to make sure that the famous TH-cam troublemaker Steve Marsh really left the islands... 😅
@@tanelipirinen amen
Arrrrrr Steve, I love it when i see you have posted a new adventure...You are so natural with your comments. Makes the trip so real for us watches! Thank you SO much..I never want them to end ...😅
32:56 what a treat you are in for, after a few years on boats I can tell you rough is better than a subtle sway that plays with your mind.
I’m a Brit living in Sweden ca 2000 I decided to take the overnight ferry from Gothenburg to Newcastle via Kristianstad, it was February and we had a storm in the North Sea. I had a cabin on deck six probably under the Bridge, it was like being on a big dipper, I never slept a wink I could hear metal banging a crashing, so I went down to the bar area and met a Finish guy who insisted on buy me beer, which I didn’t really want as I had to drive the next day. At six in the morning I was like you out on deck as the stomach had passed and it was calm approaching Newcastle but the wind was incredible it nearly froze my face! I only found your channel last night and already watched 4 videos thoroughly enjoyed them 5 star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟. BTW I love listening to your accent my mother was from Dundee and I was born there moved to Southern England when I was 5 years old, spent a lot of summers in Scotland played golf once as a boy in Montrose. I am 78 and I want to visit Scotland soon and look up some cousins while I still can. Keep up the good work !
Very Interesting trip. Reminds me of the cargo ships Michael Palin took on Around the World in 80 days and the rough weather crossing the Pacific. Stoogerans are great to avoid sea sickness. I crossed the North Sea on the Amsterdam-Newcastle Ferry in the aftermouth of Storm Clara in Feb 2020 and that was a rough crossing. It made for a quiet crossing as most people stayed in their cabins but I had always wanted a stormy crossing and I was loving it. Also as we diverted to hug the coast it meant I saw the beautiful North Yorkshire Cliffs which you don’t normally see on the crossing but like you I missed my train as were were over 2 hours late.
Man, i miss Shetland. Beautiful country, nice people. Unforgettable
I miss it too, better than Vera 👍
@@jeanjacques9980 Though Shetland is a relatively low crime area it is still peopled by humans with the usual human failings. It's not a fantasy land and a quick look at the Shetland Times news site comes up with: "Five youths charged following Lerwick assault" " "Vandals trash Harrison Square planters" "Hefty fine after ‘one almighty punch’ causes permanent disfigurement" "Woman charged with supplying drugs" "Man ordered to pay £500 compensation to nurses he assaulted while heavily intoxicated in hospital"
@@jeanjacques9980Ticket prices too high, just hitchhike
That was awesome, Steve! Thanks for taking us along on your adventure! 🛳️👍
One of your best--thank you. By the way, the safest way to go down a steep companionway or stairs is to go down backwards
cargo ship i was on arrived in port and the local fire brigade had a training exercise, find a live wieght dummy while wearing blanked breathing apps. i asked the head honcho to give the guys a tip when going down a companionway (stairs) ALWAYS go down backwards, i went to the pub had a bevey came back 4 hours later to find the team still searching, the head honcho was sitting down head in hands, i asked him if they had every done anything like this before? he said jokingly nope and if we get a call from you asking for help, your on your own pal.
we was a 1500 tonner costal tanker
Surprised to learn that you were a cargo ship virgin, Steve! You're just the kind of guy who would thrive on that transportation mode! And probably Alicja too. Speaking from experience, I can only recommend freighter travel. Unfortunately, being over 80 now, I am no longer allowed aboard. Something to do with insurance and lack of medical facilities. Anyway, give it a go on the transatlantic route from Liverpool to Halifax. You won't be disappointed. And be sure to take Alicja with you next time! You could always pop over to Newfie again from Nova Scotia! 👍🇨🇦
I just love seeing Aberdeen, I'm so homesick😢😮😢😢
Lorry drivers are the experienced professionals of all things travel. Always follow them for a good deal. Their business is sought after and while basic you’ll be looked after and in good company.
My My My...Must be one of your best shows ..you made a wonderfull experiance for US....ALL...THANKS AGAIN STEVE
Essential to have WiFi to view Planes, Trains, Everything on these trips. Great video as ever.
Very interesting, man... .
All the best.
Be blessed all your life .
Godspeed. 🌟
Great as usual I prefer this to watching TV Thanks Steve
I was in the US Navy for 4 years. I loved going to sea. It was a large supply ship and didn’t move around much. When the destroyers came alongside for fuel they would really bounce around.
As an ex MN Engineer officer, that brought back a few memories. I spent all my time on cargo ships. 40 years ago the accomofdation was good, no bunks! Excellent food ( silver service ). Small swimmng pool - no satellite then, only video tapes - average trip was about 5 months, but could be 7. Storms? YES No hot food for 3 days, too dangerous to cook - noone allowed on deck - very tiring - one hand for the ship, the other for yourself. Very hard work, but I was young then!
I remember once I had to cook in a force 9. The captain on that particular trip was a rotten bastard! When I got on board, he gave me a nasty look n said "I shall be expecting hot meals from you every day." (I just thought "What?")
Anyway, it kicked up a hoodie. He was as sick as a cat.
& I took the greatest of delight in shoving a great, greasy fry-up under his horrified nose as regular as clockwork, hah
late 70's early 80's we had film boxes 9 reels of 16mm movies 3 movies per box and we could swap them with other ships in port otherwise stuck with same 9 movies for the trip. always pot luck on the movies inside 6 swaps in 5 months one ship and we always got back FLASHDANCE
Walport Telmar was the company we used. We were at anchor off Aqaba for 7 weeks, no film change we saw the film Nashville ( 1977 ) so many timeswe knew all the words!shville
Great video. Some points that may be of use. 1) In rough weather, put all your items on the floor of the cabin so that they cannot fall (off tables, etc). The carpet may also help to stop them rolling around in the swell. 2) When going down the steep steps, go down them using the same method as you use going up them (i.e. facing inwards) so that more of your feet can make contact with the step rather than just part of your heel being able to make contact with each step. This may make you more secure 3) Check the shipping forecast before you head out. If the weather is predicted to be rough, see if you can arrange to have a cabin in the middle of the ship since the nearer to each end of the ship you are, the more the ship is going to go up and down. It is a bit like a see saw and if you can have a cabin near the centre of the ship, the movement up and down won't be as much.
Thanks so much for the tips! Especially the shipping forecast, love it :)
@steve-marsh ooh I always look at it before a sailing although during storm Ali reading it was scary 😮
@@clareclark6535 Always check to see which areas have gale warnings!
I do x Have for years x
@@clareclark6535 Me too!
Steve's videos just get better and better. Love the balance between presenting and letting the scenery/images speak for themselves. Great filming as always and love the humorous bits. I'd love to go to Shetlands and ferry seems a much more interesting way than just flying.
I had no idea people could take a cargo boat cruise.....I also never realised Scotland has so many places to explore. Thank you!
my dad did a return trip on a cargo trip to Brazil a few years ago, no internet! but he loved it, he got a few days there before the journey back. Sailed from the south east of England
OMG Sreve! I have just got to the opening and then paused it. Hilarious! I love the briefcase and the retrieval of the cap - so funny! Love it!!!!!
A trip on a cargo ship! Thought so, because of the hint at the end of that epic, epic Foula video. I take the adventure over a crowded ferry any time. Since I never get sea- or airsick, I'd have loved the wild waters. You're videos are informative, funny, have a wonderful human touch and I very well noticed how polite and respectful you are to everyone, too. You're work picks me up in difficult times. Thank ❤ you Steve!!
Thanks so much and well done working out the hint :)
Wow Steve! Great video on par with a typical cargo/ferry/secret ship! Takes a lot of stamina and strong stomach on your voyage! Maybe it's a good thing ALICJA didn't go BUT being the traveler like you she would have probably been fine! Last day of the year here in Canada on Vancouver Island so to the both of you have a safe and Happy New Year! Cheers!
Watching this video (first full one of you I watch) I decided you are INCREDIBLE at these things. You all the things the viewer would want you to, you answer every question, you show all of the details without getting lost in them. This is perfect travel vlogging. You even answered my internal monologue that went 'I wonder if he sat in that window, I would'. And there you were (35:13) , legs dangling and all. You gained another subscriber. Onwards to a quarter of a million!
Also, your photography/videography is great. All of the 'still' images you are doing are very pleasing. I don't know if you are a photographer, but I can assure you, you'd be good at it.
This has just made my weekend seeing one of Steve’s videos in my notifications
Great video, Steve! I would take this trip in a heartbeat. And it looks as if you fared better on this voyage than the last Aberdeen/Lerwick ferry trip a few years ago! Beautiful camera work coming into Shetland. Love the lighthouses...especially the Fair Isle at night. More ferry trips, please!
More to come :)
OMG, I'm bursting with envy. It's one of my dreams, to be on a cargo ship. You're one lucky man!
You are such a great storyteller, and your fine editing skills complement your adventures. Great work as always!
I crossed from New York to Bremerhaven on a troop ship in January 1961 and returned in February 1963. The Atlantic Ocean seemed to actually be angry to this lad who had never seen the ocean before. Ten days going and eleven days returning because a stop in Liverpool was added. Not an experience I am keen to repeat. But if one is determined to try such a thing permit me to offer some advice. Keep active both physically and mentally and keep your stomach full. Good luck!
I stayed in Lerwick for a holiday to recover from over working in my mid 20 's .I loved it , the countryside the people.I went by air turboprop from Heathrow . I would like to see you go to Halifax Nova Scotia I think you can go from Liverpool.
This is by far the most enjoyable thing I’ve watched on TH-cam in a long time. Brought back some happy memories (on the normal ferry), I especially remember seeing all the support vessels in Aberdeen bay and wondering how they all manage to anchor in perfect parallel to each other (yes I realised eventually) and feeling sick as anything and wondering why on earth I ordered a breakfast!!
Hi Steve always good to do a safety walk around.. find the life boats and the food.. Absolutely Alisja should have come :)))))))))💯📽📸
You keep doing this to me. Your videos are brilliant and addictive, so I often lie in bed binge watching them late into the night. And what do you do? You have full cooked breakfasts, that’s what you do. I had to get up at 1:30am this morning and make myself a bacon sarnie with brown sauce. Didn’t expect that complaint did you Steve?
A great video! My father came from Australia by sea to visit us in Canada in, I think, the early 1990s. He was among a handful of passengers on a cargo ship that crossed the Pacific, travelled through the Panama Canal and up the east coast to Philadelphia where he took a train to Montreal. It had been on Dad’s bucket list and he absolutely loved it. And he would have been in his 70s by then!
I would take the cargo ship just for the adventure and the fact that there are not so many other people around. I take a few good books and some music and i am happy. I have been watching your video's for a while now and enjoyed every one of them. Keep them coming. Greetings from the Netherlands.
It used to be that during M.V Hamnavoe's annaul refit period the Helliar was drafted in to cover for her on the Pentland Firth route, which never satisfied Orkney's needs or wants because we had a proper ferry with capacity for 600 passengers being replaced for two weeks by a freight ferry with capacity for only 12. I think you got it spot on, "If you want to book a ferry book the regular NorthLink, If you want to book an adventure book the cargo ship."
Steve - That Restricted area is where they keep The Golden Rivet - If you ask permission they will find somebody to take you down to see it. 😋 Super video mate. 👍👍👍
Make sure you ask them whether you can open the Sea Chest and have a look.
Brownhatters only. 😂😂😂😂 ex pomem1
What an amazing adventurous soul you are. ❤
Steve, you always have such a great attitude and love and appreciation for the simplest to things in life.thx😮
Michael Palin would be proud of you!
I always wondered,,where my dad went for a few days ,when he said he was on the MERSEY FERRY,,and he used to sing every time he was. Leaving the house,,,SO FERRY ACROSS THE
MERSEY,,!
Good on ya giving Scott a view - and a plug - yes his journey in that video did go pear shaped.
THAT WAS GREAT wow cooladventure thank youvery very much
Steve. Might say, even the cantakerous disposition of the North Sea is worth a night's, rock and roll challenge. Your reward. Outside and into the pure fresh island air then a few hours to enjoy the Norse influence of Shetland. Can't be at all bad. Your all in, bed and breakfast at sea and at 2010 prices to boot!
No ferry tale ending this time 🥁
Another brilliant watch, cheers!
Fantastic adventure Steve. Thanks so much for sharing 😊
Wonderful video Steve....we, the viewer always appreciate everything you do for us.....what an amazing sight of the Islands ! Cool Beans 🤩
Great video Thank You! I was on the Northlink in Sept. to and from Shetland. I loved it! I don't no if i could do the cargo ship, but the regular ferry was great. We had neve traveled on an overnight ferry and it was actually a real treat for the hubby and I. We also enjoyed our week in Shetland, but it was certainly a long way from our home in California, and I don't know if we will get the chance to do it again, but the memories we have of our trip will last forever.
Great video Steve, Aberdeen harbor has changed a lot since I sailed with British United Trawlers back in the 70's