# G.S.I seismic surveys



## borolad55

Any crew out there who sailed on any of the following boats 
The Bering Seal , The R W Olsen or the J E Jonnson in the 80's


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## chadders

borolad55 said:


> Any crew out there who sailed on any of the following boats
> The Bering Seal , The R W Olsen or the J E Jonnson in the 80's


Hi Borolad, I was on the Olsen from April 80 to April 81. Started as mate and ended as old man. Paid off in Den Helder. Cheers


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## George McCaffery

I installed the inmarsat system on the JE Johnson either in Mboro or 
Hartlepool must have been late 70s or very early 80s


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## borolad55

*JE Jonsson*

I joined the JE Jonsson in Peterhead in January 1980


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## chadburn

B55, have you come across a Seismic Survey Company that had as it's company logo the Earth with the tracks of a satellite looping around it. They were an American Company active in the North Sea at the very beginning of the oil boom. Regards.


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## WilliamH

chadburn said:


> B55, have you come across a Seismic Survey Company that had as it's company logo the Earth with the tracks of a satellite looping around it. They were an American Company active in the North Sea at the very beginning of the oil boom. Regards.


I think you are thinking of "Western Geophysical", their vessels had green hulls. They were very active in the Arabian Gulf while I was there in 1970's and 80's, most of their vessels seemed to be converted trawlers or in one case I remember they had a converted coaster that had been built to operate in the inland waterways of Denmark. The main occupation of the company was seismic surveys.


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## chadburn

WilliamH said:


> I think you are thinking of "Western Geophysical", their vessels had green hulls. They were very active in the Arabian Gulf while I was there in 1970's and 80's, most of their vessels seemed to be converted trawlers or in one case I remember they had a converted coaster that had been built to operate in the inland waterways of Denmark. The main occupation of the company was seismic surveys.


Thanks William, I remember the Bayou Chico which was around at the same time. I will pull a vessel out of my Gallery to see if you or any others recognise her. She looks like a former American Navy P.C., look out for her.


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## Chris Terrey

*J.e. Jonnson*



borolad55 said:


> Any crew out there who sailed on any of the following boats
> The Bering Seal , The R W Olsen or the J E Jonnson in the 80's


Was in the J E Jonnson as gun mechanic with GSI about 1979. working in the North sea. The bosun broke his back & was taken off by chopper


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## tonypad

Hi Chadburn,
I was a Decca operator on the Bayou Chico in the mid 1960's and spent time in the early North Sea oil search, remember on one occasion almost being run down by a tanker or bulker off Spurn Head, which ended up cutting the towed cable. A few days after that our shooting boat, an old trawler, sunk on its moorings at Grimsby, after a shot went off prematurely under its stern....
Rejoined the Bayou some time later at Fremantle and undertook a survey for Wapet off the Monte Bello Islands wwhilst working for Lab Nav.,a US based operation out of Freeport Grand Bahama (Navigation Management ).
Stayed in Australia after that and been here for 46 years..

Regards'

Tony


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## chadburn

Hello Tony, thanks for your reply. At the time you were in the North Sea in the early days did you come other American vessels that were converted WW2 military types doing surveys? I will pull a photograph of one them from my Gallery and put it in today's site photographs.


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## Tony Foot

tonypad said:


> Hi Chadburn,
> I was a Decca operator on the Bayou Chico in the mid 1960's and spent time in the early North Sea oil search, remember on one occasion almost being run down by a tanker or bulker off Spurn Head, which ended up cutting the towed cable. A few days after that our shooting boat, an old trawler, sunk on its moorings at Grimsby, after a shot went off prematurely under its stern....
> Rejoined the Bayou some time later at Fremantle and undertook a survey for Wapet off the Monte Bello Islands wwhilst working for Lab Nav.,a US based operation out of Freeport Grand Bahama (Navigation Management ).
> Stayed in Australia after that and been here for 46 years..
> 
> Regards'
> 
> Tony


Hi Tony,
I have a similar story. I arrived in Oz in 1969 as first Engineer on the "Polaris" a US vessel on charter to GSI. We shot seismic in the Great Australian Bight, out of Adelaide and Thevenard. The Polaris caught fire in Adelaide, just after loading a brand new cable. The fire also took out the old cable as well and badly damaged the deck machinery.
I stayed in Oz and have been here ever since. Also worked foe Western Geo. Veritas and a couple of other seismic outfits.
Regards Tony (another one)


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## sv53cat

*western geophysical*

Hi I worked for Wester Geophysical North Sea, Ireland and West Africa. 1968-1971
john


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## Chris Terrey

*Western Geo*



sv53cat said:


> Hi I worked for Wester Geophysical North Sea, Ireland and West Africa. 1968-1971
> john


John, did we ever cross paths? I worked for Western 1969-71 .Started on western 3 out of Libreville & Douala , then Dantzler Ash in the Med., down to Persian gulf , then Kenya , South Africa , back up to Douala.
Then a very brief stint on the Red Creek because we stuck it on a reef somewhere around Qatar.
From there to the Karen Bravo working the North Sea.
Worked for Delta , GSI & Tidewater at various times after that.
What boats were you on ?


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## sv53cat

*Western Geophysical*

Hi Chris.

It sounds like our paths should have crossed.
I joined the western 3 spring 1968.
Mauritania then South West Africa, Angola, Gabon and Cameroon.
that was about it for 1968. Back the following year I think it was the western Beacon and using the Miss Free port as a supply boat.
also worked the Karen Bravo, Anno Lindinger
both hire vessels.
Both North Sea and Southern Ireland.
continued to work for Western in the London office and two years in the office in Saudi Arabia
finally left Westerns 2001.
nice to hear from you I joined this site a passing interest in Ships and nostalgia. 

Regards John Byrne


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## Chris Terrey

sv53cat said:


> Hi Chris.
> 
> It sounds like our paths should have crossed.
> I joined the western 3 spring 1968.
> Mauritania then South West Africa, Angola, Gabon and Cameroon.
> that was about it for 1968. Back the following year I think it was the western Beacon and using the Miss Free port as a supply boat.
> also worked the Karen Bravo, Anno Lindinger
> both hire vessels.
> Both North Sea and Southern Ireland.
> continued to work for Western in the London office and two years in the office in Saudi Arabia
> finally left Westerns 2001.
> nice to hear from you I joined this site a passing interest in Ships and nostalgia.
> 
> Regards John Byrne


Gotcha! John Byrne , we worked on the Karen Bravo together. We called you the Vulture! Western in their generosity gave us 1 pr. of sea boot stockings each , but you joined after they were issued so as we were on different shifts you shared mine. Didn't get a chance to dry out! Russell stanland was coordinator.


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## lochluichart

I as administrator for JEJ followed by RWO and Black Seal 1982-85.
Then Geosource 85-86 Geomar Apollo, Geo2 & 3.
Then HGS, Indian Seal, Baffin Seal, Sea Star 90-94.
WGC Reagent and Wind 94-95.
Noe PGS various vessel 96 to present.


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## ExJuggie

Hi all,

Ages since I was on here - Ex Olson, built her up in Sunderland and then did the transit to the Boro - stayed in Stockton - Queens (?) and then went out on the first job when the Quo Vadis took our cable off Denmark and we had to come back in to put a new on to the reel via an old barge that moored astern ... 

Been ages !!! Love to hear from you all

N


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## chadburn

One of the first North Sea Oil Survey Vessels the 'Bayou Chico' (inside vessel) which some may remember. Apparently she is still going strong now used for Fishing. Can anyone identify the name of the rafted vessel?


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## chadburn

Another vessel in the early days of Surveying for North Sea Oil. She looked like a former American Military LCI. Anybody remember her and/or recognise the Company Logo from the little that is showing on the side of the vessel?


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## Chris Terrey

That logo is G.S.I. (Geophysical Services Inc.) . I've still got an old briefcase somewhere with the same sticker on it!


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## chadburn

Any idea of the vessels identity Chris? from memory she looked like a former American built Landing Craft Infantry (where the gangways were lowered on both sides of the Bow) for the Troops to be discharged on to the Beach. As she had to be able to take the ground and possibly Kedge off she would have been robustly built which would have made her ideal for using explosives as they did in those days of Oil Exploration rather than using the Air Pistols of today.
Anybody have a Fleet list of G.S.I. vessels please.


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## jason II

Hi

I am Mike.I didnt worked on the Olsen but close by as her chaseboat.Maybe you guys remember this.I chased for many of the GSI vessels in them days
My boat's name was Jason.

p.s I also owned the Mike's Bar in Den helder...smiles


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## Chris Terrey

G'day Mike, I think I did about 3 weeks on the Olsson in 1979,but we did'nt use a chase boat. I do remember having one pointed out to me in Den Helder , maybe yours. 
Sorry didn't know about your bar so over the years with Delta on Caribe Tide & later the J.E.Jonsson we always went to the Rina bar. Rina was Indonesian so the satays there were fantastic!


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## lewisholgerjorgensen

was 2/e on JEJ, 77, 78-79, C/E, Dave Cargan sadly passed on, Scotty Reid, Geoff ?
Calvern Brett later on as 2/e.
Jorgie


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## Moody S38

*GSI M/V Bering Seal early eighties*

This is for Boro lad:Like to know who you are as I worked with several North East lads under Doug McConnachie in the North Sea and Africa. Any body remember 'Doc Shock'?

Andy Hamilton (***bria


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## GSI79

*J.E. Johnson and the Bering Seal*



Chris Terrey said:


> Was in the J E Jonnson as gun mechanic with GSI about 1979. working in the North sea. The bosun broke his back & was taken off by chopper


Hi Chris, I was on board the J.E. Johnson and took over from Ian Singer. The boat was crewed mostly by Canadians back then and the only place we worked was North of Shetlands. Names that spring to mind are Garry Michaels, aka Scooter, Tommy Ellis, Clive Berry and John Baxendale.

I was transferred later to the Bering Seal and was with Doug McConnachie, Mike Roberts, Steve Speed, Duncan Griffiths and others.


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## Erimus

In the 80's/90's I was GM to a large Warehousing & Distribution company in Stockton,very close to GSI Portrack Office...we were asked to store lots of 'not required this time' material which was never ever tidy stacked as they came,as later did Haliburton,and cannibalised equipment.

One afternoon we got an urgent call to say some containers would be coming in pronto and they didn't know what was in them as they had been forced to evacuate their Libyan operations in 48 hours! First one was all neat and tidy,second one a bit of a mess third one, a 40ft box, had miles of cables with things we didn't touch......they removed them quickly and left us to do the non-dangerous(!) unwinding....this gear was in store for a long time then they upped and left the area.

geoff


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## 5036

For my sins I was responsible for positioning of all exploration operations for Shell Expro through the 80s from the North Sea borders, across the UK and 200 miles out into the Atlantic. We used the Karen Bravo, Bering Seal and the R W Olsen a lot and I did a few trips when we were developing new techniques such as 3D but in general I met the ships on mobilisation, crewchange or demob. Many happy runs ashore around Europe come to mind.

We did a run up the Humber stopping just short of the Humber bridge. We had organised this to the nth degree and informed the Immingham tanker terminals months in advance, confirmed days in advance with port authorities, pilots etc.that we would have high pressure air guns setting off every 7 seconds. As we approached Immingham we called up the moored tankers on VHF and got nonchalant, disinterested replies. As we passed the moored vessels and the sounds of the guns reverberated through their hulls all hell broke loose. People were running down gangplanks, pulling out fire hoses, sprinkler systems started up on the tankers. All sorts of abuse followed on the VHF. We had done our best to warn them. I remember the streamer tail buoy following the exact route of the ship one kilometre behind passing close to navigation buoys etc and recovering the streamer in a shallowing channel. Not for the faint hearted.

There was a ship manager I dealt with a lot, Simon Weston(?) I think. A nice bloke but very green and we opened up his education on a few nights out.
We put reps on board for positioning, JimScott, Jim Inghams, Richard Westcott, Richard Heathcote are some I can remember.


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## Moody S38

*GSI Bering Seal*

Hello, I worked with Duncan Griffiths on the Bering Seal as well as others, Geoff Corkhill, Angus Stott, Craig Sommerville, David 'Doc Shock' Evans from Norton who sadly passed away several years ago and Phil from Salford who I had many adventures with. 

Doug McConnachie who was the party manager with Dave Jefferies the shore side manager. Doug is on Facebook and is still in the trade, he's a Director of an outfit in Bristol, I have yet to contact him but will shortly. 

We sailed the North Sea, Orkneys etc doing 3D shooting alongside the Baffin Seal with a guy called Andy Roff and then on to West Africa (Cote Divoire, Abidjan). I eventually went to the Middle East (Egypt, Gulf of Oman etc) on the Explorer and then on to the Far East on the R,C,Dunlap. If anybody remembers anything of the above I would love to contact them.

Cheers

Andrew Hamilton (dog house and back deck specialist.....)


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## Trondur01

I was Chief Mate of the Bering Seal in the Winter of 1981. Started out in Hull, then based out Great Yarmouth, Den Helder, and finally Aberdeen. Did 3D work at the end near the Tartan and Claymore fileds. 
The ship's crew was from the U.S., the survey party was a mixture of British, Canadians and Americans, and the cook was Irish. I remember Angus Stott used to visit the bridge in his off time. 
I remember we binged watched Black Adder. I had never seen the show. We also had to medivac the company rep out via RAF helicopter after he had an attack of appendicitis and fell down the Wheelhouse ladder.


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## WWay

Wallace Way - I worked on the J.E. Jonsson in 1983-84 in the North Sea. I was an air gun mechanic. Worked with Tommy Ellis and Robbie Mundey. Trying to get in touch with them.


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## balmoral queen

Hello Mike of the Jason 2,
Don't know if you will ever read this young man, but I am still on this earth. 
Wishing you all the best, plenty of memories of the chase boats. 
Sir Henry of the Protector.


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## WWay

GSI79 said:


> Hi Chris, I was on board the J.E. Johnson and took over from Ian Singer. The boat was crewed mostly by Canadians back then and the only place we worked was North of Shetlands. Names that spring to mind are Garry Michaels, aka Scooter, Tommy Ellis, Clive Berry and John Baxendale.
> 
> I was transferred later to the Bering Seal and was with Doug McConnachie, Mike Roberts, Steve Speed, Duncan Griffiths and others.


I was aboard the J.E.Jonsson in 1983-84. Was an air gun mechanic. Looking for Tommy Ellis and Robbie Mundey. Any chance you know either of them?


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## Chris Terrey

Sorry,doesn't ring any bells. Was along time ago!


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## Dave Booth ( Kiwi)

i worked out of singapore and the middle east from 73 on wards. First boat the Bayou Chico, Western Shoal, Western Islander.


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## mathieson

Robert Mundey lives in Lancing West Sussex, wife Maria.


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## PhilWilliams

Hi, I am trying to track down a photograph of a 1970’s GSI seismic vessel the MV Baranov. It was a converted American landing craft LCI(L) built for D day but never used in anger. He (Bob Spooner) was in the vessel briefly in the early 70’s (71 or72) until he was laid off in a typical downturn. At the time he was on it it used air guns (rather than dynamite). I was also a GSIer on seismic vessels from 1972-77 and served on Cecil H Green, Arctic Seal, Caribbean Seal and Carino a seasonally converted Sealer out of Halifax. Any help on a Baranov pic would be greatly appreciated. He has found plans of the original LCI(L) and as a skilled modelling hobbyist want to build a model of it. Cheers Phil


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## WWay

I only worked on the J.E. Jonsson, F.J. Agnich and the Arctic Explorer which was owned by Carino. Worked from 1981 - 1984. Sorry I don't remember MV Baranov.


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## WWay

mathieson said:


> Robert Mundey lives in Lancing West Sussex, wife Maria.


Any chance you would know how I could get in contact with him?

Email address or mailing address, phone number?


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## Phil Hall

Moody S38 said:


> *GSI M/V Bering Seal early eighties*
> 
> This is for Boro lad:Like to know who you are as I worked with several North East lads under Doug McConnachie in the North Sea and Africa. Any body remember 'Doc Shock'?
> 
> Andy Hamilton (***bria


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## Phil Hall

I remember shocko well. Also Doug . And you Mr Hamilton. Was on the Bering Seal early 80's. Was also on the Karunda and Baltic Seal. There were 2 gun mechanics on the Bering Seal who were assigned lookout duty on opposite shifts for man overboard drill. They only had one pair of eyes between them. Think they were both called Tommy Ended up in the far east with Cy Graham for a while I think you did a couple of trips. I was on the survey off the coast of Abidjan as well.


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## Phil Hall

Forgot to say. This is Phil Hall


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## Phil Hall

Moody S38 said:


> *GSI Bering Seal*
> 
> Hello, I worked with Duncan Griffiths on the Bering Seal as well as others, Geoff Corkhill, Angus Stott, Craig Sommerville, David 'Doc Shock' Evans from Norton who sadly passed away several years ago and Phil from Salford who I had many adventures with.
> 
> Doug McConnachie who was the party manager with Dave Jefferies the shore side manager. Doug is on Facebook and is still in the trade, he's a Director of an outfit in Bristol, I have yet to contact him but will shortly.
> 
> We sailed the North Sea, Orkneys etc doing 3D shooting alongside the Baffin Seal with a guy called Andy Roff and then on to West Africa (Cote Divoire, Abidjan). I eventually went to the Middle East (Egypt, Gulf of Oman etc) on the Explorer and then on to the Far East on the R,C,Dunlap. If anybody remembers anything of the above I would love to contact them.
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Andrew Hamilton (dog house and back deck specialist.....)


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## Phil Hall

Phil Hall here. Mad adventures in a field in Cleator Moor running away from you know who freezing my nuts off


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## David Field

I was on JEJohnson in 1967 when she was the Golden Scarab (a tuna seiner) fishing off West Africa, Dave Field


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## Pedro secundo

Moody S38 said:


> *GSI M/V Bering Seal early eighties*
> 
> This is for Boro lad:Like to know who you are as I worked with several North East lads under Doug McConnachie in the North Sea and Africa. Any body remember 'Doc Shock'?
> 
> Andy Hamilton (***bria


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## Pedro secundo

In 64 myself Peter Kane Ian cooling Bri tyman terry Cochran all Stockton or Middlesbrough were on the GSI ss sorfold North Sea W indies Venezuela west Africa we’ll know other people were Bob Hart Bubba hart Radar Myre John bitter Sam hart I Peter stainthorpe joined the gulf seal in Au


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## Captain Anstey

chadburn said:


> B55, have you come across a Seismic Survey Company that had as it's company logo the Earth with the tracks of a satellite looping around it. They were an American Company active in the North Sea at the very beginning of the oil boom. Regards.


I have a flag with a similar logo from the commissioning of the Fred J Agnich. It was a GSI ship and I was her captain.


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## MatBlack

GSI79 said:


> *J.E. Johnson and the Bering Seal*
> 
> 
> 
> Hi Chris, I was on board the J.E. Johnson and took over from Ian Singer. The boat was crewed mostly by Canadians back then and the only place we worked was North of Shetlands. Names that spring to mind are Garry Michaels, aka Scooter, Tommy Ellis, Clive Berry and John Baxendale.
> 
> I was transferred later to the Bering Seal and was with Doug McConnachie, Mike Roberts, Steve Speed, Duncan Griffiths and others.


Hi All,
I was on the JEJ from November 1979 to June 1980, working the North Sea (mostly north of the Shetlands and Moray Firth). It was the first year GSI worked the North Sea in winter. Jeez was I seasick!! 
If I remember correctly Clive Berry was the skipper. Second in command was an ex-submariner, but sadly I forget his name. We all knew when he was on the bridge as he was more inclined to let her roll. I think I remember John Baxendale - one of the gun mechanics I think. Alternated working out of Stockton and Den Helder (handy for tax purposes back then). 
Would Tommy Ellis have been 'Big Tommy'? Some names I remember are Chinese George (Chan Ming Yuan) and Colin Rolfe.


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## MatBlack

5036 said:


> For my sins I was responsible for positioning of all exploration operations for Shell Expro through the 80s from the North Sea borders, across the UK and 200 miles out into the Atlantic. We used the Karen Bravo, Bering Seal and the R W Olsen a lot and I did a few trips when we were developing new techniques such as 3D but in general I met the ships on mobilisation, crewchange or demob. Many happy runs ashore around Europe come to mind.
> 
> We did a run up the Humber stopping just short of the Humber bridge. We had organised this to the nth degree and informed the Immingham tanker terminals months in advance, confirmed days in advance with port authorities, pilots etc.that we would have high pressure air guns setting off every 7 seconds. As we approached Immingham we called up the moored tankers on VHF and got nonchalant, disinterested replies. As we passed the moored vessels and the sounds of the guns reverberated through their hulls all hell broke loose. People were running down gangplanks, pulling out fire hoses, sprinkler systems started up on the tankers. All sorts of abuse followed on the VHF. We had done our best to warn them. I remember the streamer tail buoy following the exact route of the ship one kilometre behind passing close to navigation buoys etc and recovering the streamer in a shallowing channel. Not for the faint hearted.
> 
> There was a ship manager I dealt with a lot, Simon Weston(?) I think. A nice bloke but very green and we opened up his education on a few nights out.
> We put reps on board for positioning, JimScott, Jim Inghams, Richard Westcott, Richard Heathcote are some I can remember.


I remember Simon Weston. He taught me how to mend cables using a hot air gun. Came over as a bit of a bully, but a nice guy when he got to know you


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## [email protected]

MatBlack said:


> Hi All,
> I was on the JEJ from November 1979 to June 1980, working the North Sea (mostly north of the Shetlands and Moray Firth). It was the first year GSI worked the North Sea in winter. Jeez was I seasick!!
> If I remember correctly Clive Berry was the skipper. Second in command was an ex-submariner, but sadly I forget his name. We all knew when he was on the bridge as he was more inclined to let her roll. I think I remember John Baxendale - one of the gun mechanics I think. Alternated working out of Stockton and Den Helder (handy for tax purposes back then).
> Would Tommy Ellis have been 'Big Tommy'? Some names I remember are Chinese George (Chan Ming Yuan) and Colin Rolfe.
> View attachment 690054
> View attachment 690056
> View attachment 690057


Does anyone remember cockney George from Purley? Sorry cant remember his surname, Im trying to contact him.Worked on the JEJ early 80's in the galley/mess with a maltese guy Laurie. Some of the crew were Tommy Ellis, Shaggy, Ray, Tommy Brown,Robbie & Mac. Can anyone give me any contact details for George?


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## gwn2000

chadburn said:


> Another vessel in the early days of Surveying for North Sea Oil. She looked like a former American Military LCI. Anybody remember her and/or recognise the Company Logo from the little that is showing on the side of the vessel?


Might be the "Kyle Anne" or the "Sonic". I seem to remember the "Sonic" being the first GSI survey boat in the North Sea followed by the "Kyle Anne". I (George Noble) was on the Kyle Anne during the sixties but it was so long ago now I have forgotten most details


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## gwn2000

Pedro secundo said:


> In 64 myself Peter Kane Ian cooling Bri tyman terry Cochran all Stockton or Middlesbrough were on the GSI ss sorfold North Sea W indies Venezuela west Africa we’ll know other people were Bob Hart Bubba hart Radar Myre John bitter Sam hart I Peter stainthorpe joined the gulf seal in Au


Hi I (George Noble) was on the Sorfold around that time and we sailed from M'boro across the Atlantic to the Gulf of Paria (Trinidad) where we lost the streamer and were sent back to the UK. Previously I had been on the Anna or Bella (I think) working as the Shooter (all explosives in those days) in the North Sea mainly from M'boro but occasionally from Den Helder. I remember the name Bob Hart, as well as Ed Dickie but cannot remember the name of the Party Chief on the Sorfold.


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