# CABANO - sunk 1965



## mbarnette (Oct 30, 2007)

I am trying to obtain information (construction history, dimensions, etc.) on the freighter CABANO. According to The Miami News of March 18, 1965, the 400-foot long freighter CABANO sank 18 miles off Miami en route to the Dominican Republic. Due to the dates and name, this appears to be a different vessel than the CABANO, built in 1943 as STRATHCONA PARK, and later scrapped as HITAKA in 1966. Any ideas?
Cheers,
Mike


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## goelette (Sep 20, 2009)

There was a ship named Cabanos in service at that time. It was built as Israel J. Merritt in 1943 and became 43-Samflora, 47-Primrose Hill, 50-London Vendor, 52-Cabanos, 63-Thebean, broken up in 1968.
It obviously wasn't lost in 1965, but it might have run into trouble at that time. It was under the Panama flag in 1965 and owned in New York.


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## goelette (Sep 20, 2009)

Just out of curiosity, where did you find the record of the ship's loss off Miami. I have scoured other sources at my disposal and can't find other references to this loss.


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## Graham the pipe (Sep 6, 2010)

Sailed on Elder Dempster's ss Cababo in '58 but have no idea of her final fate.


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## woodend (Nov 23, 2009)

Hi the CABANO of E.D.'s is indeed the one mentioned, built as STRATHCONA PARK and scrapped as HJITAKA. Reason I remember this is I lived in Strathcona Road in Wallasey.


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## purserjuk (Jul 23, 2005)

I sailed on "Cabano" Jan to April 1958.
1960 "Happy Voyager" of Sure Shipping Co.Ltd, Hong Kong
1964 "Hitaka" of Ideal Shipping Co.Ltd., Hong Kong
1966 Reported leakages and hull fractures. Sold to Matsukara K.K.K. for demolition.


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## Graham the pipe (Sep 6, 2010)

Hi 'PJ'. Looking at your 'dates' - on the Cabano - we sailed together on her in '58. Looking at my 'photographic records' let's 'invite' your comments. Let's start with my 'dates'. Joined her 2nd Jan as second tripper, sailed 4th Jan. Docked, back in UK, 1st April, paying off and leaving her same day.

Skipper 'Spud' Murphy. Only other names I can recount are 'under' my black and white, 'Box Brownie' shots. In 'no particular order', as follows:-

Your 'Good' (?) self (Name withheld to preserve your anonymity!) Your clerk Johnny Powell, second mate Jock Munro, Chief Steward Robby Coates, my fellow cadet Neil Gordon, Bosun 'Taffy' Evans, sailors headman 'Willy', Chippy Fulston (?). Excepting the last three names, all previous feature in our 'deck swimming' pool. Am I right?


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## purserjuk (Jul 23, 2005)

Hi Graham
You are right - it was same voyage. Purser was the late Frank Cannon and I was Writer. I note the skipper as A.Thomas - he signed my Dis.A. anyway. I seem to remember the masters changed at Lagos - "Spud" to take over a Branch boat from Thomas but I may be wrong.


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## Graham the pipe (Sep 6, 2010)

purserjuk said:


> Hi Graham
> You are right - it was same voyage. Purser was the late Frank Cannon and I was Writer. I note the skipper as A.Thomas - he signed my Dis.A. anyway. I seem to remember the masters changed at Lagos - "Spud" to take over a Branch boat from Thomas but I may be wrong.


Hi, again - after a mere 55 years! Yes, you're right, it's all coming back to me now! Couldn't understand why my memories of the latter part of the trip were a complete 'blank'. I now remember why. Thomas was a total bastard as far as us cadets were concerned - the complete opposite of 'Spud'. Thomas had been demoted back to C/0, from Master, after he lost, I think, the Sapele.


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## Rogerfrench (Feb 25, 2010)

Graham the pipe said:


> Hi, again - after a mere 55 years! Yes, you're right, it's all coming back to me now! Couldn't understand why my memories of the latter part of the trip were a complete 'blank'. I now remember why. Thomas was a total bastard as far as us cadets were concerned - the complete opposite of 'Spud'. Thomas had been demoted back to C/0, from Master, after he lost, I think, the Sapele.


Your memory is pretty good after all this time, but I think the ship he lost was the Warri, a sister of the Sapele and Forcados, before my time at sea. 
One of the oddest trips I did was in 1961 as Cadet / Bosun of the Sapele, on a short voyage from Liverpool to Freetown, Sherbro, then back to Freetown where I paid off and went home as Cadet on the Apapa. 
In Freetown she took on a local crew, to do coastal voyages around Guinea /Sierra Leone / Liberia . It didn't last.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Empire_ships_-_P#Empire_Pampas


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## Graham the pipe (Sep 6, 2010)

Rogerfrench said:


> Your memory is pretty good after all this time, but I think the ship he lost was the Warri, a sister of the Sapele and Forcados, before my time at sea.
> One of the oddest trips I did was in 1961 as Cadet / Bosun of the Sapele, on a short voyage from Liverpool to Freetown, Sherbro, then back to Freetown where I paid off and went home as Cadet on the Apapa.
> In Freetown she took on a local crew, to do coastal voyages around Guinea /Sierra Leone / Liberia . It didn't last.
> 
> See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Empire_ships_-_P#Empire_Pampas


Thanks, yet again, for clarifying the Warri/Sapele 'history'. Interesting to hear of your '61 voyage on the latter. Quite a unique experience for an indentured apprentice I would have thought.

Appreciate your SN 'inputs' all of which help to get the Es of Es complement back reminiscing, which can't be a bad thing.


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## Kiwi Pom (Dec 5, 2013)

Your posts on the Cabano bring back a few memories as I was 3rd Mate on 3 trips Oct '57 to Jul'58. Spud Murphy was skipper on first trip and think it may have been his first in command. He got the chippy to build the pool from dunnage and tarpaulin and I have a photo of him diving in!. Jock Munro was another name from the past and had sailed with him on the cadet ship.


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## Graham the pipe (Sep 6, 2010)

Hi 'KP'. I see this was your first post to SN, so on behalf of us all, "Welcome to this excellent site". You will be - If you haven't been already - 'officially welcomed' by the management, this is just a quick "Hello" to my shipmate of approaching 56 years ago. I, too, have photos of Spud's pool. Have you checked out the ED section of the site yet? You'll find the Obuasi featured and if you enter the name and press search - on the Maritime Art section of the site - you'll see my Robert Lloyd picture of her. Will look forward to a lot more KPPs.

Cheers, for now. G


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## hawkey01 (Mar 15, 2006)

Kiwi Pom,

on behalf of the Moderating team welcome to SN. Enjoy all we have to offer.

Hawkey01


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## Ex StevieClarkes (Apr 9, 2013)

*Warri/A.Thomas*



Graham the pipe said:


> Hi, again - after a mere 55 years! Yes, you're right, it's all coming back to me now! Couldn't understand why my memories of the latter part of the trip were a complete 'blank'. I now remember why. Thomas was a total bastard as far as us cadets were concerned - the complete opposite of 'Spud'. Thomas had been demoted back to C/0, from Master, after he lost, I think, the Sapele.


You are quite right about A.Thomas, Master. I did six months as mate on the Branch boat ss. Forcados. When I joined, 24/6/60, Ron Greenwood was master, he was relieved by Mc Kean who paid off sick in Calabar (another tale) and was relieved by Ginger Tom. What a complete difference to R.G. He was on his first trip back as master after the Warri went aground and when he found out we were using the deep sea lead for fishing he was most upset & made us use it hourly for sounding!! We had caught some good fish coming out of Escravos.


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