# Cosag Marine Services Ltd of Great Yarmouth



## Rafal Zahorski

Hello to Everybody!

I am desperately looking for any contact with Cosag Marine Services Ltd of Great Yarmouth. I was searching full internet but unfortunately they are not existing. Who knows - please help me. They had in the past 1973-1976 our vessel MV Bembridge - so I am trying to contact anybody who can help me to restore a history of our vessel from a time when she was working for Cosag Marine Services Ltd. Many thanx in advance Rafal


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## david freeman

at a loss to help: There is insufficient information? What was the ship? what did she do to earn a crust and what was your task? Geologists, crew, scientists, oceanographer, passenger or supernumary? I suggest to look at a Lloyds Register of shipping Ships register to obtain some basic details such as: where buily. where registered, made of wood/steel/aluminium, how many crew and engine details and type of vessel.


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## Thamesphil

Rafal, I believe that Cosag Marine Services specialised in marine surveys, mainly for the offshore oil and gas industry. They ceased trading many years ago, but someone here may have worked for them at one time and be able to fill you in a bit more.

Good luck!
Phil


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## Nick Balls

This is interesting......It's possible that this company may know
COSAG DIVING LTD

Address:

75 GT MELTON RD
HETHERSETT
NORWICH
Norfolk 
NR9 3HB


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## Rafal Zahorski

Hello many thanks for all your posts. 

Dear David - I know all these details about our vessel - I do not know only that part of her history related to her service for Cosag - that's why I must find anybody from their team from Great Yarmouth. They were finally selling our vessel in 1976 after a very serious fire in engine room. Please come on our www - so you will know what we know. 

Dear Phil, great thanks for your suggestion - so thats why I am looking for any members of Cosag team. I have already one of them and he gave me an e-mail to a next one. One day I will find their management. Anyway it was 33 years ago. 

Dear Nick - thanx - I will write them an e-mail. 

Greeting to all of you Rafal


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## adm

Cosag Marine was an offshore company from Aberdeen. They were active in the early 1980's but i am fairly sure they were finished by the middle of the decade
Their address was
Cosag Marine Services
Leading Lighthouse
Torry
Aberdeen.

They operated the 
Bembridge, 
Sperus (ex northren Light "Hesperus", built 1939)
Hydragale
Jesmar, later sold to Jesmar Shipping.

All survey vessels, operating in the North Sea, Medi and West Africa.
Owners were 
Mike Davenport and John Lee. After Cosag they went to run small coasters carrying coal.
I dont know what happened after that.


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## Rafal Zahorski

Dear Adm, great thanks. You gave me a lot of details. I will try to find that guys. If I will succeed - than I will let you know here. Once again many thanks my friend. You helped me a lot!!! Greeting Rafal


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## Rafal Zahorski

*We just created a special ddedicated page*

Hello, 

Our searching is slowly bringing something. We have already created a special page. It is on www.bembridge.pl - you should clock on Cosag Marine Services box. The direct link is here:

http://www.bembridge.pl/cms.php?pid=342

If anybody can help to extend our knowledge - we will be very grateful.

Have a nice weekend Rafal


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## Rafal Zahorski

Hello, we published one Deck Log Book from 1975. That time she was owned just by Cosag marine Services. It is most probably the last one what is existing. 

So please look at her Deck Log Book:

http://www.bembridge.pl/cms.php?lid=pl&gid=46230

She was involved in British Crude oil and gas searching on the North Sea. She was involved in building of the first British Oil Platform and first under water pipe line too. 

Next we will publish her Chief Mate Log Book - from 1975 too. There is a full crew list over there. One day we will find more crew members from Cosag Marine Services time so 1972 - 1976.

Many thanks anybody for any help in that matter.

Best greeting Rafal


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## Rafal Zahorski

*1975 - Chief Officer's Log Book*

Hello,

Let me tell you that we have just published a next log book - now made by Chief Mate in 1975.

http://www.bembridge.pl/cms.php?lid=pl&gid=46437

On fourth page there is a full list of her crew during Cosag Marine Services time.

Best greeting Rafal


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## Rafal Zahorski

*Our Cosag page is now updated*

Hello!

I have just finished a last update. There are many changes and many new facts. Maybe someone will help us to develop it more. 

The story begin as follow:

The Company Cosag Marine Services Ltd. (from Coastal Aggregates) was founded by Mike Davenport, John Norton Lea and Mike Woodall in 1970. They were all Second Mates with Athel Line in UK before deciding to buy a small trawler for Safety Standby work in North Sea.

The Cosag logo was red, gray and black and shaped like a sonar beam.

Cosag Office was at Ocean House, 89 Northside, Clapham Common, in London.
The Operations Office was at Fellowes Shipyard, Southtown Rd, in Great Yarmouth while there was a small superintendents office at The Leading Lighthouse, Torry, in Aberdeen.

First ship was m/v Max Reimann - trawler built in Rostock, in Eastern Germany in1951.

Next was m/v Tikker (ex 'Sheila Homan' sister ship to Max Reimann)

The rest on Cosag page:

Page is like usually here:

http://www.bembridge.pl/cms.php?pid=342

On the end of that page you will find this call:

IMPORTANT PLEASE!!!

WE ARE LOOKING FOR ANTHONY THOMPSON - HE WAS ON BEMBRIDGE IN 1974 - 1975 AS A CAPTAIN. HE WAS WITH HIS FORMER WIFE J.THOMPSON.

WE HAVE A VERY IMPORTANT INFO FOR HIM - WE ARE SURE HE WILL BE GLAD TO KNOW IT AND PAY A MIN A CASE OF GOOD BEER TO EVERYBODY WHO WILL HELP US TO FIND HIM

MANY THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR ANY HELP IN THAT MATTER!!!

And it is a really very important notice - no jokes. Anthony will be very happy to know info what we will give him. 

Who can help?

Best greeting Rafal


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## Rafal Zahorski

*New update*

Hello, our crew was extended by Alan Woodrow (Woody). He gave us a lot of new info - all is here:

http://www.bembridge.pl/cms.php?pid=342

and we started to publish some stories from that time:

http://www.bembridge.pl/cms.php?pid=343

Still we are looking for Antony Thompson!!!

Best greeting Rafal


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## andybogle

I sailed on the Max Reiman, an ex East German trawler, as a Decca surveyor. Mike Davenport met us on the quay before we were due to sail to put a rig on position off Le Havre in the Bay of Biscay. The first mate was in jail after a night on the piss in Gt Yarmouth and he asked if I would be willing to sign on as a (paid) crew member and take a watch or two as we made our way south. To which I readily agreed. Getting up to the bridge was by way of a vertical ladder to a hatch on the upper deck followed by a short walk in the elements to the wheelhouse. When I asked about the automatic pilot, the skipper reached up to the deckhead and pulled down a hinged bar with a large hole in the end which was then hooked over a spoke in the wheel! Happy days!


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## Patterson

Hi all, 

Rafal, I have been reading this thread and have discovered what could be very useful information. I am looking for old shipmates, especially from The Sperus on behalf of my mum.

My mum and grandad worked on various COSAG vessels, mainly The Sperus, my mum Michelle Patterson (stewardess) working in the 70s and Grandad JP John Patterson (chief engineer) the 70s-80s. 

You mentioned Alan Woodrow, my mum knew him very well and has now lost touch, I am particularly looking for an Annette Clarke who worked as a stewardess on the Sperus in the 70s.

She has lots of tales to tell about the COSAG days.

I hope I'm not posting this too late and and people are still checking this thread, look forward to hearing from anyone with info


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## lesliepounder

Hello. I worked as Chief Engineer on the Sperus. John Pattison was the Superintendent. I sailed with Michelle. When we went ashore in Abidjan we were all mugged and Michelle was punched. It was my best time st sea serving aboard mv Sperus. I got married in 1980 and decided to leave the sea to settle in married life. Another Chief Engineer was Called Norman Lipscompe and I was his 3rd engineer when I first joined the company. I thougherly enjoyed working for Cosag Marine Services.


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## Patterson

lesliepounder said:


> Hi Leslie, nice to hear from you. I've passed this message onto my mum Michelle, she's not sure about your name, were you known as Les?
> She's very interested in locating Alan Woodrow, of Great Yarmouth, Annette Clarke of Great Yarmouth and a Alan Abernethy of North Shields! Have you crossed paths with any of the above?
> Sadly my grandad John Patterson passed away 2 years ago, he would have loved catching up with his old ship mates!
> Kind regards Amy.


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## david freeman

just to put an oar in the water? had this company any relation with ''cosalts'' a supplytrading company in St Andrews dock Hull [fishing] and associated with the trawler companies out of Hull, Grimsby and Fleetwood, and granton?? this was in 72-74.


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## lesliepounder

Hello. Sorry it has taken so long to get back to youI forgot my login details. Yes, I was known as Les. The Sperus was laid up in Sunderland over a very cold winter in Either 77,78 or 79. I cannot remember which. All the cast iron radiators froze. John, Norman and I removed 55 of them and sent them off for scrap. I remember Alan Abernathie a deckhand, and the female stewardess you mentioned from Great Yarmouth. The Sperus was a happy ship and a pleasure to work on. It was an old Trinity House ship called the Hesperus. When Cosag bought her they had to change the name, so they just dropped the Sp.
Please give my regards to Michelle. I enjoyed the Tea and biscuits she used to bring down to the engineroom.


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## GeoffMate

*MV Bembridge*

I worked in sales at Cosag, 1971/2. I served as asst mate on Bembridge and sailed on Max Reiman to recover buoyed off anchor we lost when it just off Gt Yarmouth. As sea experience to charter the vessels, I left bewore the Sperus. There was a small supply ship from? Bosher named ? Windrush or some such, if you can recall.

I also see Brian Wright, who was a master on another Cosag Vessel.

I hear poor John Lea is in Davey Jones locker, I heard. Mike Davenport I used to be in touch with some 30 years ago, but nothing since.

Hope this helps.

Best


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## Robert Hilton

I was looking for Mike Davenport some years ago and was told he had retired from ship management and gone to New Zealand. I did not pursue this as I found the information I was seeking elsewhere.


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## GeoffMate

*MV Bembridge*

Mike Daveport's wife Jackie was a teacher and a New Zealander, so that he went to NZ not surprising. He raced a motor bike quite well I recall. I heard that MV Bembridge was sold to a yacht club on the East Coast maybe Kent? and moored as the clubhouse.
John Lea and Renee came to my wedding in 1983 in London from Aberdeen. They had expanded and had an electrical wholesale cables etc supply biz too.


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## [email protected]

Patterson said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Rafal, I have been reading this thread and have discovered what could be very useful information. I am looking for old shipmates, especially from The Sperus on behalf of my mum.
> 
> My mum and grandad worked on various COSAG vessels, mainly The Sperus, my mum Michelle Patterson (stewardess) working in the 70s and Grandad JP John Patterson (chief engineer) the 70s-80s.
> 
> You mentioned Alan Woodrow, my mum knew him very well and has now lost touch, I am particularly looking for an Annette Clarke who worked as a stewardess on the Sperus in the 70s.
> 
> She has lots of tales to tell about the COSAG days.
> 
> I hope I'm not posting this too late and and people are still checking this thread, look forward to hearing from anyone with info


Ex Sperus stewardess here - I remember your mother Michelle, she had the cabin next to mine, opposite the Galley and very near the engine room door which was mostly left open, so sleep to the sound of the Polar engines going thud, thud! Remember John Patterson junior too, he got offloaded once on to Fair Isle for the night to set up some communication system and took a photograph of a sheep for me, I still have it. Good old days.


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## Patterson

[email protected] said:


> Ex Sperus stewardess here - I remember your mother Michelle, she had the cabin next to mine, opposite the Galley and very near the engine room door which was mostly left open, so sleep to the sound of the Polar engines going thud, thud! Remember John Patterson junior too, he got offloaded once on to Fair Isle for the night to set up some communication system and took a photograph of a sheep for me, I still have it. Good old days.


Hey, well taking pictures of sheep sounds just like something my uncle Johnny would do. Always a tale to tell with him. My mum is asking who you are, she last trying to think of names of stewardesses, one being Annette and Caroline x


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## Patterson

Patterson said:


> Hey, well taking pictures of sheep sounds just like something my uncle Johnny would do. Always a tale to tell with him. My mum is asking who you are, she last trying to think of names of stewardesses, one being Annette and Caroline x


Or izzy


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## Brian Leiper

Hi I worked with Cosag in the early 80s as online surveyor onboard the Sperus. Generally had an enjoyable time though not getting paid by Mike Davenport took the shine off it. I remember John Patterson Snr and his son, the chief engineer was Pete Rowden, cook was Julie Diamond, Capt was Frank Bannon, stewardess Dina. Cosag entered into a JV with Wimpol Ltd and chartered the MV Geotek Alpha followed by the Kommander Ellen (formally Oil Hunter), when the JV failed I was offered a job with Wimpol. Overall fond memories of these early days.


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## Brian Leiper

Another memory was my first trip on the Geotek Alpha-I joined the on a horrible wet night in Blyth, the mess room bulk head was down with water pouring thru, the best thing about this was meeting my best mate to this day, John Binns, we both stood watching the water pouring and thought, do we really want to go to sea on this ship? .....so we dumped our kit bags and went to a dodgy pub in the harbour.


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## Brian Leiper

Cosag's main sphere of business in the 80s was, rig site surveys, route surveys and shallow seismic surveys. The survey crew were all goo lads, Party Chief Gus Macrae, Snr Surveyor Phil Lonergan, John Binns, Pete Clothier, Frank Christini and myself - Pete ended up getting married to Julie the cook in Sunderland and I was the best man!. Having recently retired from the survey industry, i still look back to the early days as being the most enjoyable especially the port calls?


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