# Sand pebles



## A.D.FROST (Sep 1, 2008)

The film staring Steve McQueen is onTue 12th 23.15 Free view 81 .Steam recip,with him retrieving a sack from the sump whilst its running (reminds me of crankcase inspections in Curacao finding rags in the sump after a UK coasting refits) the engine was in the studio from a trawler and now displayed on board RED OAK VICTORY a Victory ship berthed at Long Beach. The ships hull was welded and the rivet heads were glued on.


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

A.D.FROST said:


> The film staring Steve McQueen is onTue 12th 23.15 Free view 81 .Steam recip,with him retrieving a sack from the sump whilst its running (reminds me of crankcase inspections in Curacao finding rags in the sump after a UK coasting refits) the engine was in the studio from a trawler and now displayed on board RED OAK VICTORY a Victory ship berthed at Long Beach. The ships hull was welded and the rivet heads were glued on.


That's show biz. Steve Mcqueen's best film was "The Blob" - I sneaked in through the fire exit at the Essoldo in Middlesbrough to see it. Next week's "Nudes in the Snow" was better, but ... owt for nowt and threepence change...


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## TonyAllen (Aug 6, 2008)

best scene "live stem dead stem I udder stating "


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## BobClay (Dec 14, 2007)

I remember seeing _'The Blob'_ at our local fleapit cinema with the wondrous name of the _'Sandonia.'_

There's a scene in it when the _'Blob'_ oozes through the projection windows at the rear of the cinema, and I have to admit I took a look round in the _'San'_ when that scene showed.

The _Sand Pebbles_ was a big production as I remember it, I think _Richard Attenborough_ was in it too. (Pint)


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## Stephen J. Card (Nov 5, 2006)

"But perhaps the real star of the film is a 150-foot steel-hulled gunboat, built by Vaughn & Yung (incorrectly spelled Jung) Engineering Ltd. of Hong Kong. The San Pablo herself, river-going home of The Sand Pebbles. An authentic replica of one type of U.S. navy gunboat used in China in the 1920's, the current San Pablo is powered with a diesel engine, will "sleep" a caretaker crew of six and is an ocean-going vessel capable of ten knots. She made the voyage by sea from Hong Kong to Taiwan and then back to Hong Kong, attesting to her stability."


For many years fans have wondered what had become of the movie ship, the San Pablo. The movie souvenir book simply stated that: "Upon completion of The Sand Pebbles, the San Pablo was saved from the scrap heap - the fate of all gunboats - by an American construction firm which had a contract to rebuild bridges in Viet Nam. The ship went back to the Vaughn & Yung yards for some minor alterations and today is serving as a floating hotel and dormitory for American construction crews working behind the battle areas." 
A national wire service story, dated August 29, 1966, basically told the same story of the San Pablo's future:
"Movie Gunboat To Become Hotel - The USS San Pablo, quarter-million-dollar 150-foot gunboat built for Robert Wise's The Sand Pebbles has been sold to Hong Kong interests and will serve the war effort in South Viet Nam as a floating hotel. The San Pablo, replica of gunboats that plied the Yangtze during the 1920's, will be towed to Saigon this month. The buyers, Vaughn & Yung, Ltd., will charter the vessel after conversion. Spokemen for the company said it will be used to house American engineers involved in dock construction in Saigon. The ship was built in Hong Kong last year." Newspaper clipping.
After this nothing else was known about the fate of the San Pablo until I received a letter on November 4, 2008 from Murray Bollen, Mandurah West Australia:
"...In 1975, I came across the "Nola D" - engineless and forlorn against a dock in Tarakan Indonesia. She was being used as a base camp/accommodation camp for a seismic survey company Delta Exploration, then a Houston Based company. I was at the time working on one of their other vessels, the Rio Das Contas and happened to see her in Tarakan. I did not realise what the significance of the vessel was as I had not seen the movie at that time. Only years later I saw the movie and can virtually confirm her to be one and the same."
On March 29, 2009 I received a letter (with photo) from Horrie Hunt, Australia:
"I noted that no one has come forward with info on the San Pablo. After the movie I believe it was sold to the De Long Timber Co. in the Philippines. It was renamed the “Nola D” after Nola Dianne Delong the owner's wife or daughter. It was later sold to Seiscom Delta Exploration Co. and used as a base camp in Indonesia until the mid 1970’s. I was on it in 1974 and have a photo of it at that time. Back deck turned into power house Helipad on the top. I lost track of it after that."



Then a follow-up letter from Horrie Hunt on April 2, 2009: 

"...I have spoken to a person who was a supervisor at Delta Exploration at the time. He lives in this part of the world. Brisbane Australia.

Delta Exploration (later to become Seiscom Delta) purchased the Nola D in the very early 1970's. She was engineless then and had to be towed everywhere. The last job she was used on was in 1974-1975. This was in the area of the Mahakam River Delta and a place called Bontang in Indonesian Borneo. The photo was taken at Bontang. I last heard of her in a radio message as she was being towed to Jakarta I think in 1975. She was never used again and was sold and scrapped sometime in late 1975 or 1976. The bloke I was talking to is going to Jakarta next week and will ask around to find out about her final destination. Some of the people who worked there then are still in Indonesia. We may still be able to find out exactly what happened.

San Pablo. She was converted to a base camp for seismic operations. The area between the forward and aft cabins was built in and become a mess room. The aft top cabin area became the Kitchen, Cold rooms and accommodation for the cooks and cleaners. The area directly below was the mechanics workshop. The lower Middle area was the electronics and cable workshop, The forward Top and lower cabin sections were expat accommodation. The bridge (empty) was left bare. The below deck area (****** quarters in the movie ) was made into fresh water storage The engine had been removed. If I remember the prop steam engine was still in situ. Fuel tanks were built into the aft steering area. The Power shed was built onto the back deck. All in all she was probably the best base camp I ever stayed on. You could still see the name 'San Pablo' on the stern from where it was cut off. 

Her construction was welded steel, and to make it look like she was a riveted steel boat, all the rivet heads were glued on plastic domes. The steel shutters on the bridge windows were still there and the gun turret mounts were still there. I'll let you know if I hear anymore..."
A final letter from Horrie Hunt on April 14, 2009:
"Have a reply back from Jakarta. The Nola D was taken to Singapore and broken up in 1975.

This is from the person who organised it."


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## Michael Taylor (Aug 31, 2008)

Long story short but an old friend who worked for a Hong Kong outfit was the licenced Master for the film when ever the vessel was moved. Remember him turning up one night in the Sisters Bar Kowloon side with Steve McQeen and wandering around numerous bars. One of the funniest nights of my seagoing career. The Sand Pebbles was taken over to Kaoshung for the filming where we met again, this time onboard, Not sure of the dates but maybe some one from Ellermans may remember, I would have been 2nd Mate.


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## BobClay (Dec 14, 2007)

Apparently this scene was deleted in the final release (the fire.) For some reason they're all speaking in New Jersey accents :sweat: but there was no CGI then so it's a good profile of the ship.

https://youtu.be/DIxTruxPbdk


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## NoR (Mar 24, 2008)

Michael Taylor said:


> Long story short but an old friend who worked for a Hong Kong outfit was the licenced Master for the film when ever the vessel was moved. Remember him turning up one night in the *Sisters Bar Kowloon side *with Steve McQeen and wandering around numerous bars. One of the funniest nights of my seagoing career. The Sand Pebbles was taken over to Kaoshung for the filming where we met again, this time onboard, Not sure of the dates but maybe some one from Ellermans may remember, I would have been 2nd Mate.


Was that the Three Sisters' Bar behind the Mariners' club at the foot of Nathan Road ?


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## Johnny Walker (Mar 27, 2010)

NoR said:


> Was that the Three Sisters' Bar behind the Mariners' club at the foot of Nathan Road ?


That was the 4 sisters bar (Also Known as the 8 T*ts) It was in Minden Passage which ran parallel with Nathan Road It could be accessed from middle road in the south or mody road in the north.


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## kewl dude (Jun 1, 2008)

http://www.lanevictory.org/joomla/index.php/tours

Quote

For any Steve McQueen fans visting the ship, we have the working prop-engine used in the filming of "The Sand Pebbles" (1966) starring Steve McQueen, Mako Iwamatsu, Candice Bergen and Richard Attenborough.

Unquote

Attached: SandPebblesME-LaneVictory.jpg (136.7 KB)

Picture I took February 2012.

BTW the Lane Victory is moored in San Pedro, California, Los Angeles area. 

The Red Oak Victory is moored in Richmond, California, San Francisco Bay area.

https://richmondmuseum.org/ss-red-oak-victory/

Greg Hayden


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## Satanic Mechanic (Feb 23, 2009)

TonyAllen said:


> best scene "live stem dead stem I udder stating "


To this day one of my favourite films and the lines above especially useful for cadets

Tired steam, dead steam savvy


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## NoR (Mar 24, 2008)

Johnny Walker said:


> That was the 4 sisters bar (Also Known as the 8 T*ts) It was in Minden Passage which ran parallel with Nathan Road It could be accessed from middle road in the south or mody road in the north.


You're right my memory played me false. I was probably in the Four Sisters half a dozen times in the mid seventies during a sojourn in the Mariners Club.


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## Michael Taylor (Aug 31, 2008)

Johnny Walker said:


> That was the 4 sisters bar (Also Known as the 8 T*ts) It was in Minden Passage which ran parallel with Nathan Road It could be accessed from middle road in the south or mody road in the north.


Am sure you are correct as I remember the Nathan/Minden connection but have always thought three, perhaps another one joined the fold after my days.


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## Johnny Walker (Mar 27, 2010)

Michael Taylor said:


> Am sure you are correct as I remember the Nathan/Minden connection but have always thought three, perhaps another one joined the fold after my days.


I first used the place in the late 70's through the 80's and early 90's during that time it was always called the 4 sisters. What it was called before then I do not know. It was owned by a ships captain and run by his wife & son (Linda & George) I wonder when it closed as I was there last year for the first time in about 26 years and like all the other bars in Tsim Tsa Shui that were there in those years it was long gone.


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## septiclecky (Mar 11, 2009)

Johnny Walker said:


> I first used the place in the late 70's through the 80's and early 90's during that time it was always called the 4 sisters. What it was called before then I do not know. It was owned by a ships captain and run by his wife & son (Linda & George) I wonder when it closed as I was there last year for the first time in about 26 years and like all the other bars in Tsim Tsa Shui that were there in those years it was long gone.


Train station to Kowloon easy to say when pissed when returning to Hong Kong United Dockyard


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