# Sand Swift



## sandboatgirl (Jul 18, 2009)

Hi there,

I was a Cook Steward on the Sand Swift 1979 - 1980, the first female to work on board that particular ship. Later that year a female AB joined the crew. During my year I had the pleasure to work with the following skippers and crews, does anyone know of their whereabouts:
Richard Cory, Andy Joel, John Campbell, Richard Morris, Dougie Smith, Peter Dixen
There was also a female engineer working on the Sand Serin, It was so long ago I can't remember her name now but I remember she lived down at Littlehampton, does anyone know of her?

Also does anyone know what happened to the Sand Swift? Great to hear that the Weaver and the Serin are still on the go - just. 

The Serin was the first ship I worked on - by accident really - I just happened to be on there visiting my boyfriend at the time and the Cook went walkabout so I was asked to cook for the crew for the weekend. That weekends cooking got me my job with South Coast.

It would be great to hear from anyone.

SBG


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## non descript (Nov 18, 2005)

*SBG*, On the occasion of your first posting, a warm welcome to you. Thank you for joining the community and hopefully someone will pop up with information for you; do enjoy the site and all it has to offer, and we very much look forward to your postings. _Bon Voyage_


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## sandboatgirl (Jul 18, 2009)

Thank you Tonga!

What a nice welcome.

SBG


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## duquesa (Aug 31, 2006)

*sand swift*

sandboatgirl, her name was Sue North. Knew her well before she went into the sand boats. She had some interesting adventures!


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## sandboatgirl (Jul 18, 2009)

Hi Duquesa,

Thanks for replying. Sue North!! Of course!! She was such good fun, we had a party on the Serin and she was an absolute scream. Didn't she work as an engineer on dust carts before she joined the sand boats and didn't she offer to work for free initially to try and prove herself and get herself a job?

What is she doing now?

SBG


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## Tony Shaw (Mar 31, 2010)

Hello Sandboatgirl/
Well, surprise,surprise, I retired two years ago, my last job being skipper on the "Serin". You'll be sad to hear that she was sold, towed across to Waterford last year, and, I believe, has now gone for scrap. I was with Dick Morris on the "Swan" as 2nd mate and mate, before taking over from Dick as skipper. He got fed up with RMC and left to go with Northwoods and was skipper on the "Donald Redford" before being made redundant last year. I was amused to hear how you got the job with South Coast. If only they recruited like that now instead of all the bull.Be happy to carryon going over old times but you may have abandoned this 'thread'. If you acknowledge this I'll get back to you.

All the very best
Tony Shaw


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## billyboy (Jul 6, 2005)

sandboatgirl said:


> Hi there,
> 
> I was a Cook Steward on the Sand Swift 1979 - 1980, the first female to work on board that particular ship. Later that year a female AB joined the crew. During my year I had the pleasure to work with the following skippers and crews, does anyone know of their whereabouts:
> Richard Cory, Andy Joel, John Campbell, Richard Morris, Dougie Smith, Peter Dixen
> ...



Hi SBG.
_ worked on the Martin and the Star in the early 60's. Sailed with John Campbel quite a lot. Sadly i am informed he passed away a few years back. Sailed under "Gus" Smith a time or two as well when he relieved on the martin._


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## smartcar (Apr 18, 2011)

Hi SBG,

I think we had 2 female cooks on the Sand Swift at about that time. I was Mate and served with both Richard Cory and Dick Morris. Sue went on to the Sand Weaver, as did I, and eventually married Roy who was Engineer on there.

Only just found this forum, so apologies for the late reply 

Regards

Peter Little


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## Tony Shaw (Mar 31, 2010)

Hello Peter/

I think Sandboatgirl gave up waiting for replies as her original post was quite a while ago, however, one can't give up trying in the off chance they have a casual glance through the threads.
Tony


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## duquesa (Aug 31, 2006)

Just picked this up again and don't know why I hadn't spotted it earlier. Sandboatgirl, Sue North married a pilot in Littlehampton called Peter (North). He later transferred to the Essex Rivers Pilotage district. During his time there, Sue joined an all female expedition to the Atrato swamp in Venezuela/Columbia as their engineer. She had responsibility for their Volvo Penta machines. There were some scary tales told when she got back and some bottles of the hard stuff disappeared in my house late into a few nights. Unfortunately, the relationship fizzled out and she left Colchester. That was the point when she went into the sand boats. I heard some time back that she had married - possibly a sand boat engineer - and was last heard of raising chickens in the west country. This was a good number of years ago and true or not I have no idea. As to your dustcart story I can add nothing but I do know that she had completed a heavy machinery course with Volvo at some stage prior to her arrival in East Anglia. That is all I can tell you but often wish I had contact with her again as she was a ray of sunshine. Peter I'm afraid, passed away a few years ago.


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