# penrod rig NZ



## are39

I was Mate on Grizzly bear and polar Bear towing Penrod 74 around NZ For 4 years.
going 140 miles south of Bluff anchoring her in 2500 feet with piggy backs.
Thinking back dont know how we did it,didnt even have posts down aft for towing,Archaic Eh
Any one know these boats.Especially any Yanks as she flew the stars stripes.
jumi5 mike bishop


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## Pat McCardle

When was this, possibly back in '78? I remember being in Bluff then on Somerset & an offshore vessel being in there, Morgan City, La reg. One of the AB's was from Sunderland named Joe Johnson (see My Gallery) & another guy from Skye or Islay. I got a box of 200 Crayfish tails off them for 5 packets of Golden Virginia, possibly the best deal I ever done!


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## are39

Pat McCardle said:


> When was this, possibly back in '78? I remember being in Bluff then on Somerset & an offshore vessel being in there, Morgan City, La reg. One of the AB's was from Sunderland named Joe Johnson (see My Gallery) & another guy from Skye or Islay. I got a box of 200 Crayfish tails off them for 5 packets of Golden Virginia, possibly the best deal I ever done!


Hi Pat
Yes both the Grizzly bear and Polar bear was Registered Morgan City.Yank Learner skipper Rest of crew Kiwi,s.Yes was 78
The one you spoke about was the polar.That crew would give away there mother for a smoke.there name would have been Stoddarts from scotland
Mike bishop
jumi5


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## Pat McCardle

We were in Bluff for about 4-5 weeks so got a lot of visits from the guys off the Polar Bear as our beer was cheaper than up the road & we were closer & stayed open longer too. I can't remember the name of the Scots guy but remember Joe as he was from my home town & well known.


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## dave wybrow

*penrod 74*

I did a stint as radio op on the standby boat to this rig. Think the boat was called the Tanglow. It was off Palawan, Phillipines in the south China sea. I remember well someone being called up as Captain Bob on the Polar Bear - or maybe the Grizzly Bear when they were around the rig.

I kept getting called Captain Dave by huge Texans that populated the rig.

Actually it was a bit of a nightmare. Didnt know what I was doing since I'd blagged the job from a mercenary I met in Manillia. There was a typhoon or two, the boat sprang a leak and had to be fixed with old plimsols and cement. The skipper and crew were all tagalog speakers only. Much drunkeness, boat ran out of food etc etc.

Remember off-loading tons of drilling mud (Spearzene?) in the middle of the night in heavy swell. Ships mate had a toupee which kept flying off in the breeze...

It was terrible - and fantastic and I'd do it again tomorrow.

Nice to see the names Polar Bear and Grizzly bear again.


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## GlennysF

Long time after the original post but my husband was Chief Engineer on the Polar Bear in the late 70s. He was on it running out of Bluff then off Nelson for a while before they towed the Penrod up to Darwin and the Australians took over.


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## NZSCOTTY

Nice to hear you on here Jumi5 (Mike). Yes memories of the old Grizzly Bear! yank skippers popping pills to keep awake. I even started smoking again! Hot bedding during drill shifts 6 on/off. Only good thing was we earned at least twice as much as others on the coast.
Enjoy your retirement Mike
John


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## Captian Dag

*Grizzly and Polar Bear*

A couple of photos of the Polar Bear and Grizzly Bear from my good friend Ko Rusman.

If any of you have additional photos and would like to share, Please send PM


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## are39

grizzlly bear polar bear Penrod 74 Mike bishop now 
[email protected]
any one wants info photos


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## standoc

*Penrod 74*

Hi - this is a very late reply in this thread but here goes anyway. My dad was a geologist on Penrod 74 - I was only 12 or so when he was there but I recall many stories about it. He was quite moved by his experience there (he'd worked as a consultant all around the world) as he was certain that somewhere under there was a HUGE crude oil deposit but in the same sentence he would lament over how deep and rough it was out there.

Anyway I am sure I could think of lots of stories he told me if anyone is interested. Also would love any contact from anybody who remembered my Dad.


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## Colin P Wood

I remember the Grizzaling Bear and Polar bear coming to Darwin with Penrod 74. Both vessel were very ??? seaworthy. The Grizzaling got a Port Kembla crew and hardly ever moved, while the Polar Bear had a Fremantle crew who did all the work. While working out of Darwin both boats were put into top shape.


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## DunedinDave

I joined Grizzly Bear as 2nd Engineer just after it arrived down from New Plymouth and Penrod 74 rig anchored up in Big Glory bay at Stewart Island for major work on its legs. I think it was late 1974, I was with her for the remaining 4 plus years that she was in New Zealand waters. Yes we worked some horrendous weather as Mike said some 140 miles from no where. I done the trip towing the Penrod to Darwin via Lae in New Guinea some 56 days. After that I done a 6 year stint with Tidewater out of New Plymouth. Then skulling around in a dutch dredge for 17 years I went back to the rig tenders in 2006 with Swires in Australia. Hells bells what a difference in the technology in working anchors and supplying different materials for the drilling. The new AHTS vessels are now the state of the art with every modern convenience one can think of. But I still remember fondly the Grizzly bear and all the people that I sailed with, unfortunately most of them were older than me and have since passed on. After 44 years at sea as an engineer I retired back in 2014. Cheers Dave.


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## morky1

I was shore-based Ch Steward for Glomar, based in Nelson in 1975, we had the Glomar Tasman drilling all over the place, wildcatting for Burmah Oil, the Penrod 64 was brought into Milford Sound for structural repair to the sub structure, lots of specialist welders flown in from Texas, NZ was culture shock, most them never knew where it was even when they were there.


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## FJM

*Penrod 74 Reply*



standoc said:


> Hi - this is a very late reply in this thread but here goes anyway. My dad was a geologist on Penrod 74 - I was only 12 or so when he was there but I recall many stories about it. He was quite moved by his experience there (he'd worked as a consultant all around the world) as he was certain that somewhere under there was a HUGE crude oil deposit but in the same sentence he would lament over how deep and rough it was out there.
> 
> Anyway I am sure I could think of lots of stories he told me if anyone is interested. Also would love any contact from anybody who remembered my Dad.


My dad was barge engineer on Penrod 74 in New Zealand, I think in about the mid 1970s to the early 1980s.


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## FJM

Ask about the name Malinak


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## NKO

*IMO numbers Polar Bear and the Grizzly Bear*

Hello, in 1977 I started as a contract welder in the Placid international oilfield on the Penrod 36. saw the supply vessels of the Penrod fleet there. Mammoth, Mastodon, Hippo, Rhino etc etc, rarely also to Polar bear and Grizzly Bear. does someone have the IMO numbers of the Polar Bear and the Grizzly Bear for me.

Regards Nico Koorn


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## remembering

*re Penrod 36 in 1977,*

Nicco Koorn,

I was on the Penrod 36 as a diver with Sub Sea International in December of 77 and a few following months and have some photos of that I'll dig out. A three island gas platform, the divers' quarters in the topmost of two stacked portacabins right on one corner, 150 feet or so above the sea. One door of that was wired shut with a warning, "Dont Open!!!" The step out of that would have been to the sea. I was, like the other divers, also on the Penrod 57, 58, and 64, which were jackups, and I have photos of that, too. Shallow diving, then, only to a hundred feet when checking the bottom for scouring at the foot of jackup legs, but the current was very strong. Most of the bell deck of the 36 was without railings, and it was all poorly lit, and in high weather when we nevertheless dived, the tops of waves nipped the grating below our feet where the stage was set. The dive superintendant was Bob Ingham from Derby. You're Dutch, right? At that time and for the following year my wife and I had a townhouse in Loonen on the Vecht.


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## NKO

hello remembering,

Thanks for your reaction.

We slept also in the two stacked portacabins right on one corner, 10 persons in one cabin. i remember the divers, my oh my.

Can you send my the photos please.

Thanks Nico


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## remembering

Nico,

Wow! I have many photos, all my own, to scan and will set about figuring out just how to do that. Meanwhile, here are two that are not my own but by who or when I'm not sure. The 36, showing the three islands, drilling in foreground, and the jackup 64. It looks vintage 76, 77 so I presume that's when it was. The 57, 58, and 64 were homes for the divers, too, but if the weather got so bad that the jackups moved around a lot, we preferred to be on the 36. If weather got VERY bad, someone would be sent over to advise us to come and drink coffee in the galley and sit out the storm. On Christmas morning, 76, I made a dive that nearly killed me. Not to the sea bed, just to fifty feet to turn a valve and take some measurements, but as was so common in the diving there was one delay after another. I wasn't wearing a hot water suit but a borrowed 1/8 inch wetsuit that was torn out under the armpits. When finally the stage came down to get me I was befuddled with the cold and had no hand strength, my arms floated around me. I really had to fight to get into the stage. Topside, still sensible enough to know that I had to raise my core temperature, I wisely declined a hot shower. It took hours of hot coffee in the galley to warm me up.


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## remembering

Here is the Penrod 64


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## DxbBob

NKO said:


> Hello, in 1977 I started as a contract welder in the Placid international oilfield on the Penrod 36. saw the supply vessels of the Penrod fleet there. Mammoth, Mastodon, Hippo, Rhino etc etc, rarely also to Polar bear and Grizzly Bear. does someone have the IMO numbers of the Polar Bear and the Grizzly Bear for me.
> 
> Regards Nico Koorn


Nico, please see below.
*POLAR BEAR*, IMO 7344950, call sign HP5763
*GRIZZLY BEAR*, IMO 7344962, sold for demolition and beached for break-up at Alang (state of Gujarat, India) on 05 February 2016.


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## Allen London

standoc said:


> *Penrod 74*
> 
> Hi - this is a very late reply in this thread but here goes anyway. My dad was a geologist on Penrod 74 - I was only 12 or so when he was there but I recall many stories about it. He was quite moved by his experience there (he'd worked as a consultant all around the world) as he was certain that somewhere under there was a HUGE crude oil deposit but in the same sentence he would lament over how deep and rough it was out there.
> 
> Anyway I am sure I could think of lots of stories he told me if anyone is interested. Also would love any contact from anybody who remembered my Dad.


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## Allen London

i worked on Penrod 74 in NZ from 1974 to 1976 , i knew 2 American geologists. What was your dad's name.


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## Grahame Osborne

Pat McCardle said:


> We were in Bluff for about 4-5 weeks so got a lot of visits from the guys off the Polar Bear as our beer was cheaper than up the road & we were closer & stayed open longer too. I can't remember the name of the Scots guy but remember Joe as he was from my home town & well known.


Hi to you Pat, I have fond memories of the two tugs of which I did a main bearing line bore of the main motor in Whangarei harbour with an apprentice and the last journal bore before the prop shaft in Bluff harbour beside Bluff Engineering in the company of Brian Fiffe an apprentice and Dennice Thorban WECO works supervisor.
Please feel free to make contact if you wish.
Thanks for your submission.
Grahame


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## Grahame Osborne

are39 said:


> I was Mate on Grizzly bear and polar Bear towing Penrod 74 around NZ For 4 years.
> going 140 miles south of Bluff anchoring her in 2500 feet with piggy backs.
> Thinking back dont know how we did it,didnt even have posts down aft for towing,Archaic Eh
> Any one know these boats.Especially any Yanks as she flew the stars stripes.
> jumi5 mike bishop


Hi Mike, Yes I knew these ships.
I have fond memories of the two tugs of which I did a main bearing line bore of the main motor in Whangarei harbour with an apprentice and the last journal bore before the prop shaft in Bluff harbour beside Bluff Engineering in the company of Brian Fiffe an apprentice and Dennice Thorban WECO works supervisor.
Please feel free to make contact if you wish.
Thanks for your submission.
Grahame


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## arryboy39

DunedinDave said:


> I joined Grizzly Bear as 2nd Engineer just after it arrived down from New Plymouth and Penrod 74 rig anchored up in Big Glory bay at Stewart Island for major work on its legs. I think it was late 1974, I was with her for the remaining 4 plus years that she was in New Zealand waters. Yes we worked some horrendous weather as Mike said some 140 miles from no where. I done the trip towing the Penrod to Darwin via Lae in New Guinea some 56 days. After that I done a 6 year stint with Tidewater out of New Plymouth. Then skulling around in a dutch dredge for 17 years I went back to the rig tenders in 2006 with Swires in Australia. Hells bells what a difference in the technology in working anchors and supplying different materials for the drilling. The new AHTS vessels are now the state of the art with every modern convenience one can think of. But I still remember fondly the Grizzly bear and all the people that I sailed with, unfortunately most of them were older than me and have since passed on. After 44 years at sea as an engineer I retired back in 2014. Cheers Dave.


hi Dave think I remember you,,,i was the idiot mate,doing the 4years grizzly and polar bears from start to rig 74 leaving NZ,,,How the frig did we do it,,archaic towing,,get back and chat if u see this mike bishop


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## Mike Greenwood

remembering said:


> *re Penrod 36 in 1977,*
> 
> Nicco Koorn,
> 
> I was on the Penrod 36 as a diver with Sub Sea International in December of 77 and a few following months and have some photos of that I'll dig out. A three island gas platform, the divers' quarters in the topmost of two stacked portacabins right on one corner, 150 feet or so above the sea. One door of that was wired shut with a warning, "Dont Open!!!" The step out of that would have been to the sea. I was, like the other divers, also on the Penrod 57, 58, and 64, which were jackups, and I have photos of that, too. Shallow diving, then, only to a hundred feet when checking the bottom for scouring at the foot of jackup legs, but the current was very strong. Most of the bell deck of the 36 was without railings, and it was all poorly lit, and in high weather when we nevertheless dived, the tops of waves nipped the grating below our feet where the stage was set. The dive superintendant was Bob Ingham from Derby. You're Dutch, right? At that time and for the following year my wife and I had a townhouse in Loonen on the Vecht.


Hey mate,
I was a radio op on the 58 and the 64 from Jan 76 to mid 79. I recall Subsea's Bob Ingham (from Burnley in Lancashire and spoke with a northern speech impediment like most of us Limey radio ops), Craig Duell was Bob's b2b I think, then there was Guy Fouts, Tom Spong, Johnny Baldwin (he'd recently relocated to Sussex after spending years in Rhodesia), a Brit called Gary who was buying a cottage in Church Cove, Cornwall. Ab vd Maat terrorised most people, not least me. A bit like in Schindler's List where der Kommandant shot random prisoners from his balcony. Joop vd Berg (a complete gentleman), Scottish Dave company man, Larry Sledge, Tom Newman -great guy who could talk about his Lambo even if he was under wet concrete with a gob full of marbles, Nick Jepson the Slimy Limey, John the Sailor from the Channel Is, Sonny Hailey, Harold Gautney & Jan the leckies, Lee & Bert the mechanics, DD Sumrall, Bobby Flarity, Gene the ADM, radio ops the Te Pas brothers Cees & Harry, Henk Blaauw, Han Geels, Riemer Haagsma, Bill Marsland & Little John, Alan Roberts, Graham Latham the radio op turned company man, the Smith bros Stew & Alistair, Clive the cook -eternal loser at Booray, Mick Givens the steward, Rinus Oliveir, Herman Malenstein, Theo crane op, Sjoerd same, Ko Keur welder, Pablo night cook. Lots of great folks. I could go on all night  If you happen to have any photos of those day I'd really appreciate copies, thanks in advance. Regards, Mike Greenwood


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## Bal Ynclino

DxbBob said:


> Nico, please see below.
> *POLAR BEAR*, IMO 7344950, call sign HP5763
> *GRIZZLY BEAR*, IMO 7344962, sold for demolition and beached for break-up at Alang (state of Gujarat, India) on 05 February 2016.


So, the twin bears have rested in India for scrap. I saw the pictures of Grizzly Bear, Polar Bear, Penrod 74, and PACLOG Sealink. I was once a Materialsman and worked with Penrod Drilling Co. thru Petroman Agency as it drilled the Palawan Seas in the Philippines in 1981 for Philips Petroleum. The twin bears supply workboats were in very good condition back then. Each had a 5000Hp twin Storkwerkspor Engine, 2 TWIN 16v-71 gm GENSET, 2 TWIN 12v71 GM engines for the winch, and 2 units 8V-71 GM Engine for its Bow thruster. Seeing the pictures brings back so many good memories. Thank you for posting the pictures of these vessels.Many who had been in these vessels as crew members may have passed away by now but with these pictures, the memory lives on.


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## Bal Ynclino

Back in 1981, the team of PENROD 74, Grizzly Bear, Polar Bear, Pacific Logistics Sealink, Okanagan Helicopters worked as a team contracted by Philips Petroleum to drill 9 holes in the Palawan area near the south China Sea within Philippine Territorial waters. I worked then as a Materialsman for Penrod 74 assigned in Paclog Sealink. At that time, these workboats were in top condition with 2 Storkwerkspoor 5000 Hp engine synchronized, 2 units 16V-71 GM generator sets, 2 units 12V-71 GM engines for the winch, and 2 units 8V-71 GM vertical engines for the Bow thruster. We were anchored near the shoreline to provide potable water for RIG 74 and hauled by these 2 workboats. All the riser pipes and casings were stored in PACLOG Sealink when changing positions and during anchoring. The Polar bear had a Capt. Dave and Grizzly bear had Capt. Burnett. SEEING THESE PICTURES BRINGS BACK GREAT MEMORIES. Yes, the Okanagan was the best-sounding chopper during the change crew period and when it is time to go home. It is sad that grizzly bear was sold as scrap to India and cut to pieces. Good memories of this operation will go with me when my candle burns down. Thanks to the internet, I am now 65 years old and never would have thought that I can hear a thread like this about these wonderful workboats.


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## Frank B

Probably very late response


standoc said:


> *Penrod 74*
> 
> Hi - this is a very late reply in this thread but here goes anyway. My dad was a geologist on Penrod 74 - I was only 12 or so when he was there but I recall many stories about it. He was quite moved by his experience there (he'd worked as a consultant all around the world) as he was certain that somewhere under there was a HUGE crude oil deposit but in the same sentence he would lament over how deep and rough it was out there.
> 
> Anyway I am sure I could think of lots of stories he told me if anyone is interested. Also would love any contact from anybody who remembered my Dad.


Probably very late response but I was a radio operator on Penrod 74 was your father's name Jack I can remember conversations with him when he used to tell me the great south basin was one of the most promising area's he'd ever had anything to do with.


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## Frank B

DunedinDave said:


> I joined Grizzly Bear as 2nd Engineer just after it arrived down from New Plymouth and Penrod 74 rig anchored up in Big Glory bay at Stewart Island for major work on its legs. I think it was late 1974, I was with her for the remaining 4 plus years that she was in New Zealand waters. Yes we worked some horrendous weather as Mike said some 140 miles from no where. I done the trip towing the Penrod to Darwin via Lae in New Guinea some 56 days. After that I done a 6 year stint with Tidewater out of New Plymouth. Then skulling around in a dutch dredge for 17 years I went back to the rig tenders in 2006 with Swires in Australia. Hells bells what a difference in the technology in working anchors and supplying different materials for the drilling. The new AHTS vessels are now the state of the art with every modern convenience one can think of. But I still remember fondly the Grizzly bear and all the people that I sailed with, unfortunately most of them were older than me and have since passed on. After 44 years at sea as an engineer I retired back in 2014. Cheers Dave.


I joined while 74 was in Big Glory and most of the big changes were to the eight anchor capstans to make anchoring possible in 2500 feet of water new electric motors etc and the ability to alter the current flow to slow the capstans down as free falling 15 ton anchors in that depth of water would have created big problems.


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