Knowing I was a ‘Seafarer’ for 28 years, someone asked whether I had ever been on a ship that ‘ran aground’ – as with the Evergiven – Containership stuck in the Suez Canal.
Answer – Yes – a few times, and all but once the ship managed to free itself with tides and dumping fresh water.
The one time that it was not successful was when the large container ship I was on (large in its day) suffered engine failure in the St Lawrence River on the 20th December 1988 – a day before the Lockerbie Air Disaster. St Lawrence in December – by the Quebec Bridge at -20 degrees C is somewhat frightening to say the least.
Ran up onto the rocks and vessel suffered major damage – no loss of life and eventually towed back to Montreal.
Decided to ‘retire’ from the sea for a while !!!!!
©RoyGerstner
