As it Turned out, I only ever did 2 Trips Offshore, I cannot Remember why I Never did more, I was not Sacked, that's for sure, perhaps it was the thought of, in the New Year, you were going to have to have a Safety Certificate (I think that's what is was called) to Work Offshore!
These Safety Certificate's included being in a Capsule that was turned Upside Down in a Swimming Pool and you had to Prove you could get out Safely without any Panicking etc, make's me Sea Sick just Thinking about it!
So this was one Good Reason not to Return Offshore!
I will always Remember after my First Trip Away, and (also my First Time away from Home) what Happened When I got back Home, it was around Mid-Morning, Nathan was still at School, so it was just Susan Natalie at Home, so I pressed the Door-Bell to Surprise, them both!
When she was a Toddler "Natalie" always seemed to have a "Red Nose" so when she ran to the Door , after I Pressed the Bell, she pressed Her Face against the Frosted Glass Door to Look through it, and all I can Remember was seeing Her "Red Nose" Squashed against the Glass and Screaming out, Daddy! What a Welcome Home that was!
So my last Trip offshore was around Mid-December 1983, I was Due In-Shore about 1 Week before Christmas, this nearly did not work out like this.
I believe Christmas Eve that Year was on a Saturday and we were Due to Fly back Home on the Thursday which was the 22nd, well on the Tuesday a Thick Fog covered the Rig, and No Helicopter's were Flying In or Out!
This lasted for about 3 Days, Wednesday and Thursday came And went, Still Fog Everywhere, so our Flight was Cancelled, and there was Serious Talk about "the Fog not Lifting for Days" which would have Meant Spending Christmas on the Rigs.................. What a Disaster that would have been!
But Luckily for us, late Friday Afternoon the "Fog Lifted" and I was Flown back to Home to the Heliport and about 3 Hours Later I was Home.........Just in Time For Christmas!!
I have Never Stepped on a Gas Platform/Rig ever Since!
Marlena Shaw Co-Wrote the Track with Lee Magid, It was Produced by Billy Davis. Jazz Artist Ramsey Lewis had his own Instrumental Version Released, also on "Cadet Records"!
Apparently the Song's Lyric's were originally used as a "Song of Freedom" to Instruct Slave's to Escape their Captive's! For more Info on this and some Great Dancing!
For a More In-Depth Story into the Lyrics and the Original Gospel Song, where "Wade In The Water " comes from, Check this Site Out.
Over the Years there has been many Different Versions by differing Artists, Check some of them out, at bottom of Post!
Checkout the Northern Soul Dancing!
Here's a Few Different Versions with the Original and Best First!
As I said in a Previous Post, one of the Worst things about being on a Gas Platform/Rig, was the Continual Noise of the Klaxon when the Main Alarm went off, and it went off Many Times!
I would say on Average it was about 5/6 Times Daily, and that's at any time, Mostly when you was not working, and nearly always in your time off!
But there one other thing that was as bad as this, and that was the Weekly Drill of getting into the Platforms Emergency Capsule, it was a Round Floating Covered Vessel (just like the 2 picture's on here) in case of any Onboard Emergencies!
I remember the First practice Very Well, It was Quite Scary, to say the least!
Me and About 20 Blokes had to get in each Vessel (these were Hanging over the side of the Gas Platform) you Sat around the Inside of the Vessel in a Circle, the Door was Shut, and we all had to go through what we would do, if there was an Emergency!
If this was such an Emergency these Vessels would have been lowered slowly into the North Sea, and then you would have been floating around, until somebody came to Rescue you!
What a Scary Thought, Thank God this Never Happened and in the End I only did 2 Trips Offshore, I don't think I was really Cut Out for this type of Work, Offshore I mean, not the Cooking. I Missed my Home Comforts Too Much!
The Record was Written by Jerry Butler with Gamble & Huff and Taken from the Album "The Iceman Cometh" this was Jerry Butler's Nickname (The Iceman) given to him by a US DJ.
The Single Charted in the US at Number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart and it Topped the Billboard Black Chart for 2 weeks in early 1969!
The Single was Certified Platinum.
Jerry Butler was the Original Lead Singer with the Impressions and nowadays for the Last 30 Years, He's been a Politician!
A Couple of more (Watery) Incidents that I clearly remember about Working on the Gas Platform back in November & December 1983, are as follows:
One of the Contractors who did something concerning the actual Drilling told me he went Fishing a Couple of times a Week and if He caught enough for me as well, would I cook the Fish for our Tea, one night!
I agreed and thought he was going to Catch it when He went back Onshore and then brought it back with him.
So a Couple of Days later, he said to me "are you ready to come Fishing, today" I thought what the Hell is he on about!
Anyway, he told me to Wear a Big Coat, Wrap up Warm and put my Hard Hat on and meet Him at a certain Place & Time, during my Afternoon Time off, so I put my Big Coat on etc and met him where he said to!
To my Surprise he took me under this Metal trapdoor on the Main Gas Platform Floor and down all these Steps, where eventually after about 5 minutes walking, we were completely under the Platform about 500 Yards above the North Sea!
Then he said, "look over here" there to my Surprise was a Fishing Line going down through the Metal Flooring into the North Sea, I was stunned, he was actually Fishing I could not Believe it, it was Blowing a Gale, as it was about 75% of the time, I was out there.
Now I don't like Fishing, but that was an Experience, just being that Close to the Sea, you could actually Feel the Sea Spray on your Face!
He did Catch some Fish that Day,but I cant remember what they were, and I did Cook them for His Tea, that Night, What a Great Experience that was, one of my Highlights, on the Platform!
Another Funny Incident that Happened to me, (but was not Funny at the time was) I wont explain it Fully as you can work it out for yourselves!
The Toilets on the Platform were as they are at Home, apart from the Water comes up from the North Sea and goes back there, so you did get a lot of "Sloshing Water" under your "Jack Jones" and when it rough it would tend to go everywhere (it was always Rough that time of year)!
Any way after about 3/4 Days on the Platform, I got a Bad Dose of "MonteZumas Revenge" and I found myself continually on the "Throne" for about 24 hours, and it was as usual Blowing a Gail outside, and Yes you Guessed it, all of a Sudden the Toilet made this "Almighty Gargling Sound and Whoosh" and I was Covered in it, and I am not Talking about the North Sea!
What an Experience, these were 2 of my Highlights! ==============================================
After about a 45 minute Flight, and endless North Sea, we arrived where the Gas Platform was situated, in the area called The Leman Gas Field.
The Platform I was on was like 2 Platforms/Rigs joined together, it was Huge, the Helicopter circled it a couple of times, I looked out the window and saw the Big "H" on the Landing Pad, and we were about to Land, then I had to remember what they (back at the Heliport) told us about getting off the Helicopter!
That was Quite Nerve-Racking, the Landing, I thought one mistake and we are in the North Sea, all of a sudden, we were on the Platform and out of the Helicopter and walking to the side of the Landing-Pad, where a Trap-Door had opened up! I remember the Wind up there, it was really windy plus the Helicopter Blades, as they don't stop them, it was like an Hurricane!
We all had to file down the Iron Steps (under the Trap-Door) to an Area where it was checked to see if we were all there! (in case anybody had jumped over the Side, lol).
It seemed to take ages, to get to the place where we checked and then given all Safety Instructions, on what to do if certain things Happened, that again was Nerve-Racking to hear for the First Time!
They said "Sometimes the Alarm may go off at any time, and to Meet at a certain Muster Point on the Platform" they also said "As this is a Gas Platform, it may go off more often than a Normal Rig" I thought to myself "They are just saying this to get you Prepared, in case it might go off, but probably Never will" (little did I know, what would happen later)
Anyway we (the Newbies) were given all Work Details etc, I was not in the Main Kitchen (Galley) Area, but in the Area where all the Contractor's on the Platform had their Meals, I was Happy with that!
I had my own Stewart, if I needed any Help with the Daily Running of our Kitchen & Small Restaurant/Eating Area, He obviously had other Duties, i.e "Making the Bunks" Cleaning of all area's etc etc
The Stewart turned out to be a German called "Peter" from a place called "Ormesby" about 8 miles from where I lived, and it was his First Trip out as well, which was handy for me!
Little did I know then, but my First 24 Hour's Onboard the Platform, was going to be Terrible and that Night, the Alarm would go off Several Times!
As for Music, what about the Great Sam Cooke, my Favorite Track by the Man who Invented Soul Music was "A Change Is Gonna Come" it was written and originally Released by Sam Cooke in 1963, but was Re-Released shortly after his Death in late 1964.
It's a Fantastic Song, concerning Discrimination and Racism in the US, around that time Period, but only a modest hit by Sam Cooke Standard's, it reached Number 31 Billboard Hot 100.
After picking up several Workers on the route to the Heliport at a Place Called Beccles, (which is about 15 Miles from where I was Living), we had Arrived!
It was still about 2 Hours to take-Off and still Dark, but we all had to go through a Safety Film and Talk, they tell you all about what to do if the Helicopter goes down in the North-Sea, that was Riveting, and I think it was about this time, I was wondering what I had got myself into!
After about 2 Hours of sitting around and listening to someone tell you "How Not To Drown, if you Fall in the Sea" the Call came over the Intercom, Please get your Lifejackets on and get ready for the Flight to "The Leman Field"
By this time I wouldn't say I was Scared, but I was about Half a Stone Less in Weight then when I first Arrived at the Heliport!
I remember going through all these different Checks, until we were moved to another part of the Heliport, we could now see in the Winter Day-Light (November 1983) the Helicopter's through the windows, they were Noisy as Hell!
Then we Finally got the word and we were walking over the Tarmac, towards the "Paraffin Budgie"
I Finally got on the Helicopter and to my seat, the First thing I always remember thinking "Christ, its Stinks in here" the Aviation Fuel was so Strong, you could Taste it!
So with the Terrible Smell and the Deafening Noise, it was something I would not recommend, but, I suppose now over 25 Years later, that aspect has no doubt improved!
After what seemed Hours (probably only minutes) of just sitting there , looking out of the windows, we finally started to move, we moved right along the tarmac area and then back again, what the hell was going on! I thought.
Then we sat there again for ages, then suddenly, the Rotor Blades, seemed to go 10 times Quicker (and noisier), and we just went up in the Air!
It was Fantastic, I know I was not there for the Helicopter Ride (but, to go to work) but it was Marvelous, and all my Fears, just went, like that, the Sights down Below were Great!
I remember looking out of the windows, trying to spot a Landmark I knew, as we only about 15 Miles from my Town, and to my surprise in about 10 minutes we were actually over the Back-Way to our House, we backed on the a Large playing Field's, and I spotted them and in turn I see our House!
It turned out that the Helicopter's Flight Path, went from Beccles Heliport over to Great Yarmouth (near where we lived) and then out to the "Leman Gas Field" in the North Sea.
Next I could see was the Seafront at Great Yarmouth and then just Sea for Miles and Miles!
I remember back then, I used to record my Vinyl onto Tape, to listen to through my Walkman, well I say Walkman, actually I never had one of those (could not afford one) I had a Cheaper Version, but I always had the "Rufus" Track back to Back with the Dennis Edwards Track, "Don't Look Any Further" (which came out the following Year) Great Music!
After a Couple Of Weeks of Waiting, I heard about my New Job, I was to start the following Week, working as a Cook in Charge of a Contractor's Section on a Gas Platform in the North Sea!
Susan and the Kid's did not want me to take this Job, as I would be Working Away from Home, on a 2 Week On and 2 Weeks Off Basis, but I had to get a Job and this was the First Job, I Applied for and I got it fairly Quickly.
As I said in Previous Post, at this time in my Life, I had Never been on a Airplane before, let alone a Helicopter, so it was all New to me!
I remember getting everything together a couple of Days previous and I was all ready to go!
I believe it was a Thursday Morning of my First Trip, at this time I never had a Car, but all the Worker's were Picked up in a Mini-Bus at several different Places, around my Area.
The Pick Up time was about 5 in the Morning, so I left my House about 20 Minutes before hand to walk about 0.5 Mile to the Pick -Up point, where we Lived at the Time was a Large Built up Area, but only about 10 mins away it was all Fields and Grassy areas!
I was going to walk up and around all the Houses, but decided to cut over the Field, to a short cut I knew, to save about 5 minutes!
It was Pitch Black walking over these Fields, the Pick-Up Point was opposite a Pub Called "The Sun" it was going Fine until about 10 Paces from the End of this Grassy Area!
I put my Foot Down and there was Water everywhere and my Trainer came off and my Foot went completely in all this Water, I was soaked both Feet, and it was Freezing, plus I could not see anything as it was Pitch Black!
This area now, some 30 Years later, is all Built up with hundred's of Houses, but back then there was only 1 section of Houses all the rest as I said was Fields!
When the Mini-Bus finally arrived I remember everybody having a Good Laugh at my Mis-hap, so this was the Start of my Life, working Offshore, but how long would this Last!
As for some Great music, this Track is taken from an Album Called "Fire on Ice" released in 1978 by Terry Callier.
The Track's called "Holdin' On (to Your Love).
The Album had 9 Tracks, all of which were Great, the Album had some Great Musicians and Backing Singers, I will do a entire Post in the Future concerning this Album.
Incidentally , one of the Album Mixers was Don Mizell, who I have Featured on this Blog, recently!
These Safety Certificate's included being in a Capsule that was turned Upside Down in a Swimming Pool and you had to Prove you could get out Safely without any Panicking etc, make's me Sea Sick just Thinking about it!
