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!
The Day after the Fall, I was Aching like Hell all day long, we had our breakfast and then it was over to the Main meeting Area to be told about where we were Working and Living for the next Fortnight!
I was allocated to the Contractors side of the Rig, which meant me and the Steward were looking after about 20 Blokes, who did not work on the Platform full-Time, but now and then.
I had my own Smaller Kitchen/Galley and eating area, to look after, which was Great, we were then shown to our own Sleeping Area/Cabin, it was a lot Better than the place where we had Slept the Night before and the Bad Memories from last night!
We got all our Stuff into our Rooms then we were off to Work, as it turned out, the Staff who were Leaving the Company (who I worked for) were staying on 1 more day to show us the ropes!
The Old Boy I was replacing was about 55 years old, (actually I still see him sometimes in the Town where I Live now) he showed me what to do and what to expect, it seemed straight forward enough!
I helped him Cook Lunch and Supper/Dinner and about 6pm that night, he was on the Helicopter and gone (back Home)!
I worked 7am to 7pm with a couple of Hours off in the Afternoon, it was not to strict on Hours, as long as you got the Job done!
That night after Dinner, I went back to our Cabin, which I was sharing with the Steward "Peter" he told me about His day, as I told him about mine, after which we got all our Clothes/Belongings etc etc unpacked and put away and went over to the main section of the Rig to see all the other Rig Workers for a Chat and play Pool.
Our First Day was over at about 11pm and we went back to our Cabin for some Sleep, I forgot to mention, in my First 24 Hours on the Rig, the fire Alarm had gone off at least 6 Times!
=============================================
As for some Great Soul Music, back in 1987, Glenn Jones Released his Self-Titled Forth Album on Jive Records, it contained a Fantastic Track called "At Last" it was written by Glenn Jones and Timmy Allen (he also Produced the Track) it was Surprisingly Never Released as a Single, in my Opinion its the Best Track Glenn Jones ever Recorded!
Incidentally Timmy Allen used to be in the Group "Change" it also Featured some Great Backing Singer's including Timmy Allen, Genobia Jeter and BJ Nelson.
As I said previously we went to Bed about 22.30 hrs, by this time we had already had about 2 or 3 Alarms, so we were already getting used to them!
When the main lights were turned off in our 6 man Cabin, we all had our own light's above our Beds, so I had mine on to Read a Book, for about an Hour!
But slowly one by one all the Lights went out, and about 23.30 hrs the Cabin was Pitch Black, you could not even see your Hand in front of your Face!
We had not worked all day but with all that had gone on, we were all exhausted, so I soon fell asleep..............................
Don't forget I was in the Top Bunk about 10 foot from the Floor! I was having a Great Sleep, It was Pitch Black and Very Quiet, when all of a Sudden (at around 2 am) .................THE ALARM WENT OFF!!!!!!!!!!
I opened my Eyes...Startled (as it was really quiet) by the Alarm Racket it was making, and pulled my sheets back and Jumped straight out of Bed to get Dressed!
Well I fell straight to the Floor, passing 3 Bunks (including mine) on the way Down and landed on the Cabin Floor on my Ar*e, I was in Absolute Agony, but I had no time to spare, I had to get Dressed (in my Safety Gear) and out to the Muster Point as soon as Possible!
When I got to the Muster Point, I was still in Agony and in Shock I think, it was Pouring with Rain and Blowing a Gale, (if any of you Reading this, have been on a Rig in the middle of North Sea, you will know what I mean about the Wind, its 10 times Worse out there than Onshore Winds) after a few minutes and being Wet through, as usual it was called a False Alarm and we were on our way back to our Cabins!
By the time we all got back to the Cabin, everybody was taking the micky, and falling about Laughing at my 10 feet dive from my Bunk, it was the Funniest thing that ever happened to me Working out there!
What was amazing about the whole incident was, how I never Hit any of the other Worker's on the way down, as 5 other Blokes were in there, getting out of Bed, all at the same time!
Anyway the next day I felt Terrible, I had bruises all over me and of course I never hardly Slept the night before after what happened, so I was still Shaken, Tired and Stiff all over and this was the Day when we were going to be Allocated our New Work Areas, our Jobs and New Cabins!
What a day I had in Front of me! ==============================================
As for Music, back in 1976 a Great Dance/Disco Track was Released by The Motown Vocal Group "The Originals" they were Known for their Soulful Ballads, so this was something completely different for them.
It was a Great Track Produced by Frank Wilson and Michael Sutton and taken from the album "Communique" it Reached Number One in the US Dance Chart!
During the Late 60's and early 70's The Originals had worked with Marvin Gaye (amongst other's) and during this Collaboration, Marvin Gaye had Wrote and Produced a couple of Ballads, which also went on to be 2 of their Biggest Hits.
The first night on the platform, we were given a Cabin just for that Night and told we would be Allocated our Permanent Cabin's the following Day.
So myself and the Steward Peter were shown to a Cabin along with some other Blokes, it turned out there were 6 Bunks/Beds in a very Small Cabin, and they were 3 either side of the cabin.
As the other Worker's were already in there and sorted out, me and Peter had what was left, the top 2 Bunks, you have imagine this, the Top Bunks must have been about 8 or 9 Feet off the ground, they were that High, we even had a Ladder to get to them!
Any way we settled in, as this was November time (1983) it was dark outside by about 15.30 hrs, so we didn't do to much Sight-Seeing that first Day, but around about 16.00 hrs, something happened I had never experienced before!
The Alarm went off, what a Panic that was, we were still in the Cabin, so we had to get all out Safety Gear on, Overalls , Boots, Life jacket etc etc, so then it was just a matter of getting to the Muster Point Asap, I remember that First Alarm like it was Yesterday!
The whole process took about 30 minutes and as soon as everybody was accounted for, we were all off back to our Cabins.
I found out around this point, from other Experienced Workers, that Gas Platform Alarms go off on a Regular Basis and at all times, obviously because of the Fumes!
After we got back to the cabin, we got sorted out and then went to get something to eat for Tea.
I played Pool that night and met some of the other Worker's, all of them seemed alright, we went back to the Cabin around 22.00 hrs and got ready for bed!
It felt like Climbing Everest getting into that Bunk, as I said it was at least 8/9 feet off the Ground, but eventually I made to the Top!
I then had talk with Peter, about the Job and then a nice relaxing Read of a Book (for about 60 minutes) before I decided to go to Sleep, it must have been around 23.30 hrs.
Little did I know what was instore for myself in about a Couple of Hours Time, around 2 am the following Morning ! ==============================================
As for Music around this period, what about Herbie Hancock, he generally up until then Produced Jazz Music, but his Single Release "Rockit" was a Big Change for Him.
It was released in June of 1983, and was from the forthcoming Album "Future Shock" which was Released in August of '83.
It was the first Record to use Scratching and other turntable Techniques, they were Performed by GrandMixer D.ST
It was Produced by Bill Laswell and was a WorldWide Hit.
It was a Great Record, I remember buying the 7 in, 12 in and Album (on Tape)
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.
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!
