Just waiting for some glue to dry, and I've run out of clamps. So what better way of filling in some time than to continue this sorry tale.
I guess I must have done yet another refit on "Resource", but nothing really comes to mind. Except that it must have been on the Tyne. The only reason that comes to mind is because when I first met brian_c (of this forum, and I was then retired) he mentioned that he used to work at Smiths Docks, and had "done" a refit on "Resource". Indeed, he was..and still is, as far as I know, quite proud of the fact that he and his "chums" had found a hidden hidey-hole to skive off in. Until some sod locked it up. Well, that "sod" turned out to be me. I told you earlier that I knew the ship better than her designers did. The area Brian and his (non)work mates thought they had found was a sort of void area above a lift machinery space. I must admit that they had done it out quite nicely with a roulette table, easy chairs and a fully stocked bar. Just made that up really....but it was a snug. So I stuck a Detector lock on it (the sort of high-tech gizmo that we then used to guard the "nasties" compartments). I opened it up again just before the refit end and quietly watched the ant trail going in to collect their long lost possessions. But Brian was younger then. Now he has shorter hair and a rediscovered work ethic.
So after that I imagine that we did yet another BOST (another name for the "Work Up", meaning Basic Operational Sea Training, except that it wasn't as basic as the name would suggest.....but I've been through all that malakey earlier).
This "shortish" trip was, as I said mainly a big re-store for the RAF and Army in Cyprus, with a bit tossed in for Gibraltar. This was in addition to our "normal" weapon load, disaster relief stuff and (very importantly) lots and lots of food (fresh and frozen), literally tons of beer and all the sweeties and choccy bars the armed services seem to exist on. I suppose we should have had a big sign painted on the side saying "Stop Me And Buy One"...not so daft really as whenever an RN ship was "inadvertently" in our vicinity it was inevitable that a RAS or Vertrep would be requested. We had our own Wessex 5 embarked (side number 469 for you historians). You name it, we had it. Dish cloths and cleaning gear, bits for machine guns (complete guns if thats what you wanted), ammo, a missile or 2? No problem. And always lots and lots of beer (Draught or Canned,sir?) and never forgetting the insatiable demand and consumption of the choccies. This class of ship if you recall, had a large Stonnery contingent. But the poor NAAFI manager was basically on his own and had to beg manpower from other departments. Always given, but at "a price", which could possibly explain the huge "write-down" allowed by the NAAFI management!
Anyway, I digress. During the trip south our engineers suspected a condenser contamination problem and so before we berthed in Gib.naval base it was decided to anchor overnight in Algerciras Bay so the problem could be "looked at". I have a funny feeling that I have told this tale before, but never mind. I know that "Bunkerbarge" has a long memory, but this is the same ship that had the comical disasters during the 1972 Clyde refit when a Junior Engineer managed to load (overnight) 500 tons of FFO through the stbd side and pump it all out again through the port side....into an almost empty dry-dock. So "Resource" had a bit of "history" as the parlance goes. So, back to the overnight anchorage. For some unexplained and unusual altruistic reason I decided to let the Nav. have a night in bed, and I would do his morning 4-8 anchor watch. But it was such a beautiful sunrise. The light was magnificent.
The 12-4 engine room watch was to test the condenser for signs of leakage using some gloop called "Flourescene" (or something). Apparently only a few drops of this stuff will find its way into every nook and cranny imaginable, and so indicate wher a leak may be. Using a full bottle is a bit of a no-no, and has unintended consequences. I had been wondering about the intensity of the dawn light, but all became clear (no pun intended) when I strolled out on to the bridge wing. Almost the entire Bay of Algerciras was a very vivid luminous pale green. Oops. Oh,dear. This must have been visible from space. I can just imagine an astronaut saying "Hello Houston, I think we have found "Resource" again".
Unfortunately the aftermath of this little hiccup was beyond my pay-grade, but I imagine Mrs.T had some naughty words to say.
But then on to Cyprus, and a more serious event. Bryan.