In 1958 I joined the Southern Venturer in South Shields as a mess boy. I was just over 17 years of age. We sailed from South Shields to Fawley for fuel oil and then to South Georgia. From there to the Antarctic for the whaling season.

In 1959 I sailed on the Southern Opal from South Shields to South Georgia via Las Palmas, and I worked in the whaling station at Leith Harbour. I signed up to over-winter in Leith Harbour and was galley boy during the winter and following whaling season. We came back to Tilbury in May 1961, so I spent my 19th birthday in Leith Harbour.

In October 1961 I sailed on the Southern Venturer and did the whaling season, returning to Liverpool in May 1962. This was my last whaling trip.