Preface

  My memories are the only source from which I can draw from the moment I entered the Radio-Holland education- 

  school till the voyage on the “Ampenan” in 1966.

  As from my first trip with Nedgulf Tankers I can make an appeal to own memories, documentation on tanker

  companies (Nedgulf Tankers in particular), research at several authorities and of course conversation with

  (former) seamen.

  Through those who are still sailing I gathered interesting books concerning the radioservice and the people I sailed

  with are a bottomless well of memories, documentation, anecdotes and good advice.

  I don’t pretend being complete regarding nautical or technical business or loading and unloading. On the contrary,

  I’ll try to describe those matters - seen through the eyes of a “radioman” – in addition to incidents and situations I

  can remember.

  As I still am in contact with several former Nedgulf-collegues, I cannot step too far beside the truth and

  unfortunately I can’t always tell everything 

  The writing about my adventures on various ships I mainly considered as a private document, intended for my

  family and myself before – against all expectation – my memory will more or less decrease. After my adventures on

  freighters (1961-1966) were collected in a booklet, I sensed great interest of (mainly) former seamen and often I

  heard the lamentation: “That’s what I want to do for a long time, but it never gets done”.

  The first modest circulation of the booklet “Part I – the Freighters” has been reprinted after several months and

  my experiences on tankers (1966-1971) are bundled in a booklet called “Part II – the Tankers”, this time in a

  rather big circulation. In the meantime these two booklets have been put on CD, completed with many other issues

  not only concerning the radioservice on board but also concerning navigation in general. 

  Is there any doubt of my chapter and verse being totally wrong or “not quite so wrong”, remember then that I

  never kept a diary or made notes.

  Besides some illustrations the drawings are made by my old collegue radio-officer H.A. Seeboldt, who published

  them in PDRH, the montly edition for personnel of Radio-Holland. The very nice illustrations are bundled in two

  booklets, called "Spiegel effies I and II".

                                                                                          
  Grootebroek,  autumn   1994   (part I)
  Grootebroek,  spring    1995   (part II)

  Enkhuizen,      spring    2003   (CD)
  Enkhuizen,      winter   2007   (website) 
                 

                                       .-.-.