Before becoming an established engineer for the Capital Group at Invicta Radio in Kent. Herne Bay boy Stuart found himself at sea working as a radio engineer on the Ross Revenge, where he was occasionally persuaded to go on air. Later he was to venture across the Knock Deep to assist Laser 558 maintain their medium wave signal on board the MV Communicator

From one of the many fishing boats pressed into service as tenders, passes the wreck & mast of the Mi-Amigo which was to remain aloft defiant to the elements until 1986 just off the Edinburgh Ship Channel in the Thames Estuary

M Notice No68 of 1986 stated

Latitude 51 34'. 95 N, Longitude 01 17' 35 E

The Wreck "MI-AMIGO", which lies sunk in the position defined above. has been marked by means of a Buoy, as follows:

MI AMIGO BUOY:

Position : 320 deg about 450 feet from the wreck

Description :Can : Red

Mariners are warned to give the Wreck & Buoy a wide berth.

Mariners should note that the lattice mast of the wreck is no longer visible

by Order J R B;ackhouse secretary

Trinity House, London, EC3N 4DH - 14th August 1986 - 560/13/7

The Zeemeeuw from Belgium tendering on the port side as the dinghy lies to starboard as Stuart gives the Radio Caroline shipping forecast for Saturday 12th May 1984

Coming around the bows to the stern of the Zeemeeuw, Stuart greets the next tender from the guard rail on the aft deck of the Ross Revenge

Captain Bob, Andy Johnson, Glyn Richards, Nigel with newsman Jay Jackson (Howard Rose) in the foreground & Bob from Monique

Pigeonholing the mail whilst having a Budd or two after the champaign provided by, I don't think so Newsweek Magazine

Monique's back room boys Leendert Vingerling & Bob

Masters chair, binnacle, & VHF radio sets on the bridge

Down below at the engineers bench, Stuart with Paddy Fitzpatrick the Ross Revenge's chief engineer who sailed with the ship from Spain

Formally a Laser jock, Blake Williams joined Caroline & prepares to go up the pole

50 feet up, taken from top of the bridge wheel house

Leendert's wife Marjo with Bob

Grant Benson by the fridge holding an anorak log book

The famous fridge still on-board & functioning

Stuart's reaction to Dave Richard's (Glyn) last link!

Perhaps best flushed down the heads between the studio & library, whilst Stuart has trouble with the Radio Carolines Bell!

Pulling alongside the Laser ship the MV Communicator

Stuart relaxes with Laser 558 jockette Erin Kelly

Thanks also to Leendert Vingerling for his help in this feature

See Stuart's VintronicsTM hand crafted 25 Watt Pewer Amplifier

For all the Radio Caroline features navigate from Caroline Early Days