Blue Funnel Line's 1945 U.S. built Victory type ship TANTALUS was photographed passing Portishead, outbound from Avonmouth, on the morning tide of 9th December 1967, exactly fifty years ago today, following heavy overnight snow.

Built as MACMURRAY VICTORY, she was acquired by Alfred Holt in 1946 and renamed POLYPHEMUS; she became TANTALUS in 1960.

TANTALUS was sold to Greek operators in 1969, sailing from Falmouth on 14th October as PELOPS (son of TANTALUS in Greek mythology) bound for Durban and then Kaohsiung where she arrived on new year’s day 1970 for breaking.

This photograph, together with a more detailed caption, can be seen in my book Bristol Port and Channel Nostalgia, published by Coastal Shipping.