Haapalah / Aliyah Bet

Nachshon haKastel נחשון הקסטל was a trawler
Registered name: Tadorne, La Savoie
Nickname: Tamar תמר
Built: 1906
Capacity: 402 gross tons

Nachshon haKastel נחשון הקסטלן Tadorne was purchased in La Rochelle.

In January, 1948, Yosef Almog was given command of Nachshon haKastel נחשון הקסטלן Tadorne by Shaul Avigur.

Nachshon haKastel נחשון הקסטל Tadorne sailed from La Rochelle into the Mediterranean, and to the Straits of Bonifacio Bocche di Bonifacio between Corsica and Sardinia, where passengers would be boarded.

Nachshon haKastel נחשון הקסטל Tadorne sailed to Bastia, Corsica, in need of serious repairs.
On April 14, 1948, when the repairs were completed, Nachshon haKastel נחשון הקסטל Tadorne returned La Ciotat, near Bandol, where 550 passengers, half of whom from North Africa, were waiting. Tadorne was officially renamed Nachshon haKastel נחשון הקסטל, in honor of the operation whose aim was to break the siege of Jerusalem.

On April 8, 1948, Nachshon haKastel נחשון הקסטל Tadorne sailed from Bandol, carrying 560 passengers.
She had so much trouble with the boiler that the passengers were transfered to Yechiam, at Isola di Montecristo.
Michael Getzowitch Gal cites "When we were ready to sail and untied the rope to the pier, it became entangled in the propeller and we could not sail. The air in the hold was foul, and something went wrong with the boilers. We had to sail to Bastia, in Corsica, for repairs."

San Michele Mishmar haEmek sailed through the Straits of Messina Stretto di Messina.
The decks were kept clear of passengers so that they would not be recognized as an immigrant ship. After leaving the Straits, she entered stormy waters and was carried in a northeastern direction.
With no navigational instruments and blown off course, away from land, she took two days to make it below Greece, at the entrance to the Adriatic Sea.
The storm strained the engine, and she was limited to 3-4 knots.
She sailed south of Crete Κρήτη, taking three days to sail past the island.
Two days later, she was asked to help Nachshon haKastel נחשון הקסטל, which had sailed from La Ciotat, and had run out of water, transferring Nachshon haKastel נחשון הקסטל'sl 550 passengers to San Michele Mishmar haEmek, 120 miles off shore.