Mi Amigo (Spanish: My Friend) was originally a three-masted cargo schooner, that later gained international recognition as an offshore radio station.

[1] On 10 August 1960, Norderwerft received a letter informing them that it was illegal to install, repair or operate a radio station without government permission,[1] under a law passed in 1930.

[6] Bon Jour was then sailed to Langelinie, Denmark where the mast was installed as were two 10 kW transmitters which were manufactured by Continental Electronics, Dallas, Texas.

The fishing vessel Danette located her the next day and on 25 December the crew abandoned Bon Jour as they feared the mast would collapse.

[7] As well as supply by tender from Nynäshamn, programme tapes and other material were got to the ship packing them in a canister which was dropped astern of Bon Jour by a light aircraft.

[1] A law had been passed prohibiting Swedes from supplying offshore radio ships with stores, or from providing advertising services to the stations.

She departed Ferrol on 14 September 1962 bound for the Thames Estuary, where she made some test broadcasts as Radio LN on 306 metres.

On 26 January, Mi Amigo departed Brest for Galveston, Texas where her American owners intended to convert her to a luxury yacht.

[10] A proposed purchase by Project Atlanta Ltd, headed by Allan Crawford was stalled due to the closure of Radio Mercur, with financial backers reluctant to invest.

Mi Amigo departed Galveston on 28 December bound for Las Palmas, Spain where she arrived on 30 January 1964.

[1] On 20 January 1966, a force 8 gale blew up and Mi Amigo's anchors broke and the ship started to drift.

[14] Dave Lee Travis went aloft to adjust the TV aerial and noticed that the ship was close to shore.

This was missed by the crew who had turned the television off as they had lost the signal due to the ship moving from its normal position.

[13] The crew, who included DJs Tony Blackburn, Tom Lodge and Graham Webb were taken to Walton-on-the-Naze police station where they were informed that they were classed as "shipwrecked and distressed mariners" and were entitled to free replacement clothing.

The four DJs on board Mi Amigo at that time were Ross Brown, Robbie Dale, Spangles Muldoon and Johnnie Walker.

[6] On 3 March 1968, Titan pulled alongside Mi Amigo and Radio Caroline was ordered to close down.

[1] On 29 May 1972, Mi Amigo was sold at auction for ƒ20,000 to the Hofman Shipping Company, who had bought her on behalf of Rob Vermaat and Gerard van Dam.

The studios and cabins were restored and Mi Amigo departed Amsterdam on 2 September apparently bound for England.

The next day, HNLMS Limburg came alongside Mi Amigo accompanied by the tender Zeemeeuw, which the striking DJs boarded.

Officers from the Dutch Radio Controle Dienst[18] boarded the ship, but her transmitting equipment was not confiscated as it was incomplete.

Members of the Scheepvaartinspectie[19] declared that the MV Mi Amigo was unseaworthy and ordered repairs to be made.

On 1 January 1973, two tugs towed Mi Amigo to IJmuiden where the Scheepvaartinspectie ordered that a leak in the engine room was repaired, giving the crew just two hours to complete the task.

On 2 April, Radio Veronica's ship Norderney ran aground off Scheveningen, Netherlands during a force 12 hurricane.

Between July and October Radio Atlantis bought airtime on the ship to broadcast pre-recorded daytime programmes.

At 16:30 on 8 November 1975, Mi Amigo's anchor chain broke and the ship began to drift, running aground on the Longsand Head Sands.

On 13 November, Mi Amigo was towed to the South Edinburgh Number 3 buoy, from where she recommenced broadcasting.

The following day, Mi Amigo was boarded by police and Home Office officials who ordered that broadcasting be stopped.

Whilst there, they searched an impounded oil tanker and found an anchor and chain, which they appropriated for use on Mi Amigo.

During the winter of 1977/1978 due to the project running out of financial assets the crew didn't get any cargo aboard for three weeks, no food and water nor any technical spare parts and fuel.

An offer by Gerard van Dam to run a renewed Radio Delmare (which had lost her ship MV Aegir in September 1978) from aboard the MV Mi Amigo was turned down as plans were to broadcast 24 hours a day, which would disable any Radio Caroline broadcasts.