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19th May 2017, 10:10 AM
#11
Re: Does anyone know ??
Not sure if it is Vizagapatnam we would load Amonia,NH3 there in the early 2000's/late 1990's.I know this is about 60 odd years ago but one thing I do remember about Vizagapatnam was there was a walk way up to a church and the stations of the cross were part of the walk way. Okay maybe from a different angle but? Real teaser all the same.
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19th May 2017, 10:19 AM
#12
Re: Does anyone know ??
You are right about that Ivan
I went ashore once and all I got was screaming people, `Dash me baksheesh`, the "town" was just a pile of filthy hovels and what seemed to be a mass of humanity all `living ` in a total quagmire.` it was an unbelievable sight.
Six skeleton like kids would hang around the ship down aft, I would give them all the scraps out of the gash bucket. It was the worst place on the entire Indian coast.
Cheers
Brian.
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19th May 2017, 09:58 PM
#13
Re: Does anyone know ??
I have seen rice loaded the same way, I think it was in Sri Lanka from memory. It was interesting in the fact that one women was very very pregnant but was still doing a full shift. She did pull out of the line later in the day and was assisted by a couple of other female loaders to give birth to her baby. She gave the baby to her partner who was in the shade of the Godown with some mates playing cards and returned to work. At the end of her shift she was paid in rice which she also gave to her husband and in return was given a scoopful for herself, her husband then gave most of the remainder of the rice to the guy running the card game as payment for his losses playing cards. It was a very sobering experience for us Europeans I can tell you !!! Regards Peter in NZ.
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19th May 2017, 10:02 PM
#14
Re: Does anyone know ??
Yes not Steamer Point as far as I can recall,in my Air Force Days in Aden
India as said I think it may be ??
Thanks thus far Lads
Senior Site Moderator-Member and Friend of this Website
R697530
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19th May 2017, 10:16 PM
#15
Re: Does anyone know ??
Originally Posted by
Lewis McColl
Not sure if it is Vizagapatnam we would load Amonia,NH3 there in the early 2000's/late 1990's.I know this is about 60 odd years ago but one thing I do remember about Vizagapatnam was there was a walk way up to a church and the stations of the cross were part of the walk way. Okay maybe from a different angle but? Real teaser all the same.
This photo probably taken early 1940's Lewis, hadn't changed much in 60's 70's then 1980's 1990's lots of money injected from China, and don't forget UK AID, saw lots of rapid changes, I did some port surveys (1980's) on E C India, such as Machilipatanam etc and you would not believe how primitive they were, most ships anchored about 4 -7 miles off depending on draft and weather discharging into dhows and wooden barges, so most ships crews (if any) would not have seen them, you really did go back in time, but a lot didn't want to be changed and modernising as local authorities worried about unemployment and political unrest,,,,,, but naturally could be anywhere on sub continent.
Sometimes I felt guilty carrying out these surveys which were aimed at modernising river approaches or installing mechanical handling equipment which could reduce labour requirements because there was nothing else for these people to do if gang sizes reduced, but alas progress is inevitable
Last edited by Ivan Cloherty; 19th May 2017 at 10:26 PM.
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20th May 2017, 06:15 AM
#16
Re: Does anyone know ??
Saw similar in China way back in 64, it was almost impossible to tell men from women, all dress alike and all with loads in baskets on their heads.
Similar scenes in many African ports on the East coast.
That was the way of life back then, when life was cheap so if one fell by the wayside there would always be one to replace them.
Happy daze John in Oz.
Life is too short to blend in.
John Strange R737787
World Traveller
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20th May 2017, 05:28 PM
#17
Re: Does anyone know ??
Loaded many a cargo and bunkers by this method in India 1942 on and it was amazing how quickly it was done.
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21st May 2017, 06:10 AM
#18
Re: Does anyone know ??
Definitely coal, and the bunker hatch would have been in that position.
Note open wheelhouse with an awning over the top. Probably on hard tack and water restrictions.
Probably loading in sub continent.
Had loaded iron in Calcutta by this method in October 1965 when I took over as Master. The mv Sandys River was not much improved on the above picture. Built for Readon Smiths in 1937.
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12th March 2019, 12:09 PM
#19
Re: Does anyone know ??
Brock's Mahanada had six days at Visakhapatnam in 57. We had lines of women with baskets loading us with manganese ore. After their shift they would take a bath under a fire hydrant. How are these ladies now that old age is upon them - poor souls? I understand Visag is much modernised today.
In 1960 at Madras I watched lines of men bearing baskets of coal just like in this pic. Most were naked apart from loin cloths; some did not even have that to bring them modesty.
Harry Nicholson
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13th March 2019, 05:38 AM
#20
Re: Does anyone know ??
Looking at baskets reminds me of a port in China we called into on our way back to UK in 64.
Apart from all the workers looking alike because of their dress we watched them load some goods by hand.
Just before sailing the cook was presented with a basket of goods.
Inside eggs, of all sizes, salt black in color and what looked like corn cobs.
As soon as we were out of the heads and well out of sight the lot went over the wall.
All sank apart from half the eggs which bobbed around on the surface.
Wonder where they came from?
Happy daze John in Oz.
Life is too short to blend in.
John Strange R737787
World Traveller
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