Events you incurred while in another country

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Anyone pick up some darts off the wharf in Aruba in May 52? They belong to me, big fight between a shore gang and the crew and the JOS was on the deck throwing them
Des

[j.sabourn]

Did he get any bulls eyes Des ? JS

[J Gowers]

#51 JS As you say iron ore which was loaded I was there on the Sir John Hunter with J&J Denholm. This was in my MN days before I drifted onto rigs.

[Tony Taylor]

I walked into a little ramshackle bar in Almirante (Panama), one of the lads was having a row with the barman about an unpaid bill. Got my drink and sat down, saw another barman talking to a young boy who shot off through a side door. 5 mins later he is back with a little fat policeman who ambles up to the rowing pair, casually pulls out his gun and holds it to the head of the seaman and says "pay," bill duly settled, cop ambles out again. End of.

[j hardy]

had two runs to Vitoria, both times scheduled for Tubarao, both times diverted to Vitoria, 5 days alongside loading. great runs ashore. those brazilian women are real bonny.

[j.sabourn]

Been there a few times as well JG. Was one of the longer 6 weeks round trips for BISCO. The only one longer was the very occasional trip to South Africa. JS

[Robbie MacLean]

Had to join ship in Panama, flew into Miami and was told by immigration that I wasn’t going anywhere that night. Found out there was a coup on regarding Noriega. Allowed in next day but country under curfew, sailed 2 days later for Hawaii.

[Tony Taylor]

Had to join ship in Panama, flew into Miami and was told by immigration that I wasn’t going anywhere that night. Found out there was a coup on regarding Noriega. Allowed in next day but country under curfew, sailed 2 days later for Hawaii.

Robbie, I got locked up there en route to Jamaica; I did not have a transit visa so was kept in a room with a table and two chairs for seven hours. two armed guards on the door outside, not allowed to speak to British Consul or relatives in states at the time, no food nothing, they only escorted me to toilet when I threatened to p-ss in the corner.
Had armed escort to the check in desk an hour before the flight was called and then made to stand at the gate with the guards until all the other passengers filed passed giving me the once over. They then escorted me to my seat and handed my passport to the stewardess with the instruction not to give it to me until airborne.
I was seated next to an elderly English lady who was shocked by the whole thing when I answered her question about the circumstances.
To add insult to injury my gear did not turn up in Kingston either.

[Malcolm Bambrough]

Just wondered what momentous events happened in the country you sailed to whilst you were there?

In November 63, on Apsleyhall ( West Hartlepool Stm/nav ), entering Baltimore, I was off watch listening to the local radio station, when the program was interrupted with the announcer saying Presiden Kennedy had just been shot in Dallas.
So l must have been among the first few million to know about it.

[Valerie Pratt]

Went ashore in Amsterdam , picked up a newspaper and headlines were about the Lockerbie plane disaster, very sad day