Welcome to Africa

[Chris Roberts]

Great story Calvin and well documented - brings back memories of the West African coast. Which company did you sail with?
Best Regards
Chris Roberts

[Calvin Kent]

I was a pool man Chris except for the back end when I contracted to Buries Markes. Not even sure what boat I was on at the time but suspect a BP tanker, probably the Dragoon. Lost my original discharge book, only have the '73 issue, so not sure on dates or ships. Grey matter deteriorating at a rate of knots.

Regards

Calvin

[Ernie Higham]

I was on the Akassa Palm at the time of the Nigerian/Biafran war, we were up in Sapele loading logs,one night we were having a few pints outside the bar midships when the army gangway guard came up asking for a drink. He had this old british army pistol on a lanyard, my old mate Jimmy Turton ask to see it and he would buy him a pint, while he was drinkink Jimmy took the gun apart and gave him it back wrapped in a sweat rag, he did"nt have a clue how to put back togeather, we never saw him again, Ernie

[Captain Kong]

I was in Sapele Creek loading logs on the TARKWA one of EDs in 1953 .
A Mammio came alongside in a canoe doing Flash for dash, "You Dash Me and I flash you". I couldnt find any `dash` only a Seven Pound tin of Greengage Jam. I dropped it into the canoe and it went through the bottom like a canon ball and it started sinking, She was screaming,
`Ju Ju Man he fix you for good and all.` as she swam to the bank. across the creek.
A few days later in Port Harcourt I was up on the mast table rigging the Jumbo, my hands covered in grease and I slipped and fell about forty feet into the winch bed. breaking two legs and my right arm.
The Ju-Ju Man had fixed me for good. They took me to the hospital on the back of a flat bed truck then the English Doctor there fixed me for good.
Cheers
Brian.

[Tony Wilding]

As told to me by my Brother, happened about 1955/56 he was Galley Boy on SS Beaconsfield, Watts Watts, loading Logs at Douala Cameroon, went ashore to the Mud Huts after work, found a young Jungle Bunny traded his T Shirt for an all night session, a panic to get back to the Ship in the morning, almost back to the Ship and realises he left his glasses in the mud hut, dashes back to the villiage, now is the problem, all the mud huts look the same, so he took a chance dashed into one and there was the girl washing herself, his glasses safe and sound, could have been a long job searching all the huts, ! arrived back on board knackered.

[john sutton]

I remember on the Accra in Apapa there would occaisionally be a shout of "razer strops" and a look over the side one would see a topless woman canoing down the river
john sutton

[Gordon Turnbull]

Nice story Calvin. I actually spent 3 years on Bonny. Never had a problem communicating right enough.

First came to Nigeria in '72 and spent quite a long time on the West Africa Coast. Never thought by the time I reached 56 I could say I have spent 12 years here. Hopefully next year we will be finished!!

[Captain Kong]

Hi Gordon,
My step Daughters fella, Paul, flew to Port Harcourt then on to Bonny yesterday to commission some thing, He is doing an AEG contract for Shell.
He got his Visas from your friends.Thanks.
Brian.

[Richard Quartermaine]

I remember on the Accra in Apapa there would occaisionally be a shout of "razer strops" and a look over the side one would see a topless woman canoing down the river
john sutton

In Papua New Guinea they had - Super Doopers, Super Droopers and Spaniel's Ears.

Richard Q

[Gordon Turnbull]

Excellent news mate. He will love it. Bonny is good, this sheeithole is not.