Passports

[Austin Carl Largan]

a p.s. on dual citizenship. Well, I may be a dual national but I don't have two passports any more after my disagreement with the Brits. Still, I notice these days that the new document scanners all automatically seek out your bio details or whatever it is in the embedded chip that the new passports have, so there is no advantage these days in having two passports as the U.S. is on the list of countries whose chips are recognized.

Austin

[j.sabourn]

#50.Austen re. C.O.C. I hold or held such for the Bahamas, Panama, Liberian, Cayman Islands, Australian , and probably a few more have forgotten. Also permission to sail on US flagged vessels by US coastguard and ditto on Norwegian vessels by their authority’s. I reckon the British entry of the EU with their sticky fingers was the start of the end for this perfectly working way , was the decline of the word Competency. Certificates if were issued were on the strength of the British certificate. I doubt today it carries the same weight. Cheers JS

[Austin Carl Largan]

Hello JS

yes, I can think of the countries that have strong systems of competency and professional mariners, but I can also think of very many who will issue licences if you bring your sister along to the issuing office...........with the rule being that the prettier she is, the higher the rank you will get.

[happy daze john in oz]

Try going through any passport control in any part of Russia.
No matter how pretty you may look makes no difference.
Stand behind the line until called, put even halfa foot over before then and you are in deep doo, doo.

[Austin Carl Largan]

Rather deep doo-doo than lead poisoning. I landed in Luanda one dark night in a Russian cargo aircraft which I had chartered to move some oilfield equipment down to Port Elizabeth for repairs. The agent met me at the bottom of the ladder and told me to stand at a white line painted on the tarmac and not to step over it under any circumstances. Two guards with rifles stood two feet in front of me, looking variously between my shoes and my eyeballs......just wishing for it. I was there twenty long minutes......in the heat of the night.

Austin

[Austin Carl Largan]

Hello John,

another passport remembrance. I went to Cuba one time and immigration clearance there was based upon the old Russian system of long lines and a strict grilling of each and every passenger...."why, where, how, what for and who with?" questions. Now at the time U.S. citizens were not allowed to visit Cuba, but religious organizations were exempt from such. Anyway, in the long line behind me was just such a group and upon turning round to assess them I mistakenly made eye contact with a rather large and imposing looking man behind me who seized upon the opportunity to launch into a well rehearsed verbal broadside on me starting off with the words "Son, do you believe in the word of the Lord?????". ....I swear this is true. He then gave me five minutes of non stop monologue explaining all the good works that he and his group had planned for all those unfortunates who were not yet saved out there in the bush and all the good deeds they intended to do. Finally, after what appeared to me to be five minutes dialog without pausing for breath he asked me what was the purpose of my mission there. Big mistake, I let him have it, I said "Well neighbour, I am here for the beer and the girls" except I did not use the 'girls' word, I used the 'p***y' word. His face froze and he staggered back a pace or two, bumping into his cohorts. His mouth was wide open and he was struggling to speak but all that came out was a strangled gargling noise. Then......saved by the bell, my turn, I was up next at the desk. I just knew that the immigration guy was wondering what I was smirking about. It made the extra grilling I received all the more worth while. I spent a large part of the remaining evening chuckling to myself about it and awarding myself points on the 1 to 10 scale for 'Letting him have a dose of his own medicine'. Guess how many points I got??
I know it was uncharitable but I just couldn't help myself.

Austin

[j.sabourn]

If you went to Murmansk in the sixties as a crew member of a British ship your visa would have been stamped in your discharge book , regardless of having a passport. One such in my book in the back page appropriately in the “ Income Tax Code Numbers” page is
CCCP
-2-
. 6 11 19 078
MypmaHCK
And
CCCP
a 11 3
. b Y 2210478 *
MypmanHCK
I would imagine the whole book with all its particulars whilst in the hands of the Russians was photostat copied for any future requirements . So jokewise when looking for long lost kin the Russians know as much as what we know ourselves. In a previous post due to the laws of this country I had to go as official master of a Russian vessel whilst in Australian waters , During this time I came upon a volume of British and U.S. warships and had the cvs of most of their senior officers even in some cases to their sexual bents or bends. I didn’t get as far as myself as the book was taken away from me with apologies that it wasn’t for my eyes. Even my former ship which was merchant navy but came under the title of Naval Party was considered a possible antagonist. Still wonder to this day if I was in that book and what they knew. JS.

[Des Taff Jenkins]

John.
Go like me, I haven't ever had a British Passport, came over from NZ on my discharge book. Got a Aus passport for two flights back to the UK and numerous to NZ, I think my passport ran out a month after coming back from NZ around 15 years ago for the last time. I only need a Heavenly one now, and most people I know said I would never get one.
Des

[j.sabourn]

In 1967 I flew out to Halifax via Montreal from London to join a Canadian company. However had an accompanying letter from the owners to go with discharge book. However Puerto Rico was one of the ports frequently on the itinerary and believe at the time was US immigration in charge at that time so had to make the effort to get a uk passport ,which due to a minor disturbance at the High Commissioners office in Port of Spain Trinidad , I didn’t get until I got home. Some useless civil servant said I could have been one of the Great Train Robbers. I received a letter of apology later from think it was 12 Downing Street. JS

[Tony Taylor]

If you went to Murmansk in the sixties as a crew member of a British ship your visa would have been stamped in your discharge book , regardless of having a passport. One such in my book in the back page appropriately in the “ Income Tax Code Numbers” page is
CCCP
-2-
. 6 11 19 078
MypmaHCK
And
CCCP
a 11 3
. b Y 2210478 *
MypmanHCK
I would imagine the whole book with all its particulars whilst in the hands of the Russians was photostat copied for any future requirements . So jokewise when looking for long lost kin the Russians know as much as what we know ourselves. In a previous post due to the laws of this country I had to go as official master of a Russian vessel whilst in Australian waters , During this time I came upon a volume of British and U.S. warships and had the cvs of most of their senior officers even in some cases to their sexual bents or bends. I didn’t get as far as myself as the book was taken away from me with apologies that it wasn’t for my eyes. Even my former ship which was merchant navy but came under the title of Naval Party was considered a possible antagonist. Still wonder to this day if I was in that book and what they knew. JS.

1979 Same for me in Novorossysk, before sailing I was turned in and they came to my cabin to ensure the body in the bunk matched the face in the discharge book.