Countries you visited and those you avoided when you were at sea

[John Arton]

I was lucky to be able to visit and even get a chance to get a run ashore, to most countries around the world that had a sea port. North America (both coasts) , central America, South America,carribbean, Europe, Africa ( South Africa, north Africa, west and east Africa), Australia,Japan, china, Philippines, Indonesia etc.
The one country/continent I never managed to visit was India/Pakistan. Unfortunately when I was port captain I had to go to Pakistan and that reinforced my view of the corruption and filth that the Indian sailors and officers that I sailed with would tell me all about.
The only place that I wanted to sea was to go through the straits of Magellan.
Did you miss out on any country you would have liked to visit when sailing?
Rgds
J.A.

[Ivan Cloherty]

The one country/continent I never managed to visit was India/Pakistan. Unfortunately when I was port captain I had to go to Pakistan and that reinforced my view of the corruption and filth that the Indian sailors and officers that I sailed with would tell me all about.

J.A.

Having lived in Pakistan and India (in 70's) it may be a case of the pot calling the kettle black.

Having visited in excess of 90 countries on every Continent during my sea and shore career when I started my own company I decided that I would not do business with any country that required an exit visa having experienced many such places when working for someone else and being subject to all kinds of blackmail, danger and jumping through hoops to get such visa. I may not have enjoyed every minute but life was never boring, but then again life was dangerous at times where you didn't need an exit visa.

[Keith Tindell]

I visited both India and Pakistan in 1960, so i was 19 years of age, and recall coming in to Bombay harbour very early in the morning, and was horrified by the smell of the place and the state of the local beggars , all calling for food, some badly maimed, a couple of them on skate boards to get along. Later a couple of us took a pony and cart ride round the city, he took us to the burial place where the bodies were placed around the walls, and the birds ate them, he also took us to the cages, horrific, how anyone went there for a legover beggars belief. A horrible filthy city, and on top of that your beer was rationed ashore to, i think it was seven cans a week, and ships bond locked.

[Doc Vernon]

Have not been to as many as some here but have had my share i guess, not only when at Sea but after!
Most all around Africa, and South Africa, A lot of places in the UK, and Europe, and South America. Also have done 3 places in the USA , would have loved to go to Canada but never got there, her Indoors went there though!
Thats about my lot
Cheers

[J Gowers]

I worked on rigs off East Coast India and Indonesia in 2010/13 nicest place I every worked great workers in both places and crew changes every 28 days were fun no beer rationing anywhere. Venezula and Trinadad was also fun was there for over a year. The places I would have liked to avoid when at sea was Saudi and Lybia and the place I loved when I was on ships was Japan, but very expensive. On rigs and ships I went to a lot of West African countries and I would say I felt safest in Ghana and most unsafe in Nigeria. The place I never got to and always wanted to visit was New Zealand.

[Keith Tindell]

Ah, now you are the talking nicest place of all, NZ, best country i ever visited, absolutely fell in love with it. Many years ago i was booked for a delivery job to NZ, and then met my wife to be, and end of the trip, but she was worth, still together after 60 years, 58 of them married.

[Des Taff Jenkins]

When I was on the coast I did most British and European ports and nearly all the Scandinavian ones. Deep sea, missing out Spain I did many of the Mediterranean ports, some Red sea ports, all the Persian Gulf ports including Aden so many times I've forgotten, Shri Lanka the same, then from Pakistan through India, Burma; where the people were lovely, far east countries I can't remember which ones except Singapore.
Every port in NZ when I was deep sea plus when I was on the coast, and many ports in Aus of course as I was on the Trans Tasman run.
Canada the States down as far as Panama, and Aruba but my big disappointment is that I never got to South America. Was never interested in Japan.
Des

[happy daze john in oz]

They were all good, even got to St, Helena and Ascension Island along with many others.
Cannot recall a bad one, NZ as all say was one of the best, any port there will do.
One in China where we were treated as criminals almost, locked on board no one ashore, thankfully only for one day God awful place with a name that sounded like a budgie.
Some ports such as Las Palmas were good and bad, great exchange rate on smokes but too much Bacardi and not feeling so good.

But would we do it again, bet your boots we all would given half a chance.

[Captain Kong]

I have been to almost every sea board country the on the planet.
The worst ones in the Middle East. and parts of the African countries


The very best part of the world is Polynesia in the South Pacific Islands. Pure Paradise.
Brian

[Ivan Cloherty]

I have been to almost every sea board country the on the planet.
The worst ones in the Middle East. and parts of the African countries


The very best part of the world is Polynesia in the South Pacific Islands. Pure Paradise.
Brian

BBC2 tonight at 2100 hrs 'Murder in the Pacific' about ' Rainbow Warrior' and Pacific Islands. Part one tonight may be of interest to you Brian