m.v. “HOLLAND

Second part of the East Africa Coastal Trade Story

Have been thinking up things on the Coastal service. As for the old "Tayari" a few facts I remember, the two derricks were of 2 1/2 Tons capacity with 15 ton heavy lift gear over No.2 Hatch, No.1 was specially adapted to carry P.O.L. and thus the old ship went a long way to keep the wheels turning with petroleum oil and lubricants in Lindi as well as most things to keep body and soul together for its inhabitants.

When Lindi was closed as a port the last ship to work cargo was the "Holland" and we had quite a party on board and thereafter at the Lindi Club. Olga was on board. She had embroidered on the VNS flag" To the Lindi Club from the Master and Officers of the m.v."Holland". This was put on the centre of the wall behind the bar in the Club.

When I said my final goodbye to Theo I was presented with a VNS Chamber pot suitably inscribed with "To Johnny from the Capt. and Officers of the m.v."Holland" !!! I had been drinking beer  out of it the night before and YES! washed and cleaned it thoroughly when I got it from the passenger cabin before doing so !!

On her next Northbound trip she called at Mtwara and quite a few of us drove the 70 miles , fortunately it was over a week end, and we boarded the "Holland" and presented Theo with a silver tankard duly inscribed "To the Capt. & Officers of the m.v."Holland" from the Lindi Club - Sadly missed, badly pissed". Needless to say we all then came ashore and had one helluva party at the Mtwara Hotel.

Margaret was wearing a white dress and Theo put his epaulettes on her and people in the hotel  thought she was an stewardess from the ship.

Your mention of Peter Williams reminded me of the tally men. On one call I happened to mention to Rik Sombroek that the T.L.S. tallies were rubbish which gave me a headache with claims for damaged and/or short landed cargo. He said we should have the ship's own tally men and asked me to get some. I got the Labour Office to send me some "intelligent" lads and interviewed quite a few and picked the brightest of the bunch.

They joined the ship. Rik gave them an hour a day instruction, had them on the bridge, explained the  wheel, the compass on the bridge and the gyro on the monkey bridge, radio etc etc and gave them a lecture each morning from a deck officers view point. At the end of the week  he gave them a simple test paper to see what they had learned.
One question was what is the most important part of the ship and why. The tally boys scratched their heads and went to Peter and asked him what was the most important part of the ship and why.

Being the chief Engineer he of course said it was the engine room as without the engine the ship wouldn't sail. The final question was who is the most important Man on  the ship and why. The answer they wrote was "The cook, as without the cook they wouldn't have any food and therefore couldn't work  and the ship wouldn't sail "!!!
One by one they all jumped ship as they did not like working when the ship was in port !

Another amusing incident was the monkey that one of the younger officers brought on board as a pet. I came on board one morning about 11.00 and was making my way to Gassie's cabin (Capt. Gastelaars).

When I climbed the stair into the dining saloon which had the tables laid for lunch I  was horrified to see the monkey sitting on the captain's table, one hind leg gripping a water glass, its backside in the Captain's soup plate and swigging from a Maggi Sauce bottle. !!! I shooed the monkey which promptly flung the Maggi bottle out of the open window across the deck and over the side then scampered off straight for Gassie's cabin. He was sitting reading a book with the door open behind him in order to get a through breeze, the monkey jumped onto his lap, up his chest onto his head and out of the door to run off along the starboard deck !!
It must have been down in the engine room as it left a trail of black greasy foot prints on Gassie's immaculate white shorts , shirt front and one right in the middle of his forehead !! You can imagine Gassie's language, boy it was choice, ending with "get that bloody animal off the ship" !!!!  It was hard not to laugh and keep a straight face .

Needless to say the Lindi Agent was asked to get rid of the offending beast. The things an agent gets  to do !! I drove a few miles out of town and released the poor animal into its natural habitat.

On that final note I will leave you and many thanks again for evoking memories of a happy time in my career. By the way if you would like to see a photo of my model of the "Upesi" open up my web site : www.classiccraft.co.uk

Like you I have a little job I do from home.

Kwaheri then  and kindest regards to you both.

Masalaama

J.G. Johnston.

(donated by Anton Jansen 27 Jan. 05)