Well, here we sit at anchor. We have been on the hook for over 2 days now waiting to go into Benin. There are several other ships out here also waiting. It appears that the dock workers are on strike. Seems a bit odd that a country that needs food aid would have workers bold enough to strike, but I hear rumors that they have been working very long days for sometime now with no days off... I can only guess that they are concerned about safety. No one aboard knows for sure when we will get in.
Today I saw 2 ships that appeared to give up and leave. Right now the cargo for our last port is covered by the cargo for this one, so I am unsure if we can give up and go as well. My hand and wrist are getting better. I can hold stuff with my right hand now, but still painful to tie my shoes and use keys in locks, but I can hold that darn fork now LOL.... :) I think it will be back to normal very soon. I am still working hard, I have missed no time off due to my hand. Continuing to also do my overtime work, although I have been slowed down a bit, I still manage.
My right forearm is getting tired of the vertical ladders though. I have to wrap that arm around them to climb since I can not grip the rungs. I think by Monday (hopefully) I will be climbing them like I did b4 the accident.
While in Cameroon I did get a chance to get off the ship b4 we left. I headed out with Andy (Boson) and hit the casino. In Cameroon while playing 21 don't be surprised if the casino gets ya...LOL... I was playing 2 spots, boson 1. For me A,10 A,10 for boson A, 10 Dealer 10 up she does not pay us for black jack, does not offer insurance but turns over an Ace for a push on all 3 hands. We stopped playing, drank our free drinks and got out LOL.
Anyway, doing my laundry right now, and I need to head up to the library, 3 days ago I started reading Dark Tower I - The Gunslinger and I finished it tonight, I really need to find out if we got the next one on board... if not it's gonna drive me battly LOL.
It was good to hear from ya Beth... Tell John I said hello, and tell Kelly to stop eating thermometers! Off to the Library...
Jesse
2nd email>
Africa as seen from the SS Wilson by Jesse, Chapter 6.34.2 something or other...
(humm okay, not going to write the book, just an email..)
Well, as a recap, we dropped off food aid to Lome', Togo then sailed to Lobito, Angola then luckily we skipped Luanda, Angola and headed straight to Douala, Cameroon. This Tuesday we anchored outside of Cotonou, Benin (say coat-a new Ben eeen)
We were anchored there till late Thursday evening, several other ships were also anchored and waiting to get into the port. On Thursday we learned that one ship had been sitting there since the 25th of last month. Apparently they did not understand that in Africa you have to pay a bribe to get in. So we cut right in front of that ship, and caused another that was already at the dock to have to move to anchor for us. (I bet those guys were angry with us lol) Well we got our spot and it looks like we will be unloaded by early Sunday morning (9 hours from my typing this).
We finished docking around 3am and I was up again at 7:30 am....No rest for the day crew LOL Anyway, tonight I worked overtime as usual, but this time its the first port I did not go out to see. I can say with certainty that no one the likes of an Einstein, Curry, Franklin or even some one as bright as PeeWee Herman is ever going to come out of this place. Not to many bright people here.
The dock workers here are the ones that unload our cargo. They go into the holds, to work but are to lazy to come out of the holds to go urinate or defecate. They will do this in the holds, on the food, which later they themselves fill their pockets with and take home to their families. The ones that don't do this, don't mind at all that the others do, and they too will take home the food to their tables.
We hire extra labor while at each port to help clean the holds when empty and do some painting etc... The guy who arranges and organizes the group that will work for us wears a suite (well nice clothing anyway). This guy took a dump right on the bow of the ship! Joy, my working partner says "They stooopid and they Stink!" I would like to think that the availability of water is the problem for the stinking, but perhaps it is soap. I was asked by a guy today, "Please, please..(puts his hands to his face) Please, please Soap, please may I beg for soap?"
Well, that of course got me moving quickly to my cabin to get the man a nice new bar of Camay. I know people in Africa are hungry, but I think we should not be sending food that they just piss in, we should be sending them shiploads of Lava and Irish Spring. Now don't get me wrong, many of these men work pretty hard and many are very nice, its just that you want them to be nice from about 16 feet away. One guy today was working butt naked in the holds (he had clothing, he just took them off prior to working), others just wonder around in the skimpiest of underwear. Joy does not appreciate that at all LOL... What's worse is they all want to marry her (I guess Philippine women are much desired in Africa LOL) She don't desire no Africans LOL... it's pretty funny (if your not Joy).
Tomorrow we set sail for Tima, Ghana. I am told this will be a nice port and I am defiantly going out to see it. It should only take a few hours after leaving here to arrive there. Once we are unloaded there it is back to the states. I guess it has been confirmed, we will pick up bulk grain in Galveston, TX and deliver to Tanzania and Kenya. East Africa! This should be a good run, only two ports which makes the work a bit easier and we get to see the Africa the rest of the world wants to see. I am told that while in Kenya we well be able to go on Safari. Guess I got to get that Video camera as soon as I hit Galveston. :) Well, I am going to turn in for the night.
Holy crap!!! I did write a book after all.
humm sorry 'bout that.
Thinking of you all Jesse
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