Ivory Coast , I visited with ships, city of Aabidjan and what I experience there

I was joung 2nd officer and was joinn ship, that time in Lagos what look loke quite different at time when I was as cadet there, and not anyx more 600 ships at anchorage but few and we went with another ship I spent jus short time .

So in Lagos , from company , then it was not Croatian, when I start sailing and was already 2  mate but this was foreign owned shit, and I have to join again as jounger officer, third mate, but not long, Some 20 day as was trip last from one port in Middle East which I will not menation. So as soon as we moored at anchor Captain caled me and said Niksa you are promoted on this Company to 2nd officer and I am sorry that you have to go to another company ship also in lagos, I sa in this short time that you are good officer but they are owners.

I took my luggage and all I have in 1 hour say good bye to all and with agent car went to that other ship some half mile berthed from my first ship.

I boarded meet Captain and next day we saile as that ship discharge cargo of rice to Ivory coast. There we came and drop anchor as we we to load logs orrainy forests wood they cut and sell very expensive wood as mahagony ect.

Ship was boarde with some 20-30 local dockers and given accomodation and their own kitchen as this ship had it so we start loading with our cranes logs , coming from some river chined, towed by tug alongside our shit and was a lot logs in the water on each was mark how many tons was heavy as not to exceed capacity of our craane Safe working load and crus it. But one can not take it for granted as who know when those logs were cut and throw in water, and how many tons plus weight of log is to be lifted with crane of the ship.

Ivory coast is poor country wit some very rich people, and when I saw a way they loaded this log, how dangerous is for few dockers down jumping from one to other in sea water and passing wire so that ship ccrane can lift in and load 1st in cargo holds and later on decks. Point is that those people we down under so heavy logs being lifted and if wire break will log fell on them some 20 tons heavy and kill them, but that is way they work as being very poor have no other options to make some small money.

I went with boat few times to Abidjan and what an difference was there compared with other African cities I have bee, but not all city is shining beauty but some parts are as you are in best European city where reach lived and also white people working there having astronomical salaries there. Ivory Coast is former french colony and Frenc is widely spoke.

In reach parts of city onmy surprise I saw big supermarkets airconditioned with all kind of foods wher white people shop but poor can not afford it as inside was as in some modern European city food fresh brought with refrigeration ships of all kind and very expensive,

But bit more away frm that shining place is different story very poor people live eat what they can outside houses preparing mostly rice and food vegetables and food from local markets white people no shop as its really possible there to get some stomach infection not used on such way of making food.

So we continue loading logs praying tah our two canes will not be crushed as as I said logs what declared weight was on each one having stayed long time in water became much hevier and we saw on one shit on our and their horor one crane arm probably liftin so wet log musch heavier cracked  and nothing can be done there but in shipyyard, how crew felt one can imagine.

hard part for us was when they fillde cargo holdy and start loading on deck logs 5m high then we officers have to superwise stowing taht later from side to side across ship we can pass chain and tighten it or all wil end up insea, no nice job to jump on wet logs being loaded from water one can break leg easily.

Eventualy we copleted loading and sail ot from there and the start somethin I will never forget, As on deck in betwen logs are lot of free space although as we must check for stowaways its virtualy imposible to check it all.

So next day boatswain petty officer went to eat something late at night to crew mess rom, and  saw 3 stowaways there , he was shocke, call Captain, and in such case, you must give them one cabin food and if have take their documents as ship was heading for Portugal, harbor, Porto.

Those three have all documents even seaamans book, passports and they were from Gana more poor country from Ivory coast.

As was night we cannot search more and anyway if are some more will check in the morning.

So under logs as I say have lot of free space bosn mate and crew found another 4 , na d same they had all documents, my good we said what we are going to do with this poor people,

By maritime regulations you must treat wiuthout using any force as they werso scared and no dangerous, we think must be some more who know.

When i went to my afternoon watch fro noon to 4 pm about 3 pm I saw one more this one was hiding in one of ship life boat. So I telefoned down to captain and he call seame led by bosun mate becouse how we know is he armed or not, So they came up and bosun call him to come on deck upper one and that nothing bad we do to him, so he was also so scared but came up, all of them were not any dangerous people just as were from gana looking for some job on such way. This one also have documents , we wonder my god how many will more show up, and after few hours two more we found the we in engine room where is wide pipes , and pushing from engine hot air and oil waste they were almost completely dehidrated sthere is very hot and where they stay before hiding and how many times pend there we no know.

Trouble start as one was without any document, nothin, he said is also from Gana but authirities in Portugal will not trust him and virtualy he as no have any documen can stay years on ship, and in any potz must lock him , and from that country guard wil maintain watch  there.

Others were also big trouble we knew for us but at least they have passports and will be on company cost sent by plane to gana  but it is not so easy lot of investigation will be done and they put us in lot of trouble if they said that we beat thema and were mean what was not true.

By maritime low if you have stowaway on ship and we have a lot you are allowed by ship life boat to land them in some country , Captain decide we try in Mauritaniia, and explaine the its is best also for the as in Portugal when police came on board they are not so nice.

I did by Captain order what will never again do in my life he said you will in life boat as office, bosn mate and 4 seamen and try to discharge this poor people in Mauritanias he checked on Map close were many vilages and they will get help.

So we lower life boats and stowaway and our crew , before gave the lot of food, condensed and fresh and cigaretes.

So Captain gave me walkie-talkie to be in Contact with him 5 miles away from shore as no dare come closer, so it took me almost hour to reach close to shore and i saw that to discharge men there is imposible as ocean vawe were coming from open sea few metres high and if i pass with life boat that barier wiil never be able to come vack, so i explaiined it to captain by walie-talkie he said no take any chance but come back no way to do that they have to go to Portugal with us

I realized later how lucky I was, as by marimime low you are allowed safely to discharge in this case illegaly to Mauritani but if local patrol boats saw you wille nd up then in prison and god know how prisons are there and how many years will get.

When we came in Portugal in Porto Captain of course adviced then that he have many stowaway from Africa , that they all have documents except one. So as soon we berthed ship was boarded with special police and authoritie . They wait and negotiate what will do with that poor man not having any document, wher they can send him as not any country might take him as he no have any proof that is from Gana, After many hours they talk it was decided that also they will take that man without document and there for sure our company ship belong did something and eventualy all wer acompanied by Police without any force left shi and before the went all of them thanks us as we treated very well nobody shows any hostality but what we can do.

So we commenced discharging that logs when I had one more adventure, Captain called me to cabin and show me fax from company agent brought to him. I am to go by train almost all Portugal pass to Port of Setubal I was already there when was sailing on ships from Dubrovnik my home town and what am I supposed to do there I asked as was not mentioned but only that Captain phoned to them so that nobody knows as it is not allowed. I am to go there company choose me and take large sum of money from two superitendant of Dutch nationality supervising repair of huge supertanker also belong to same company and take some navigational charts as to not carry only money. Company did it as if sent to Portugal bank so much money large amount will be bank fee and this way wil pay nothing as Dutch men brought that money with them.

Captan told me Niksa go at once as train leave in 1 hour agent is waiting for you to tke you to train, you have 1st cklass ticke luxury place in train and eat and he know I do not drink anything you want the best they have, but be careful on way back as when you went to that ship in dock no stay long take that money place in something not suspicious and plus take some navigational chart as cover as you have enter dock through gate where is guard and behave naturaly calm on way back as will pass same gate with lot of money, and will have to wait few hours till train leaves Setubal so go to some restaurant best one and then with taxi to train and no sleep its long way going there and come back in one day but you know do that I know

So I went on big advenure eat in train and enjoyed Portugal nice landscape and when we pass thatt huge bridge over Rio Tejo so inside is city of Lisboa and is long way arround before bridge was made and after a while came in Setubal known to me and went straight to dock pass gate meet Captain greeted me very warm, and no loose time but gave me that charts and one Dutchman gave me money, it was very  big sum, 50k that time, so i say bye shook hands  they wish me luck , money was in one plastic not suspicious bag and I safely past gate show guard that i came to take charts he vawe me and i breathed easier, it was about 6 pm and my train was to leave for port around midnight , I walk a bit around to pass time always where lot of people around were the went to best restaurant and slowly eat to time pass, and at 11 pm took taxi and went and board train, I enter before almost 1 hour to train went to my comfortable 1st class seat and felt safe that I am in and will no move till train start moving, so it was it, some nice ladies were close to me they slept most of time but i cannot with whyt i carry , So in morning we came in Porto I was very tired from all adventure went to Captain and hand him what i brough lot of money ask him here is check from the you count, he said no i trust you was no sleeping all night worry for you, now go and sleep as much as you can as all is well, this is alowed only nobody can find out , so its over.

But in 3 days again I have to go to antother shi. I  was 1st time on that foreign company now 2nd officer promoted after 20 days. So Captain told me he got instructio that they want me again to go to another ship. This time in Emden Germany as ship was 5 months at inside anchorage very close to shore with just few crew to maintain and guard her, So I say of course I have to go and I really do not care.

When arrived at Emden agent wait me and with boat transfer to the ship it was biggest ship till now I saild built in Germany to carry general cargo as then just start containers. Accomodation inside and my cabin was so big and excellent one feel inside great comfort. So crew start to coming some from home having end of vacations and some transfer as I from other ship, It takes some 15 days till we check all instruments are working well as were shut down 6 months , and made some adjustments were need. Almost every night with ship life boat we were going to Emden in 10 minutes were there and I remember it was October fest not so big as in Bavaria in Munchen but was nice to see that seat nice grill gernab sausage watch the people and their customs a sthat is big celebration as I realized in Germany all are happy, so about 10 pm we go back to ship went to sleep happy as had great time and saw that nice city and its people.

Really there is nothing like travel and also reading books, since was kid start readin mmaybe as library was just acroos road 30m from my house, first start wit light books and as grew more and more books what one can teach a lot about life. I want to point out when shift from our ships to foreign ships start reading books in Englis and i saw it appeal me , two reasons i update language and it was chalenge so I bought also lot of books but take in ports seamen clubs library and in nect port change no matter wher and when became senior office and no have time to take books sent yunior officer told him about what kind of books to brought tome, First time in USA i forgot name of port as was in so many in seamens club I saw a lot of books on shelh as man running club what about books there , he said you can take it, I aske how many I can take, he said be reasonable, so I had with me seaman bag as was bought something took 20 books thank him and thats how it startd:

What I am trying to point out traveling and reading books when you come in certain country you feel as you already know most about custom there as you in so imany books i read I learn a lot about world and it was fun for me when end job for day go to bed have to read at least half hour no matter how tired was as it relaxed me.

This I suggest all young men as today they travelled a lot, plane tickets can be found cheaper only must know some tricks, so what i say despite internet books will be always great deal of updating your way of life , On internet you cannot read books  and there are so many masterpieces written not only classic book but all kinds, once you really start loving books will start reading more and more spiritual, classic and that sort and one can found himself in some book and question who really we are and why we are here and to be happy every morning you wake up, and if there is that morning nothing with you say good morning to you in the mirror,

Now I will close this blog or will not as I start in lagos and till Emden , Germany had a lot adventures as I have on this strong and big ship, that I will continue tomorrow as is close to 11 pm and its time to rest and will happy continue tomorrow, this is great fun for me, if I will born again same job will do and will no change my way of living, and way' BECOUSE  what i said before if one love job he chose to do and is happy with it will reach top, and there is not better feeling when you solve some big problem what seems in begining it will be impossible , but all is possible when one enter problem vompletely, think in silence and first thought came on his mind it is real one. People said it came on my mind but I should say thought was sent you from source no known to us  and i think never will be but we will develom 6th feel and instict when in trouble and in danger never hurry but then do all slowly, as if you hurry in danger you can spoil many things its chinese proverb saying in danger just take it easy never hurry,

Life is nice but time is passing quite quickly so grab any chance when you feel brave enough and remember in begining nobody knew most thing but its up to you to start working and learning, if you only making party you will never reach  top what is possible in job you choose and love, Thasat is great feeling to be in charge what at beginning seems impossible your dream comes true, always when offered some promotion simply say YES i accept, I am no talking someone will offer to be some top doctor without be able to save lives and know all what have to need, or plane pilot where life of passengers depend of his knowledge and to be cool when something goes wrong or ship captain, if you are not able and feel youcan be in charge as such jobs required knowledge  an you are being tested from superiors before you are promoted, This are and similar jobs one have be able to stay cool and at once react right at situation what can happened maybe once in his career

Such jobs where from your knowledge and skill depend life or lifes of many peope of course are different kind.

So I will continue with this new ship Ijoin from Portula, flew to Emden in Germany, So as ship was laid up, which means waiting for cargo contracts, only few people stay to guard her and keep only wat is important from instruments working other all was dhut down.

In abour wek all crew came and ships instruments on bridge and engine room were checked carefully and the we sail from Emden through Suez Canal to Rangoon , Burma.