SEA STORIES AFRICA

ADVENTURE OF A  LIFETIME: WILSON SWILLEY
Text Box: PAYBACK SHIP: SS DEL ALBA “AFRICAN TRIP” Rated:XXX I’ve had six months sea time as an ordinary seaman and a coastwise trip as a wiper in the engine room on the SS Orion Planet (super tanker at the time). Earned my B Book in SIU. I got the Del Alba in spring of 65. She was bound for Africa with a deck load. She also had passengers; Peace Corp workers and/or missionaries. How I got the Del Alba. I walked in to the Union Hall on Jackson St. after signing off the Orion Planet. They closed the doors and the BA (business agent) went thru the hall pointed at volunteers to go to Chicago and work a taxi cab endorsement program DOC 777 to get the yellow and checker cabs under the IBU (Inland Boatmen's Union affiliated with the SIU). Off we go in jets to Chicago. I drove and work on Halsted and 63rd at a taxi stand. We were campaigning against the Teamster with Hoffa making an appearance. We stayed at the YWCA and were given an umbrella with a steel spike on the end of them and told to be careful, “they are sharp.” We were there only a couple of weeks and won the fight. Back in New Orleans I was given the first ship I threw my B Book in for. OS (Ordinary Seaman) on the SS Del Alba. A Delta Line ship or Mississippi Steam Co. They made trips to South America and Africa. Always wanted to go there. I only needed six months and I could get my AB ticket (12 month restriction) which every ship could have one. Better pay and sleep on the lower bunk. The Boson was a heavy set half breed Indian (Choctaw, I think) like my step father by the way. My mother was French/Indian/Swede, so that explain a lot. The name Swilley is an Americanized French (Souille). The rest of the crew was mainly from New Orleans and I took a liking to them all. They were real Coon-Asses. Had a great Captain, West was his last name. Whom I respected and liked, even though he took one beautiful whore away from me. The two AB’s on watch with me were both old timers thirty or forty years at sea. One them was a drunk. We had to sober him up the first day out to sea. He could not turn to. The deck maintenance had to take his place on watch with us. Del Alba was a C3 or had five hatches three forward and two after with a 30 ton( I don’t think she was a 50 like Victory ships) jumbo booms at number three hole. Most all the booms carried their topping blocks from a Kingpost or Cross Tree. We shuttled over to Port Arthur to pick up some cargo. What a place you had to join a club to drink. It was a dry county. Except for the mosquitoes they drank all they wanted. Then we went to Houston to get the deck load. Had a chance to see the SS Savannah, the only nuclear power merchant ship in US Fleet. I think the NMU had her. Canard Lines or United States Lines. We stayed in Houston for about a week. I stayed aboard and worked for most part. We were under way across the Gulf and into the Atlantic, the weather was cool and cloudy. It was late fall in the Atlantic. We got a lot of OT, painting and chipping. I was on the 8 to 12 watch so I had the sanitary duties on the deck gang side. Which was on the starboard side of the ship. It was level with the weld deck (main). The black gang engine room and steward department were on the port side. After lunch the 8 to 12 would report to the paint locker in the fore peak to get our assignments from deck maintenance. This ship also carried a ship’s carpenter due to the fact you had to shore up some of the cargo in the holes and on deck. We were carrying a deck load. Also any woodwork that might need repair. Our first stop was Ghana Takoradi and Tema to let off our passenger and their cargo. We were to be there for three days. The British had left a vacancy you could see. Streets were not clean and we stayed in a hotel for the night. Great rooms over looking the ocean at a cheap price like fifteen dollars. Meals were not bad. No girls that I was interested in. In Tema I met a young African guy that was going to fix me up with a girl he said she was a knock out. We went by cab to the north of town. I was by myself which at the time didn’t know better. She was good looking and he want to be paid before he was going to leave me there. Some how I didn’t like the feel I got about this whole thing. I was lucky this way all my life. I played it cool told him I really did not have the time because ship was to leave soon. We should be back in a couple of weeks I will look him up then. He told the driver to take me back to ship I gave the guy a couple of bucks for his trouble. The girl really wanted me to stay. She was very young. I just don’t know if I would have been safe there. Better safe than sorry. The ship left the next morning. One of the crew was telling us he met some of the Peace Corp workers that they had left there a couple of months ago. They were bigger drunks than he was. They told him that they had to do all the work and were now just putting in their time. They could not get the people involved at all, they showed no interest in learning how to plant crops. We enter the Congo river with a pilot. The wild animals we saw were great. Hot humid and jungle that grew along the banks. We passed a little village called Boma going up. We had to go pass Mitadi and make a turn I didn’t think we would make it. Going back down stream, which was fast had to turn the ship’s screw in reverse to dock. I guess if you missed the docking you would have to go back down the river. Turn around and try again. We heaved the heaving lines with the monkey fist on the end to the docks. African worker pull the 3” line ashore faster than I had ever seen. We had taken turns on the bitts to fairlead the line out to them. Making sure I had the rope stoppers and chain stoppers made ready to hold the 3” line and 3/4” cable secure. While we undid a few turns off the bitts and a couple of turns on the drum or capstan of the wench. Begin to take up the slack. We made her fast with a spring cable (these were made fast toward mid ships as was the one from the bow) and off shore lines. Since I was on the 8 to 12 watch we had the stern duties and the second mate was in charge. We flaked the lines as we reeled them in on the winch. It was the duty of on watch crew to adjust lines during watch for the raising and lower of the tide and/or load change the draft (depth she floated in the water) of the ship. You forget how much you sink in fresh water. First night in Matadi was a little disappointing. The Belgians had almost all gone by 64. The town was once a pretty active place. It had good hotels and restaurants. We made it to a few bars and drank European beer that was all to be had. I had no interest in the women and there were not that many and they were all black. I just not turned on with black women. Loved a lot of them as people. After a few days some us were just acting like tourists. But there were a few having fun with the locals. A Belgium passenger ship came up for a night and a couple of us went to Hotel to see if any young chicks came ashore. Mostly middle age ladies and elderly men speaking French with some of us. We could do that anyhow. Some of the crew spoke boo-glee (coon ass) French. I learned French in high school Parisian style. I got pretty good talking to the natives. We had seen what had happen to some of the deck load left by a previous ship. It might have been from the Del Alba’s last trip here. A pole setting truck was about destroyed setting along the dock area. We heard the D9 Cat dropped last trip was just down the road at a bridge with the engine ceased. No oil in the motor. Makes you wonder what is going to happen to this deck load. Number three hole was unloaded and made ready for African Blackwood logs to be loaded into. These thing were big and heavy. We rigged the booms in a west coast style, doubling up booms to carry the load. The blacks working in the hole were amazing. They used steel bars and their backs to move these logs around. It was scary to watch. They would hum a tune with every push. Like a chain gang digging to rhythm. They had that, rhythm that is. I was on gang watch watching them work when one them came out of the hole. This guy was muscle bound from ear to toe. And he looked like a gorilla. He was dressed in a loin cloth to cover his nuts and that’s it no shoes. Buddy I wouldn’t walked on that hot deck much less those logs bare foot.. He had a flat noise you look straight into his nostrils. He was so black it look like blue-black skin in the sun with the sweat. He smile at me as he passed with the whitest teeth. He looked like the picture of health and probably was. The day that we were to leave the AB on my watch was passed out from drinking. Plus he had an infection of the ear that looked bad. So he did not turn to. I was told to take the wheel as soon as we left the docks. This was unusual for OS to take the wheel under a pilot. I guess there was no traffic and it was a Missouri Boat ride anyhow. No controls going with the current. While dropping the lines on the stern the spring cable was dropped in the drink before we had made enough turns on the drums. The other OS didn’t have the chain stopper tight enough. The cable was sinking in the river unreeling off the deck in loops streaming thru the chock. The stupid 2nd mate was about to step on the cable to stop it, went another AB and myself gabbed him. He could have lost his leg or more. Goodbye cable! I relieved the AB on the Wheel. He gave me the last instruction he had received from the Pilot. Zero rudder. The 3rd mate told me she was not going to answer to the rudder until she gets up to speed. Then pilot said 20 degrees left rudder. What towards the dock I thought. Did as he commanded. The ship did push outward toward the middle. “Mid ships,” he said as we reached the middle of the river. You always repeated his last instruction to make sure you heard him correctly. We were hauling ass down the Congo like a raft ride on the rapids. Keeping her in the middle as best you can. Hell, 15 degrees left then right rudder. Ahead was a large stone wall 50 ft high and sharp turn to the left. I could see that the water was running up the rock about 20 ft. I told the pilot I had no control. Both he and the Captain told me not to worry she’d make it on her own. Damn it did, never seen anything like it. About shit in my pants. She rolled a bit to port and went around the bend. Few seconds later I could keep her in the middle. Now I know why West want me on the wheel, scare the shit out of me. Instead of leaving the Congo we stop in Point Noire for the night to leave the next morning. A couple of us went ashore and really enjoyed it. There was a hotel restaurant that had a view thru the jungle thru which you see the white beach in the moon light. Windows from ceiling to floor on three sides. Had beer, wine and steaks. What a place to bring a girlfriend to show her a good time. Some parts of Africa were very beautiful. The Belgium knew how to capitalize on it.. We left mid morning the next day for Dakar French Ivory coast. We were only to be there for a night also. I went ashore to buy a pair of European style shoes. Hardly anybody went ashore because the French there had no use for Americans. It did not bother me. I spoke French well enough I could got along great. Another Ordinary and I went out to eat that night at a fancy restaurant. I had paid for the cab to get there. I took the money from my pocket which I had francs. We had a great meal. The waiter was good to us. He spoke a little English which helped us in ordering our dinner. Along came the ticket (tariff) and we both discover we didn’t have enough money. Luckily the waiter understood what I was telling him that we worked on a ship in the harbor. We had left our money on board. My shipmate would stay here until I returned with money. In a panic I left the restaurant realizing now I had to explain to the cab driver I did not have any money. Instead went to the ship without telling him. There I explain what was going on. He had no choice I guess but anyhow I made it back to the restaurant. We gave the waiter and driver a big tip. I came away with a good feeling about Dakar. Thank to Mrs. Clothier, my French teacher, in Panama City. We left the next morning early heading for Lobito, Angola. The ship was about empty now with only just the African logs in no. 3 hole. In Lobito I stayed on board most of the time. Docked there only two days. I went to town get a beer and eat something. Not very friendly at all the Portuguese. I didn’t question why until Luanda where we went next. In Luanda we pallet loads of lead. This was going to take some time. We went to a local night club to check it out for girls and a drink. There was no action until the week end we were told. It was Thursday. So maybe tomorrow I might get something going for once on this trip. There were some good like girls in town. Luanda was located on a peninsula with a bridge connecting to a village on the other side. I noticed there were very few blacks in town only working at various jobs. I found out the Portuguese would not lets them in town unless they had work passes. The black lived in the village across the gulf. The cops carried axes and guns. We didn’t go over to the village it didn’t look to inviting to us. Captain took off on a hunting expedition (safari) Friday and left the ship with the Chief mate. We went to town Friday night. Returned to the same club as that we were at the night before. It was crowded with young guys and girls. Didn’t see too many sitting together, as if on a date. The girls were at separate tables from the boys. They would dance when the music was playing. We felt strange in here. We got the hint we were not welcome. Had a drink and left.. I was upset because there went our change to get laid. A mess man met us outside, he said he got the same treatment. Chief cook told him a place on the beach that had great seafood and beer. They served both the black and whites. American blacks that is. There is where we went. We had a great time. Eating langouste (lobster) except no claws a big snout or horn for 50 cents or 180 escudo. Over the next couple of days while not on watch we spent most of time at this place. It had large patio of smooth stone deck that the beach lead up to. You could sit there with the shipmates and shoot the shit. The owner filled us in on the history of Angola. I learned why they hated USA. They ask me why we don’t give back America to the Indian. If they have to give Angola back to the blacks. There families had been in Angola for four hundreds years. They were the slave traders to America and Europe for two hundred years. No American or British flag ships carried slaves to America according to their records only Portuguese or Spanish. Arabs and Portuguese in the business of slavery had made deals with local warring tribes that they would buy there captives during the 1700 and 1800’s. Anyhow they made a good point. I was not up on history. But being part Indian, I felt like an American not one race or another. In fact the mess man I was there with, was black. He told me that he felt the tension when he was walking around town. Now I knew why most black stayed out of Luanda. Some of our crew mainly black did go over to the village. They said they had a blast. They got laid, drank and ate good. Next to the last day I was on gangway watch when I notice the Radio Operator with an 8 mm camera filming something. I went up to the boat deck where he was and saw what he was filming. Two young blacks on some sacks in the back of the truck doing 69. I mean sucking each other dicks. Well that did not excite me. I though he was perverted filming it. At the evening meal, night before leaving, the Chief Cook took up a collection to buy a load of lobster to have on the way back to the states. Did we! We ate lobster breakfast , lunch and diner. You name the various styles to served lobster, we had it. I think we had some left when we got back to the states. The captain had brought back for his hunting trip an antelope or something like that. He told me all about his hunt on the way back. While I was on wheel watch he used to come up for noon sighting on the sun. It a great trip back good weather lots of sunshine and OT. Good suntan to boot. About two days out while I was on watch we spotted a square rigger on the horizon about 2 points off the starboard bow. It was noon and the captain was in the wheel house. He told me to take the ship off the iron mike and lets have a look. So we change course and headed for her. As we approached you could see a big Maltese Cross on her main sail. What a sight. I could see girls on the deck in bikinis taking their tops off. The guys with them were waving. It was flying a Portuguese flag. Must have come from the Azores going to Angola, we guessed. We had to go to Pascagoula, Mississippi for some small repairs on the ship and unloading some cargo. The baker Johnny had gone ashore and came back with some white lightning (corn whisky). Offered me some but I just didn’t care for any. Some of the deck crew had some. Said it was good stuff. I’ll take their word for it. We were headed back to Houston to pick up cargo for Africa again. We were a couple hours out in the Gulf. I had just finished eating went into the pantry to dump my dishes when I heard an argument going on between Johnny and the Saloon Mess man over some bread. The mess man was saying the bread was stale and they would not eat it. Not paying much attention, I heard some commotion and the mess ran out of the gallery holding his stomach. I walked over to the doorway of the kitchen. Johnny was washing a French bread knife off saying something to himself. I couldn’t quite understand. As I was walking out on the starboard side passage way, next to the stair way that led up to the upper decks, here comes the mess man holding his guts literally a bloody mess. He cut me! The Son of bitch cut me! He ran up the stairs. I start up the stairs. Then Johnny gabbed me said come with me. I was too scared not to. He had me throw his white lightning over the side. While I was dumping it, the boson ask me help the 2nd engineer get the mess man to sick bay. I did so, thinking this guy was going to die. He had ran all the way to the wheel house. The 2nd asked for gauze and to get some warm water make sure its body temperature. Sterilize a soup spoon. Couple of us did as he ask. He began to pour warm water on the bandage. He had stuffed his guts back in and put the gauze over the wound. The wound ran from his belly button to his right side which also had cut the top of his stomach. You could see what he had eaten. I was relieved on my duties of helping the 2nd engineer. I had done all I could for now. I guess the 2nd gave morphine into the mess man. He wasn’t moaning as much. I went back to the starboard side where everybody was talking to Johnny. He was giving his side of the story. That the guy had threaten him. I didn’t see that but I couldn’t see every thing that was going on. The Coast Guard was sending out a helicopter to pick up the mess man. We were told to swing the number five boom outward and make clear the fan tail cover. The pick up will take place there. I was on top of the cover as the helicopter arrived and they brought the mess man up to us. The hook was lowered to us and as I am about to grab it some one said look out and a jolt of static electric knock the hell out of me. Some one else had to hook him off. We had to write up the OT for swing out and in the booms. The joke was the description. “Nigger Rigging” Actually put on some of the time sheets. I could not do it. Had made too many black friends in my days. We docked in Houston and we could not leave the ship. We were under a lock down by the Coast Guard and Feds. After many interviews, a days worth we were allow to leave the ship. I was staying on for another trip. We didn’t lose much of the crew. We gained a new AB for the drunk on 8 x12 watch. He was a hard working, skinny guy, name Jack. © Swilley 2005-2008

Capt. WEST

Houston, TX

Houston, TX

ME Belgium Congo River (1965)

LOOKING AFT

Mitadi along the Congo River

You can see the ship at the very last  dock. 1965 winter

  © Swilley 2005-2008

     U.S. MERCHANT MARINES