UPSTREAM TO THE HEARTLAND OF GUYANA
We received a radio telex message: a voyage instruction informed us to proceed to the port of Linden, Guyana and to load 4,580 metric tons of bauxite. Guyana is a republic on the northern coast of South America; formerly British Guiana.It is bordered on the north by Atlantic Ocean, on the east by Suriname, on the south by Brazil, and on the west by Venezuela.
Guyana is an American-Indian word which means “Land of Waters”. Much of the land is difficult to reach and some areas have never been explored. Guyana was one of the first areas to be settled by Europeans in the western hemisphere. Christopher Columbus sailed along its coast in 1498.Sir Walter Raleigh, a British explorer, searched there in 1595 for El Dorado, the legendary city of gold. In 1831 the United Kingdom created the colony of British Guiana. The colony became the independent nation of Guyana in 1966.
The day as we approached the Georgetown anchorage, the surrounding was marked by torrential downpour of tropical rainshowers. Captain ordered to reduce speed and assigned look-outs on standby at the wheelhouse and forecastle deck as visibility was reduced. When the skies became bright and clear, we steered to our designated area and made fast our anchor. The deck gangs rigged the accommodation ladder in preparation for the embarkation of Guyanese port authorities. Few minutes had passed, the port officials had boarded for port clearance and quarantine inspections. When our vessel was finally cleared, we were informed that the sailing time inland to the port of Linden was 7:00 in the morning of the next day. There was a Dutch vessel loading bauxite at that moment, and we have to wait complete their loading before we transit the Demerara River. At the anchorage, my shipmates released their fishing tackles but few fishes took their baits because of strong current and murky waters in the mouth of Demerara River. Others searched for alternative pastime playing tong-it, while some shouted out loud in magic sing karaoke microphone with a cup of salabat.
Visible at a distance from us is the city of Georgetown, the capital, largest city and chief port of Guyana situated on the Atlantic Ocean, at the mouth of Demerara River. It was founded by the British in 1781 and named after King George III. A number of 19th century buildings occupy central Georgetown, including the Gothic style city hall and St.George Cathedral, thought to be the tallest wooden cathedral in the world. The University of Guyana and a large botanical garden are also located in the city. The city’s multi-racial population includes large number of Indians, descendants of the people brought from India by the British colonizers to work on plantations, as well as people of African and native American heritage.
At dusk, our Chief Officer arranged the deck personnel for double-watch duties every four hours for ship security and safety. Georgetown is one of the piracy risk area in South America and we are inclined to exercise vigilance and awareness in case of attack. My watch hour is graveyard shift, from12 midnight up to 4 o’clock in the morning. With me were the 2nd Officer on the wheelhouse and an Able Seaman at the gangway and accommodation. I was assigned in the ship’s forward part and roving duties to monitor and check the ship’s restricted areas. Each of us had a handheld VHF radio transciever for efficient communication, armed with jackknife, and slingshot with iron ore pellets. We must report any circumstances that might harm us and endanger our vessel. Fortunately, no incident of piracy happened during our overnight stay at the anchorage because of our alerted response.Thanks for the omnipresent guidance of our Mighty Creator. After my duty, I took a nap for a couple of hours and awakened again when we heaved up our anchor to sail further inland to the port of Linden.
The port of Linden is located almost 50 nautical miles south of Georgetown city at the entrance of Demerara River. The Demerara River is navigable by ocean-going ships. However, larger vessels cannot pass through it because of the restricted draft, which is the submerged portion of the ship. The transit Pilot, because of his expertise of the area, is the one in-charge of the maneuvering for the entire course of passage through the river. During the transit, my drowsiness was relieved by the sight of verdant vegetations and dense rainforest along the banks of the river. Fresh and relaxing to the eyes, together with cool and lung-clearing air coming from ahead as we sail upstream. My crewmember who had been to the port of Linden told me that it would take almost 10 hours of transit. That means our estimated time of arrival would be five in the afternoon. The inland forest region of Guyana covers about 85%. The highland consists of mountains and savannas(grasslands). Along the banks you could hear the chirping of birds and fowls, combined with the hissing sounds of wildlife creatures. In the isolated areas are scattered Guyanese dwellings in the remote hinterlands. In my observation, I recalled the movie “Anaconda” where it featured a boat traversing upstream in the jungles of Amazon River in Central Brazil.
During the next couple of hours of our transit, Captain called me up to take charge of the steering wheel as the helmsman on duty could take his lunch. It was also a part of our routine on board to relieve a helmsman during long transit like in Panama Canal, Mississippi River, and Chesapeake Bay in the U.S. As I executed the steering orders, I noticed the mighty rushing stream of current which flows against us. The Pilot told me to counter-balance the steering for quick turns especially in the sharp curves and narrow channels of the river. An hour before arrival, there appeared sparse settlements of Guyanese natives. We reduced our speed because of boats that crosses the river, a sign that a civilization lies ahead. Finally, the mining community of Linden appeared. The city has an estimated population of 35,000 people. Along the banks were numerous houses, school buildings, mosque, churches, business establishment, and even a Chinese restaurant. There, I realized that the Chinese are the best entrepreneurs in the world. In the both sides of the river, people sighted with amazement as we approached. Children shouted and waved their hands.
More than half of the total population of Guyana is made up of East Indians whose ancestors came from the Indian sub-continent. About 36% are of Black African descent, and some 7% of mixed background of Native Americans. In addition, small numbers of Europeans and Chinese live in Guyana. About 50% of the population is Christian, being Anglican or Catholic. The remainders are Hindus 33% and Muslims 9%. Their official language is English and Hindi. Native American languages are also used. The various ethnic strains in Guyana have remained fairly distinct. Today, each group has its own style of life and culture. Although the ties of nationhood bind them together.
We maneuvered slowly toward the berth of bauxite loading terminal. The Pilot decided to let our ship turn 180 degrees with the assistance of a tug boat. The vessel’s head now turned facing downstream. Once the ship was secured and moored, local authorities boarded again, together with the cargo hold surveyors who inspected the empty compartments prior to loading. It was exactly 6 in the evening when loading supervisor and foremen boarded and commenced the loading operation. My shipmates took their chances wandering around the city in search for calling center or internet café. I felt exhausted at that moment and decided to remain on board. Local folks negotiated with our Chief Mate that they would barter their livestock with used ship supplies. They brought medium-sized pig, and we gave those used cables and wire mesh in return. The engine department likewise exchanged empty oil barrels for a large goat. After we secured the pig and goat, I confined myself to rest due to my watch duties on the midnight.
The loading operation was completed 7:30 in the morning. Another task for us is to check every ships compartment and empty spaces for stowaways possibly hiding. Stowaways are one of the headaches of every Master Mariner on board. In our fleet, a lot of cases in the past were encountered. We are bound for New Orleans, Louisiana and the American immigration authority imposes heavier fine and strict regulations regarding illegal immigrants. Luckily, we found not even one stowaway on board. We secured the compartments and watertight doors for the safety of the cargo and the vessel. The transit Pilot boarded again and ordered to let the mooring lines clear. Our ship is now loaded with bauxite in bulk to her maximum draft allowed for passage.
Bauxite is an important ore of aluminum, consisting of alum oxide of various degrees of hydration. It is usually mixed with impurities particularly iron. It is a soft mineral with hardness varying from 1-3 and a relative density from 2-2.55. In color, it may vary from white to brown, and is dull in appearance. It is formed by rapid weathering of granitic rocks in warm humid climates, and can be easily purified and converted directly into metallic aluminum. Guyana is a major producer of bauxite. About 2.4 million tonnes were mined in 2000. Gold, manganese, and diamonds are also produced. Other exports include sugar, rice, timber, rum, citrus fruits, cocoa and shrimps.
Seven hours after departure from Linden berth, the Pilot commanded to drop anchor in the middle of the river. It was a part of a transit plan to wait 4-5 hours for high tide because a ship, when loaded could not pass along the shallow portion of the river. It was past 2 in the afternoon, then Chief Mate mandated again a double watch duties. We are situated in an anchorage where no houses present. You could only see thick canopies of trees in a jungle and swampy river bed. Few minutes later, motorized banca appeared nearer to us. I thought those people were pirates. Later, I realized they brought their harvests in exchange for anything from us. We threw a heaving line and fastened their boats along side. More boats arrived and tied themselves together. On board their banca you could see variety of vegetables, root crops, coconut, citrus fruits, bananas, pineapples, mangoes, guavas, jackfruit, papayas and other tropical fruits common to us. Others have live chicken and turkey. There were also souvenir items like stuffed piranha, alligator, and skin of a cobra. My mates started to negotiate with them. They lowered a bucket containing soap and soba noodles in exchange for chicken and fruits. My older officers bartered for bananas, coconuts, and papayas. A middle-aged woman demanded books and magazines, I suddenly rushed to my cabin, got some pack of noodles, geographic magazines and readers digest. I put them in a bucket and lowered alongside. I asked for citrus fruits, pineapples, root crops and bundles of talbos-kamote in return. On board, we seldom eat fresh vegetables and fruits, all are frozen and refrigerated stocks. That is why I craved for those stuffs. Talbos-kamote is nutritious enough, a plain dish when steamed match with bagoong. I asked again the woman if they had mushrooms(ligbos) and bamboo shoots(labong),among my favorite native foods in the province. But those items were not available. Guyanese folks asked for anything from the ship for an exchange. Used oil, lubricants, cables, wire lashings, expired paints, fertilizers from previous cargo, used clothes, and even books or newspapers to let them invest in their minds. The scene looked like a market place in Bangkok, Thailand where vendors selling their goods on their bancas along a crowded river. Nightfall finally came, the Guyanese merchants disappeared one by one. We started heaving up the anchor for the completion of our voyage. In the course of the passage, we were obliged to keep safety and security watches both forward and astern to prevent piratical attacks of Guyanese following behind our ship on board their motorized boats. It was past ten in the evening when we cleared out of the Demerara river. The last seabouy appeared, then the Pilot off boarded our ship. We headed out to the Atlantic ocean with engine’s full speed ahead.
The next day, Chief Mate’s job order for us was a different one. No rust to chip, no spaces to be painted, no gears to put grease, or heights to climb aloft. Instead, we have to slaughter all the livestocks(pig, goat ,and chickens) we carried on board to avoid animal quarantine penalties as we approach America. We feasted on the various menus of fresh-slaughtered goat-caldereta, champayne, papaitan, sinampalukan, and soup no.5. The pig and chickens were stored for our provision. The ship’s Frigidaire was full of different fruits marked with the names of every crew who traded with the locals. From Guyana, our laden vessel rides smoothly with the waves. We headed northwest,bound to our port of destination :Chalmette Slip, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.A.
Guyana is an American-Indian word which means “Land of Waters”. Much of the land is difficult to reach and some areas have never been explored. Guyana was one of the first areas to be settled by Europeans in the western hemisphere. Christopher Columbus sailed along its coast in 1498.Sir Walter Raleigh, a British explorer, searched there in 1595 for El Dorado, the legendary city of gold. In 1831 the United Kingdom created the colony of British Guiana. The colony became the independent nation of Guyana in 1966.
The day as we approached the Georgetown anchorage, the surrounding was marked by torrential downpour of tropical rainshowers. Captain ordered to reduce speed and assigned look-outs on standby at the wheelhouse and forecastle deck as visibility was reduced. When the skies became bright and clear, we steered to our designated area and made fast our anchor. The deck gangs rigged the accommodation ladder in preparation for the embarkation of Guyanese port authorities. Few minutes had passed, the port officials had boarded for port clearance and quarantine inspections. When our vessel was finally cleared, we were informed that the sailing time inland to the port of Linden was 7:00 in the morning of the next day. There was a Dutch vessel loading bauxite at that moment, and we have to wait complete their loading before we transit the Demerara River. At the anchorage, my shipmates released their fishing tackles but few fishes took their baits because of strong current and murky waters in the mouth of Demerara River. Others searched for alternative pastime playing tong-it, while some shouted out loud in magic sing karaoke microphone with a cup of salabat.
Visible at a distance from us is the city of Georgetown, the capital, largest city and chief port of Guyana situated on the Atlantic Ocean, at the mouth of Demerara River. It was founded by the British in 1781 and named after King George III. A number of 19th century buildings occupy central Georgetown, including the Gothic style city hall and St.George Cathedral, thought to be the tallest wooden cathedral in the world. The University of Guyana and a large botanical garden are also located in the city. The city’s multi-racial population includes large number of Indians, descendants of the people brought from India by the British colonizers to work on plantations, as well as people of African and native American heritage.
At dusk, our Chief Officer arranged the deck personnel for double-watch duties every four hours for ship security and safety. Georgetown is one of the piracy risk area in South America and we are inclined to exercise vigilance and awareness in case of attack. My watch hour is graveyard shift, from12 midnight up to 4 o’clock in the morning. With me were the 2nd Officer on the wheelhouse and an Able Seaman at the gangway and accommodation. I was assigned in the ship’s forward part and roving duties to monitor and check the ship’s restricted areas. Each of us had a handheld VHF radio transciever for efficient communication, armed with jackknife, and slingshot with iron ore pellets. We must report any circumstances that might harm us and endanger our vessel. Fortunately, no incident of piracy happened during our overnight stay at the anchorage because of our alerted response.Thanks for the omnipresent guidance of our Mighty Creator. After my duty, I took a nap for a couple of hours and awakened again when we heaved up our anchor to sail further inland to the port of Linden.
The port of Linden is located almost 50 nautical miles south of Georgetown city at the entrance of Demerara River. The Demerara River is navigable by ocean-going ships. However, larger vessels cannot pass through it because of the restricted draft, which is the submerged portion of the ship. The transit Pilot, because of his expertise of the area, is the one in-charge of the maneuvering for the entire course of passage through the river. During the transit, my drowsiness was relieved by the sight of verdant vegetations and dense rainforest along the banks of the river. Fresh and relaxing to the eyes, together with cool and lung-clearing air coming from ahead as we sail upstream. My crewmember who had been to the port of Linden told me that it would take almost 10 hours of transit. That means our estimated time of arrival would be five in the afternoon. The inland forest region of Guyana covers about 85%. The highland consists of mountains and savannas(grasslands). Along the banks you could hear the chirping of birds and fowls, combined with the hissing sounds of wildlife creatures. In the isolated areas are scattered Guyanese dwellings in the remote hinterlands. In my observation, I recalled the movie “Anaconda” where it featured a boat traversing upstream in the jungles of Amazon River in Central Brazil.
During the next couple of hours of our transit, Captain called me up to take charge of the steering wheel as the helmsman on duty could take his lunch. It was also a part of our routine on board to relieve a helmsman during long transit like in Panama Canal, Mississippi River, and Chesapeake Bay in the U.S. As I executed the steering orders, I noticed the mighty rushing stream of current which flows against us. The Pilot told me to counter-balance the steering for quick turns especially in the sharp curves and narrow channels of the river. An hour before arrival, there appeared sparse settlements of Guyanese natives. We reduced our speed because of boats that crosses the river, a sign that a civilization lies ahead. Finally, the mining community of Linden appeared. The city has an estimated population of 35,000 people. Along the banks were numerous houses, school buildings, mosque, churches, business establishment, and even a Chinese restaurant. There, I realized that the Chinese are the best entrepreneurs in the world. In the both sides of the river, people sighted with amazement as we approached. Children shouted and waved their hands.
More than half of the total population of Guyana is made up of East Indians whose ancestors came from the Indian sub-continent. About 36% are of Black African descent, and some 7% of mixed background of Native Americans. In addition, small numbers of Europeans and Chinese live in Guyana. About 50% of the population is Christian, being Anglican or Catholic. The remainders are Hindus 33% and Muslims 9%. Their official language is English and Hindi. Native American languages are also used. The various ethnic strains in Guyana have remained fairly distinct. Today, each group has its own style of life and culture. Although the ties of nationhood bind them together.
We maneuvered slowly toward the berth of bauxite loading terminal. The Pilot decided to let our ship turn 180 degrees with the assistance of a tug boat. The vessel’s head now turned facing downstream. Once the ship was secured and moored, local authorities boarded again, together with the cargo hold surveyors who inspected the empty compartments prior to loading. It was exactly 6 in the evening when loading supervisor and foremen boarded and commenced the loading operation. My shipmates took their chances wandering around the city in search for calling center or internet café. I felt exhausted at that moment and decided to remain on board. Local folks negotiated with our Chief Mate that they would barter their livestock with used ship supplies. They brought medium-sized pig, and we gave those used cables and wire mesh in return. The engine department likewise exchanged empty oil barrels for a large goat. After we secured the pig and goat, I confined myself to rest due to my watch duties on the midnight.
The loading operation was completed 7:30 in the morning. Another task for us is to check every ships compartment and empty spaces for stowaways possibly hiding. Stowaways are one of the headaches of every Master Mariner on board. In our fleet, a lot of cases in the past were encountered. We are bound for New Orleans, Louisiana and the American immigration authority imposes heavier fine and strict regulations regarding illegal immigrants. Luckily, we found not even one stowaway on board. We secured the compartments and watertight doors for the safety of the cargo and the vessel. The transit Pilot boarded again and ordered to let the mooring lines clear. Our ship is now loaded with bauxite in bulk to her maximum draft allowed for passage.
Bauxite is an important ore of aluminum, consisting of alum oxide of various degrees of hydration. It is usually mixed with impurities particularly iron. It is a soft mineral with hardness varying from 1-3 and a relative density from 2-2.55. In color, it may vary from white to brown, and is dull in appearance. It is formed by rapid weathering of granitic rocks in warm humid climates, and can be easily purified and converted directly into metallic aluminum. Guyana is a major producer of bauxite. About 2.4 million tonnes were mined in 2000. Gold, manganese, and diamonds are also produced. Other exports include sugar, rice, timber, rum, citrus fruits, cocoa and shrimps.
Seven hours after departure from Linden berth, the Pilot commanded to drop anchor in the middle of the river. It was a part of a transit plan to wait 4-5 hours for high tide because a ship, when loaded could not pass along the shallow portion of the river. It was past 2 in the afternoon, then Chief Mate mandated again a double watch duties. We are situated in an anchorage where no houses present. You could only see thick canopies of trees in a jungle and swampy river bed. Few minutes later, motorized banca appeared nearer to us. I thought those people were pirates. Later, I realized they brought their harvests in exchange for anything from us. We threw a heaving line and fastened their boats along side. More boats arrived and tied themselves together. On board their banca you could see variety of vegetables, root crops, coconut, citrus fruits, bananas, pineapples, mangoes, guavas, jackfruit, papayas and other tropical fruits common to us. Others have live chicken and turkey. There were also souvenir items like stuffed piranha, alligator, and skin of a cobra. My mates started to negotiate with them. They lowered a bucket containing soap and soba noodles in exchange for chicken and fruits. My older officers bartered for bananas, coconuts, and papayas. A middle-aged woman demanded books and magazines, I suddenly rushed to my cabin, got some pack of noodles, geographic magazines and readers digest. I put them in a bucket and lowered alongside. I asked for citrus fruits, pineapples, root crops and bundles of talbos-kamote in return. On board, we seldom eat fresh vegetables and fruits, all are frozen and refrigerated stocks. That is why I craved for those stuffs. Talbos-kamote is nutritious enough, a plain dish when steamed match with bagoong. I asked again the woman if they had mushrooms(ligbos) and bamboo shoots(labong),among my favorite native foods in the province. But those items were not available. Guyanese folks asked for anything from the ship for an exchange. Used oil, lubricants, cables, wire lashings, expired paints, fertilizers from previous cargo, used clothes, and even books or newspapers to let them invest in their minds. The scene looked like a market place in Bangkok, Thailand where vendors selling their goods on their bancas along a crowded river. Nightfall finally came, the Guyanese merchants disappeared one by one. We started heaving up the anchor for the completion of our voyage. In the course of the passage, we were obliged to keep safety and security watches both forward and astern to prevent piratical attacks of Guyanese following behind our ship on board their motorized boats. It was past ten in the evening when we cleared out of the Demerara river. The last seabouy appeared, then the Pilot off boarded our ship. We headed out to the Atlantic ocean with engine’s full speed ahead.
The next day, Chief Mate’s job order for us was a different one. No rust to chip, no spaces to be painted, no gears to put grease, or heights to climb aloft. Instead, we have to slaughter all the livestocks(pig, goat ,and chickens) we carried on board to avoid animal quarantine penalties as we approach America. We feasted on the various menus of fresh-slaughtered goat-caldereta, champayne, papaitan, sinampalukan, and soup no.5. The pig and chickens were stored for our provision. The ship’s Frigidaire was full of different fruits marked with the names of every crew who traded with the locals. From Guyana, our laden vessel rides smoothly with the waves. We headed northwest,bound to our port of destination :Chalmette Slip, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.A.
posted by Arez at 11:08 PM
