At the Richmond Docks

AFter two weeks at sea, we finally arrived at our final destination: the Richmond, Virginia docks for the Independent Lines. This company has four ships that shuttle back and forth every two weeks from Richmond to Chester(PA) to Liverpool to Antwerp in Belgium. Because the final miles up the Appomatix River are so narrow, only the smallest ships can make it. The Independent Lines have 4 ships expessly for this purpose, although the larger company has 350 ships in its fleet.

We arrived exactly on time at 2:05 in the afternoon and the captain turned the ship on its axis to tie up on the starboard side. It was a bright, sunny afternoon and the stevedores were waiting for us. There would be no work on the loading or unloading that day and the dock was quiet. The captain had invited us to a barbeque party held at the end of every voyage and as the last lines were tied off, the crew was already assembling the tables on the dock for their party.

It wasn't until we actually arrived on the lower deck that we saw our son, Michael, waiting for us. We didn't expect him, but his wife, Rikki, so it was a complete surprise for us. Even from the lowest deck he looked tiny, but we waved and shouted to him. He was allowed on the ship and visited our cabin and saw the mess hall and the saloon and the bridge. The crew was preparing the winch to lower our 10 suitcases to the dockside and we took our computers and some small hand luggage down the 5 decks to the rented van. Michael tried to load the suitcases in the vanm, but the Filipino crew men did all the work. They had been very friendly and helpful to us on the entire voyage and waved goodbye.

This was an ideal way to travel, especially if you have time to relax and enjoy the life of a working freighter.

Michael drove us the 4 hours to his home in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and we had 4 days to get back our land legs and then drive off to Miami.

Second Engineer on the Independent Pursuit

One of the perks of being a passenger on a freighter is a tour of the engine room. We had to ask the Captain and he had to ask the Chief Engineer and HE had to ask the Second Engineer. The answer was "Yes." After lunch one day, we met the officer, who is Indian, at the door of the engine room and he told us the rules of the visit, "You will find it difficult to hear me and to talk because the engines are so noisy, so stay close to me. Also, the headroom is dangerous because of the many metal parts, so keep looking around all the time. Finally, do not touch any part of the engine, it may be hot or oily." Also, he explained the nature of the engine room crew: "There are two Engineers and 4 Oilers, who are special crew men who keep the motors oiled and help make parts when repairs are necessary. We all have specialized training for this job. The Oilers usually stay together as a team and may stay with a single ship for many voyages. The officers move from ship to ship on almost every voyage."

So, we entered the metal door and were led down the first set of metal steps into the very noisy engine room. We first came to the machine that made fresh water from salt water. Salt water was pumped into the machine under high pressure for two reasons: first, becuase it was used to cool the engine oil and second because there was such a big demand for fresh water all day long in the kitchen and the cabins. Then we saw the engines themselves and a piston that was being repaired. We kept going down metal steps until we reached the actual lowest point where the outside hull was all there was between us and the ocean. We could see the shaft turning where it went outside to the massive propeller.

Finally, he took us into his "office" an insulated work chamber with a huge desk and all the controls for the engine lined up like a space ship. There was a library shelf of manuals above the desk. "I have to study these books all the time so I can become familiar with the engine and can improve my ranking." At the end of the desk was a tiny Panasonic laptop and he pointed to it, "That runs the entire ship," he laughed. "If it crashes, we have a spare one in the drawer."

The tour lasted about 45 minutes and we thanked him for his friendly courtesy to us. "How often do you see your family in India?" There was a photo of his wife and two children on the wall. "Oh, once a year for a maximum of four months. But usually, I sign on for three 4 month tours. I want to advance myself as fast as I can to the position of Chief Engineer where the pay is much better, and then I can tour for 8 months a year." It is fascinating to see such a highly trained man at work. We asked him how he got into the trade. "I was a mechanic engineer for an automobile manufacturer and it was a go to work every day and be bored job. I wanted the challenge of something new and so I chose this field."

The Appomatix River on October 29,2007

The final segment of the trip on the INDEPENDENT PURSUIT was from Chester, PA to Richmond, VA. Captain Pop told us, "You will see one of the most beautiful rivers in America on the trip." The pilot got on the ship at about 6 in the morning and by 10 we had turned up the James River into the Appomatix River. It was a big surprise for us. Not only is the river itself a lovely waterway, lined by miles and miles of forest. It feels like the forest before Europeans came to the continent. You can see in the bottom right of the photo, on the river bank, a small landing with a row boat and a path cut and lined with logs coming down to the shoreline. You can also see the reflection of the ship on the water. The ship has a draft of 21 feet and the river is only 23 feet deep. But the other wonderful thing about the trip was the way the ship handled in the tiny river. You could almost reach out and touch the trees. I couldn't believe the way the pilot maneuvered the ship. Many times in the length of the ship, he would turn to port or starboard by single compass degrees. Back and forth, just like riding a bicycle. Slowly but surely the ship went forward. There were houses once in awhile on the banks. Very large mansions with a Southern feel. In fact, the pilot pointed out "Jimmy Dean's Sausage Biscuit" house, which was white with a portico porch and even a boat house and dock on the bank. We spent almost 8 hours on the bridge as the ship walked its way up the river. It was true: this was a spectacular sight. We congratulated the pilot at the Richmond dock, and he told us that he was a 42 year old pilot who had followed his father and his grandfather into the trade. We asked him how he maneuvered the ship and he said, "I know the trees." Any problems? "Oh, sure, if the mist in the morning is bad, I can't see the trees and then I have to use the computer." The Appomatix River was a perfect ending to our two week trip back to America.

Marcin and Ania say "Yes!"

In the excitement of moving from The Hague to Miami, we were given the chance to celebrate the marriage of two friends, Marcin and Ania, in Tbilisi, Georgia. This is a grand old story because we have known Marcin since he was 15 years old in High School in Warsaw. Ania we have recently met several times.

Marcin and Ania decided to get married in Tbilisi, Georgia because that is the place he proposed to her, in front of the oldest church in the country. They had a civil ceremony in the living room of the ambassador's residence and the Consul officiated. It was wonderful because all of her family came from far away to be with them. Marcin's friends and sister came from Warsaw to be there also. All included there were 80 or so people from Poland, Germany, Holland AND many from Georgia.

We flew into the airport at 4 in the morning and just as the sun came up, we were driven by taxi van to our hotel in the "old Jewish quarter" of the city. We managed 4 hours of sleep and in the afternoon we all assembled for a tour of the city. The next three days went by as if we were on a roller coaster in a dream. Lots of laughter, dancing, drinking very good Georgian wine, huge lunches with lots and lots of meat(the Georgians love meat), walking in the streets where cafes had tables out and people gathered to drink, eat and sing, visiting the churches and the old synagogue, and more of the same for three days.

Marcin and Ania had a lovely idea(not just to marry) to bring people together for this huge long party. We left after 3 days on a flight from the airport at 3 in the morning and went back to The Hague to have one single day before the packers came to move our belongings into storage.

The Independent Pursuit Monrovia Liberia

Judy and I decided to take a "slow boat" to America after 38 years in The Hague. Our friend, Huibert, suggested a freighter, since he has twice traveled to the States on container ships. We discovered a company in London that arranged freighter travel for passengers. It turns out that the Peter Dohle Company from Hamburg, Germany owns 350 freighters that take passengers. Each ship has the word Independent in its name. The Independent Pursuit is one of the smallest ships in the fleet: 170 meters long and 30 meters wide and 7 meters deep. The ship can carry 1500 containers, but on our voyage there were only 750 because some were over-sized.
Captain Pop, the Master, was Romanian and explained, "This is the smallest of the ships I've captained. You will see why it is so small when we travel to Richmond, VA. Most of my ships have been at least 3 times larger." We couldn't believe that because, in our eyes, this ship was huge.

Our decision to take a freighter turned out to be complicated than we imagined. First of all, we had to prove that we were healthy enough to travel, with full insurance and a medical certificate. The insurance proved that we personally were insured, BUT we also had to sign statements releasing the Peter Dohle Company from any responsibility in regard to our health. Even if we die and have to be placed in a freezer, the company is not responsible. Furthermore, we had to prove that we could afford the trip (cost about $100 a day perperson) by fronting all the money. We were told that we should be ready to board on October 16 in Antwerp and wouldn't be allowed to enter the ship without a stamp from the Belgian customs police.

We had a 20 page document explaining "Life on Board" a freighter and it said things like: "Bring string to tie down your radio if the ship should roll in a heavy sea." "You will be able to buy small items from the ship's store, so bring small change in dollars." "Do not expect to be waited on like a cruise ship, you will be on your own for most of the day." "In ports, beware of the busy trucks and other vehicles that are moving quickly. Also, some ports are dark and dangerous for tourists, so always check with the Captain before you leave the ship. He will organize a taxi for you." "If you are allowed shore leave, be certain that you know the exact location of the ship and be back on time well before the ship departs, otherwise you will left behind."

So, it was with a bit of trepidation that we loaded up a van with our 10 suitcases, 2 computer bags, Judy's purse, my backpack, and a bag with apples, Evergreen biscuits and water bottles. We called the ship's agent and were told, "Do not arrive before October 17." One day later and we thought one day later to arrive in America. Little did we know.

Four of the Nine Suitcases for the trip

After all our household furniture and appliances were given away and our art collection packed for the shipment, we still had to keep clothing, bank papers, tax papers, medical papers, customs and passport papers, computers and all the attachments, work documents and personal items. These many things were packed into 9 suitcases for the voyage on the Independent Pursuit container ship bound from Antwerp to Richmond, VA. We needed everything for six months while we search for a place to live. We rented a short term furnished apartment, but the suitcases are filled with the stuff and stuffings of our lives. Like gypsies, we have to know what is where and what should be on top and what can wait. The shipping company allows 250 kilos of luggage per passenger, and we are nowhere near that amount. Although the angle of the gangplank could cause some embarrassment. We don't know what deck our bunk will be on, but we hope it won't be six stories up from the main deck. Actually, there are no elevators on a container ship, so we will be hiking up and down the inside and outside stairs for two weeks and should be stronger and healthier by the time we have to carry the bags off the ship. We chose bags with wheels, but stairs will be a hassle. Yesterday, Judy looked up the web site of the ICL and they announced that they will not be taking passengers in 2008. So, maybe we are the last ones to take passage with them. Everything is ready for the drive to Antwerp. Our friends will drive the rented van from The Hague to Antwerp and then help us with the bags and then drive the van back home. I think the last official duty we will have is to go to the passport office in Antwerp and get our passports stamped with the European Union Belgian exit stamp. Then, off to the ship and ready for the trip. The Independent Pursuit goes from Antwerp to Liverpool and then across the Great Circle Route on the Atlantic to Chester, PA and finally to Richmond, VA. Our daughter-in-law, Rikki, will drive up from Chapel Hill, NC and take us to her home with ALL the bags and two slightly greenish in-laws. Can't wait.

Judy and Kasia in Tbilisi

In the middle of all the hecticity of packing up our apartment, we flew off for a wedding in Tbilisi, Georgia. Our Polish friends were hosting a huge party for the wedding of Marcin and Ania. This photo shows Judy and Kasia(dressed in a Polish peasant costume) in the hotel lobby. The weekend was spectacular, although tiring. The airplanes arrive in Tbilisi Airport between 3 and 4 in the morning, so we had a 5 hour wait in Munich Airport. In the airport, Marcin was waiting with two taxi vans for the 10 Polish friends and little old us. Kasia and Ania were not there to meet us because they were recovering from an evening of serious drinking and fun. The hotel was in the old Jewish quarter of Tbilisi and up a steep hill. We got to bed at about 5 and slept until 10 the next morning. Breakfast was Turkish coffee, fresh eggs scrambled, dark bread and white cheese. On the first day, we had a tour of two of the oldest churches in European Christendom, because Georgia was the first country to accept Christianity. One of the churches has a crypt where the robe of Jesus is secured. The synagogue in Tbilisi is big and has three stories, each with its own synagogue and own rabbi and 3 congregations. Tbilisi is a friendly, warm town with a combination of old Soviet buildings and roads and trucks with a Mediterranean street life. Lots of cafes with strollers being invited to join in the fun. On the day of the wedding, the whole group of almost 100 guests were bussed to the home of the Polish Ambassador was our host for the official wedding ceremony. Then, champagne in the garden and finally off to the wedding party at a HUGE Georgian restaurant. The party lasted until 1 on the following morning. At midnight they announced that we were celebrating our 46th wedding anniversary. And the party went on. We returned to Amsterdam after leaving at 5 AM in Tbilisi and home at noon. The very next day, the movers arrived to pack us up for the trip to America. It was a tiring but very rewarding interlude.