Resumption......

It has been a while since I last posted, mainly through inertia and slow Internet connection speeds, very frustrating when you try to post something and your connection resets before you have finished writing and you have to start again.

Done a few things since leaving Misurata last August 1st (2011).

Went ballooning, bought a boat, sailed it down the west African coast, ran it up the Sierra Leone river transferring security guards to/from ore ships at anchor, learnt about diesel engines and generators, done some diving inspecting anchors and sinkers, visited UK and latterly lost my mum

 
 who died recently.

It was after this last event and the family gathering and enough family asking when I was going to post again that I have resuscitated this blog.

More later, and I will add some pictures when I get back home as I am now in Shrewsbury, UK, winding up mum's estate.

Misurata

Still in Libya, now I am in Misurata. This city is very quiet at present as most of the men are at the front fighting the forces of Gadaffi and striving for freedom from tyrany.

Me I'm getting fed up with it and want to move on.I could do with a good meal but restaurants are still closed and the so called chef in the hotel can only cook with lots of oil. He even drowns pasta in oil, really don't know how he manages it but I cannot eat stuff like that. I tried for a while but then my diabetes kicked in and my sugar levels went through the roof so I stopped. The by product of this lousy chef is that I have lost a fair bit of weight in the last 6 weeks.

A BTS shelter

A Tank

Safety first, even in wartime ! 

Molotovs and fire extinguisher.

Nicking Networks.

Been pretty busy these last 3 months stealing GSM networks off of bad guys and getting them working for the people espousing democracy and the power of the ballot box, even though they are using bullets to get that freedom.

Just made the first call in the new xxxxxxxx mobile phone network. 2nd new network brought to this troubled country.

Found this lying in the street.

Found these in the market.

Tried to stop here for a cup of tea, but I guess it is closed for a while.

Xmas

Into another new year and I just hope it will be better than the last one, which was pretty shit in parts.

Over xmas I was busy refloating a ship and securing it to a new mooring and piloting a boat up and down the Sierra Leone river.

Cat 1, 15 passenger capacity, cruising speed 20kn.

 
The ship was the Fotherby, owned by a friend of mine, which ran aground during a storm back in October. luckily for him it managed to hit the only bit of beach in a quarter mile of rocks. had to wait for the spring tide on Dec 23rd to re-float it as in Nov the catamaran we used to tow it had her engines out for service.

Fotherby on the beach.

 

 

 

Cat 1 with tow rope attached.

As the pictures show we tried to do this during the day but failed as the tide was just not high enough. The highest tide was at 9pm so we had to attempt this in the dark which caused its own problems. Fistly we only had a searchlight on the cat and a couple of torches on the Fotherby. Along with this we had a slight language problem with the locals never fully listening to you but guessing what you want and doing what they think you want. i had a Brit driving the cat and a yank on the Fotherby ensuring the rope was tied securely. The problem was with the run around boat which was manned by a couple of local lads trying very hard not to get things wrong. Only they tried too hard and were guessing what was needed and were not always where they were needed. Anyway all came together with a bit of shouting and swearing and we managed to get the Fotherby on the anchorage we set a few days before. This time she will NOT drag or break her moorings as we have her on a half ton anchor and great big heavy chain. now all that is needed is to get the engines checked out and have her back in service.

Fotherby floats.

After this came the back to back thrashing of the Aussies in the Ashes. Don't mind being up all night for 5 days running when England are putting the aussies to the sword with innings defeats.

Have become involved in a new bar project along with driving boats and diving. A bar is being built by the jetty where the cat is docked sitting out over the sea. unfortunately as with everything else here it is a very slow process as there is no sense of urgency in this place. We are hoping to be open before the 50th anirversary of independence in April.

New bar ....... eventually.

Happy new year to you all.

New bar

I am working on the design and build of a new bar. It will NOT be another sports bar but a different sort of place built over the sea and have a nautical theme. At present it is just a bunch of concrete legs sticking up from the beach. We hope to be open sometime in the new year, around March in plenty of time for the 50th anniversary of independence. More later.

Captain Mick

After I finished Ballooning I returned to the UK and went on an RYA dayskipper course to learn how to handle a motor cruiser. The first week was classroom based and should have lasted 5 days but as I was the only one in the class and can pick things up pretty quickly the instructor managed to stretch it to 4 days with lots of inconsequential chatter. Lots of new things to take on board like reading tide tables and tidal stream data from an almanac, navigating in tidal waterways using this data chart plotter and admiralty charts. All good stuff if you can get this information but I seriously doubt that the almanac for Freetown has yet been written.

Managed to get the hang of the navigation bit pretty easily and completed the final exam with only one mistake which was due to poor wording in the test paper.

The second week was much tougher as it meant learning how to control a 40' motor cruiser. Never having been on anything this size, the only boat I has driven prior to this was a 14' Warrior with a 115hp outboard, it proved an interesting new experience. Once I learnt how to manoever this craft at slow speed using just the engines it becane a lot easier. Even managed to drive ir backwards round a slalom course with a strong crosswind. Also had to perform a man overboard recovery and learn piloting during the day and in the dark. Helpful that there are buoys with lights in Falmouth herbour and the Carrick roads although wasted in Freetown as there is only a safe water mark at the mouth of the deep water channel.

Anyway managed to do enough that the instructor signed off on my ticket and therefore I am now a fully acredited captain of a small motor cruiser of less that 24m. Although only up to 20 miles from shore. Will need to get 2,500 hours under my belt before I can go for the full yachtmaster certificate allowing me free reign of the worlds oceans.

Hence the Captain Mick title.

Ballooning.

Am now in the US and again at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Having a great time except for the 3:15am getting out of bed, at least it saves me from trying to beat jetlag.:-)


The weather was predicted to start raining after the first mass ascension on Saturday and last all week. The forecasters are as bad here as they are back in Blighty. We have had a wonderful week flying. Only bad spots were Wednesday when it was my turn in the basket where we put up and then the winds on the field picked up and Keith decided to rip out after we had moved about 4 feet still tethered. Shortest flight of the week. Made up for it an Thursday though when I had a flight of around 70 minuted and flew north west over the Rio Grande and Corales and landed in a vacant lot west of Hwy 528 near the dog spa. Yes here they even have spas for pooches where they can stay for a few days and swim in the pool, get a massage and their skin toned etc just like a spa for people. There are some really messed up people over here who would waste money on that sort of shite.

Friday was the only day we did not try to fly as the winds were a bit strong and a couple of rain showers came across the field with a front that moved from the west and over the mountains.

Did all the usual things, visited Old Town and the Candy Lady for some of the best chocolates around, bought new clothes in the sales, ate lots of food smothered in chillies, made and ate lots and lots of jelly shots.

2 Hours in 5 minutes

In UK

Been out of Africa for a few weeks now and having a great time. Spent two weeks in the UK visiting mum and son whilst having plenty of real ale and some very nice wine supplied by Naked Wines, who deliver.

It is good to be back in a place where everything you always took for granted can be taken for granted. Never a worry about running out into the rain to start a generator, not being stopped by the police for a licence check near the end of the month for no real reason. Being able to buy what you want from the shops and bars rather than what they want to sell you.Good internet speeds and, congestion on the phones and TV that works even in the rain.

Cannot show any pictures yet as I did not manage to get my camera released from police custody as yet. Seems that the case is still ongoing, only been 4 months.

Lorcan is fine and busy working hard. He and girlfriend are in the process of buying a flat in Helston. Managed to spend a day with him which was good.

On Holiday

Left Freetown last Tuesday for England. BMI changed the plane and the departure time without much notice even the check-in staff did not know the layout of the aircraft and even though I asked for and was given a seat by the exit, I ended up stuck near the back with an inconsiderate twonk in front of me. He was the first to lean his seat back and give me even less room. He even complained to stewardess when I kept 'accidently' hitting the seat. Dumb bint then moaned at me even though she could see how little room I had.

Back in London went to get train to Shrewsbury from Marylebone. Odd pricing structure single £39 1 month return £40. Three hours to kill so had bacon for breakfast and found a pub open. Nearly fell over £3.80 for a pint. Savanna cider that I was selling for the equivalent of £1.50 was priced at £3.90

Train was nice, clean, uncrowded and on time.

Off to a beer festival this evening, no real ale for 9 months and now a feast. mmmmmm

restrictions

The reason the blog is now restricted is because somebody, a welsh person I think, has anonymously plastered my blog on a Sierra Leone website and pointed out the bad things that I have said. Unfortunately even though I have only stated what has happened to me and my reading of certain situations it has caused a stir here. I am being told that 'this brit' has slagged off the government and all the government institutions in the country.

Unfortunately before I found out that I could restrict the site I had decided to erase any mention of this country. Well if history can be airbrushed I am sure I can sanitise my blog.

Once I am out of here who knows what will be written! Especially when I find out who is stirring the shit.

Meanwhile invited people only. If you know of someone who reads this but hasn't been invited please let me know or get them to drop me a mail.