MSC Leave Question

[QUOTE=Fraqrat;90947]I too ventured into the Florida Club a few times for “research” purposes as well. When I was in SIU I always took the govt contract MSC/MarAd jobs. They were usually trip work when the ships were activated. They didn’t pay as good as other jobs but i was getting sea time. If the vessel had an ROS crew the all did day work Mon-Fri and were off weekends. It wasn’t until I inquired with MSC directly about a permanent gig that I found out about the rotations. I didn’t want to be locked into a 4 or 6 month trip just to “earn” time off.[/QUOTE]

Well now, there’s three of us who enjoyed the delights of Mombasa’s Florida Club. I see you save mementoes also, Fragrat, I have a big box in my cellar chuck full of little stuff I collected from both my Navy and Merchant Marine years. Somewhere in there I bet I have a memento of the Florida Club. I noticed it’s called the New Florida Club these days which makes me wonder if the Florida Club I frequented burned-down, relocated, or simply remolded. I can make a very accurate sketch of the club as I found it three decades ago. Perhaps I’ll put it in my book. :smiley:

Fragrat, I noticed you, seadog6608, and I are forum friends, we could be called The Three Amigos.

When I “peeked” in the door it had a big disco dance floor area, an outdoor bar area with a giant pool and a casino wing. It was right on the beach. While we were there they had recently had a Hard Rock Cafe open up on the main drag. While enjoying an adult beverage I witnessed two ladies of the night fighting over a shipmate. While one was in the powder room the other snuck in her seat and attempted to chat up the fella. When the other returned she cracked a beer bottle in half and went at her. Ahh good times.

[QUOTE=Sweat-n-Grease;90951]Well now, there’s three of us who enjoyed the delights of Mombasa’s Florida Club. I see you save mementoes also, Fragrat, I have a big box in my cellar chuck full of little stuff I collected from both my Navy and Merchant Marine years. Somewhere in there I bet I have a memento of the Florida Club. I noticed it’s called the New Florida Club these days which makes me wonder if the Florida Club I frequented burned-down, relocated, or simply remolded. I can make a very accurate sketch of the club as I found it three decades ago. Perhaps I’ll put it in my book. :smiley:

Fragrat, I noticed you, seadog6608, and I are forum friends, we could be called The Three Amigos.[/QUOTE]

I too have frequented the Florida - back in '92/'93. I was in USS SAVANNAH (AOR4). If we weren’t there we were at the Bombalooloo Village. The Kenyan Shilling - SO fabulous that the government wouldn’t buy their own money back, so I was forced to save some notes as well. Didn’t matter though, we were getting 57-60 shillings to the dollar at the Hotel Intercontinental so even the poorest soul felt like Tony Soprano with a WAD of shillings in his pocket. That SHIT Tusker beer on the other hand - FUCK that was foul AND warm. We were staying up the street from the Intercon and PAID our waiter to keep two 12packs in the Freezer at time to insure we’d have COLD beer. Well, cold, SHITTY beer.

I was there on the USNS Denebola. I believe the Tusker had formaldehyde in it. It was shitty beer to begin with drinking it warm made it worse. If that was possible.

I wason the USNS Wilkes/ A small white survey boat. Best trip I was ever on. I flew from JFK to London. Had a 12 hour layover and $200. Went out and about. then the 12 hour flight to Nairobi. Packed and I wasin the last row. A beautiful BA offduty stewardess sat next to me me and I thought I was in heaven. then she explained she wason her honeymoon and her pilot husband had the only other standby seat onboard. In business class and would I mind terribly switching seats with him? I told her that there was still time for an annulment! I wound up switching seats and sitting with a professional drunkard who was with the US State Dept on his way to J’berg.What a great trip!

[QUOTE=Fraqrat;90953]When I “peeked” in the door it had a big disco dance floor area, an outdoor bar area with a giant pool and a casino wing. It was right on the beach. While we were there they had recently had a Hard Rock Cafe open up on the main drag. While enjoying an adult beverage I witnessed two ladies of the night fighting over a shipmate. While one was in the powder room the other snuck in her seat and attempted to chat up the fella. When the other returned she cracked a beer bottle in half and went at her. Ahh good times.[/QUOTE]

I’ll believe you peeked in the door, Fragrat, if you believe I was writing a book. Fair exchange?
You spelled out the lay-out (Oh what a poor choice of word!) to a “T” - That’s exactly how I recall the “establishment.” Never did see a gal with a cracked beer bottle but one time a cat fight rolled over my table. I think such entertainment was a nightly affair. I recall the Hard Rock Cafe but alas it wasn’t down to my low standards. I really felt like a Merchant Seaman back in those days, as well I should.

[QUOTE=Jolly Tar;90954]I too have frequented the Florida - back in '92/'93. I was in USS SAVANNAH (AOR4). If we weren’t there we were at the Bombalooloo Village. The Kenyan Shilling - SO fabulous that the government wouldn’t buy their own money back, so I was forced to save some notes as well. Didn’t matter though, we were getting 57-60 shillings to the dollar at the Hotel Intercontinental so even the poorest soul felt like Tony Soprano with a WAD of shillings in his pocket. That SHIT Tusker beer on the other hand - FUCK that was foul AND warm. We were staying up the street from the Intercon and PAID our waiter to keep two 12packs in the Freezer at time to insure we’d have COLD beer. Well, cold, SHITTY beer.[/QUOTE]

Oh my goodness, I forgot about Tusker Premium Lager - It doesn’t get better than this. :smiley:

~ We Are The Four Amigos ~

I spent about 2 weeks in Mombasa on a Lykes ship in the early 80’s. I remember the warm “elephant piss” beer and the Florida Bar. After our first week there, the local cops came in one night and removed the ladies from the bar. The U.S. Navy had just arrived in port. On a previous visit, a Navy sailor had killed on of the local girls, the cops said removing them was for their own protection. We also called on Mogadishu, Somalia that trip. Mogadishu was actually a lot of fun back then.

[QUOTE=fullbell;90969]I spent about 2 weeks in Mombasa on a Lykes ship in the early 80’s. I remember the warm “elephant piss” beer and the Florida Bar. After our first week there, the local cops came in one night and removed the ladies from the bar. The U.S. Navy had just arrived in port. On a previous visit, a Navy sailor had killed on of the local girls, the cops said removing them was for their own protection. We also called on Mogadishu, Somalia that trip. Mogadishu was actually a lot of fun back then.[/QUOTE]

We may know each other, fullbell. What ship were you on? I don’t recall the ugly incident you described and I have a dam good memory so we may not know each other. Close, though !!

Do you Four Amigos remember “Jimmy The Beggar Man” who was born without any legs? He had a wooden cart fitted with wheels and he would roll up and down Moi Ave. He always had a warm smile and a wondrous disposition. I always invited him to my, and my friends, table at the outdoor patio bar at the Castle Royal. We shared drinks and food with him and I always slipped him some American Bucks (he knew where and how to exchange it). Everyone liked him. In a world where a lucky few have so much, and some of whom seem fit to bitch about everything, Jimmy is a reminder.

[QUOTE=Sweat-n-Grease;90966]Oh my goodness, I forgot about Tusker Premium Lager - It doesn’t get better than this. :D[/QUOTE]

PREMIUM - is that the Kenyan adjective for SUCK-ASS?

In ‘85 when I was there, the girls used to tell you to stay away from certain other girls who had the "slimmin’ disease.

[QUOTE=Jolly Tar;90974]PREMIUM - is that the Kenyan adjective for SUCK-ASS?[/QUOTE]

Wasn’t that some awful shit?
I’d load-up in Durban with, believe it or not. Carling Black Label for the voyage home.

[QUOTE=seadog6608;90981]In ‘85 when I was there, the girls used to tell you to stay away from certain other girls who had the "slimmin’ disease.[/QUOTE]

Oh Brother !!
That’s the day the music died.
I escaped before it all happened.

Stopped in Durban and had some Black Label also. I remember it being one of the few labels I recognized. At that point it didn’t matter because they had ice cold beer anywhere you went. They had a van that dropped us off in from of the Garden Court Hilton I believe it was called. It was amazing how much trouble we could get into within 5 block radius of that place.

S-n-G, I was on the ALLISON LYKES. We hit Capetown, Durban, Mombasa and Mogadishu. Stopped at Mombasa and Durban again on the way home. The Captain was a Dutchman, and the Electrician’s payoff at the end of the trip was higher than the Capt or Ch Engr due to all the round the clock cargo ops in Mombasa and Mogadishu. It was an eventful trip with some good ship mates.

[QUOTE=fullbell;90994]S-n-G, I was on the ALLISON LYKES. We hit Capetown, Durban, Mombasa and Mogadishu. Stopped at Mombasa and Durban again on the way home. The Captain was a Dutchman, and the Electrician’s payoff at the end of the trip was higher than the Capt or Ch Engr due to all the round the clock cargo ops in Mombasa and Mogadishu. It was an eventful trip with some good ship mates.[/QUOTE]

That’s nice to read fullbell. Were they not wonderful ships on great voyages, we were fortunate to have such experiences. Those great days were to end. The run I made was similar, the SS [I]Adabelle Lykes[/I] made Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Durban, Dar es Salaam, and Mombasa, then a return to Durban to load for the States. I wish I had my camera to record it all but alas I didn’t think of it. I must have thought it would last forever. I took a look at my Discharge, the Captain was Earl W Jones. We had a dam fine bunch of seamen for a crew, I was one.

On my current USNS the average engineer has been aboard 19months. The average deck about 14. We can sign off after four months. This must say something about the type that works for MSC.

If you can not accept working 8-10 months a year MSC is not for you.

*Edit to add/correct:
Deck 1y 2m
Eng 1y 7m
Sup 1y 4m

(Several deck homesteaders departed for the holidays dropping the average.)

[QUOTE=DeckApe;91076]On my current USNS the average engineer has been aboard 18 months. The average deck about 16. We can sign off after four months. This must say something about the type that works for MSC.

If you can not accept working 8-10 months a year MSC is not for you.[/QUOTE]

Obviously I could accept it but I was young, single, and had ambition to raise my License. I often post on this forum that I enjoyed working for MSC but I didn’t stay. There were other opportunities available. Today, not so much, so if , back then, it was like today I would have remained. Work is work, paychecks count.