From the Picture Album

THE PICTURE ALBUM
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		His company had tankers and trampers, such as these: The Aalsum (left) and the Britsum.(right) He sailed on all of them. With the tanker he joined in 2 Antarctic expeditions when the vessel was a supply ship for the Willem Barendz a whaling factory ship of the company.
		The Trompenberg (left) and the Witmarsum (right) operated in the Independent Gulf Line the company's liner service that also called regularly Bermuda. In 1956 he joined the Witmarsum in the ship yard and then made the maiden voyage with her. It became his first visit to the island.
		The s. s. Winsum, built in 1921, 3-islander vessel, no running water, no air-conditioning, steam heated with 54 in the crew. The Willem Barendz operated in the Antarctic waters during the Southern summer season.

		On the African coast as a cadet. (1951) The tent covers the hatch opening. (R) Taking a bearing of the mother ship m. v. Willem Barendtz. Direct radio contact was forbidden. This was to prevent the competition to find out the position of the mother ship if the catch was good.

		(L) Tank cleaning at sea during the Trans Atlantic passage. (L) The officers on board during the 1st. Antarctic expedition: Capt. T. van Rees, Ch/Off. T. v.d. Laan, 3rd. off. Joop Winkel and myself as 2nd. Off. This picture was printed on Christmas cards to be sent home.

		(L) Iceberg at the port side. Once deep into the Antarctic waters the number of icebergs per sea-watch could vary between 1 and 40. (R) Our vessel on the right with the mother ship at the left. Four blown-up giant whales between both ships served as fenders.

		(L) The AM9 is a catcher that picks up whales and then delivers them to the mother ship. The whale is caught by another catcher. (R) The whales love to swim close to the tanker and rub themselves against the hull to enjoy the heated fuel tanks.

		(L) This is a bird eye's view of the entrance of Big Creek, Belize. (R) The airport........... A runway of gravel and potholes. Bikes are using the runway and planes have to watch for that!!

		(L) Don't you dare to park here............................. (R) Sorry sir, how many suitcases?? I don't think we can fit that.... Oh, boy, did I learn my lesson on my first "Tropic Air" flight.........

		(L) A view of the runway from my room at the Toucan Inn. In the rainy season it is a mud pool and "the airport" is closed. (R) The captain of one of our ships who I took from Honduras on a solo-flight over Big Creek. He said: "Don't ever ask me again".

		(L) Real soon the captains refused to fly in these little planes. So we started to board the ships outside with the pilot boat. (R) Some of our ships were much too long for the bends in the creek which resulted into grounding. Here the tug pushes us free.

		(L) Visit to one of the banana plantations and packing houses. (R) He's got that right................. but you might as well smile!

		(L) One of our ships approaches here the pier in Manzanillo. The pier is near collapsing and under re-construction so the captains have to be very cautious not to get blamed for any damage. (R) On the way to the ship. Goats, goats and more goats..............

		From 1984 to 1992 I spent every winter in the ice in the Canadian Maritimes........ The vessel leaving here is escorted by the icebreaker in front . The vessel on the right tries to dock.

		The decks and rails are frozen and covered with ice and snow.....

		(L) Here the icebreaker is proceeding into the ice to try to free one of our ships stuck in an icepack. A view over the ice-covered waters.......... (R) The icebreakers are being put on stand-by in PEI and stay there as long as ships are entering the Maritimes to load cargo.
		(L) Working as a port captain on a steel vessel on stream in New Orleans. (R) Here loading a grain vessel on the Great Lakes - in Thunder Bay, Canada.

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