Dangerous Tasks & the Seduction of Moji Mary.

Back in 1956/57 we went to Shimonoseki Suido following discharging part cargo in Kobe. This was a passage through Japan's Inland Sea, a wonderful experience passing many islands and the waters busy with sampans. However the experience was also memorable for other events including some dangerous work for John Hopkins and me; it was also memorable for the seduction of Moji Mary.

John and I were always assigned tasks that required cooperation and the assurance that it would be undertaken properly. We were great friends and, most importantly, great shipmates.

We were bound to Moji and Wakamatsu but a berth was not available so that required the "Fresno City" to tie-up off the harbour at a typhoon buoy. Mooring at a typhoon buoy was a major feat of seamanship for a tramp ship as the ship had to bring the anchor to the break of the bow and connect the anchor hawser chain to the huge buoy. The really hard job though is coming off the buoy, someone has to go over the side lash the chain with big manila ropes, reconnect the hawser to anchor, stuff paraffin rags around the ropes, set it all on fire and get to hell out! The person assigned that job was me with John tending me from the deck. No problem!

Since we were very securely moored off the port the Mate decided that it would be a good opportunity to get the topmasts painted and the shrouds [stays] coated with white lead and tallow. This task required a man to go aloft about 130 feet in a bosun's chair and probably leave the chair to do a thorough shipshape job. The seafarer assigned this work was John Hopkins, he was a terrific guy aloft, and of course I would below looking after the gantline taking him up and down.

Both jobs went well, it was not quite routine but for John and I the attitude was always that we would do it really well.

Now when a ship moored off Moji or Shimonoseki in those days you could always be sure that a sampan [bum-boat] would come alongside with a wonderful character called Moji Mary. [I think her real name was Mariko but we called her Mary]. She was a happy cuddly kind of Japanese lady in late 40's with rosy cheeks always dressed in traditional kimono. She was a chandler and trader with silk, kimonos, china, cameras and also stuff like toothpaste writing pads etc. for sale to seafarers. She spoke pretty good English. One day she was not quite herself and complaining of aches and pains etc. She disappeared from the deck and was not seen for a while to be seen later emerging from the Boatswain's cabin looking flustered, flush, but smiling.

Ulf Larsson [picture above] took some stick but it finally came out [long after we departed Japan] that he comforted her, rubbed her back with mosquito repellent, gave her two salt tablets, and seduced her!

Now the irony of this is that Ulf Larsson [a Swede] had been interred by the Japanese during the war. He obviously bore no rancour - funny old world.

This is one of the many stories John and I relived in our retirement.