Way before DeBeers MArine were doing their thing of taking diamonds from the ocean..... these boats were the pioneers in this method of diamond extraction.....
and....the resulting product...., about 5000 carats in this photograph!
Marine Diamond Corporation or MDC as it became known mined off the SWA coast in the 60s. The company was owned by Sam Coliins, an American. They used converted barges for the mining operations. The first was Barge 77 which was was wrecked north of Chameis. Here is a photo. Some people think it was the Pomona but I dont think she was ever wrecked.
Other barges at the time included Diamantkus, Barge III and Colpontoon. The Rockeater was one of the tugs.
Perhaps there might be others that can remember all the details.
:auguri1:
Hi Malcom
Thought that was you. Funny that we live in the same town, but bump into each other on an O'mund site.
Tam
Malcom, thanks for the snap.... I think it looks like the Pomona, the shape is similar..... I will phone Jim Murray today...he will know.....
Hey Do the Hogans and Malcolm actually know each other? that would be rich....
Quote from: Michael Alexander on June 13, 2008, 06:05:40 AM
Hey Do the Hogans and Malcolm actually know each other? that would be rich....
3_8_14
Hi Michael- Yes Malcolm taught me Info systems at Uni Tas.
Wow... that is indeed a case of a small world..... on an island nogal!
iknow
How cool!
Just goes to show you, hey. Will have to be careful what I say from now on......
Australia is a small place actually you know.
By the way Tamara, I'm now in Hobart and the postgraduate coordinator - Launceston got too small for me.
Here's a snap of the Pomona in Table Bay harbour in 1972, getting ready to leave for the Sperrgebiedt
What a cool pic Micheal- its a great history lesson!
@ Malcom, I know what you mean, sometimes feels smaller then Oranjemund! LOL.
Going to Capetown in August to show off my Husband and son. I can not wait.
@Tamara , it's a pity it was not November, otherwise you could have popped up for the reunion ...... allgood
notfair
I was thinking the same thing, not sure anyone i hung out with , would be going anyway.
Hi All
My dad was on the Pomona for many years he was the radio operator we still lived in Cape Town then the turnaround time was 3 weeks on and 2 off. Uncle Jock carr was the diver on the ship for many years.
They used the skymaster which was then sold to Namib Air for 2 cents on condition that it would be available for the school run
Malcolm
Thanks Goofy.... 2 cents sounds a bit steep.....
Still think the Pomona was not wrecked. Known to be completely wrong though. idontknow
I remember in 67 or 68 that a diver disappeared when diving off one of the MDC barges to inspect the pipes or something. It was thought that it was a great white or a killer whale. Anyone hear anything like that?
How many of these barges were built? I just thought the shape of the Pomona and that one wreck on the coast look similar..
The wreck is definitely Barge77, it's at Panther Head at the southern end of Chameis Bay and was dumped onto the rocks by heavy seas in.
The a tug Collinstar, lies at the bottom of Chameis Bay, she capasized and sank taking 6 lives with her in February 1965 during a rescue attempt on the beached Collpontoon, which dragged her anchors in heavy seas.
Pomona was commissioned in June 1967 as the largest, heaviest and most complex vessel of its kind to be built in South Africa at a cost of R3 million. When Sam Collins turned his business focus back to the oil industry in the Persian Gulf he repurchased some of the tugs, barges and other craft in 1971, of which Pomona was one of them and used mainly for its extensive accomodation facilites.
Rockeater was an ex US Army coaster that was fitted out as an exploration and sampling vessel to search for the parts of the concession areas that would yield sufficient diamonds in payable quantities.
Thanks Andie.... I heard that the ROckeater is in fact a live reef of CapePint.... (anyone?)
Mike, where you get them colour pics of the barges? Mine are all b&w.
I used a colour camera when taking them :emot19:
:emot19: :emot112_2: daman
I actually received some nice snaps on DVD today from Jim Murray (Yes, he is real) and there are a few of him and his gang diving with the MDC boats..... some in Technicolour others in B&W... will post when I catch up with my work....
Mike
Ask Jim if he recalls an incident about a diver disappearing around 65-67 while diving off one of the MDC boats.
Indeed he does...
Ok.... The power of the internet.... I just phoned Jim to enquire about the incident and yes, he does know something about it....
It happened in either late 1963 or early 1964............. The chaps name was Dave, the surname no longer remembered.... The original unit of the ORU (Oceangraphic Research Unit) had just been formed, we think by Anglo American at that time to do groundbreaking underwater geology research. Their offices were next to the old security offices by the power station in those days. They had commissioned a sea going catamaran to be built in Durban for work up at Ebay.... The cat actually caught fire on her maiden voyage and had to be refitted... anyhow after it eventually arrived, it had been fitted out with video screens and camera's... they would send the divers overboard, always in pairs with the camera's to film the seabed..... the "rock doctors" , geologists would be on the boat viewing the seabed from the surface....
Anyhow on that fateful day, Dave and his diving partner went over the side with the camera.... A while into filming, Dave's partner signaled that his air was running out, with the hand to mouth sign, Dave indicated to him that he should surface, which he did leaving Dave on the seabed... the Divemaster, who is as close to being God on a diving boat was furious, and wanted Dave to come up, you only dive in pairs.... In those days they would look where the divers bubbles were breaking the surface and then throw thunderflash's away from the diver. Thunderflashes work under water and were a good way to indicate to a submberged diver to surface, immediately.... They threw the thunderflashes overboard and after about 5 minutes, nobody surfaced, the emergency diver was told to dive, which he did.... He followed the camera cable down to the bottom and all he found was the camera floating in the water, filming away, Dave was nowhere to be seen..... his body was never recovered and to this day nobody really knows what to him......
Dave was only 24 and was married with two children.........
There is a wonderfully informative book about the Marine Diamond Corporation and Sammy Collins. It's entitled "King of Sea Diamonds" The saga of Sam Collins by Roger Williams for anyone who has more than a passing interest in the subject. ISBN 0 949989 69 X. Regards Gordon
Many thanks for that Mike. I heard the story from one of the guys who worked on the barge when she was wrecked at Chameis. Bay.
By the way Gordon, I'd heard of the book but it is rather difficult to get and appears to be out of print (printed in 1996) and the only copies that I have seen advertised were ridiculously expensive (US$100+). I'll keep looking.
i recall a similar incident being spoken about at one of many of my fathers get to gethers with a couple of guys in om,their names were bob greenshields and bob redgraves who both worked for mdc,remember i was only 12 or 13 years old at the time.i was intrigued with the old diving helmet uncle bob greenshields had in his entrence to his house,got a foto somewhere of me wearing it.great big brass and glass contraption.these two men lived 2 or 3 house up from mr zandhuise,used to call in there on our way to the foofy slide,bob greenshields married pam gerrard and had a son called craig.pam gerrard in turn was the sister to aunty janet bester,mother of angela,wendy fellicity,ivan and dont recall the other name
Bobby some of the original characters who came over to work for CDM when Marine Diamond Corporation closed their mining operations were Kenny Aitken (to Stores with Mel de Bruin),BobGreenshields, Eddy Redgrave (to Work Study), Jock Carr (to Mining Dept as a foreman) and Jack Laubscher (also to Mining).A great bunch of guys. Eddy was a piano player and raconteur of note and oftentimes kept us in inebriated singing mode and stiches at the Rec club. Sadly all have gone now, but what a grand lot they were; a real asset to the mine.
Gordon-
I remember all those blokes well. I played rugby with Jack Laubscher and Mel de Bruin who went to Kleinzee for a few years and then came up to Oranjemund around 1973. Jackie Carr is now retired in Cape Town somewhere.
Another guy who was on the barges was Essie Esterhuizen who became foreman at No 1 plant. When I used to visit Oranjemund I always made sure that I caught up with him. Unfortunately he died suddenly around 1980/81. He'd had heart problems for a long time.
As you say, a great bunch of guys.
I bought three copies of The King of Sea Diamonds this afternoon, already on Page 40.... Malcolm I will post you one next week, the other will go to Jim Murray......
Here are a few snaps from Jim Murray, the original Diamond Divers, although based on the land at Ebay in the 60's , they would often be called apon to help out Collins's MDC
Mike
You are a star. That about 41/2 dozen beers I owe you when I get over at the end of the year/early next year. It was a fascinating time for sea mining off Namibia and sounded very tough and dangerous. Real pioneering stuff.
You should also be getting the CDs pretty soon.
Man, I am on page 100 of this book, and wow.... it is fantastic, They guys in Hollywood should make a movie on the life of Sam Collins and the MDC..... all those scans I have done on the barges and dredges, the divers, the people, the wrecks..... unbelievable stuff.... an interesting part of history on diamond mining..... this theory of the Oranjemund Diamonds coming from up river, that we were taught at OPS, Hogwash, them stones come from the sea.....
There was an interesting article in the Mining Weekly about undersea mining, makes interesting reading, see Ex Oranjemunder, Mike Brown is interviewed..... still find this undersea mining fascinating stuff.....
and I still think I should send a copy of Sammy Collins book to a hollywood Producer....
LINK: http://www.miningweekly.com/article/sea-change-2009-10-30
Mike A can I get that book from you to read when you done?
There are a couple guys that worked for ORU one being my brother Mike and Tony Hockney. They were, I recall, also based in Jasper House which is now the Museum. A group of staff would count garnets which was an indicator. The ORU crowd had many a party in Jasper and both Mile and Tony have many stories of those days. Mike used to dive for ORU. I have some rather old video taken by Mike of Pamona when he worked on the ship.
Just to get these guys to tell us some stories.....
Mark, talk to your Dad.
Alfie, sure you can read the book, once I find the blerrie thing, I might have lent it to somebody and have now forgotten who....... Will look next week...
Frank, I still owe you a copy of this book...... Will source one in the next two weeks.... pls email me your PO Box again....... don't know where the last one went, don't wanna post the book to some Kiwi Sheep Shepard.....
are-you-there
It's ok Mike, Andrew brought me he's book yesterday
Wow, just received this email, not sure who the author is, but I am sure we shall find out...
"Hi There,
I'm not a member of your forum but I have been looking for info on the Pomona. I worked on it from 1969 to 1971 mainly in Hottentots bay and laterly again around Chameis Bay. When minining operations ceased we wre towed to CT and a lot of the plant was stripped. She was then towed in 1972 to Dubai by the Francois C (ex Collin Sea). She was converted to a maintainence barge (P-280) and used off Saudi for repairs to rigs and jackets. I think that she returned to Dubai for a refit in 1976 but during this, there was a huge fire and most of the accomodation section was destroyed. The whole fire fighting operation was a fiasco, somewhere I have a cutting from a local paper. She was operated by an American company (originally tied in with Sam Collins) named International Marine Services.
Although your posts are a couple of years old, thought you might be interested what happened to her.
Best Wishes."
Malcolm , Essie Esterhuizen who became foreman at No 1 plant. later worked in the Recovery with Barney Briel . he died around 1980 He'd had heart problems for a long time . He was buried on his farm in the Sutherland district . Essie made superior biltong that he sold from his pondok .
The Sikorsky Helicopter in pic 4 , is it perhaps the same one as the wreck lying in the scrapyard near no 1 plant ?
Hi Henniek
The is the same chopper at Affenrucken scrapyard (north of No 1 plant).
Essie was a great guy and as you say made the best biltong on the planet. He was forman at No 1 plant after Barge 77 was wrecked - I worked with him for about 3-4 years. Whenever I came up to Oranjemund in the early 80s, I always used to phone him and order a ton of biltong.
Thanks for your info about the Pomona.
Malcolm
If its the same Essie , he was a regular at Caseys ,, his regular tipple was Limosin with Oros ...
Ok, We have a name, the email came from one, Richard Barnes, who sent us the following note and pics.
" Name is Richard Barnes and worked as a Radio and Electronics Tech on the
Pomona from 1969 to 1971.
Collins Submarine Pipelines were still operating from a small office in
CT and they, acting as agent for IMS in Dubai, placed an ad. in the Cape
Times for a Radio Tech. Got the job and flew to Dubai in 1973. My boss was
another Texan and big pals with Sammy named Wynn Harvey and I believe he
featured highly in the old MDC days. He told me that Sammy had gone to
Kuwait and obtained several small tugs and service boats and was involved in
an oil pipeline construction between Kharg Island and Bushire in Iran. When
the pipeline was completed IMS obtained the boats and were carrying out
maint. on oil jackets and rigs. It was also mentioned that Sammy had got his
hands on some redundant plant from road building contracts (dozers, graders
etc) and also not so redundant bits, loaded all of it onto a barge and sold
it in Pakistan for a vast profit. Enterprising fellow! He used to visit
Harvey a couple of times a year but I never met him.
Have attached three pix, one of the Pomona which you have probably seen,
one of the fire fiasco in Dubai and one of a resurrected Barge 111, towed up
from Durban, cleaned up and used as a work platform.
Does the book "King of Sea Diamonds" have an ISBN number, will try at
the library?
WE flew up on either the DC3 or DC4 whichever was working better, mostly
landed at Alex. Bay, Luderitz, Chameis or Hottentots Bays.
Hope the above is interesting to you, Best wishes, Richard
Barnes."
Gee! Talk about wave action, Gordon sent us this snap of the Colpontoon Rig, part of the MDC boats, people... check out the size of the wave......
Scary stuff........ go back on this posting and have a look at the actual size of this vessel as it headed out of Cape Town harbour,
Now, just for interest sake, I hope the folk building those Seawalkers take into consideration what can happen along this coast.... the old timers knew a thing or two....
Thanks Gordon...
"Today's offshore diamond miners have an easy time of it.
Back in the 60's, the original sea diamond hunters had it real rough!!"
Awesome ... wonder how many meters high such a wave would be ??? remeber the size of some of them that were contiously trying to take out 3 plant jetty
somewher around the late 1970's . Whe had two persons at CDM , equiped with a rubberduck fitted with two 80 HP Mercury engines . Their task was to study the wave paterns , height , strength etc . that was before 3 plant was constructed . One person was Dudley Woodward . He left around 1980 . a number of years later , while waiting my turn at a dentist , lI was reading in an old "Personality " magazine dated quite a few years previously , that a mother in England was looking for her son Dudley Woodward , who might be in South Africa , or may be Australia. the sad thing was that I learned a year or two previously , that Dudley was killed in a accident in Botswana. Since I had no details , or any facts . I just ignored the advert .
The wave that drove Barge 77 ashore at Chameis was reportedly at least 20 metres high . . . Think about it - a 65 foot high wave. Other waves higher than that have been reported off east and west Africa.
Malcolm
Dudley was an Oceanographer and when he had finished his foreshore work at CDM he went south to Klienzee and beyond. Information received at the time of his death was that he had been killed by a reversing front-end loader on a west coast beach. Wouldn't have been much work for an oceanographer in Botswana. Bob Liddle (geology dept) would likely remember the details as Dudley worked closely with the Geology Dept. under Doc. Stocken.
Regards Gordon
@Malcolm, these waves are not always part of storm action and one gets rogue waves that can appear out of nowhere.... those are the ones that we read about that hit ocean liners on a peaceful day...
Me tends to think that we get a few of those on this coast....
Thank you Gordon, I will get my wife to contact Heather Liddle , Bobs wife . They were great friends . We might get some more info from Bob
Hennie, we have Heather & Bob's contact details if you require them.
Regards,
Mike
This I must tell all. The picture of Colpontoon riding the wave was made by Tony Hockney when he workd for either ORU or MDC for Dr Guest about early 70's. He took a photo and superimposed it onto a larger one of a wave. Study it carefully. The wave must be 100 feet high. Err - Um as Mike would say. It appeared in the local newsletter. Tony had a regular spot in the newsletter with jokes etc and this was one of them...... He thought it quite the joke and was typical of his sense of humour.
John
Damn! Gordon, the gig is up , the Canadians have rumbled us.....
John, well done, Gordon and myself were wondering how long it would be before some "auld" geezer would remember the pic....
image201
Mike and I both wondered how long it would take and who eventually would twig to the spoof.Nice one John. It was indeed taken by Tony.
Best regards
Gordon
Mmm the camera could even lie in that day and age ???
The barge 77 stranded about 5 kilometers north of Chameis Head. It is visible on Google Earth at almost maximum magnification. The Collinstar also sank even further north as the Colpontoon never mined in Chamaisbucht itself, rather some ten kilos north of Chameis Head. Lood Terblanche
this picture might be oceanographers Dudley Woodward & team mate ' s truck that they might have used to take their boat to the beach and back . after the project was completed, around 1976/1977 the boat & truck was sold. after all these years one's memories gets foggy . I m not sure abouth this , but as I remember a person living in JHB - [might have been a emplyee of Debex] - bought the truck and boat