The Original Sea Diamond Hunters!

[Malcolm Bertoni]

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.

[Michael Alexander]

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......

[Michael Alexander]

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

[Malcolm Bertoni]

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.

[Michael Alexander]

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.....

[Michael Alexander]

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

[Alfred Boehme]

Mike A can I get that book from you to read when you done?

[John Creedy]

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.

[Michael Alexander]

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.... 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.....

[Alfred Boehme]

It's ok Mike, Andrew brought me he's book yesterday

[Michael Alexander]

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."

[henniek]

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 .

[henniek]

The Sikorsky Helicopter in pic 4 , is it perhaps the same one as the wreck lying in the scrapyard near no 1 plant ?

[Malcolm Bertoni]

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

[SandyB]

If  its the same  Essie , he was  a regular at Caseys ,, his  regular tipple was  Limosin with Oros ...