Chapter 3: Strategy

We, I, thought we were at our final destination, and the cargo delivered. Only needs to be offloaded. Thinking often proves wrong.

In the contract, Lagos was the original destination, but political unrest in Nigeria precipitated a change in orders. Deliver cargo to Abidjian instead. Here we are in Abidjian! Cargo delivered. Nope, the political climate in Nigeria has improved, so restore the original delivery specification.

How has the political climate improved? Has it indeed? The new government claims all dissent, resistance, and rebellion is finished. Over. Bravado on the government’s part, a desperate attempt to create a facade of confidence for the new administration.

We are ordered to take the cargo on another leg, this time to Lagos, Nigeria. Another five hundred nautical miles, and another three days. It’s only a coastwise voyage along a coast famous for mild weather. It’s also infamous! For pirates. We are making preparations.

Political unrest is dangerous for shipping because the government is too preoccupied with it’s own struggle for survival to spend any funds or efforts harassing criminals. The pirates feel emboldened.

How would I know the pirates are emboldened? They’re so blatant about it! They mince around mingling with the general public but are completely obvious since they wear Captain Jack Sparrow costumes and mimic Johnny Depp! They’re euphoric! On drugs or something.

Actually I know about criminals from ancient philosophy. When the cat’s away, the rats will play. We need a strategy to run the gauntlet.

Abandoning the barge is part of the strategy. We will move the cargo on the barge and stack it two high on the boat. The containers will be arranged so the doors are blocked and can’t be opened until after offloading the containers. Also, we are adding the cowcatchers for the four point system. Bet that confused you!

Normal sized to the ship anchors are housed in hawse pipes.

A DSV, dive support vessel uses huge anchors. A four point boat uses four monstrous anchors and sets them at four widely separated positions. The boat is connected to the anchors with winch cables. The boat sits in the middle of its web of anchor cables like a fat spider. Shuts down it’s engines and the divers jump in the water.

These huge four point anchors are carried on ship on special designed racks welded up from pipe and welded to the outside of the hull. There is a slight resemblance to the cowcatcher fixed on the nose of old steam locomotives. We are welding these anchor racks on to the hull close to the water now, because we will eventually use them for four point. My immediate plan for them, is as potential rams. We are welding a few chain links to doors and frames so we can lock the doors by bolts or padlocking the chain links together. We relocate the safe to the engine room. We arrange for locking the engine room doors from the interior. The cargo is transferred by Appeal to Heaven’s crane, tied down and I apply for new crew and clearances. Tiger will remain in Abidjian with the spud barge, crew boat, and lift boat.