My Story
Edgar Ashton Bodden JP
Without a past there would be no future
Some history of my life at sea
Like most young men of the 1950’s and 1960’s, the desire and urge to go to sea was always on
my mind. It was a way to better my own life as well as my families at home. So, at the age of 18
years I signed up with the late Dennis Foster for a job to go to sea. Not long after I received
word that I had been selected to go with the National Bulk Carriers Company. A Company
operated out of New York and owned by Daniel K. Ludwig. Going to sea meant leaving my
loving Family and home and signing a contract for one year minimum before returning back
home.
So in February 1962 I left for Grand Cayman to go to Portland, Maine. U. S. A. Up until this day I
remember so clearly the morning I arrived on board the Steam Ship Tanker “Petro King”. It was
freezing with below zero temperatures that cold February morning in Portland, Maine. Ice was
hanging from everywhere that you can imagine. Railings, Cat walks, Bridge, smoke stacks, pipe
lines and the Masts and any other structure where ice could form. Temperatures I had never
imagined or experienced back in the warm and sunny Cayman Islands. It was a very challenging
experience for me, but I learned to overcome it, and never looked back as my Parents always
taught to me.
Conditions on board the ship were good, that is considering it was a whole new world for me in
a sense. Adjusting to living 24/7 hours on board a ship 850 feet long, with 35 crew members
(including the Captain) and 11 different nationalities was something I had to get used to. I think
I adapted to the way of life on board quite quickly I would say. The Officers was very firm and
commanding but at the same time very nice about it. The Crew always respected them and
looked up to them and overall we got along very well. Note: Today a ship that size would be
operated with approximately 12 to 14 crew members including the Captain. The reason for this
is because the ships now-a-days is all automated. Therefore, they required less crew members.
The culture and way of life was different for most of the crew as one can imagine, but we learnt
to work together and get along. Reporting to duty for an 8 O’ clock shift meant that you had to
be there 10 minutes before, in order to relieve the next sailor at 7:50 am. No excuse was
accepted for being late for work other than physically being sick.
My first 92 days on board that ship we sailed completely around the world. Which meant when
we sailed out of Portland Maine, we went through the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, the
Panama Canal, Pacific Ocean, Philippine Sea, South China Sea, Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea,
Persian Gulf, (via the Strait of Hormuz), Gulf of Aden, the Red Sea, the Suez Canal, the
Mediterranean Sea, Straits of Gibraltar and again into the Atlantic before arriving back to
Portland Maine. A voyage I will always remember. This we continued for 3 consecutive voyages
around the world before going on to another charter.
These are some approximate figures of the distances steamed, and time taken in between Ports
during the voyage from Portland Maine, and around the world and back to Portland Maine.
Ports Distance Times
Portland Maine to Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela 2,250 mls 7 days
Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela via the Panama
Canal and on to San Francisco, California 3,150 mls 12 days
San Francisco, California to Yokohama, Japan 5,500 mls 20 days
Yokohama, Japan to Kuwait, Persian gulf 7,200 mls 26 days
Persian Gulf to Port Suez, Egypt (Suez Canal) 3,600 mls 10 days
Suez Canal to Portland, Maine 5,700 mls 17 days
________ _______
27,400 mls 92 days
Note: The above times/dates include the time spent in Ports on the voyages as well.
I signed on the ship as a Bedroom Steward (BR). (Which meant I made up the Officers bed. And
when I retired from the sea someone was making up my bed). I worked in that position for a
few months. All along I knew I was missing my calling. Then I was transferred to the deck
department as an ordinary sailor. Then I was promoted to Quarter Master AB. The Quarter
Master main responsibility was to steer the ship. A job I enjoyed very much. The deck
department was where I always wanted to be. Navigation always fascinated me. To see
someone take a Sextant, a watch, an almanac and some tables from a book and determine by
Celestial Navigation the position of a ship, always made me want to learn how to navigate. The
main celestial bodies used for navigation being the Sun, Stars and Planets and some time the
Moon.
It would be remiss of me not to mention and thank the late Mr. Dennis Foster, Mr. Colin Panton
and Ms Gwen Bush and others who still remain active in our society up until today, for all the
help, advice and guidance they rendered to me and to the other Seamen from Cayman Brac
and the Cayman Islands as a whole. I would also like to mention Ms Elsie Bernard for providing
meals and boarding for the Seamen from Cayman Brac whenever we traveled through Grand
Cayman on our way to sea. Ms Bernard was such a nice lady. I would also like to thank Mr. Ira
Walton for Taxi service while we were going back and forth to sea during Southwell and
National Bulk years. Mr. Ira was a very kind and obliging Gentleman. Those same people are the
ones who started to show the “Cayman Kind” from back then. We, the few that remain will
always be grateful to them for such kindness.
In my humble opinion I feel it was us, the Seamen that started to help build the economic
foundation of the Country that has come to what it is today. We went away and sent home our
wages/money (referred to in those days as allotment) which served to support and help our
families, build homes and other infrastructure and pay TAXES. All of which helped build these
Cayman Islands that we love so much, and are blessed and privileged to call home today.
It was a few ships later that I sailed with Captain Fred E. Scott. He inspired and encouraged me
to learn navigation. He took time out to show and teach me how to determine my position by
using a Sextant, a Chronometer, an Almanac and Tables. That’s what was used for celestial
navigation. Which is how a ships’ position is determined at a giving time. He was a good teacher
and he knew navigation inside out.
As I continued sailing I enjoyed navigation very much. In my early days of sailing I enjoyed it so
much that I could hardly sleep in the nights waiting for morning to come to get out my sextant
and take observation. Being a young sailor it was sure exciting. To those that have experienced
it they know exactly what I am talking about.
Over the years I worked my way up through the ranks and at the age of 29 years old I started to
sail as Captain on smaller ships running around the Western Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean. I
enjoyed the life very much and felt great pride for my accomplishment. The responsibly of the
Crew, Ship and cargo seemed very heavy (especially in bad weather) but I quickly learnt to gain
big shoulders and accept it.
After I got married I had the opportunity to take my Wife on board the Ship for some time. She
still remembers sailing on the ship and seeing the difference parts of the world. That part of it
she enjoyed, but not the rough weather.
My life at sea afforded me the opportunity to see and visit approximately 60 difference
Countries. It also allowed me to sail around the world a number of times. On one voyage while
at anchor In Port Suez, Egypt I had the privilege to go over to Cairo ad see the Pyramids, fished
and rowed a boat on the River Nile. At that time I my life to see and do such thing was very
exciting.
During my career at sea I sailed on Oil Tankers, other Chemical and oil carriers, general cargo
ships and Seismic Ships. On board the Seismic Ships we did exploration for Oil as far away as
West Africa. My favorite of them was the Seismic ships. The Navigation equipment such as
(Radars, Sonars, gyro compasses and Satellite Navigation and other technology on board was
very sophisticated, modern and interesting to use. The equipment was accurate within one
foot. While exploring for oil the ship was towing a (2 ½ miles) long cable which recorded data
received from guns that was fired in the water.
After almost 5 years on that job I went to work for Cayman Energy Ltd as Pilot and Mooring
Master doing Ship to Ship transfer off of Cayman Brac ad Little Cayman. The common practice
was to berth and tie two ships together but several time we berthed 3 ships together of smaller
size. After 5 ½ years the Company took the business to the U.S. Gulf of Mexico and that was the
end of it. At which time I decided to end my sea career and spend more time with my Wife and
2 Children. I learnt from a very early age that my biggest asset was my family, and thank God I
never forgot it.
My time at sea did not end without facing a lot of hardships, dangers, accidents, challenges and
a lot of very bad weather. But I thank the good Lord for guiding me and protecting during these
uncertain times.
My favorite words : With God all things are possible.
Captain Edgar Ashton Bodden, JP
Justice of the Peace
Cayman Brac
345 9168723
