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Mud Flats
By Jon Halgren
Mud
Flats, not the official name but you knew what it meant. This is one of those
days that you wait for a job. This is what happened. Ray Fox, the dispatcher,
came in with only one pad. “Well it is after 8:30, so the peg does not move.
This is a good one. Two lashers are ordered, for Barge #417, at the Mud Flats.
It might be good for a few days. Like all jobs things can change. If you turn
to, you have an eight-hour guarantee. OK, under the peg is Carl and Jon. That is
all I have at this time.” “We should have pulled our peg and gone
tonight.” “Well there has not been much work at night. Like they say ‘one
in the hand is worth two in the bush’. I am staying with the job.” “When
you see the dock you may change your mind.” Said Carl, who had worked the MUD
FLATS before.
What
a job. It did not take long to learn why it is called the mud flats. It was like
an undeveloped dock. There was no decking of cement or asphalt just plain DIRT.
Red
and Art were driving the crane that worked the barge and also lifted loads off
trucks if too heavy for dock equipment.
We
checked in with Gabe, the Lashing Foreman, he had us start on the aft end of the
barge. There were a number of flat racks with building materials on them.
Chains
had been hung on the four hi flats and we were to pull the chain in the correct
direction, attach a turnbuckle, tighten the turnbuckle and put in stopper wires.
Loading
the barge started the day before. The crane being used was a “Manitowoc”
which had the ability, and versatility to work cargo from trucks or cargo going
to the barge.
Cargo
going to the barge had to be considered as to port of discharge and weight of
unit.
Autos
stowed in flat racks and placed four hi needed special attention. We had to go
up a ladder and work our way to the auto flat rack. We would use #9 wire or wood
blocking to secure the auto to the flat rack. We tried to do all autos since we
were working them, but we could see some carracks still on the dock.
It
seems we had a job good for several days unless the cargo did not arrive, and
with the weekend coming we might be laid off. OH, well.
The
Port of Seattle did not own the Mud Flats at this time. Things changed after the
POS took control of the acreage.
They made improvements, such as facing on the
dock, strengthening the apron and surfacing the yard area as well as the dock
area.
A
new operation came to the area “McLean” to use the refurbished “Mud
flats”. A short time later Sea/Land took over the Operations. It was a long
time ago. The Banana Terminal slipped into history and APL or Eagle then used
the land.
Operators,
come and go, terminals change, labor at facilities goes as dictated by the
employer. The ILWU has survived for over 60 years, let’s keep it going.
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