Anyone else remember "The Swamp" at APC?
 

Chatting away with the Guy's the other day and ended up swinging that old lantern! One of the topics that came up was "The Swamp" at APC, Belize, home of the 4 puma crewmen detached to 1563 Flt ("probably the most exclusive airline in the world!!")

Tales of the SAS boys blowing off the doors at 3 in the morning for a party, cages of tarantulas for pets, prize pineapples being cut off plants and replaced by tins of chunks, DB being plastered at the elbows so he couldn't get his Standby Coke to his lips, Sundays lazing at Journey's End on rates.

Ahhhhhhh, all great stuff from a time when there was some fun to be had in the Mob, and the addage of working hard to play hard was far more in balance of play than work.

Anyone else remember these Halcyon Days with warm feeling? Open a Belikan, Coors or Miller Draught, or pour yourself an Appletons 151 with me, and give that old lantern a tap!! ;)

There are not too many rotary boys nowadays can claim to be 1563 Caribean Crewmen. However, I might be one of them:
http://www.artistic.flyer.co.uk/1563swamp.jpg
What happens on det, stays on det:ok:

Oh dear.

'There are not too many rotary boys nowadays can claim to be 1563 Caribean Crewmen'.

Some of us were living in the Swamp before 1563 had been invented. Isn't that right LSH where ever you are. My first visit was in 1979, last one in 1981. Tiger Tiger and all that.:cool:

TM,

Now that brings it all back!!

What about the Swing Fog at 0630 and 1630 daily, Joyce the cleaner and Sylvia the washer woman, the infamous Jimmy Spankie remark on BFBS (I'm just off to the :mad: Ball!!), Richie Rees (God Bless 'im) "Is my tan darker today!?"

We all need a bit of cheer now and again, so Happy Days! :)

Once a Carribean Crewman, always a Carribean Crewman!! :ok:

...and Raoul's Rose Garden :E

That is one florist that I have never visited. Ginge M*****n 'ordered' me to attend in 87 and I decided that he was such a dick that I would never obey. Besides which there were enough Puma groupies amongst the Doctors, nurses, teachers, CSE Roadshow chicks and you wouldnt want to be 'twos up' after a gurkha now would you.

LSH is now a committee (Sec?) member with the 230 Association.

When Bob T went home after handing over the Flight to John E, he had the publicity handshake photo taken outside and wore his "I've been to Raouls Rose Garden" t shirt for his last brekkie in the O's mess!! :ok:

ex rigger on CD hide.

was looking at Belize on the internet the other day seems to have got a bit posh these days.

Does the rose garden still exists, i remember a helpful lady there called Vera Vomitt who you look after your needs for $20.

Does anyone have pictures of what the airport looks like these days.

Wire T, I think we must have been on 230 at the same time.

I remember one Sunday night a certain Sqn Ldr B (by name and nature) made us night fly at APC. We wanted to watch the film at the OM instead. Every time we flew downwind we put the Puma searchlight on the outdoor projector screen. After about twenty minutes we got a call to say "pack it in, we can't see the film". We packed in night flying and joined the fun. :E

Anyone remember the OC Harrier "how to burn a hole in the runway" episode?

Oh No!! I'm having flashbacks of the Swamp from sometime between Nov '91 - Feb '92 :eek:

I don't remember much though, as it would appear that I was very, very drunk at the time!! :E

:D

It's still there!


http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e6...RoseGarden.jpg

GH/YH,

"Sundays lazing at Journey's End on rates."

Don't remember rates but do remember free food a grateful host and being expected to clang the crap out of the paying guests at volleyball :p

Also remember Joyce catching a certain ex policeman ex MACR now Commissioned ALM filling his palm with "bodily fluid" who in his haste to cover up his transgression simply rubbed his hands together then "splashed it all over" his face pretending it was aftershave :E

Belikin beer......................ummmmmmmm :ok:

More left hand seat time than you could shake a stick at and those crap packed lunches from BGS but the bounty advert where you eat it......fan feckin tastic :D

Goldfish bowls of G+T's on a veranda in Fort Fort Street? and the Pooh Pooh Platter, restaurant name escapes me........:ok:

Still must not reminisce as the desert beckons again in July........boy do I miss those days :)

New to Pprune Just got back from the pub and shown the wife the thread.

She has just reminded me of the face on the post man when he delivered the coconut that i had sent home.

Happy days.

Sent two of those, one to my kids and one to a family we had met the previous year on holiday and as you say confused/bemused looks all round.........ours is still in the downstairs loo 16 years on :ok:

Unfortunately I remember Rosie G's all to well!
The Chateau Caribbean & weekend trips to Chatumal for some civilization!!!!!!!
The barking mad Garrison Saarn't Major from the Duke of Boots who nearly died of heart failure when he found out he'd been saluting assorted FLM's,Riggers & Plumbers in our sailfish adorned SWB & had an apoplexy when told he couldn't enter FG,his name was'nt on the list so he wer'nt coming in.

;)

I was on 230 Odiham/Gutersloh from '77 to '81. I spent 12 detachments to APC Belize. Had a great time; San Pedro and Mexico at the weekends. BBQs on deserted beaches. Big C down town. Crossroads hotel. Fort St George. et al. Working late in the hangar getting devoured by the mossies and sand flies. Mice running around inside the 12 man hut. Lizards nesting between the tin sheets of the roof. I remember the swamp too. I was even invited in for a beer or two on occasions.




'We knew how to whinge but we kept it in the NAAFI bar.'

Six months there in '85. Best time I had in the SH force. Vividly remember Swamp induced hangovers (and a particularly nasty one after drinking pints of Pinacolada on Caye Chapel). Then there was the transit dahn south - radalt to 50ft - light on all the way. Hey ho, happy daze!

Seldom,

"Sundays lazing at Journey's End on rates."
We never saw the rates, but the "Duty Meal" rate for the Stby and R+R San Pedro crews paid for the rest of us!!

"Pooh Pooh Platter"
from the Chateau Carribean "Is that to share, or just for you, Sir?!"

"those crap packed lunches from BGS but the bounty advert where you eat it......fan feckin tastic :D"
Hunting Caye was the place, only one way in, land on the beach with the tail hanging over the sea. Great, unless a certain old pilot, DH, decided to go native. Maybe he should have been a Chinny Crewman!!!!

And the PJ - You know who incident, well, what more can I say!!!!!:ok:

Here we go chaps: http://www.230sqn.co.uk/

What memories!!

BGS resupply on a Friday with lunch at glorious Hunting Key or peaceful Salamanca

Overnight Batty's Bus up to Cancun for the weekend, lots of play, no sleep

Ghurka Bhart (best curry I've ever had, even the bones!!)

Transport in 60 mins before lift, transport back as soon as the cab was signed in

Night flying to be avaoided at all costs

Loadsa left hand seat, 2 crew ops

The list could go on and on!! :ok:

GH,

Mr James Spankie, now that's a name to conjure with. Always good for a laugh on a night out. Any idea where he is these days?