22 • The Coconut Telegraph • February 2007 The Coconut Telegraph • February 2007 • 23 valve to allow steam into the decided that the Lifeboat engine it would operate with would put a towline to the The Cultured Conch The African Queen - A History continued from page 18 low pressure the engine would bow of the African Queen Sat., Feb. 10 - February Festival. One- run however when they tried and then the Queen would use Exhibition of Fine Art and Sculpture. day plant, baked goods and "used Legacy in Key Largo Part III to increase speed the engine what power they had to keep Open daily 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Key Largo treasures" sale along with educational would again lock up. Still not the bow into the sea while Library Community Room, MM 101.4 booths to promote Florida Friendly By Jimmy Hendricks Photos provided by Jimmy Hendricks knowing with any certainty they were being towed, kind Overseas Hwy., Key Largo. 852-7494. gardening. 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Marathon Once again the Coast 1990 the African Queen was they faced certain death or Queen they departed what was wrong they decided of like an airplane crabbing Garden Club, 5270 Overseas Hwy., Sun., Feb. 25 - Sculpture Key West. Marathon. Call 743-4971. Guard took center stage and now certified to carry 15 capture. For twenty two days Ramsgate harbour at seven that it would be the prudent into the wind to land. Outdoor contemporary art exhibition with the first of their passengers and two crew, from the end of May until am. On board was dad, the thing to turn around and head Needless to say they arrived in three historic settings. Fort Taylor Mon., Feb. 12 - Key West Pops Beach inspections they focused on almost ten years to the day Mid June the British Navy Engine builder Ed Langley, back to Ramsgate as the wind back at Ramsgate Harbour a opening reception 3 - 6 p.m. Park Club Celebration. Cocktails, food, the machinery and discovered when dad first laid his eyes and a fleet of “little ships” Richard Head Commodore of was increasing they were little shaken but not stirred. entrance fee waived. Ft. Taylor State entertainment. $100. 6:30 - 9 p.m. that the new Semple Boiler upon her and knew that the made up of boats of every the Little Ship Yacht Club (no losing valuable fresh water The Little Ship Club Park, enter at Southard & Thomas Vera Schiff’s residence, 1500 Atlantic was not ASME certified nor old girl had to come to Key size, shape and description, connection to the little ships without the feed pump having Magazine had each member of Streets, Key West. 295-3800. Visit Blvd., Key West. Reservations 296- was the steam engine Largo and there is still more took on the unpredictable event) and photo journalist to rely on the steam siphon to the crew write their own sculpturekeywest.com for details. 1520. approved by the ABS to come for the old girl. waters of the English Channel Jim Legget. The winds were a put water back into the boiler version as to what had Mon., Feb. 26 - March 4 - Jim Salem. Fri., Feb. 16 - Tues., Feb. 20 - Trinidad (American Bureau of In 1990 the African and the onslaught of Hitler’s bit stronger than predicted and they were headed into happened, Dad’s report more Opening reception 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. Joe presents Key West Mardi Gras Shipping) nor was there Queen was invited back to troops to rescue their fallen instead of 10 to 15 knots, the the busiest shipping lanes in less read the least excitable Gingerbread Square Gallery, 1207 Fest. Costume contests, walking anyway to get her existing were more like 20 to 25 knots the world, with a less than as just another day at sea, Ed Duval Street, Key West. 296-8900. parades, food, music drinks and more. equipment approved after the which would put the thirty reliable engine. As they Langley’s merely reported it Various locations, Key West. 292-5691. Festivals fact. So it off to England dad foot open boat in 4 to 5 foot approached the Channel that as a spot of trouble with the mardifest.com. Sat., Feb. 3 - Sun., Feb. 4 - Florida I go to investigate what the seas for a crossing that dad would lead them back into engine, while Commodore Keys Art Guild Outdoor Art Festival. Sun., Feb. 18 - Key West Symphony old girl would have had in her estimated would take 5 hours Ramsgate Harbour they Head’s and Jim Leggett’s Free. Lorelei Resort, MM 81 Overseas presents “Enchanting Dreams Auction.” when she was built in 1912. and then another 5.5 hours realized that would put them version reflected that they Hwy., Islamorada. 289-7656. Westin Key West Resort, 245 Front Ed Langley of Shoreham along the coast. Dad figured beam to the high seas and were battling for their lives. St., Key West. 292-1774. England built us the Sisson he had enough coal and fresh could possible swamp the boat It was later determined as Mon., Feb. 5 - Red Barn Theatre "Five steam engine, which was water for the boiler onboard and the engine was still giving check valve being installed Course Love Dance Party." Eat, drink, Sat., Feb. 24 - Annual Red Cross originally produced in England for 33 hours. Among other them problems and they would improperly caused the engine dance with Barry Cuda and his band Humanitarian of the Year Dinner. 6:30 and local vocalist. Food from around reception, 7:30 dinner. Casa Marina in the 1800’s by a factory in added safety equipment was not be able to increase power to hydro-lock and the the world and an open bar. $60 Resort, 1500 Reynolds St. Key West. Glouchester and is genuine an inflatable tube attached to if needed. conditions in the channel advance, $65 door. 7 - 10:30 p.m. Red 296-4033. steam launch equipment from the starboard side which with It was at that point made it impossible to not only Barn Theatre, 319 Duval St., Key Sat., Feb. 24 - Sun. Feb. 25 - Key the turn of the century. The the windy conditions and the Commodore Head looked Dad diagnose the problem let West. 296-9911. redbarntheatre.org boiler would have been and blunt end of the tube facing in the eye and Dad knew they alone make repairs at sea, and West Art Center presents 42nd now is a Kingdon type boiler the sea it actually allowed a weren’t going to make it back thus ended the African Thur., Feb.8 - Sun., Feb. 11 - Friends Annual Old Island Days Art Festival. patented in England in 1881, considerable amount of spray without assistance, Dad put Queen’s first attempt to of Fort Taylor present Civil War Exhibitors from across USA and Heritage Days. Living history demon- Canada. Water-color, oil, acrylics, since the boiler required the The African Queen in the English Channel with the RNLI in into the boat so the crew out a securite which is not a cross the English Channel on strations, battle re-enactments, metal and glass sculpture, photography. ASME certification we had it the distance. deemed it unnecessary and mayday but a call for her own hull. The Queen did candle light tour. Ft. Zachary Taylor Free admission. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. built at Dixon Boiler Company cut it away. Unfortunately assistance, the RNLI (Royal make it to Dunkirk that day State Park, entrance at Southard & Whitehead and Caroline Streets, Key in Los Angeles. The engine did the cantankerous African National Lifeboat Institution) but it was aboard the Thomas Streets., Key West. West. 294-1241. not require the ASME England, by the London Daily countrymen and their allies. Queen was not up to the answered and told them that ferryboat Sally with the 292-6850. certificate but did require Express to open their new My grandfather had fought in challenge this day, after they could not determine Queen sitting safely on top of Sat., Feb. 24 - Sun., Feb. 25 - Key Sat., Feb. 10 - Sun., Feb. 11 - Pigeon West Art & Historical Society Key the ABS seal of approval, boat show in Plymouth, which WWI and dad and his brother three hours they were twelve their exact location so they her trailer. Key Art Festival. Juried outdoor art West Antiques Show and Sale. $6. 10 however there London office dad thought would by exciting Bill both put college on hold miles out and approaching the dispatched a RAF helicopter show, music, food. $7. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. a.m.- 7 p.m. Sat/ 10 a.m. - 5 p.m Sun. was happy to approve the to visit the home port of the to serve in WW2 so this busiest shipping channels in to search for the Queen and Marathon Community Park, MM 49, East Martello Museum, 295-6616. ext plans and monitor the Mayflower. However for one event was very much a part of the world and the wind her loss crew. After what Overseas Hwy., Marathon. 942-1105. 16. kwahs.com. construction. reason or another that show our family history and dad seemed to be picking up, when seemed like an eternity and Ed with his wife, daughter never happened but the Daily could not refuse when the what was thought to be a Jim Legget and Ed Langley Look for continuation and the new engine in tow express said to come over African Queen was invited to engine bearing started to succumbed to sea sickness came to Key Largo to help anyway that they would find participate in the groan and shortly after the they spotted the RAF of this article install the new engine and plenty for us to do. reenactment which was to engine stopped altogether, it helicopter low on the horizon in boiler. With new engine The first event that dad take place on May 24, 1990 was at that point that Ed told and far to south of their installed it was now up to the attempted was the 50th the fleet was to cross the dad that feed pump was not location after some more The African Queen Coast Guard to inspect and Anniversary of Dunkirk. Channel from Dover to Calais pumping water from the hot communication with the RNLI pass the Queen. After Dunkirk which occurred in the a twenty two mile trek well fast enough back into the the RAF helicopter spotted Part V performing a simplified spring of 1940 when Hitler’s crossing in open water then boiler. So the first thing they them, and the RLNI in the stability test using bags of Nazi German Wehrmacht follow the coast eastward for did was to disconnect the dispatched a boat to their charcoal for the weight, doing swept across Belgium and another twenty miles to chain that drove the feed position. Upon their arrival Coconut Telegraph a hydrostatic and operational France sent retreating Dunkirk. pump, thinking that the pump Jim Legget requested to be March Issue test on the boiler and engine, 337,000 British and allied With seventeen, fifty was malfunctioning and transferred over to the RNLI and let’s not forget the troops to the coast of the pound bags of Welch steam causing the engine problem. vessel and then they safety equipment. On Dec. 4, English Channel there were coal aboard the African When they reopened the discussed their options, it was