PHASE II

THE RAISING OF THE PROPELLER

FROM THE LAKE TANKER ORANJESTAD

FROM THE WATER TO THE LAND AFTER 67 YEARS

April 18, 2009

PHOTOS SENT IN BY DUFI KOCK
Bulletin board about the Oranjestad for the persons who came to witness the historical event.
Out of the water on its way to land.
Almost there.
After 67 years on the bottom the propeller see the light of day.  Although the photos do not reflect it this propeller is made of bronze.
 

Dick de Bruin, a member of the dive team holds on to the air bags, on right members of the dive team around the propeller just before it breaks the surface.
 

Left, Percy Sweetnam the team leader, give the thumbs up to begin the lift.  Right the propeller at the surface, the crowd began to whistle and shout and blow their car horns at this moment.
Air bags and drums used in the lifting operation.
A good crowd came to witness the event.
THE REAL HEROES
Dick de Bruin, Ella Sweetnam & Percy Sweetnam the team leader.
Percy Sweetnam (in wet suite, back to camera) Dick de Bruin; Toine van der Klooster; Rigo Hoencamp (NOT PRESENT BECAUSE HE HAD TO RETURN TO HOLLAND ON BUSINESS); Andre Loonstra and Paulus Martijn, members of the team sitting on the propeller, Paul Martijn, the captain of the Torpedo is standing behind the propeller.  With the years spent underwater it is hard to believe that this propeller is made of bronze, once it has been cleaned it should be quite a sight to see.
A very proud team as well they should be.  It is a shame that Rigo Hoenkamp, a member of the team had to return to Holland for business before this moment.  He was with the team when they raised the propeller.
A very proud Percy Sweetnam stands next to his baby.
Dufi Kock and his wife standing to the right of Percy Sweetnam and behind the propeller.
 

Dufi & Percy with the propeller and Dufi alone with the propeller.
 

Right, crane that was used to lift the propeller and right, flat bed truck which carried the propeller to Percy's house for safe keeping.
 

Omar Briceno who operated the crane and unloading the propeller at Percy's house.
 

Percy comes ashore on left and on right Percy is interviewed by Telearuba.  That is Aldino Tromp, the camera man.
Paul Martijn, the captain of the Torpedo, the boat the divers used to get to the site.
The heroes, the dive team.
What really culminated the occasion was the arrival of Calixto de Palm, age 80.  Calixto, standing next to Percy lost his brother Louis Nicolas Emerenciana when the Oranjstead was torpedoed.  He was the Quartermaster on the ship.  At the time Louis was 30 years old and had a wedding date set for 7 days after the ship sank.
LOURDES EMERENCIANA, A MEMBER OF CALIXTO DE PALM'S FAMILY WAS TOLD THIS STORY BY CALIXTO.  LOURDES TRANSLATED THE STORY INTO ENGLISH AND PASSED ON, THROUGH DUFI KOCK, TO PLACE ON THE WEB SITE.  MANY THANKS TO BOTH OF YOU.

CALIXTO DE PALM’S STORY

(Paying a last tribute to his brother)

Like most Bonairean (inhabitants of Bonaire) boys from the early years of the last century, Luis Emerenciana was no exception to the occupation of seaman. They were all young guys who did this profession for a better life(future) for their family. They left their families from an early age and went aboard the many tankers that sailed the worldwide waters.

Luis was the oldest son from a family of five, of the late Mrs. Isidoria de Palm-Emerenciana. The youngest son, Mr. Calixto de Palm (Lino), age 80, tells with great emotion about the death of his eldest brother who was on board of the SS Oranjestad, when it was torpedoed just in front of the coast of Aruba in 1942.

It is as if it had happened yesterday, says Lino with great emotion. He says that his brother was aboard the SS Oranjestad and that should have been his last journey. Lino, at that time was a boy of 13 years of age, who was in Curaçao together with his mother, sister and the future wife of Wichi (nickname for Luis). They were in Curaçao, preparing for the wedding of Wichi (25), after his last trip on board of the SS Oranjestad. After the trip to Aruba, the ship would then go to Curaçao, there they expected him, and would then travel together to Bonaire for the wedding of Wichi and Shon Popo. Everyone was full of enthusiasm with the preparations, when just seven days before the scheduled wedding, they got the message that the SS Oranjestad was torpedoed off the coast of Aruba. They had also received the sad message that Wichi was one of the dead.

The family had not even obtained the mortal remains of their beloved one. Almost the entire crew was burned and only sad memories remained of the upcoming wedding.

Lino just could not miss this historic event and was present when the crew brought the propeller of the SS Oranjestad on land.

 This family tragedy brought back so many sad memories for Lino, as the only living survivor of this family. Lino, did not only feel that it was necessary for him to be present at this historic event, but also used this opportunity to pay a last “tribute” to his beloved brother.
THIS EMAIL CAME IN FROM ANDRE LOONSTRA, A MEMBER OF THE DIVE TEAM
Hi Dan,  You have done an amazing job getting all this stuff on the website. It looks great. I wanted to mention that when that old gentleman who's brother died on the Oranjestad showed up and we found out who he was. That made the lifting of the prop so much more special. The man was looking at the prop, and when I started to ask his name he looked up and he was crying. Although they probably won't admit it, seeing that man's emotional reaction brought tears to most members of the Team.
It made you realize what this really meant to him. He must have been about 13 years old when his brother died in the attack.
regards
Andre Loonstra
The propeller at rest in front of Percy Sweetnam's house.  He said he would run a chain from the propeller to his bed and put it around his toe so if anyone tried to walk off with it he would know.
Being set in the place it will stay until it decided what to do with the propeller.  That is Percy Sweetnam in the web suite standing behind the propeller.
The crane operator, Omar Briceno, with his thumb up.  Yes!  It was a job well done, by everyone.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE PRESS RELEASE
RETURN TO THE ORANJESTAD PROPELLER DIRECTORY

CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT PHASE I

CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT THE DIVE

CLICK HERE TO SEE A VIDEO OF THE FIRST DIVE ON THE ORANJESTAD

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Y6jivE-hac

CLICK HERE TO SEE A VIDEO OF THE LIFTING OF THE PROPELLER FROM THE BOTTOM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_r05tYV644

CLICK HERE TO SEE A VIDEO OF THE LIFTING OF THE PROPELLER FROM THE SEA TO LAND

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3A2oTHozsds

SEE A SLIDE SHOW OF THE EVENT

CLICK ON EACH SHOW TO SPEED UP THE SHOW, TIMED FOR 8 SECONDS PER SLIDE

CLICK HERE TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION TO THE FUND FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE MEMORIAL

RETURN TO THE ORANJSTEAD PROPELLER DIRECTORY