Captain Niit's log: Niit Leonhard Sweden Import

... as he used to say.
A nation import goods that it is in great need of, as such "the import" represent something "sought after", with high value.
That was proudly reiterated frequently by my late father . After finding this box of old photo's, I will use this entry to try and document some of "his history" as he lived a colourful life.
Leo fled war strucken Estonia in the end of world war II. I was lucky to get a trip with Leo, back to his birth place, where I video'd a few hours of his"war time stories"(that will be another blog). Leo was from an Island, (Dagö "Hiiuma")and brought up with his "feet in the water". His mother came from a family of seafarers, so as a young boy he joined his uncle, a Captain on one of their vessels, as a "potatoe peeler". Leo arrivived as a 15 year old to Sandhamn Sweden in September 1944. This after crossing the baltic in a 7 meter long fishing boat. He arrived 3 weeks after his parents, whom at this time, had no information about that their son had managed to make this trip. In Sandhamn he was given a sandwich a a cup of chocolate, after wich he was taken to Stockholm, Lidingö skola for "de-bugging". Then he was isolated "quarranteened" under military guard for 4 weeks at Gustav Vasa Real skola. Leo's parents Helene and Johannes had managed to get news of their sons escape and travelled to assist and arrange his "release". 1946 he started working as rating on various ships, mainly under the banner of "Rederiaktiebolaget Nordstjernan" Soon he felt that he wanted greater things in life.

One of Leo's earliest "blue book" as it was called.

Looks like a Turkish guard above. And a nice dive and swim photo "just above" to the left.

Surely New York in the middle, and I think it is the skyline of Rio de Janeiro further below.

To the right, Lion Steam ship's Charlotte...

Equatorial baptism, in the old fashion way. Upon crossing the line(Equator)"King Neptune" surfaces from the deep. And with the help from experience sailors or "Shellbacks", sons of Neptune(Trusty or Honourable), they baptised any unexperienced sailor nicknamed "Pollywogs" (Slimy) to his realm (an initiation rite). This tradition meant a lot more in the old days when sailors had to be made of steel on the wooden ships(not vice versa as it is today) boosting morale when the service periods were harder and longer, as where the trips.

Leonhard got the name "Klump fisken" or Mola mola(Sun fish).

I do not think these frames are from his baptism though.

Just have to show the blue seamans book from the old days, it was more of a "salary book" registration of when where the sailor served, and also what his various income and outlays around the world. Back of that book refers to the Swedish flag state circular on "how to protect yourself against venereal diseases", it also recite the "Swedish Law" that entitles the sailor to treatment thereof, in any hospital free of charge...ha ha...

Leo studied to become a Master Mariner via "Hermods correspondence".
The Swedish language was a major problem, so he hired a student for help and to teach him proper Swedish. Company Nordstjernan assisted (financially) in letting him get his exam in the Merchant Marine Academy(Malmö). Parallel to his merchant career he attended his education in "The Swedish Royal Naval War Academy"(Kungl. Sjökrigsskolan Näsby park) where he pursued his naval carrier in the Swedish naval reserve, with focus on the submarines. There he reached the rang of "Lieutenant Commander" (Örlogs Kapten).

(Many pictures squeezed in not too high resolution, purpose is for anyone maybe able to identify someone or thing, if so contact me for a better copy with higher resolution).

Above: Submarine "Najad", training with their submarine "rescue buoy".
Basically a buoy with a telephone cable that in distress, at depth, would have been released by the submarine.

Above: Weapons, Torpedoes, anti aircraft and an icy shot with his pistol Husqvarna
"model 40" (9 mm).

Leo's "submarine force" pin that he always proudly wore on his uniform,

even in the merchant marine.

Above: Playing with torpedoes, Submarine recovery vessel "Belos" and her "diving bell", I believe this is the first Belos (She has two followers, present one incl.). Leo on Ski's.

Above: Looks like problem surfacing?

Above: Random pictures

Random...

Below a royal visit onboard the submarine depot-ship "Patricia",
I do not know the year unfortunately.

Below: Pride of the Swedish navy , Torpedo boats..

Length: 20 mtr

Width: 5 mtr

Displacement: 27 ton

Weapons: 2 pcs 53 cm torpedoes, 1 pcs 40 mm gun from Bofors, 6 st depth charges

Engines: 2 pcs Isotta Fraschini IF 184, each at 1500 horse power

Speed: 53 knots

Original crew: 9 persons

Leo was also taking part in one of the many representation trips around the world with the Swedish "Älvsnabben".

Not only work ...some play as well.
Here invitation to a dinner onboard the depot-vessel Patricia 1956, and to the right the menu from the ball room dance and dinner, at the Swedish Royal Naval War Academy 1955. This was my mothers first ballroom dance (it is hand written on the back, by my mother)

At Näsby park, he met my mother, then Clary Elisabet Ledin, who were working in the canteen. After they became a couple, Clary also accompanied Leo on some of his travels on board the vessel Eva Jeanette, owned by the Swedish newly established shipping company Lion Steamship CO. A.-B.(formed 1954) a branch from the Bonnier family group. They were under charter by Cunard Line between Liverpool and NY. During this period Leo and Clary lived in Liverpool, UK where they later married in the Swedish Seaman church (New Years eve 1958).

In New York they had time to visit the training camp of Ingemar Johansson in the preparation

for his title match in boxing against Floyd Patterson June 1959.

Leo was "head hunted"(1956) to Lion Steam Ship by Mr Erik Kekonius, a former sub marine officer, now managing Lion Steam Ship. He learned about Leo from his former contacts at Näsby park. Rederi Nordstjärnan (Johnson line) were reluctant in "releasing" Leo, especially since they had financed his studies at the Merchant Marine Academy. Mr Kekonius wrote Johnson a check for the full amount and Leo happily joined Lion, where he expected, and later also experienced a faster promotion.

5 SEK/day was deducted from Leo's pay roll, for Clary's on board stay, I also know that she

helped out a bit in the galley, doing something usefull while Leo was working
(or working out as seen below).

Eva Jeanette crew were quite successful in rowing competitions.

Building a family, time to settle down and build a home. Leo and Clary moved to Halmstad, Leo got a job on the newly started ferry line between Halmstad and Århus(Denmark)(started August 13th 1959) Leo crossed over from "Lion Steam ship" to "Lion Ferry".

Grandma Helene, Grandpa Johannes, Auntie Helle, Mother and Lennie, (I think) Auntie Aili visiting from Dagö Estonia?, Lennie and cousin Marie in front. Would guess photo shot in Gothenburg.

Leo bought some land in Tiarp (Halmstad) where he planned to build his house, this old "house" was included in the sale. Leo's parents Johannes and Helene lived there, and I remembered they had a few Chinchillas as well, so soft and cuddly.

He put great pride in building his own house, brick by brick, not like today's "Lego" houses that are raised in a working day. Off course he had a few friends and professionals to help him out. I remember Leo telling me about a few arguments with the "council architect" who had to put his stamp of approval on Leo's drawings.

("Kaptens villan" in Tiarp Halmstad, Leo Vanna Emma Helene and dog Zenta)

A house need water, so Leo digged his well

Us kids and Neighbour Gustav Svensson assisting

Safety was not a major concern in those days.

Leo used to say, "come May(summer) and I lock away the boy's shoes".
Meaning we kids should be hardened under our feet(running bare foot)
and our skin used to the sun. And it worked

Leo continued his Ferry life...

Kronprins Carl Gustav

Gustav Vasa (1)

Gustav Vasa (2)

Prins Oberon

... mainly based from the port of Malmö to the German port of Travemunde.

He also worked for a period on the vessel Prince Oberon trafficing Bremerhaven(Germany) and Harwich(UK), where I as a very young lad experienced my first North Sea storm.

In his time off, Leo was busy with fishing..we kids earned our pocket money helping him out. Joining as deck hands and cleaning fishing nets "by the miles" in our garage when the weather was to cold outside...

Still can imagine the smell...

In the beginning of 1980's, I found an add in a Swedish newspaper, "Fisher men wanted for fishing in the kindom of Tonga". I showed the add to Leo and his destiny was sealed.

The originator of the add had a more "relaxed" approach to solve Tonga's lack of fishing industry. It took a few years, investigations, meetings with investors, and not the least government officials and the king himself, to attain the fishing licence for the company.

Taufa'ahau Tupou IV

Leo's dear wife Clary suddenly and unexpectedly passed away 1982, Leo, who was soon reaching the age of retirement was not to keen on continuing working with the ferries as the company was struggling, so he managed to negotiate an early retirement. My two brothers and myself agreed together with Leo that he should pursue his challenge in the SW. Pacific.

1983 Leo and myself started the trip to Tonga via Hawaii and American Samoa (Pago pago) and Fiji.

The few months I was with him in Tonga we initiated the registration process of the company, established contacts with fisher men around the kingdom, and arranged a nice house and office building.

Office(Leo's home), Sopu, Tonga Tapu.

Meanwhile in Sweden my two brothers Lennie and Thomas was "packing/ stuffing" the content from "Kaptens villan"(Our house) into a container, that house was now sold.

Fishing started in very small scale...

(Picture Fa Fa Island)

Me and Mr Gibson. He was installing Solar water heaters in the kingdom.

Busy man and not much time for basking as seen on this photo.

Fluid break on our Tongan tour of chasing fishermen

There were so much shrimps so Leo just had to make a smaller, shrimp trawl. which we tried out a few hours one evening, running up and down the beach in front of our house. In total maybe we cought 500 grams. Strange, with so many of them, literarely flying out of the water jumping in front of the trawl-roof..bummer...1-0 to the sea life.

Leo and helpers Fifita and Aleki 1986

Leo and Prince Ma'atu 1988

Original plan was to establish the logistcs. Leo contacted the Freedom yacht company UK, and got them to create(draw) a "sailing reefer yacht" 70 feet long. But the cost for ordering this in the initial stage of the company was too high.

Leo had studied much material about fishing around the Polynesian Island, but it turned out that he had to revert to the "local way" of divers and harpooning the fish to start with.

He had a a few boats(owned and chartered), with a bunch of divers in each. around their waste the diver had a belt with a long line on which he "thread" the catch. Knowing the risk of shark attacks, Leo initially expressed concerns to one diver but the diver simply replied. "If the shark comes, I put him on the line as well."

On one occasion Leo saw a lot of turbulence and bloody water when a diver surfaced, Leo feared for the mans life, but the diver returned to the boat angry as a bee, cursing and banning the sharks, he said that one shark and maybe two shark would have been fine but he was attacked by three, so he had to let go of his catch.

First few years was very hard, he tried all kinds of fishing methods, the most successful one should turn out to be bait on hooks at depths of 150-350 meters. Then keep the catch in a salty water ice mixture at just below freezing, that would lower the fish metabolism and it would survive for many days, thus stay fresh until the catch is landed in the end of the week. Not only supplying the local market(which was the primary goal), a smaller but regular export to Hawaii and Japan also materialized.

He also tried long line, but it was not sustainable.

Leo's 60th birth day and he was invited to Coffee and cake by his good friend HRH Prince Ma'atu, in the King's summer residence by the lagoon. My brother Thomas with then wife and two kids also present.

Leo was accepted and well liked by most Tongans, it became obvious that he was not there to exploit them. He made many friends, in all levels of society. He took care of his employees in terms of planning their economy, made sure their money went to where it was needed. He contributed financially to churches and other organisations.

Finally after many years of struggling with Cancer, Leo passed away in December 2003. He spent his final days at brother Lennies house (Haveluloto).

Last picture, family together, for drinking Leo's last bottle of jubileums aqvavit, going over his last will and testament. I was not with him the final days(working onboard Maria Gorthon) but managed to talk to him a few days earlier, over the phone, and say my good bye.
What he jokingly had expressed, regarding his own funeral, "dig a hole, kick me into it, and throw a few shovels with soil on top",,,it did not quite pan out that way.. He got a proper burial, a ceremony that was televised in Tonga, and his final resting place at the royal grounds, beach of "Foa'amotu" facing East, greeting the first day light..

(Funeral pictures by curtesy of Gert, Rickard and Lennie)