Title: Boa Constricts Life Aboard LNG Libra.

Editor's note: Radio Officer Jerry Hale offers the following eyewitness account of an unusual visitor aboard the SIU crewed LNG Libra which is operated by Energy Transportation Corp. What follows is his letter to the Seafarers LOG. He also provided the photograph

In the early morning hours of Wednesday, September 20, 1996 the Libra dropped the hook in the waters off the LNG port of Bontang (Indonesia) off the east coast of Kalimantan (Borneo). No one aboard knew just how exciting these several days at anchor were going to be.

Later in the day the tug Sea Puli came alongside and deposited the usual cadre of customs and immigration officials. In about one hour, when all the formalities had been completed. The tug returned to take the officials off the vessel. The sea had picked up a little, and so the tug, in order to maintain stability for the boarders, made up to the side of the Libra with more than usual force As the powerful engines pressed the Sea Pull against the side of the Libra the space inside one of the large tires which make up the bumpers on the tugboat, apparently became a little too cramped for a large boa constrictor which had taken up residence inside the tire.

As the tug moved away from the ship the snake slithered out of the tire and into the sea. On the Libra's deck, Bosun Bert Gills spotted the snake dangling by its tail from the Sea Puli and dropping into the water. He tried to signal the tugboat, but they misinterpreted the gestures and they grinned and waved back, unaware that they had just lost a passenger.

For the remainder of Wednesday the reptilian visitor was seen swimming in the waters around the Libra. Much speculation ensued as to whether it actually was a boa constrictor, as the Bosun insisted, or some sea snake, which seemed much inure likely. By mid-afternoon, the snake was no longer seen and was thought to have drowned or perhaps was clinging to the rudder post.

Around 1700, the Sea Puli returned in her role as the ship's liberty launch. As she rounded the stem, the snake was seen in the water once again! This time the snake was swimming toward the Sea Puli and seemed to be intent upon re-boarding the tugboat! After the tug left, how-ever, the snake was seen swimming around the Libra as before That night it was seen on several occasions where the ship's lights illuminated the water.

Thursday, the Bosun and AB Tom Grose spent every spare moment trying to capture the snake. They devised poles with rope loops on them, several baskets and buckets, etc. Nothing worked to lure the snake into their clutches.

At one point, Gillis observed the snake attempting to climb the anchor chain. It soon failed and fell back into the water. He described the serpent as being eight to 10 feet in length and perhaps four inches in diameter at its thickest point, with a large head which was wide and tapered down to a flat nose. The Bosun has had some experience with snakes, being a diver and veteran of the Army Special Forces, which make it their business to know snakes. His opinion was that it was indeed a boa constrictor or something very similar and NOT a sea snake.

Late on Thursday, the snake was no longer seen swimming around the ship. Speculation about the snake's fate varied. Some thought it couldn't stand the salt water and had drowned. Others thought it had swum ashore, in spite of the fact that we were anchored seven to 10 miles from the nearest land. A few insisted that a barracuda had eaten it. Several days went by with no sightings of the snake being reported. The crew of the tug Sea Puli was informed that the boat had brought the boa (Indonesian: san'cha) to the Libra. They were adamant that it was not possible, could not have happened, etc. No snake had ever been spotted on the tugboat and none had been seen in the port area. We were advised that it could possibly be a sea snake but could not possibly be more than about one meter in length or bigger in diameter than one- and-a-half inches or maybe two.

I had missed the early sighting but put out the word that whenever the snake was again spotted to please let me know IMMEDIATELY so that pictures could be taken of what was looking like a very unusual incident. Days went by with everyone checking the water for the snake John Hartono, the first engineer. and Keith Larson, the second mate, even lowered the lifeboats (for in-water maintenance) so they could check out