Lango: “I’m so lucky to have been lucky.”
Hands up who knows Keith Langworthy?! Although you probably know him as Lango!
There can’t be many locals who aren’t aware of Lango on the river!
“I’m in my 24th year as River Officer at Dart Harbour and it’s always nice to be recognised!” he admits.
Lango was a welder and fabricator working at the Royal Navy’s Sandquay facility before joining Dart Harbour as a River Officer.
“I wanted to find a ‘job for life’ so I interviewed for River Officer – talking of ‘job for life’ Matt Stephens interviewed me and he’s still here now!”
As with most career progression, Lango has utilised his previous career skills within his current role: “I have definitely brought my welding and fabrication skills into the role.
“When I started it was mostly moorings work but my role has changed – I do more infrastructure work now such as maintenance work on pontoons and assembling stems on buoys. I’m normally in the workshop, working on pontoons or doing boat maintenance.
“Maintenance kicks in at the end of October and then it’s following the pontoon maintenance programme and replacing fendering, decking and painting.”
Although Lango likes to put his welding and fabrication skills to good use he also enjoys the summer patrolling months: “I like patrolling and meeting the visitors – when they come back year after year and ask after you and you recognise each other it’s nice. And there’s always the option of a cup of tea and a biscuit!
“I do less patrolling now than when I first started as the team is larger – when I first started there were only three of us on each shift, but now there are five of us on a shift, so now I don’t start my summer shift until July, but I’m still patrolling up to the end of October when I return to Monday to Friday for winter maintenance work.”
Being one of the more experienced members of the team, Lango plays a key role in sharing his knowledge with new starters: “I take the new guys under my wing. Working with youth groups in my spare time I have an understanding of teenagers – they are the next generation of River Officers, so any skills I have or work-related tips I have picked up I will share with them.
“And the younger generation working here help me with the technical side of computers and iPads, so we share our knowledge and expertise! It goes full circle – they teach me as I teach them! There’s great camaraderie within the team!”
Lango’s understanding of teenagers is testament to his dedicated volunteering in his spare time: “I was Warrant Officer in the Air Cadets for 40 years until the unit closed, so now I am Petty Officer with the Sea Cadets – and my boating skills and maritime experience certainly come in handy.
“My role there is helping to encourage the young into the maritime industry – being a part of any cadet group is a good segue into a career. It gives them a good grounding. And the youngsters keep me young!”
A memorable time that stands out for Lango was inadvertently meeting the First Sealord this summer: “I didn’t realise who he was and then he sent me a letter and a plaque for my Sea Cadets group, which is so thoughtful.”
Lango is also Station Officer at Dartmouth Coastguard: “I’m in my 34th year there.
“I also look after the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society collection mine along the Embankment in Dartmouth.
“When I took it on, it had been broken into and was in a bad state of repair so Dart Harbour lifted it off and took it over to the workshop and I made a new base, repaired the top, needle gunned it inside and out and repainted it. The paint was donated through Dart Harbour’s paint supplier, and then Dart Harbour reinstated it onto its plinth. So it was a real work/community effort and the help was much appreciated.
“I received an award from the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society and took my family to London to receive it at Fishmonger’s Hall, which was a wonderful experience.”
Lango believes that having a range of experiences and acquired skills helps with the working role: “I’ve also been a pool lifeguard, waiter, worked in a pottery and done a paper round – which have all given me a good background for working life. And dealing with people and our visitors comes with experience – you can relate to different people in different ways.”
Despite the longevity of his career, Lango is still learning: “I’ve added to my skillset since working here – I’ve done my Powerboat II course, as well as first aid, chainsaw, workboat, scaffolding, safety boat, firefighting, forklift and customer service courses – and these are renewed and refreshed.
“I have upgraded both our work barges ‘Tardis’ and ‘Hercules’ and did all the fabrication under the deck when we renewed the crane – that was a big job working under the deck and in the voids.
“It took four months over a winter period and was a very satisfactory job. It’s nice to think I’ve left my mark, even if you can’t see it as it’s under the deck!”
The length of Lango’s career also means he has seen some changes: “We now use modern materials such as recycled plastic and fibreglass decking which will last a lot longer than the original concrete and wood pontoons. It is now possible to lift a deck on a new pontoon to get underneath to do repairs.
“Maintenance life has got a bit easier but there is still always something that needs doing!”
With Lango helping to train the maritime professionals of the future, both in his working life and his community volunteering, he understands the importance of future skills and apprenticeships: “The future of Dart Harbour and the maritime industry as a whole is reliant on the youngsters coming in.
“I also hope there are more cruise ships visiting Dartmouth in the future – it is a port and it brings such pleasure for passengers. They are made to feel welcome and they spend money in the town.”
With so many years under his working belt, it’s natural to build up some favourites: “My favourite spot of the River Dart is around Dittisham. I have a rapport with the businesses and stakeholders up there – getting to know your locals is so important.”
But, probably sensibly, Lango doesn’t have favourites when it comes to Harbour Masters! “Every Harbour Master I’ve worked under has been so accommodating and generous with their help and support.”
So what does the future hold? “I’m 65 so retirement looms! But I’d like to continue for a couple of days a week. I don’t want to stop completely.
“I collect militaria, I have a motorbike and a man cave, I’m a member of the Old Dartmothians’ Association and I have a family – I won’t be bored!”
Lango signs off by appreciating all the turns his life has taken: “I’ve been very lucky that I’ve been able to work close to home with very little travel time.
“I’ve also been very lucky that I’ve been influenced positively by many people I’ve met who have given some good advice.
“I have good family, good back-up, good bosses – I couldn’t ask for more. I’m so lucky to have been lucky.”
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