[pompeyfan]

Northern Star Voyage 26 Part Four

Sunday 17th November 1968

At 0900(9am) we were 300 miles south of Madagascar. Weather cloudy, sea rough with heavy swell, temp 61f. Just lazed all day, went for quiz in evening. Clocks were advanced 45 minutes again.

Monday 18th November 1968

Still heavy swell sunbathed all morning temp 62f but nice out of wind on sun deck. Went to see film Carry On Doctor. Clocks went forward 30 mins.

Tuesday 19th November 1968

Weather cloudy, wind force 4, temp 62f. Played quoits in afternoon with Robert from Scotland. We were told today that she ship will not be calling at Auckland. Instead, I would have to disembark at Wellington and travel up be train. I have got a meeting tomorrow in the forward lounge. Wrote a few letters. Clocks put forward another 45 minutes. I am now losing track of time.

Wednesday 20th November 1968

Cloudy wet day, sea rough temp 64f. Did cricket practice this morning for the NZ PIPITS, so I am already a Kiwi?! We had the Captain and Purser at our meeting. They told us we would get some of our money back for the fare to Auckland, which is £5 cheaper than to go on the ship. I will still go by rail. Saw a film in the afternoon about Australian birds, Tasmania, Orange Free State and Taupo Moana. Clocks put forward another 45 mins.

Thursday 21st November 1968

Cloudy and wet all day, temp 64f. I entered the fancy dress ball tonight having been urged to do so by other passengers I have got to know who dressed me up like a Sheikh. I looked and felt such a fool, but did not win a prize. Afterwards we had a nice buffet with loads of food. Later we had a lovely Fancy Dress Dinner. I had Grilled Split Milk Fed Baby Chicken, Americaine, baby carrots, peas and chips. It was very nice. We had Lemon Pancakes for pudding or rather sweet as you are supposed to call it. Must get used to these posh names.

Footnote

On the first night when the waiter asked if I wanted a sweet I thought he meant a boiled sweet or something. This IOW country yokel always called it pudding!!

Friday 22nd November 1968

Weather fine but cold wind, making at arc across the Indian Ocean to Fremantle so must be closer to Antarctica. But not cold temp wise, 62f. Quite hot compared to home. Went to see film Wait Until Dark, it was an X film. Wrote more letters. Clocks put forward 30 mins. I think we are 5 hours ahead of home now, but can’t really work it out.

Saturday 23rd November 1968

Weather sunny but windy and cold, temp 60f. Played quoits this morning and early afternoon with Robert, and Monopoly with Eric one of my cabin mates and his wife. Clocks put forward another 45 mins. Wrote more letters and bought two slides of myself as the Sheikh.

They did slides in those days taken by Tans-Ocean Photographic Services Colour Slides, which reads as follows:

Trans-Ocean Photographic Services Limited, through its representatives on board, aim to provide a comprehensive coverage of all the events and ports of call throughout the voyage.

We find that colour slides are so popular that our work can either stimulate passengers into starting a collection or supplement and already established one.

Very soon after an event has been photographed, the slides are put on display. Our displays are located by the Ships Shop. Early ordering is essential for reasons of both availability display space and to ensure prompt delivery.

In addition to the possibilities of an evening’s entertainment with a slide projector, one can view slides with one of the many varieties of slide views available. One such viewer is obtainable from us at a very reasonable price.

Kodak, through your local photographic dealer have an additional service available ashore for providing prints from colour slides.

Our representatives will be pleased to advise on any photographic problems you have.

Sunday 24th November 1968

Weather colder, 56f, must be closer than ever to Antarctica. Although low in the south this time of year according to the Patrick Moore Observer book of Astronomy, the Southern Cross can be even better and two very bright stars close together in Centaurus close to the cross, one Centauri being a double I think has a hidden member of the system, Proxima Centauri, being the closest star to earth after the sun something like 4.3 light years, the other, known as Agena or Hadar is 490 light years. So although looking close together, they are actually many light years apart. But according to Patrick Moore this is the most splendid area of the sky and regrets it cannot be seen from Europe. He is right. It is superb. All my years reading his books and star gazing at home I never thought I would see the southern stars. Other very bright stars I can see, Achernar almost overhead, and Fomalhaut and Canopus, all very bright stars never seen from home. And get this, constellations I saw at home that can also bee seen from the southern hemisphere are upside down. Can’t wait to see Orion upside down. Sirius will be above it not below as back home. Have already seen the new moon upside down the crescent on the different side than from the UK. In fact it is the same side down here in the evening as it is at home in the early mornings. This is great stuff.

Monday 25th November 1968

Weather sunny, warming up 64f. Wrote more letters. At Fremantle tomorrow, two days late. Played quoits again with Robert. Clocks put forward again 30 mins. I think we are now 7 hours ahead of home.

Pictures include me as the Sheikh, and the Fancy Dress Dinner menu along with Northern Star in rough seas possibly near Cape Town and at Cape Town..






Northern Star Voyage 26 Part Five

Tuesday 26th November 1968

We docked at Fremantle Australia two days late. One of the passengers got off to fly to Sydney due to his job. The Oriana was berthed in front of us and left just before we did. Robert and I went into Perth on the train, got back about 1500(3pm). I liked Perth, a very clean looking city. We sailed at 1730, and put clocks forward 30 mins. Weather nice here, sunny and warm.

Wednesday 27th November 1968

Weather cloudy, turned cold again, temp 59f. at 1100 were passing Albany where Bob Armstrong from Blackgang lives. Clocks put forward 30 mins again. I now reckon we are 8 hours ahead of England.

Thursday 28th November 1968

Weather cloudy and still cold, 54f, wrote more letters. Went to see film Singing in the Rain. Clocks put forward another 30mins.

Friday 29th November 1968

Weather sunny but even colder. It is late Spring here, the same as May back home, but I would expect it to be warmer even out here with December being their first month of summer in two days time when we reach Melbourne. I will have had two Springs and two Summers in the same year. When we crossed the equator, we went from Autumn to Spring Wrote more letters and just lazed around again. Watched TV in evening, Man in a Suitcase etc. Clocks put forward another 30 mins.

Saturday 30th November 1968

Weather still cloudy and cold 53f. 16 miles off Moonlight Head Victoria Australia. At 1330 we rounded Cape Otway. At 1400 we passed the Dutch cargo shop Straat Mozambique. At 1515 (3.15pm) we passed the Shaw Savill cargo liner Persic. We arrived at Melbourne at 2030(8.30pm).

Sunday 1st December 1968

Still at Melbourne, but were due to stay here two days anyway, being scheduled to leave at 1800 29th November. Weather warmed up, but I expected it hotter here on the first day of summer in this part of the world. Went for a walk along the shore this morning, but got cut short. Didn’t think I would make it back to the ship. A few places looked like toilets, but were not. One which I am sure was a toilet just had a hole in the ground, not a toilet in sight not a proper one anyway, or do they go into holes in ground here? I have been told that black widow spiders hide under toilet seats in Australia, so would have squatted anyway, but nothing to squat over. So knowing I could run fast, I did, and just got back to the ship in time. In the afternoon I went on a tour of the Dandenong Ranges and Sherbrooke Forest. The forest is 2,000 acres. We had strawberries and cream for Afternoon Tea. The Sherbrooke Forest has Mountain Ash trees. We sailed at 1815. One thing was certain, I will remember my first trip to Melbourne for a long time.

Monday 2nd December 1968

Weather cloudy, temp 54f, sea calm. We are now sailing smoothly along the Australian coast. At 1400 we rounded the corner to head for Sydney.