[pompeyfan]

FIRST TRIP ON CANBERRA PART TEN

As I continue my Canberra diary, I will jump forward.

On Tuesday 22nd August Canberra left Southampton for a ‘line voyage’ to Sydney via the Panama Canal. Once at Sydney we would do a two-day cruise to nowhere, two Pacific cruises one short and one long before the homeward voyage via South Africa arriving back home on 12th December 1972. So this was another four month trip.

An elderly lady was travelling to Sydney to live with her family. She was in a wheel chair. It was my job to help her aboard. Taking the back, we proceeded up the gangway, the steward in front of me walking backwards. Half way up, I was losing my grip, so rested the wheelchair on my knee to get a better grip. I always wear my watch the wrong way round, the face on the inside of my arm. As I moved my arm around the back of the chair the buckle got caught in the lady’s hair, and as I lifted my arm up hoping it would untangle, the hair came with it. She was wearing a wig. Suddenly, in total horror, I had a wig dangling on the end of my arm looking like a dead rat hanging there, but my horror turned into a nightmare as the wig dropped off in the pretty strong breeze swirling around the ship. And because it was an open gangway, there was a slight gap between the ship and the sea, and this wig was heading for it. But the steward behind me, as quick as a flash caught the thing before it ended up in the sea. Breathing a sigh of relief, I placed the wig back on her head, and we proceeded up the gangway. Luckily, the lady did not realize what was going on other than saying in a very shaky voice: “Its getting a bit cold isn’t it?”. She did not have much of her own hair underneath, in fact she was as bald as a coot, and could feel the cool breeze. When we got to the top, the Assistant Accommodation Steward was there which his clipboard. He whispered in my ear with a straight face asking: “Is this a passenger, or an Old English Sheepdog?”. I had put her wig on the wrong way round, coming right over her eyes. I thought I could see more neck than before!

She was a lovely lady. I got to know her well during the voyage, sadly spending a lot of time in the hospital. She had a great sense of humour, and we all had a good laugh later on when she realized what had happend. However, on the day, I was too worried to laugh wondering what would have happened had her wig gone into the sea!

The next day, Wednesday 23rd August 1972, Canberra arrived at Cherbourg. We then headed for Port Everglades, where we arrived a week later Wednesday 30th August. I hired a car in Port Everglades, so a few of us went for a spin. It was more like a bus than a car, a huge thing. I could never get used to left hand drive cars not to mention driving on the right hand side of the road. Having driven into the Everglades, we thought we had better get back to the ship. I was bombing along at high speed loving the huge freeways, when I was told I was going the wrong way, so moved into the right lane changing gear at the same time forgetting it was an automatic, and stopped almost dead putting my foot on the break thinking it was a clutch. Luckily we survived this little mishap!

Next stop was Nassau on 31st August 1972. I always like it there. I went ashore there when aboard Iberia as passenger, but did not go ashore this time.

On 2nd September 1972 we reached Cristobal (Colon) at 2359. Unlike cruise ships today who usually sail straight through, we stopped either end of the Panama Canal. Cristobal on the Atlantic side, and Balboa (Panama City) on the Pacific side.

Below is how the port notes read:

ARRIVAL. Alongside Cristobal at around midnight on Saturday 2nd September 1972.

DEPARTURE. Canberra is expected to leave Cristobal for the Canal transit very early on Sunday morning 3rd September. A broadcast will be made when time is known.

Passengers finally landing at Cristobal and Balboa are requested to see the Immigration Officials at the Bureau at approximately 11.30pm on Saturday 2nd September. Baggage should be packed and placed outside your cabin by 6pm.

Passengers in transit should carry their Passage Tickets.

Overland tour departure time will be confirmed on arrival. Usually departs 5.30am from the quayside, each passenger receiving a call at 4.45am.
The Bureau will be open for one hour on arrival at Cristobal, and the First Class Bureau only for one hour before departure on Sunday morning.

Incoming letters and telegrams will be announced shortly after arrival and mail will be distributed for one hour as follows:- First Class from the Stadium. Tourist Class from the Alice Springs Room. Any mail not collected will be sent to cabins the following morning.

British 5p, and 6p Air Letters may be posted up to one hour before arrival.

Bars will be open as usual

BALBOA

Arrival during mid-afternoon Sunday 3rd September 1972 depending on Canal conditions.

Departure 6pm (1800) the same day for Acapulco.

Meals will be served at the usual times with seats reserved except at Luncheon which will be served without reserved seats. A special Panama Canal self service Buffet Lunch will be served during the transit of the Canal in the Stadium (First Class Passengers) and in the Island Room Tourist Class Passengers)

Mail boxes will be close one hour before sailing.

SECURITY. Passengers are specially requested to peep their cabins locked in port, and take particular care of their valuable especially handbags, when ashore.

AGENTS. Norton Lilley & Co Inc, United Fruit Company Building, Cristobal, and Pacific Terminal Building, Balboa.

As you can see from the port notes, in those days at least, passengers could go overland watching the ship go through each lock picking us up in Balboa.

The next day, we had a lot of gastroenteritis on board, but it was bacterial, passengers eating and drinking water shore side including ice in drinks. It happened every time we were in Panama ports. The same in the next port Acapulco. Passengers were warned not to drink tap water, or have ice in drinks, but of course many ignored that warning, and suffered. We arrived at Acapulco on Wednesday 6th September. Canberra could not go alongside, so anchored in the harbour.

Next episode will feature all the ports to Sydney, and the cruise to nowhere from Sydney.