[pompeyfan]

Thursday 16th September 1971, my diary tells me it was a general days work up in both mine, and the passenger hospital. The next day we arrived at Melbourne. Orsova came in at 1500, so being a company ship I went aboard to visit her Hospital Attendant.

I never did like Melbourne, and I think it was because I had a bad experience on my first visit in 1968 aboard Northern Star. I walked along the sea front badly needing a loo, but could not find one. Unlike the seafront in all seaside resorts back home with loos along the esplanade, in Melbourne, I couldn’t find any. I will say no more other than both visits left a lasting impression!

Having said that. I liked sailing in and out of Melbourne, very scenic. This was the second of many visits including the Melbourne Cup.

We sailed the next day at 0630 for Sydney. It was Captains rounds, the Chief Officer coming round. We arrived in Sydney on Sunday 19th September 1971. The two South African children with measles left the ship to be quarantined in Sydney. My fiancés mother came board, my fiancé still in Auckland where I met her. She actually lived in Sydney, so her mother came aboard. In those days we could have visitors on board. I did not go ashore that day because I was too busy covering for colleagues. However, we were in port for three days allowing us all time off. The next day my diary reminds me that friends and myself went up the Skywalk Tower. We sailed for Auckland the next day at 1600. Although still having passengers heading for Auckland on board, we were now on a long Circle Pacific Cruise with a different type of passenger, although some were heading from Sydney to Auckland. But the ship was now basically a cruise ship changing trades until the home ‘line voyage’. Having said that however, passengers will still using the ships as transport, some not about for the entire cruise. This cruise would take us to Canada, USA, and the Far East. One of my patients was in and out with tonsillitis as was a Goan member of crew.

Friday 24th September was a very special day for me as Canberra sailed into Auckland. I was home again, and still regard it as home despite living there for a relatively short time. This was where it all began, the reason for making it into the merchant navy. My emotions were similar to those when I joined Canberra, and sailing down Southampton Water. Auckland brought back so many memories, all happy ones, and I miss it to this very day. That is how emigrating can divide families and indeed individuals. Part of you is always there, just as part of me was always back on the Isle of Wight when I lived in Auckland, and is why part of me is still sailing, the swish of the sea, the unpredictable weather, the wildlife, something always happening.

They can have all the entertainment in the world aboard ships, but nothing can replace that general feeling of being at sea, mother nature throwing up something totally out of the blue. A massive whale suddenly passing close to the ship. People who dislike cruising, miss all this

Having covered for my nursing colleagues in other ports, it was now my turn to have the day off. Mind you, they had an easy time because all the patients in the passenger hospital had left the ship in Sydney or now Auckland. I went ashore at 1200 visiting as many friends and hospital colleagues and patients as I could hiring a car to cover as much ground as possible. None were surprised to see me because they knew what my intentions were, and so pleased it came off, and Canberra too. I also still had money out there taking $80 out of my ANZ bank account.

We left Auckland that evening for Nuku’alofa Tonga. The next day one patient was discharged, and another European steward admitted also with Tonsillitis. We were having a lot of this. On Monday 27th September 1971, we arrived at Nuku’alofa Tonga. I did not go ashore.

Just for a bit of fun for those of you reading this, what was the next day on board?