FIRST TRIP ON CANBERRA PART NINE
I was still thinking about Hong Kong days after we left, new clothes, all made to measure better uniform white trousers(when in whites), not those starched things that stood up on their own, better white shoes, glasses, the ship looking smarter, and all in less than three days. What a place. We were now heading back south.
On our way back to Sydney, we stopped at Rabaul, Papua New Guinea, port and capital of East New Britain province. It was founded in 1910 at the northern tip of the Island of New Britain as a German colonial headquarters, but was destroyed by Allied bombing after the Japanese occupied it during the Second World War. We always anchored at Rabaul. This was an interesting place not only because of its history, but because we filled our water tanks from an old submarine that itself was filled with water.
Australian Aerogrammes was used on this cruise, and at this port, New Guinea stamps. Both were bought in the Bureau, known today aboard cruise ships as Reception. There were eight passenger excursions in Rabaul including Kokopo and Bita Paka, Scenic North Coast, morning and afternoon, Rabaul and Native Mumu Lunch, Vuvu Youth Sing Sing, and four car excursion visiting the same places.
As I have mentioned before, when we reached Sydney after an outward ‘line voyage’ either via South Africa, or the Panama, we did two cruises from Sydney, one short, one long. This was one extra long. Back in Sydney before our homeward voyage I visited friends some of whom became my in-laws as well as my fiancé visiting the ship. We were in Sydney for three days. On later voyages, I stayed with my in-laws who lived north of Sydney as a place called Tumbi Umbi. I travelled there by train over Sydney Harbour bridge to a place called Gosford.
I was pretty busy in my hospital after we left Sydney on the homeward voyage crew getting all the usual ailments, fatigue, depression you name it they were getting it. Oddly enough however, most of them were okay in port, some not returning, jumping ship others were returned by burly Australian police who stood for no nonsense. We had stomach bugs, deaths, passengers or crew falling over breaking limbs, all in a days work aboard a passenger ship, and all in a days work aboard cruise ships today which is why I always smile when such a fuss is made about gastroenteritis as if it were a new disease. That of course applies to all ailments and accidents. It is no different now, than my day. I was worked off my feet, and loving every minute of it. On 8th December 1971 we arrived back in Southampton. I signed off articles, and paid in cash. I have never seen as much money in my life. If memory serves me right, that was one of the last time we were paid in cash later being paid into a bank account, so this was my first cash pay off, and last. We could still obtain cash for spending on board and in ports or on board, known as subs(as many of you will know) taken from our pay. But when we reached Southampton, I was only going home on leave, back again to sign on articles on 17th December, my birthday. These articles were until 17th May 1972. I was freezing having been in sunnier climes, so glad to be on my way back to Australia and New Zealand, this time via the Panama. I will give a full port listing in another episode, two full line voyages, and two cruises from Sydney.
Having left the British winter, we were sailing south again to summer in the southern hemisphere. After stopping at Nuku’alofa on a short cruise from Sydney, a stowaway was found. He was a big Fijian, very tall, a very large man. He was put into my Lockup Cabin in my Crew & Isolation Hospital. I was not allowed to go in alone, always with a European member of the deck department with me. I got to know this man quite well he was very nice, and just wanted to get to Australia. Canberra could not dock at Suva, too deep a draught, so this man had travelled to Tonga. When living in New Zealand, we knew called people from Fiji, Tonga and other Pacific Islands people, Islanders. And although their languages different to Maori, it was similar, so I could have a limited conversation with this man, so much so he trusted me, although I thought he did, and I was not scared of him. He was forever pushing his bell, and the bridge was getting fed up sending a man down each time.
As we entered Sydney Harbour, about to come alongside at Circular Quay, opposite the Opera House, this stowaway kept ringing his bell. I could speak to him through a small hole. He seemed very urgent, wanting water. I phoned the bridge, but they were too busy bringing the ship in, and could not spare anybody. So like a fool, thinking he was in trouble, and trusting him, went in alone. He overpowered me, fled out onto the open deck, and dived into the water. My hospital deck was on C Deck, so it was quite a height. A police launch was near to us, so picked him up. He was brought back to me, dripping in water until the police returned to take him into custody. I had my knuckles wrapped, but did not get into too much trouble, not logged or anything because I had asked for help, but refused. So that got me out of the mire. I can look back on it now with a big smile on my face. It was a perfect dive
