Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 25

Thread: KONG IN THE PACIFIC ISLANDS.

  1. #1
    Captain Kong captain kong's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Everywhere.
    Posts
    811
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default KONG IN THE PACIFIC ISLANDS.

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Hi Fans, back home again after nearly six weeks on the Rotterdam and on the the old Queen Mary in Long beach.
    The ship, Rotterdam was a well appointed ship, but the service does not come up to Cunards standards.
    I did enjoy the cruise round the islands of the the South Pacific, I set off to meet up with some of my Polynesian and Cook Islander ex crew men. An amazing chain of events and I missed everyone of them,
    We diid four Hawaiian Islands, Hilo, then Lahaina on Maui, The Tsunami came that day. The Long Haired one and I were in the Hard Rock Cafe having a few beers etc, The Police cars came with sirens and loud speakers telling everyone to head for the hills and cruise boat passengers to get back to the ship. We got the tender back and we sailed. The Tsunami arrived around 11 pm, not too big, and swept along the sea front, washing out a few shops and wrecked the marinas and yachts, nothing serious. We sailed to Honolulu on Oahu and the port was closed, all the ships in Honolulu had sailed and the Fleet in Pearl Harbour had put to sea. The US Coastguard kept the port closed until after the Tsunami had been and and gone. So we were around ten hours late getting in. Moored alongside the Aloha Tower. Not much had happened in Honolulu, the Tsunami was around six to eight feet higher than the usual tide, Waikiki Beach had the wave over the sea front and across the road, I went to the beach that afternoon, which is usually very busy and found it empty, not much damage, just a bit of rubbish washed up. Some of the marinas on the Island had been wrecked with the yachts piled up on top of each other costing a few million dollars. If you can afford them then you can afford to lose them.
    Nawilliwilli on Kauai was a lovely place, no signs of the the big wave there.
    Later in the voyage the only other place to see the resuts of the Tsunami was in Nuka Hiva, there are two fjord type bays on the north coast, We went around them, the Tsunami had doubled the width of the bays and then went up the rivers well inland. The industry there, Copra, was badly hit. All the coconut palms had been ripped out and the Copra factory up the rivers had been destroyed and all the stock and production lost.
    Nuka Hiva had been a victim of a Tsunami in 1946, when all the houses had been swept away and many lives lost, So they now had a Tsunami warning siren in town, but two months ago someone in the council said as they hadnt had one for so long they didnt need to replace the batteries in the Siren, so when it came three or four weeks ago, they could not sound the alarm. What a good idea that was.The town had a small wave running through it and hardly anyone knew until it hit. Fortunately only a little damage was done and no one was injured.
    After the Hawaiian Islands we sailed down to Fanning Island in the State of Kiribati. Three days at sea across the International Date Line
    It was an island like no other I have ever seen. a very low lying atoll with a central lagoon. Those people have NOTHING.
    They live on a diet of coconuts and fish with an occaisional pig. They were dressed in rags, they have no water, only a couple of wells but the water plane is at sea level so the water is brackish, they drink coconut milk, they have no sanitation so there is not one toilet on the island, they all go into the lagoon for a crap, we were warned not to go in the lagoon as it is full of it. There is no electricity on the island, no electric lights, no radios, no TV, no computers, there are no shops, no one owns any land, there are no cars, just one old and battered truck, sometimes takes the odd tourist around the better side of the island. so no streets or roads,
    All the children had depending on age, brown teeth, black teeth, no teeth due to a lack of calcium, there is no milk because there are no cows. The `houses` were just a platform with four stanchions of palm trees and a thatched roof, completely wide open, with a mat that rolled down at night for a wall.
    There was a small mission school and one Nurse with obviously no facilites for anything serious.
    I had a bag of blueberry muffins, I gave one each to three young lads around ten years old, they didnt know what to do with them, they had never seen one before, they didnt know whether to throw them, kick them or anything. I had to show them that they should eat them. They didnt seem to understand what the taste was. They dropped them on the ground in the end.
    Her and I had two towels from the ship so I gave them to two other kids, again they didnt seem to know what a towel was and just looked with blank eyes.
    Everything we take for granted today does not excist on that island, I felt so sad for them.
    The capital of Kiribati is two thousand miles away on Tarawa. Once a year a boat arrives from Tarawa to see what is going on there. Not a lot.
    As we left the Island the ship left six plastic barrels for them to collect rain water in and a bag of flip flops and some stores to help out. The Rotterdam is going back there again in September and January and March next year. and said they would take them some gear.
    More of the trip next time
    Cheers
    Brian.


  2. #2
    Senior Member brian daley's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Tamworth,Staffs
    Posts
    1,045
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default

    Welcome back Brian,you have been sorely missed. I am looking forward to seeing your photo's and hearing more of your tales,speak to you soon,
    BrianD

  3. #3

    Default

    How do Mr Kong,welcome back to civilisation.

  4. #4
    Senior Member kevin's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Midlands
    Age
    72
    Posts
    879
    Blog Entries
    2

    Default

    Welcome back, Brian. We have a meet arranged for 30th April - ideal for you to share your adventures with us!

  5. #5
    Senior Member lindylou's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Posts
    3,677

    Default

    Hi Kong. Hope you have some photies for us

  6. #6
    Came fourth...now what? Oudeis's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    North London
    Posts
    908
    Blog Entries
    4

  7. #7
    Senior Member burkhilly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Liverpool, of course
    Posts
    376

    Default

    Welcome back Brian - I too will look forward to seeing your photos.

  8. #8
    Captain Kong captain kong's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Everywhere.
    Posts
    811
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default

    Before I sailed for Tahiti, where the Mutiny on HMS BOUNTY, was connected to by Mr Fletcher Christian, I went to my Dentist to have my back tooth removed. My Dentist is named Mr Christian. I told him I was going to Tahiti where his namesake had served for six months before the mutiny and I wanted the tooth so I could bury it there and I would forever have a part of me in Tahiti.
    In Papeete, Tahiti, I met and old friend Maruaii Young, Maruaii is a direct decendent of Edward Young, Midshipman on the Bounty and a mutineer who ended up on Pitcairn`s Island with a Tahitian wife after the mutiny. He later died of asthma in 1800, after having some children.
    Maruaii took us to Matavai Bay, where the Bounty had anchored for six months waiting for the Bread Fruit season. It is a beautiful Bay with a Black sand beach.
    Along side the beach in a small park is a huge rock about eight feet tall and a diameter of around four feet, on it is engraved the name BOUNTY, and another panel is the dates of the time she spent anchored there from 26 October 1788 to 4 April 1789, the mutiny started at sea on 28 April 1789 when she was bound for the Indies with the bread fruit plants.
    On the back of the rock is a list of all the names of the crew, starting with Captain Bligh and Fletcher Christian, Master. Edward Young, my friends ancestor, was named as a Midshipman.
    Right next to the memorial is a Bread Fruit tree full of the large green fruit.
    An ideal place to bury my tooth, extracted by Mr Christian in Bolton.
    So I dug a hole at the base of the trunk and placed the tooth in it a small piece of stone on top then covered in soil, my friend placed a larger stone on top of that.
    So a part of me, I had the Tooth from the age of six, 70 years ago, is now part of the Bounty`s memorial.
    I felt realy great after that, we sat on the beach at Matavai Bay for a little while and tried to visualise the Bounty at anchor and the coming and going of the crew and islanders all those years ago. It was a wonderful moment.

  9. #9
    Captain Kong captain kong's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Everywhere.
    Posts
    811
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default

    On my way to join the Rotterdam in San Diego, we got the shuttle bus from LA airport, LAX, to Long Beach,$17 each for the 23 miles, cheap. The old Queen Mary was sparkling like a new ship when we arrived, just had a good coat of paint from top to bottom. I saw my friend, Spencer, the Reservations Manager and he gave us a great suite on the Royal Suites deck
    It had five rooms, a cabin for the maid, and a box room for the travelling trunks, when she was a liner, a lounge, dining room, bedroom and bathroom. The taps still had the Salt Water Hot and Salt Water Cold, tho` she had the modern fittings for fresh. The suite was beautiful with all the different woods in the furniture and on the bulkheads and very `art decor` and all the original features.
    All the public rooms are still beautiful and very well maintained, The first class dining room, now called the Grand Salon, has the famous Champagne Sunday Brunch, Champagne is flowing continuously, free, and the Brunch is magnificent. All you can eat and drink and it lasts all day.
    The Engine Room is open for self tours with the engineers platform and then the Turbines and the four prop shafts. The steering flat is an interesting place with two steering engines and two steering wheels. a door takes you outside the hull under water and a good view of one of the massive propellors slowly turning with an electric motor.
    The Bridge and wheelhouse is very interesting with all the well polished brass wheels and telegraphs. also the chart room, radio Office and Masters and Officers accommodation.
    In the evening several bars are open, the most popular being the Observation Lounge on the fore part of bridge. with a small band and dancing. The bar prices simmilar to the UK.
    She has several restaraunts, from Sir Winstons on the after end of the boat deck, very posh dining there, the Chelsea, and a couple of others.
    On the first night there I was chatting to the Waiter, and then had dinner for two with a few drinks and wine. I asked for the check, he said `Forget it `.Nice fellow.
    There is a gym and a sauna on board for the keep fit people.
    She is well worth a visit if you find yourself in LA.
    She is moored in a lagoon near by the Dome which once housed the Spruce Goose and is now a terminal for Carnival Cruises.
    On 27 May this year is a big celebration of the Maiden VOYAGE 75 YEARS AGO,.

  10. #10

    Default

    Silly old Bu**er,yer supoosed to produce photies along with the dialogue. tsk! ruddy amatuers.

  11. #11
    Senior Member brian daley's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Tamworth,Staffs
    Posts
    1,045
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default

    Georgie 's right Brian,get the pictures on site,we're dying to see what the South Seas look like now'
    BrianD

  12. #12
    Captain Kong captain kong's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Everywhere.
    Posts
    811
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default

    I dont have the photies,
    the photo card in my NEW camera made the photos too big, I could not see them myself, I have sent it away to a mate and he is reducing them,
    Why not go and take the photos yourself, the ship is still there and will be for many years to come.
    WHY ABUSE ME?? I AM NOWAY A SILLY OLD BUGGER. I do not abuse you.

  13. #13

    Default

    Woa,settle down there MrKong...did yer not see the smiley?

  14. #14
    Came fourth...now what? Oudeis's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    North London
    Posts
    908
    Blog Entries
    4

    Default

    We'll be patient Brian. I am glad there will be no close-ups of the tsunami.

  15. #15
    Senior Member Samsette's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Posts
    134
    Blog Entries
    2

    Default

    It is good to see you back, Cap'n, and to read the interesting things you write about. You probably wish you were still there, but all good things must come to an end. On the bright side, you did not get mauled by any critters, nor discomforted by any gastrointestinal stuff.
    Any changes to Bolton during your absence? Sorry I asked!

    Welcome back. Maybe I'll check this thread more often.

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. Replies: 7
    Last Post: 10-27-2010, 10:00 PM
  2. The story of the SV Garthpool, lost off the Cape Verde Islands, 1929...
    By Jessica S Fox in forum Work and Industry in Liverpool
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 10-26-2010, 02:07 AM
  3. The story of the SV Garthpool, lost off the Cape Verde Islands, 1929...
    By Jessica S Fox in forum Liverpool Genealogy and People Search
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 10-26-2010, 02:00 AM
  4. Captain Kong
    By kevin in forum Liverpool Sailors
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 08-31-2010, 06:59 PM

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •