Diary on board the Passat 1948

- 6 [Copy of previous page, page 5 missing]

-7-

so sails being taken in. Sailed 30 miles by the log in last 24 hrs. but in a slightly wrong direction! The "Hitler Youth" (second) "brightly" hurled the Chief's oil-skins overboard, found them in the lavatory hanging up - history does not state why he threw them out.

Saturday Jan. 8th. 3 weeks at sea to-day, and at present are becalmed, it is the 3rd day we have been in these parts, in fact have gone North again for about 20 miles. Heavy thunder and lightning and rain during the night, but the Royals were not taken in, which seemed strange. Very hot and sultry all day, did almost nothing all day. The Hitler Youth seems to have quite a bit of bother with his watch - especially with "Tony" the half Spaniard (a nasty piece of work). The H.Y Talks too much, his "Vatch" as he calls them, talk a great deal too. When they are bracing or tacking it sounds the most unbelievable muddle. There seems a great deal of swearing (in all languages) going on this trip, but the decks are kept very clean, one can't have everything!

Sunday Jan. 9th. Heavy tropical rain most of the day, great washings going on for hours. Steward and Mess boy and Chief Mate scrubbed clothes and mats etc. They blocked the outlets in the scuppers so that there was a foot or more of water over the well deck. When the Swedish Finns wash, they wash. get to work with whole bars of soap and scrubbing brushes, one wonders they don't scrub their clothes into rags. Wind very light, we were back where we were 2 days ago, the current carrying us in the wrong direction, but made a little headway again later today, but now wind almost gone again. In Lat 2 [degrees]something N, so we will probably be crossing the Line any time.

Monday Jan. 10th. Still "stuck" - 5 days now, more or less becalmed, but atmosphere clearer after the heavy rain. Have moved a little as we are in 1 [degree]something N. Do not know if there will be any Crossing the Line celebrations, rather think everyone feels a but too hot to make the effort. Lovely on deck as there is a slight breeze. Did Captain's ironing, also helped him mend his socks. A. seems to be taking a very academic and thoughtful interest in everything, but I wouldn't regard her as a "real sailor". A wonderful moonlight night, may sleep on deck.

Tuesday Jan. 11th. Still very hot and hardly moving most of the day, but tonight have picked up a slight breeze and are making a little progress in the right direction - yesterday we headed almost due West. Steward decided to wash sheets, towels etc, today and expected A. to assist, rather to her dismay, she weilded a washing board for the first time in her life, but actually Steward did the rubbing. I put in the afternoon doing some more ironing for Captain, terribly humid inside and a sticky damp feeling in the air. Sat on deck amidships tonight, the moonlight was marvellous, as light as day and breeze cool and refreshing, after a very "doldrummy" day. Corrie says a good many of the crew are feeling a but teary after 5 or 6 days of Doldrums. A. said she felt that way too, so retired to her cabin to "commune" with herself! One of her favourite remarks seems to be - "But is that logical?" I mostly answer, "Not in the least"!

Wednesday, Jan. 12th. Crossed the Line - Long 25 [degrees] 23 - about midday, also picked up S. W. Trades, so moving along a little better, Second Sail-maker saw Captain about Crossing the Line ceremony, there is to be a half day off for it to-morrow.

Thursday, Jan. 13th. Very sulty, altho' breeze much fresher. Everyone feeling very "tropical and tessy" in the morning, - "Oxford accent" and mess-boy had heated words. "O.A." seems a very hysterical young man, not the sailing ship type at all. After dinner, preparations for the ceremony began, several bottles were obtained from Captain "to start things". The Donkeyman as the Barber was rather too "under the weather" to be really effective. The Australian boys had the time of their lives, all having crossed the Line (without "going thro' it, as it were" were all very busy "officiating". Some of those who had it coming to them, got it! Oxford Accent was one, Espaniola the half-bred Spaniard another, and the "mess-boy", all except Espaniola took it, but he is just a coward. It was all very amusing and everyone took it in good part.

Friday, Jan. 14th. Very strong breeze, and we seem to be heading for the coast of Brazil. Very humid and unpleasant inside still, but fresher on deck. Sea quite rough and ship has a fair list. A quiet day after the celebrations.

Saturday, Jan. 15th. Wind not so good, as it is taking us too far West and too near the Coast of Brasil. Captain not at all pleased, in fact he has been rather "bi-de-wind" all day, tho' brighter tonight, after winning at gin-rummy. Perfect on deck all day, the sea a heavenly blue and sparkling, still very sultry and hot below. Mess-boy very wrath with A., it certainly seems an unsatisfactory position, tho' both signed on for apparently similar jobs, he cannot see that A. is not doing it for a job, but just as a means to an end - a free trip round the world in sail, and so work is to be avoided wherever and whenever possible. In Lat 7 [degrees] S to-day. It is surprising how very little we have been in, and on, the sea to date. A few flying fish and an odd bird or two. We saw so much on the voyage up.

Sunday Jan. 16th. Breeze still strong, and atmosphere "below" very tropical and oppressive. Sailing S.W., but more west than desired, not so many hundred miles from Bahia. It is interesting to see how the different nationalities on board sort themselves out, to-day on the poop deck (always the passengers' preserve before) 2 Germans, a Frenchman, a Swedish Finn and an Australian foregathered, and sang choruses, it is a very musical set up this time, almost everyone hums and whistles.

Monday, Jan. 17th. A squall in the night, and wind blowing strongly. I woke to hear the "Hitler Youth" giving Ferret-Rabbit orders about something or other, and F.R. saying "Yes, sir" to every other word - rather overdoing it!! Then I heard the H.Y. calling up aloft "Kom doon" to someone else, and young F.R. muttering "Bai Jove!". They give poor H.Y. a good deal of cheek. Did not realise what a very ugly language German is until I heard several talking together to-day.

- 9-

it seemed a series of gutteral gurglings that were most unattractive. Sailing along in great style, heeling well over, weather still very humid. Will probably be out of the Tropics in 2 days.

Tuesday Jan. 18th. Strong wind and heavy sea, ship heeling over rather uncomfortably. Lovely on deck, but more oppressive than ever below. Work on the ship going on at a great rate, the Chief a "tiger" for work and keeps things moving, very different to our late Chief's methods!. A new foremast fore-stay being fixed, all stays whiteleaded, the air seems full of "young men on flying trapezes"! All day the cry goes up "on deck and make fast" as the young men are lowered by degree in the bosun's chair along the stays. Wind lessening.

Wednesday Jan. 19th. Wind very much lighter, also feels less tropical. Sun directly over head to-day, very hot especially below. Did Captain's ironing this morning, - felt a "grease spot" but survived! Sea the most amazing and glorious blue, and wind almost dropped. In Lat. 20s. so will soon be out of the Tropics. They have been really rather hard to take this time. Steward, who is a terrific worker and extraordinary clean and thorough, has no imagination where food suitable for the Tropics is concerned. Very fat, thick lumps of bacon with beans at mid-day, for evening meal a peppery soup followed by hashed tinned beef and baked potatoes!.

Thursday Jan. 20th. A lovely day, sea the most glorious blue and breeze pleasant, but the sun is directly overhead and terribly fiery, seems to burn one up. Fun and games on deck, Steward had the cooks, messboy and A. helping him clean out the tank, where the packets of rye bread are stored - practically all have weevils, so were hurled overboard, but packets went flying about the decks and at "Messy and Aussie's" heads, they were painting outside the ship. A huge stack of rye bread is piled on the hatch, will probably go overside, too. Steward says the "English pigs are too much gentlemen" to eat it!

Friday Jan. 21st. Another glorious day, and altho' the sun is blazing, the atmosphere is definitely less tropical - we are in Lat 24[degrees] 30. This evening a fair wind sprang up, we are gliding smoothly and silently along, Capt, says the S.E. Trades are finished. A stir in the starboard watch last night. As usual, the miserable half-bred Spaniard was asleep on watch, instead of the customary bucket of cold sea water, brooms etc, were applied heavily, I over heard the yells aft!. Espaniola seems a dead loss, as far as being even a mildly useful sailor. The Australians think quite a number of the crew are contemplating "jumping" at "Port Vic." (as all seem to call it, as they (the A's) are putting the wind up the faint-hearted by reading passages from pre-war copies of "Sea Breezes" containing descriptions of sailing ships rounding Cape Horn! Work going on apace, all capable are day-men. The "Hitler Youth" is a wonderful sun-tan, his guttural comic-German utterances are very entertaining. "Laloux, what for do you the the deck sweep?" "To-nee, kom dnown", etc.

Saturday Jan. 22nd. Young John Harrisons' 16th birthday, but he's

-10-

better man than many of the older ones. Very hot and muggy, sun still seems directly overhead, it's difficult to find a shady spot on deck. Mess-boy flew in a terrible rage with A., and there was war between them most of the day. Some of the boys take a poor view of A. frequenting fo-castle head and foredeck, asked me to drop her a hint - which I did. It was received, I felt, "with reservations."

Sunday, Jan. 23rd. A wet night and most of the day. After the intense heat of the sun recently, the pitch between the decking opened and my cabin leaked like a sieve all night. Bonitos appeared this afternoon and 4 were caught. Fresh fish for supper, very good. Had a close up inspection of a bonito- very solid, lovely color and silver, a large mouth with a thick silver tongue. Most interesting fins that appear to fold up and almost disappear into the body, a very large eye. Light following wind and sea, ship very steady, just gliding along to-day.

Monday, Jan. 24th. Becalmed this morning, and a shark cruising round for some time. About 6.30 p.m. a fairly strong head wind sprang up, so the Royals were taken in, as we don't want to sail too fast in the wrong direction. In Lat. 28 [degrees]. Capt. and I had a bet as to when the first albatross would appear - he said in Lat. 28 [degrees] - I said 38 [degrees]. He won, as an albatross appeared to-day. Espaniola, the spineless Spaniard, burst into tears to-day, because the Hitler Youth laughed at him. The H.Y. looks the part, ( that is, he is smart and clean and roars orders), but he is hopeless as an officer, cannot command men, has no idea how to. If there are many Germans like him, it is not at all surprising that they van't win a War! Espaniola is good at languages, can speak and understand Swedish reasonably well already.

Tuesday, Jan. 25th. Strong head wind, so, as Ensic ( late Steward) would say, "We go wrong vay"! A lower top-sail was changed, with much pandamonium and shouting and swearing - it being the Hitler Youth's watch on deck. Poor H.Y. looking like Henley or Cowes, in primrose pullover and cream slacks, shouting himself into a state of prostration, finally climbed to the main yard to grab the ascending top-sail, to steady it. It evaded him at first,so he hurled "Bleddy bustard" at it, then called his watch "i-de-otts", and evidently felt a little better. In the night I was awakened by H.Y. shouting " Nortmore Kom dhoon - after a moment I realised he was shouting to one of the crew named "Loosemore"! The Captain "telled him off" ( as Captain calls it) about it, this morning!

Wednesday Jan. 26th. A great deal of shouting going on all day, as sails on mizzen mast were changed. The Hitler Youth's watch, as usual, all talking together, the H. Y. shouting, and above all the Captain roaring! It sounded like bedlam let loose at times. Chief Mate's watch is better organised, but there was a good deal of shouting all the same. Captain remarked to-day "If we sailed a foot for every swear vord spoken on dis ship, we would be to Australia and back to Europe by now! Still a head wind, but making a little south, at present we are heading towards Buenos Aires. The wretched spineless Spaniard's hand is very swollen,