5 ms·

I sailed on that fine ship several times, before the Boeing 707 era, as a little kid. My dad was a junior diplomat at the time and so he and his family traveled

I sailed on that fine ship several times, before the Boeing 707 era, as a little kid. My dad was a junior diplomat at the time and so he and his family traveled "cabin class". The classes were "first", "cabin", and "tourist". It was four and a half days from New York to Southampton. It was some kind of fun for an inquisitive 8-year-old boy. I think I drove my parents crazy by roaming all over the place, getting into every space I could. (The engine rooms weren't accessible, but the guy in the radio room was great.) One crossing, eastbound, was in the dead of winter, late January. Me and my brothers were in bunks pretending to sleep in a cabin fairly near the water line (cabin class, right?) with one of those circular portholes. A crew member knocked on the door, and walked in with a steel plate and four big bolts. She proceeded to bolt the plate over the porthole. She said, "storm coming, boys" and moved on to the next cabin. Now that was a storm. The kitchen was closed (no hot food) for a whole day. It felt like we were rolling 30 degrees. I'm sure it wasn't but it sure felt that way. The ship only lost four hours off her schedule for that voyage; she had to head upwind for an hour or two in the worst of the storm. They don't make passenger ships like that any more. But the North Atlantic ocean in winter is still that dangerous. Once the 707 was available, junior diplomats didn't get to travel by ship any more. Faster, but much less of an adventure.

Waterluvian 4y ago
What a story. For what it’s worth: I’d love to read more like this, especially in greater detail!
Symbiote 4y ago
Was Britain the destination, and if not how did the journey continue?
joxel 4y ago
[dead]
themodelplumber 4y ago
That's an awesome story. I'm sure it could have been 30 degrees. If I can share...It reminded me of waiting outside school one day to be picked up for a scout sailing trip. Talking with friends about CS class assignments. Watching it grow later and later. Dark clouds. Then being picked up late by the busy, but adventurous, doctor who owned a sailboat. Arriving at the port late. Leaving late. Setting sail just in time for the storm to arrive. The Puget Sound and not the Atlantic but damn scary. Instead of "ah better be careful, got a bunch of kids here," just a, "I think we can make it." Those who wanted to be out in the weather were up top. Those who didn't want, were below sitting on one of the old bench-couches reading or playing cards. Thank god it was ok to be down there. Until it wasn't. "Everybody out!" Pitch, pitch black outside. Walking downward across the deck because it was natural. Feeling waves smack my hand because the waves were at arm's reach. "Get on the high side!" More orders. This was the guy who asked us what the hell we were doing back there screaming and throwing backpacks around (we hadn't touched them), while he was talking on the analog cell phone and eating a sandwich, while driving his van on two wheels around a corner while driving up to Mt. St. Helens. The tilt threw the backpacks around, not us. Then most of us kids, leaning off the high side, no....more like just sitting on the side. You could make out the big beautiful hull structure over your shoulder. How dead were we? More orders. Eventually being dropped off under those tall metal streetlights, on some island (wrong island). Sleeping overnight on concrete slab, under some large pavilion at an indigenous cultural center that wasn't patrolled. Waking up thirsty. Drinking from the little water hose at a small island airport. Sign: "Do not drink" oh. Later, rendezvous and the same boring scout food. Those who brought Jolly Ranchers already ate 'em. Boredom. Hijinks. Adults decide it's time to go home. Much easier travels on the way back. Sorry, just had to share, it's contagious.
- andrepd 4y ago
  Crazy stuff! (Also quite irresponsible, but fun since it all turned out okay)
martyvis 4y ago
Passenger liners were great. I travelled on the Ellinis twice. It was a sister ship of the Australis, which was the renamed SS America mentioned in the post. I went with my parents and two sisters to Holland from Australia for a year in late 1970 returning early 1972. While only turning 7 on the trip out, I still remember it and the return vividly. By the time the 5 weeks were over you had very much got your bearings and explored all that you were (and probably not) allowed. Everything from terrorising the stewards on roller skates around the decks (nabbing cake from each side of the ship's afternoon tea service), to seeing how far you could fly a paper plane from the top deck. And my understanding it was far cheaper to travel by ship than to fly around the globe (certainly with the dozens of trunks and tea chests we were allowed portage for on the way back). I recall also there were certainly a few stormy days where the food service was quite limited, and anything that could move was tied down as much as possible (wet table cloths also come to mind to stop things sliding around)
bane 4y ago
Wow, what a beautiful memory! If you don't mind, about what time period was this?
jacquesm 4y ago
Now you can get to what used to be the bridge: https://www.google.com/maps/@39.9185843,-75.1374112,2a,75y,284.2h,75.41t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sMzEzPhIR7LAa_7T3eJhc3w!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 https://www.google.com/maps/@39.9185843,-75.1374112,2a,75y,2...
getpost 4y ago
I had one trip, westbound, as a small child in 1963 or '64. Don't know what class, but I did get seasick. How do you get seasick on a ship that size?

Waterluvian 4y ago

What a story. For what it’s worth: I’d love to read more like this, especially in greater detail!

Symbiote 4y ago

Was Britain the destination, and if not how did the journey continue?

joxel 4y ago

[dead]

themodelplumber 4y ago

That's an awesome story. I'm sure it could have been 30 degrees. If I can share...It reminded me of waiting outside school one day to be picked up for a scout sailing trip. Talking with friends about CS class assignments. Watching it grow later and later. Dark clouds. Then being picked up late by the busy, but adventurous, doctor who owned a sailboat. Arriving at the port late. Leaving late. Setting sail just in time for the storm to arrive. The Puget Sound and not the Atlantic but damn scary. Instead of "ah better be careful, got a bunch of kids here," just a, "I think we can make it." Those who wanted to be out in the weather were up top. Those who didn't want, were below sitting on one of the old bench-couches reading or playing cards. Thank god it was ok to be down there. Until it wasn't. "Everybody out!" Pitch, pitch black outside. Walking downward across the deck because it was natural. Feeling waves smack my hand because the waves were at arm's reach. "Get on the high side!" More orders. This was the guy who asked us what the hell we were doing back there screaming and throwing backpacks around (we hadn't touched them), while he was talking on the analog cell phone and eating a sandwich, while driving his van on two wheels around a corner while driving up to Mt. St. Helens. The tilt threw the backpacks around, not us. Then most of us kids, leaning off the high side, no....more like just sitting on the side. You could make out the big beautiful hull structure over your shoulder. How dead were we? More orders. Eventually being dropped off under those tall metal streetlights, on some island (wrong island). Sleeping overnight on concrete slab, under some large pavilion at an indigenous cultural center that wasn't patrolled. Waking up thirsty. Drinking from the little water hose at a small island airport. Sign: "Do not drink" oh. Later, rendezvous and the same boring scout food. Those who brought Jolly Ranchers already ate 'em. Boredom. Hijinks. Adults decide it's time to go home. Much easier travels on the way back. Sorry, just had to share, it's contagious.

andrepd 4y ago
Crazy stuff! (Also quite irresponsible, but fun since it all turned out okay)

martyvis 4y ago

Passenger liners were great. I travelled on the Ellinis twice. It was a sister ship of the Australis, which was the renamed SS America mentioned in the post. I went with my parents and two sisters to Holland from Australia for a year in late 1970 returning early 1972. While only turning 7 on the trip out, I still remember it and the return vividly. By the time the 5 weeks were over you had very much got your bearings and explored all that you were (and probably not) allowed. Everything from terrorising the stewards on roller skates around the decks (nabbing cake from each side of the ship's afternoon tea service), to seeing how far you could fly a paper plane from the top deck. And my understanding it was far cheaper to travel by ship than to fly around the globe (certainly with the dozens of trunks and tea chests we were allowed portage for on the way back). I recall also there were certainly a few stormy days where the food service was quite limited, and anything that could move was tied down as much as possible (wet table cloths also come to mind to stop things sliding around)

bane 4y ago

Wow, what a beautiful memory! If you don't mind, about what time period was this?

jacquesm 4y ago

Now you can get to what used to be the bridge: https://www.google.com/maps/@39.9185843,-75.1374112,2a,75y,284.2h,75.41t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sMzEzPhIR7LAa_7T3eJhc3w!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 https://www.google.com/maps/@39.9185843,-75.1374112,2a,75y,2...

getpost 4y ago

I had one trip, westbound, as a small child in 1963 or '64. Don't know what class, but I did get seasick. How do you get seasick on a ship that size?