Fiji hurricane

[Richard Quartermaine]

A ferocious Hurricane has just passed over the Fiji Islands after striking Tonga and intensifying as the centre crossed the (Fiji) Lau Group, the southern tip of Taveuni, Savu Savu in the straight between the main Islands of Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, Raki Raki, and Ba, Lautoka and Nadi on the north-west of Viti Levu.
Our thoughts go out to all in Tonga, and Fiji our happy home for almost a decade.
Richard and Margaret

Cyclone Winston: Death toll climbs to five as Fiji struggles to deal with aftermath of its strongest storm - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

[Ivan Cloherty]

[QUOTE=Richard Quartermaine;223090]A ferocious Hurricane has just passed over the Fiji Islands after striking Tonga and intensifying as the centre crossed the (Fiji) Lau Group, the southern tip of Taveuni, Savu Savu in the straight between the main Islands of Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, Raki Raki, and Ba, Lautoka and Nadi on the north-west of Viti Levu.
Our thoughts go out to all in Tonga, and Fiji our happy home for almost a decade.
Richard and Margaret

Cyclone Winston: Death toll climbs to five as Fiji struggles to deal with aftermath of its strongest storm - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)[/QUOTE

Just a very brief mention on the news over here, guess its too far away, the young won't know where it is

[Doc Vernon]

One terrible Storm there Richard!
Nature does sometimes cause such havoc amongst us,but its what we have to live with at times,just hope all are safe there now!
Lets pray that it never happens to us at that level anyway!
Cheers

[Peter F Chard]

# 1 Hong Kong in 1962 and typhoon " Wanda " The eye of the storm passed within 100 m of the Peak, the closest ever. We spent the night at the Typhoon buoys -- tied to the buoys, both anchors down and at the height of the storm we had the engine running at dead slow ahead. The ship on our port side turned turtle -- there is a photo in the Hong Kong yearbook for 1962 showing this ship completely upside down ! Our run from Keelung in Taiwan back to Hong Kong took seven full days, usually done in 48 hours ! A Harbour Board tug disappeared and was found a week later in the back yard of a private house located 400 m from the waterfront and only after the house owner rang the Harbourmaster and complained about this tug cluttering up his yard ! A billionaire's mansion on the Peak had its windows blown in by the wind strength at the front and rear of his Art Gallery and he lost several million dollar's worth of Van Dykes and Rembrandts ! The blood bank ran out of blood and they obtained supplies by sending buses down to the ships in port and asking the crews to donate a pint or two, hundreds and hundreds of Merchant Navy guys offered their blood -- this is the first and only time I have given blood and at the same time drink a bottle of Tuborg !! The nurse even offered another bottle although I would have had to give another pint of blood !! Regards Peter in NZ.

[happy daze john in oz]

Indeed a most terrible situation for the people of Fiji. The devestation is horrific and will take many months jsut to clear away before any rebuilding can commence. It has come as to day we remembered the earthquake of 2011 in Christchurch. Our prayers to go out top all concerned and affecetd by theses natural distasters.

[Richard Quartermaine]

Ivan, I'm glad to see the BBC has some excellent coverage.

When we were there it was the British Crown Colony of Fiji which followed the 10th October, 1874 'Instrument of Cession between Thakombau, Tui Viti and Vuni Valu and by other high chiefs of the said islands to Her Most gracious Majesty Victoria, by the grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Queen, Defender of the Faith, &c &c &c:---------------------
Whereas.......'

The Deed of Cession came about when King Cakobau (Fijian spelling) under threat from Tonga urged Sir Hercules G.R. Robinson Governor Commander in Chief and Vice Admiral of the British Colony of New South Wales and its dependencies and Governor of Norfolk Island to accept a cession to Queen Victoria. As a consequence there was a noticeable bond between the Fijian people and Britain that was not necessarily evidenced in some other parts of the 'Empire'.

As Fiji was a special 'Crown Colony' administration and Government was headed by British expats and that is why I was surprised that the BBC had not written up the hurricane news. I must say that I am happy to find this Cyclone Winston wreaks destruction in Fiji - BBC News .

A bit long winded but my nephews and our children were born there and the former have children and grandchildren who proudly call themselves 'Fijian'. It also makes me feel my years when my Granny, who passed away the year before I went to sea was fourteen and a half in England at the time when the Deed of Cession was signed.

Perhaps my words here will give an insight to that far off group of far off islands that were also so close, and so loyal to Britain in peace and war.

I think I could have posted this before, but Ratu Edward Cakobau, grandson of the Tui Viti, Vuni Valu, answered my question at our Friday night watering hole, the Defence Club. - "Ratu Edward", as I offered him a cigar, "Margaret has just had a little girl up at the CWM (Colonial War Memorial Hospital). Is she Fijian?" . Drawing upon the cigar I had just lit for him, Ratu Edward offered" Weeeelllll, look at it this way Richard. If a cat has kittens in a banana box, are they bananas?' And of course a favourite after dinner comment. "Great granddad was on the captain's table on the voyage to meet Queen Victoria. When the steward presented the menu he waved it away and asked for the passenger list.

They have been through hell over the last couple of days.
Richard

[Evan Lewis]

A ferocious Hurricane has just passed over the Fiji Islands after striking Tonga and intensifying as the centre crossed the (Fiji) Lau Group, the southern tip of Taveuni, Savu Savu in the straight between the main Islands of Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, Raki Raki, and Ba, Lautoka and Nadi on the north-west of Viti Levu.
Our thoughts go out to all in Tonga, and Fiji our happy home for almost a decade.
Richard and Margaret

Cyclone Winston: Death toll climbs to five as Fiji struggles to deal with aftermath of its strongest storm - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Hi! Richard,
Just recently,on a trip .out of Briz. 2nd. day out,.We were informed of the approaching,Cyclone.And that changes may be made to the schedule. On a regular basis,Via the Cabin's T.V. The Capt . would Display images of the eye of the storm.
Anyway,continued to Noumea.
Next visits ,should have been, Mystery Island, and Vila ,Vanuata.That would have put us across its Path, as it headed for Fiji. So the Ship headed north and West ,back towards the Oz coast .Then headed back ,towards Vanuata. To a sheltered, Champagne Bay.Had a run ashore then ,from the anchorage.The locals were out in force ,With their display of wares, Kids singing with their Teachers at the Jetty. Couple of Makeshift Bars ,Very enjoyable.They obviously get the odd Cruise ship there now and then.
So never got to Vila, which was my reason( objective) And Mystery Island . Still remains a Mystery?

No-one Appears to have been too disappointed, and accepted ,The necessary changes.
On another note though, regarding other aspects of ,the Cruise. I refer to the following ,Site.
Google :Crew wages and conditions ,Royal Carribean. Too important to ignore ,I find. Accessed it in the afternoon after getting,Home.

I refer to the following ,Site.Google : Crew Wages and conditions .Royal Carribean.
I accessed it out of concern . even found one reference,from a lady ,who may well have been aboard same Trip. dated 22nd, Feb.

[happy daze john in oz]

Hi! Richard,
Just recently,on a trip .out of Briz. 2nd. day out
I refer to the following ,Site.Google : Crew Wages and conditions .Royal Carribean.
I accessed it out of concern . even found one reference,from a lady ,who may well have been aboard same Trip. dated 22nd, Feb.

Evan, it took two cruises to get to Mystery island, no go first one due to very bad seas. You did not miss much as it is little more than a very large sand island that you can walk around in 20 minutes.

I have read the Google site RE RC and find it is directly opposite to what most of the crew will tell you. I spend a lot of time when on a cruise talking with as many of the crew as I can, most are very willing to talk. No one has ever told me the pay or conditions are bad. Crew accommodation now is way ahead of anything we knew, they have a full bar, gym facilities, meals to suit all cultures etc. It does vary a little from company to company but basically there is not a lot of difference. I have spoken with waiters who have been with the company for more than ten years and have earned enough to but a house, get private medical and put kids through uni. Many say that they could never do this if they stayed at home as jobs pay very poor. No doubt there is a lot of propaganda involved but if it is so bad why do they stay? One bar waiter told me last year, yes Princess only pay him $50 per month but he gets about $1 for every drink he serves, averaging up to 100 pert day. So who does one believe, that is I guess up to the individual.

[Richard Quartermaine]

Vanuatu (previously the French-British Condominium of the New Hebrides) was part of my 'diocese' from Fiji 1959/1968 but before that I did a number of trips on the Burns Philp ship SS Morinda. She would probably have fitted in the dining room of a cruise ship. Here are my trips to 'Vanuatu' and I will put some photos up on that website page over the next few days but meanwhile this is what our 'cruises' were like and what Port Vila looked like in those days. Go to bulolo (and scroll down to last item). The attached photo taken in 1948/49 shows Comptoir Francais des Nouvelles Hebrides, the French trading store and on the right above the boat, Burns Philp (New Hebrides) Ltd trading Store.
Richard

[Peter F Chard]

#9 Richard, About five years ago I flew to Port Vila to survey an Inter Island ferryboat - this boat was New Zealand owned and was on long term lease to an Australian outfit called " Silent World " This outfit catered for divers and brought parties of up to 30 divers from all over the world to enjoy the incredible diving to be had in that part of the world. The waters are warm, fairly shallow and safe ( not many sharks ) and littered with sunken wrecks of American and Japanese warships, ex WW2. I stayed on an island about two hours by fast ferry from Vila. This island had accommodation but no slipway, the nearest slip was about another 10 Km away and accessible by dug-out canoe powered by an outboard. I was there for about 12 days. My first day there the manager of the hostel asked if I liked seafood, I said I loved it ! That's good news he said, because that is all there is to eat !! He asked if I would like crab for dinner, I said yes. How do you want it cooked, he asked. Singapore style said I. Good, said the manager, that's the only way I can cook it !. Later that evening, when the sun had gone down and it was pleasantly cool he brought out this crab. It was on a round plate, about 300mm or 12 inches across and 75mm, 3 inches thick and done to perfection. I have never tasted anything so delicious !! For breakfast he came up with a full Australian breakfast, eggs,( sunny side up ), bacon, black pudding, kippers, toast and marmalade and perked coffee. Another day I saw him in the sea at the end of the veranda, he was in his swimming trunks, wearing divers boots and walking along the seabed with something that looked like a net you used to catch butterflies. He stayed down for close to three minutes before coming up for air -- I asked one of the staff what the manager was doing -- he looked at me with a really puzzled look on his face and said " he is catching your dinner !" And he was, that night I was served a plateful of what looked like goldfish- about 75mm or 3 inches long -- and just quickly fried in a very hot pan and heavenly to eat. I had flown Air New Zealand to get there but on my return I flew Solomon Airlines -- I think is was the only big jet they had -- shortly after take off the drinks trolley came round ( all complimentary ) so I had a beer. They then served lunch. You had a choice of chicken stew or beef stew so I selected the beef and actually is was quite nice. Then another crew member came along with the wine. She had a bottle of red wine in one hand and a bottle of white wine in the other. She asked if I would like a glass of wine with my lunch to which I replied I sure would. What would you like ? she asked. I said ' a glass of your Merlot would be perfect, thank you. With that her eyes just glazed over, completely stumped by what I had said, after about 10 seconds I said " the red please" She gave this big sigh of relief and filled by beer glass to the very top with red wine. Unfortunately, my beer glass was still about a quarter full of beer - but I drank it anyway !! Now after all that, we are doing a cruise in late April on the Pacific Pearl to the Melanasian Islands and we actually have an overnight stay in Vila. Regards Peter in NZ.