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Thread: indonesia part one

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    Default indonesia part one

    I had not sailed from freemantle since1964 and noticed many changes around the port. However the 'StellaMaris' seamans mission looked just the same as always.


    Christmas/New Year cruises are oftenfun and this one was to be no different, in fact much better than some others.


    The previous cruise had seen an outbreak of the notorious 'Noro Virus' with more than 400 bloods beingeffected ,many having to be confined to their state room for up to 4days. As a result the Freemantle health authority demaned a totalwash down of the ship prior to departure, resulting in departure some5 hours late. Added to this was the cyclone situated off the NorthEast corner of Australia. Because of this the cruise itenary waschanged meaning 4 days to the first port, rather than the original 3,and the port of Lombok taken off the list.


    But then on the first morning we wereadvised that the ship was now on 'Code Red' in an effort to ensurethe 'Noro Virus did not reoccur. This saw the self service restaurantnow with crew members to serve, all books removed from the library,no pre drink nibbles, cancllation of the Captains cocktail party anda few other actions. Any service where the public could be in touchwith another person or article had to be reduced to the lowestpossible risk level. However with all this the virus still survived.On this cruise around 250 bloods went down with it. The first time Ihave ever been on a ship that had to fly the Yellow quarentine flagin all ports of call.


    It did not distract from the pleasureof the cruise, nor did it stop the 75% of bloods from WesternAustralia almost drinking the ship dry. Many had arrived in the 60'sas Ten Pound Poms, so many from Liverpool. There were about 30 ofthem on board, all ex Liverpool and it showed. Fun to be with, greatScouce accent still, and they knew how to drink. We had some greattimes with them. She sailed with 350 kegs of draught beer on boardand all gone by the 13th day.


    The weather was kind and we had a verypleasant cruise towards Indonesia. The fourth day being Christmaseve all on board were in a very good mood, and as always the case at1900 hours in the Atrium officers and crew sang carols withaccompniment from the passengers. The bars were in full swing and“happy hour', two for one, in the Wheelhouse Bar was the place tobe between 2100 and 2200 hours. It is important I consider that as anex merchant seaman, as applies to all of that order, it is our solomduty to ensure that the habits developed over our time at sea arecontinued in a suitable manner. We must not let the side down.


    Christmas morning broke bright andclear with all aboard keen to wish all they met a 'Merry Christmas'
    At 1030 hours Father Christmas camedown the ship's funnel and into the glass elevator and down to theAtrium. All children under the age of 15 were to be given a presentand the chance to sit on Santa's knee. Great fun for the kids, andsome adults who never grew up, a great time for all.

    As a party of six we had arrange for amorning pre lunch drink to celebrate. We met in the Atrium where Ihad placed an order for a bottle of Champagne. We drank a toast andall was well until one of the group suggested another. Now being thedecent sort of guy that I am, I would never condone ecessivedrinking, but neither would I stand in the way of others enjoyment.By the end of the third bottle I knew we would enjoy our after lunchsnooze.
    Christmas night was as good as any withgood cheer for all.


    Boxing day we arived at our fisrt portof call, Ujung Pandang a part of Indonesia we had not visitedpreviously. Having visited many of the Indonesian islands and citiesover the past 30 years we had made no provision for day tours,perfering to make our own way around. Four of us ventured into thetown which for us was nothing new, but for the other two in ourcompany a culture shock.




    A first visit to any part of Indonesiais a culture shock of momumental propoprtions, a real 'in your face'experience. It is a combination of traffic that appears to defy anysemblance of respect for road rules, hawkers shoving their wares inyour face at an alarming rate. Masses of people going in alldirections, rubbish piles to make you think they are just smallmountains and a cocoffany of sound that would make even the deafesthear.
    It was obvious by the look on theirfaces that the other two had not expected anything like this! It isnot a place for the feint hearted.


    But for me it was almost like a homecoming having been there so many times before and developing a likingfor the peoples, their cultures and customs. The willingness of themto barter for any item always beginning at some outrageous price, andsome do pay, and the fun of the chase to get to a price, usualy'Sunset' price that you can both agree on. It is one of thosecountries where I have always felt safe and in good hands.


    Later that evening at dinner ourcompanions came to terms with the way of life there, not easy to doon a first visit. But they did admit they now had a betterunderstanding of Indonesian way of life and the people. There were alarger than usual number of Indonesian crew on this cruise and havingseen life in the raw they began to understand them in a far bettermanner.


    Our next port of call wa to beSamerang, but the events there I will leave for later in the hope youwill fully understand my comments and feelings on the matter of the'Faith' Indonesia is the largest, over 125 million, who follow the I Slam ic way of life.
    Happy daze John in Oz.

    Life is too short to blend in.

    John Strange R737787
    World Traveller

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    Default Re: indonesia part one

    As always John
    Your write-ups of your Holidays are of great interest and makes some good reading,look forward to the next Episode mate!
    Cheers
    Senior Site Moderator-Member and Friend of this Website

    R697530

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    Default Re: indonesia part one

    Quote Originally Posted by happy daze john in oz View Post
    The first time Ihave ever been on a ship that had to fly the Yellow quarentine flagin all ports of call.

    .
    Nice write up John, in my days at sea and in latter years it was compulsory to fly the 'Quarantine' flag upon entering your first foreign port, doesn't mean to say you have an illness on board it means 'I request free pratigue' because you didn't have any illness on board, as long as it was flying no one except Port Health could board, not even Agent or Customs, as soon as it was lowered the invasion could start. Once you had been cleared in the first port in Indonesia it would not be necessary to fly it again in an Indonesian port unless you had come from an infected Indonesian port, but you would have to fly it again at the next foreign port unless you were granted 'Radio Free Pratigue'

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    Default Re: indonesia part one

    I was in Indonesia this last February, Semarang, disappointed, as I was last there 56 years ago in 1960, just piles of Containers, all HAMBURG SUD.
    All the bamboo huts and little bars had vanished under the containerisation..
    In the anchorage Anne made me a wreath of fresh flowers, it was where I had despatched a Pirate when we were attacked in 1960, I cast it into the sea where his bones should be, . so all was forgiven.
    Tanjong Priok, I was also disappointed, Containers all the way to Djakarta, Where was the London Bar and Bataan Bar? and most of all my beautiful mik mak, Dedeh Suardi who I had promised to bring back to England? On second thoughts maybe it was just as well they had all gone, she would be an 82 year old lady by now if she is still with us. Everyone of the passengers loved Java, but I had my memories of when it was Truly Java, a true paradise.
    Sorry to hi jack HD John, I get carried away when I think of Indonesia, a lot of good memories, glad I went back to see what civilisation had done to that paradise.
    Cheers
    Brian

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    Default Re: indonesia part one

    #1. What size kegs John. When we used to carry Tennents beer in Kegs on the ore carriers used to get 40 pints our of a keg. So 350 kegs is only 14,000 pints. We used to load 200 kegs a trip and only 38 of a crew. 8000 pints for a 4 week trip only just over 200 pints a man just over 7 pints a day per man. If a 6 weeks trip were likely to die of drought. Things must be hard at sea these days. You sound as though you had a good trip though and velcome back. Cheers JS Was only 2 bob a pint as well. So could say bond bill was about 6 quid a week at the most. The Chief steward used to have little bags of 2 bob bits made up into 5 pound packages and used to sign for as a sub and pass over the bar. Maybe I should have said 10p a pint as decimalisation was in by then, so was 10 pints a pound. that was in the 70"s. We used to take turns and run the bars ourselves, can even remember at General Terminus in Glasgow having a party on board and hiring a band. Plenty of people showed up for. Those were the days never to be seen again. JS
    Last edited by j.sabourn; 11th January 2017 at 11:35 AM.

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    Default Re: indonesia part one

    I should have added this to the above post,................*4
    From my story of the Spice Islands..............No one can live those lives again, the world has changed so much, we are the very last people ever to experience it, in that paradise we had death, love happiness , sadness, beauty and the ugliness of the dictatorship. Poverty and wealth, violence and tenderness all in a few bamboo huts, the ultimate human experience was in those Perfumed Seas of the Spice Islands.
    It was a world that no longer exists, sadly it has gone and can never return.
    We are so lucky to have been there, even though we thought it would never end, it did, and for ever.

    Brian
    Last edited by Captain Kong; 11th January 2017 at 09:58 PM.

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    Default Re: indonesia part one

    John #5 they were all 55 litre kegs and sold as half litre pots. That gives around 110 pots per keg. By 350 gives 38,500 pots. In 13 days that is 2961 per day.
    Happy daze John in Oz.

    Life is too short to blend in.

    John Strange R737787
    World Traveller

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    Default Re: indonesia part one

    I myself was last in Indonesia in 1962 as a young AB aboard the Blue Funnel ship Agapenor how quickly the years have passed but sailing through the islands is still there in my mind , we never had a sub there the currency in those long gone days was cigarettes and there was a limit on how much cash we could take ashore it used to be a right performance going through the dock gates we were all searched I forget the amount of cash we were allowed it was not much, after the search we were allowed to continue on our way ashore but then we all used to go back to the ship eventually past the same guards well boozed up we would have all sorts of souvenirs with us to take home which the guards new full well were worth much more than they ever found on us during our search as we went ashore,. but nothing was ever said , wonderful place in those days I did want to go back but I doubt I would reconize the place now regards to all hands Dave .

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    Default Re: indonesia part one

    Hi Dave
    read my Story on the SPICE ISLANDS in Seafaring stories thread in Swinging the Lamp Forum

    a Six month trip just round the spice islands of Indonesia, Java , Sumatra Borneo and so on, A Blu Flu ship, `Euryades` in 1960.
    Bring back a lot of memories. and make you weep for those halcyon days .
    Cheers
    Brian

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    Default Re: indonesia part one

    Dave #8, Indonesia in the main places changes daily and yes you would not know it now. Tourism has done a lot for the place but it has also in some parts destroyed many aspects of it.
    Happy daze John in Oz.

    Life is too short to blend in.

    John Strange R737787
    World Traveller

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