EmmJays Travel Journal
February 2002
Today is February 2, 2002 (02:02:02). I missed February 1, because we just crossed the International Date Line. The crew of the Ms Amsterdam had just crowned King Neptune and they are about to oversee the initiation of crew members who had never crossed the IDT before. They were smeared with smelly fish entrails and then three officers and the captain decided who would be tossed into the indoor pool or not ... they were unanimous, all of them were dunked. A pool BBQ followed and the pool was emptied of crew, entrails and water. The band struck up a tune and the captain and the officers exited. Port Vila, Vanuatu
We were docked early and the gangplank was lowered ready for us to explore this small independent island. The people were small and sturdy in stature. My friends and I took a ferry to another island which we had completely circumnavigated within two hours. The snorkeling was very good here but only one of us had brought our gear. We shopped for a few hours and then returned to the ship. Peggy and Jim had returned so we joined them at the pool on the ship.
Vanuatu to New Caledonia
One half day in Vanuatu was not enough time to venture far so we were looking forward to our next stop where we would have a full day. We passed several small islands on the way and then it got dark. With so few inhabitants in this part of the world it is pitch black outside except for the mass of stars in the sky. There was another medical emergency on board so the captain put the pedal to the metal and our next destination was in sight at 11pm rather the original time of arrival which was supposed to be 6am the next day. The ailing passenger was taken to hospital.
Noumea, New Caledonia
A jewel in the South Pacific. The islands are a French Protectorate and the people consider themselves French but independent. When we disembarked we hired a cab for the day, informing the driver to just take us everywhere and to return us to the ship before it leaves. The homes were nestled into small pockets of the island and the apartments and hotels did not exceed three storeys. Our driver gave us an excellent tour and commentary. Up and down hills and around and around we went. He took us everywhere and got us back to the ship just before the required time. Margaret was the only one of us who bought anything.
New Caledonia to New Zealand
Bay of Islands, New Zealand
After lunch time we were docked in a place called Russell. It was a lazy back water town on one of the 150 islands that make up the Bay of Islands. I got off the ship with Grace, Greta and Helen. Grace sat at my table for the evening meals and Greta and Helen were two Canadians that I had met on board. A small ferry took us across the harbour to Paihia. Grace and Helen went into the shopping area while Greta and I hiked up to Waitangi Treaty House. At this location in 1840 a pact was made between the English settlers and the Maoris to end conflict. There were tikis and totem poles in the park. We walked for the rest of the day then returned to get the last ferry back to Russell. On board the ship once again we noticed that the crew had decorated it for Mardi Gras while we were exploring. We missed the Bourbon Street parade as we had arrived back so late, however the festivities continued well into the evening. Auckland, New Zealand
We sailed overnight and arrived in Auckland at 8am. The Waitomo Caves was my destination today. The caves are located within the slopes of seven extinct volcanoes. On the way we stopped at a wild bird sanctuary where we saw the famed Kiwi. The bird does not look like the fruit you buy in the grocery store. It is nocturnal, nests underground and has tight dark plumage. The drive to and from the caves was through beautiful grass covered mountains (February is summer in NZ). There were sheep and lambs dotted all over the countryside. At the caves we had to get into boats that took us on a dark wet route underground. The caves are not lit so as we journeyed along our guide would occasionally shed light on the walls and ceilings with a flash light. We came to a section of the cave where we saw hundreds of thousands of glow worms attached to the ceilings of the caves. We just silently floated along looking up at this incredible sight. When we left the caves we stopped at a country inn for our evening meal. The inn was surrounded by gardens and we sat on the terrace facing the mountains as we enjoyed farm fresh lamb and vegetables.
Littleton Harbour, New Zealand
We spent a night and a day at sea prior to pulling into Littleton. It was February 11th and we were informed that Princess Margaret had passed away the previous day and that the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics had completed in Salt Lake City. It was warm and sunny as we disembarked. There were hundreds of houses nestled on the slopes above the harbour. We grabbed a shuttle bus to Christchurch. Margaret, Caroline and I walked and walked. The Botanical gardens were beautiful and we were amazed by the size of the blooms on the begonias. The city centre was busy with people and we found the locals to be very friendly and helpful. It was nice just to mingle. As we left the harbour we were passed by the WindSong, a three masted sailing ship that is in actual fact a cruise ship. It blasted three toots at us from its funnel and the Amsterdam roared back with one long blast.
Dunedin, New Zealand
An overnight sail and we were in Dunedin, a small town in the South Pacific often described as a small version of Scotland. We arrived at the Port Chalmers and saw houses perched at the top of the cliff faces overlooking the harbour. It rained all day. I spent the day with Margaret, Caroline and Hilda. Hilda occupied the cabin next to mine on the ship. We checked out the shops on the main drag for most of the day. There was a very old train station that got our attention but other than that the rain had put a damper on our exploring so we returned to the ship at 4:30pm. We left at 6:30pm in heavy rain.
New Zealand to Australia
The captain informed us that we would be sailing through gale force winds throughout the evening but we should still reach the other side of the South Island by morning. The weather cleared by noon the next day. We entered Milford Sound at about 3pm. The wind was fierce at the mouth of the sound then diminished as we were buffered by the high cliffs on either side of the ship. It was spectacular. The ship just glided slowly through the sound for several hours as everybody stood on deck enjoying the experience. We went all the way in then the ship had to be maneuvered around so we could go back the way we came. There were waterfalls cascading from the cliff summit and seals basking on the rocks. As we exited the sound we saw a whale. The next day was sunny and the seas were like glass. I met Norm Baker from Toronto and we walked along the Promenade deck together. He was ending his trip in Sydney. Peggy and Jim also ended their trip in Sydney. Australian immigration came on board in New Zealand which meant we were all 'processed' on board.
Sydney, Australia
We were off to Little Bay via Maroubra Beach where I had spent much of my youth. Neville and Sheryl had a lovely house at La Perouse and it was a treat to see them again. My niece Teagan was excited by all the activity and was soon the centre of the attention. She was just too cute for words. My most treasured friend, Glenese arrived with her sister Moira and their Mum later that afternoon. We all went for a walk down to the Bay and spent the afternoon catching up on lost time. Rain was imminent so we returned to the house and feasted on a Turkish Takeout. Glenese brought along some school photos and we reminisced on days gone by. Glenese, Moira and Mrs Daly left before it got dark and we stood and watched a lightening display before retiring for the night.
After breakfast the next day we loaded into the car and drove downtown Sydney, over the Harbour Bridge and onto Narabeen. We had lunch on the beach and then drove over to Avalon Beach for a swim. I caught up on the latest news with my brother Raymond and my sister-in-law Sabina. I had to be back on board the ship by 5pm, so we drove back to the pier and I bid my family farewell and left them at the last call to board. I ran up the stairs and positioned myself on the deck where I could see everybody as the ship pulled away. They waved back as the ship headed out of the harbour.
Lanceston, Tasmania
Our dinner table no longer had Peggy, Jim and Pat. We were pleased to have the ship's dentist and his wife join us for the rest of the coming segment of our journey. We reached Launceston, Tasmania after having a smooth crossing of the Tasman Sea. Launceston was very hilly with a wide range of architecture. There were heritage homes scattered throughout this small city. They produced wine for grapes, had a working gold mine and a fantastic cataract gorge which I enjoyed exploring top to bottom. After a full day here we were back on board for an overnight crossing of the Tasman Sea.
Melbourne, Victoria
Out came the green apples, crackers and gravol. Bass Straight was rough and the ship got tossed around as we sailed for Melbourne. The ship pulled into the terminal at dawn and it was sunny and hot. Once downtown I hopped on a city circle tram and toured the shops and places of interest. I bought opal earrings, checked out the Parliament Buildings, churches, Yarra river, the Australian Open Sports Complex and Aussi Football Stadium. It rained heavily in the afternoon but I was not to be deterred by this and continued my assault on the city. Totally exhausted I returned to the ship just before it was scheduled to leave.
Adelaide, South Australia
We encountered 20' waves while at sea the next day so the decks were deserted. The indoor pool had not been emptied and it swished water to and fro as the ship rolled. During this there was a wine tasting event in the main dining room. The wine sloshed back and forth in the glasses with the roll of the ship and a few people ended up wearing their wine. Doing yoga in rough sees is something to behold as well. Due to the heavy seas we were delayed getting into Adelaide by a full day. The captain announced that we would arrive at 8pm, stay the entire next day and cancel a scheduled stop which would be Broome, Western Australia.
We docked at 5pm and everyone was pleased to see terra firma. The ship emptied rather quickly and everyone headed into town. The following day it was Saturday and the stores and banks were closed. I got on a bus which took me to Handorff, a village settled by Germans who came to Australia to escape religious persecution in Europe in the early 1800s. It was situated high in the hills of Adelaide amongst Gum Trees and sandstone rocks. I tasted local wines, cheese and cake. Adelaide was diverse, sprawling and flat. We passed a cricket ground where a tournament was underway. The gum trees were beautiful.
Fremantle, Western Australia
The month of February had come to a close and we were now in the Indian Ocean with a full three days at sea. We had now traveled 16,075 nautical miles.
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