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Letters
Crossing the Pacific on the Marine Phoenix probably around mid 1947 February 16, 2012 HI
I have been reading with interest memories of crossing the
Pacific on the
Marine Phoenix. I was 9 and found it quite an adventure
at the time. My
Mother did not and was horrified at the conditions. It is
a long time ago
so perhaps my memory is blurred but I do remember eating
at trestle tables
but nothing of the food which came from an open galley
The toilets had canvas curtains and horrid children that
we were we would
have fun exposing whoever was seated within. Heavens
knows what wrath would
have descended on me had my Mother been aware of such a
going on. I think
she was aware however of our favourite afternoon pastime
of playing in the
showers, also with canvas curtains and deserted at that
time of day. We
would strip naked, set off a couple of showers, sit on our
bottoms and slide I also remember that there was a circus? troupe on board and they would often practise acrobatics on the upper deck and if any of us children were about they would encourage us to have a go with them. My proudest moment was when I stood unaided on the shoulders of either Vince or Ed. The one and only time I ever made it to such dizzy heights.
Any stairs inside were open tread metal and of course
noisy. No
recollection of anywhere that offered relaxation but there
may have been and
in retrospect I can understand how difficult it must have
been for anyone
other than a child. There were two nuns in our “cabin”
who draped blankets
round the lower berth and only emerged fully dressed. Or Perhaps I am one of the few who have happy memories of crossing the pacific on the Marine Phoenix to New Zealand sometime probably around mid 1947. Chris
Thank you for sharing your memories. Regards, |
