South American Tour 1964-1965 (Mazatlan Mexico)

Friday, December 18,  1964 En route to Mazatlan

Full day at sea. At noon, ship was 29˚08’ N. Lat. 116˚16’ E. Long, had traveled 292 nautical miles from L.B. Laving 719 to go to next port. WE average 15.29 knots per hour. Air temperature was 61˚, sea temp was 61˚.

Saturday, December 19, 1964

Bright sunny day (La soles frillo) Captain announced Cocktail Party for passengers at 5 PM. Dinner at six. It was our first evening to be quite mild. All of the passengers spent most of the early evening on deck.

Shopping List: was stuck between pages.

Sunday, December 20, 1964 Mazatlan

We passed up breakfast and slept until 10 am. Actually only 9 as clocks were advanced one hour for the different time zone we were in. Weather quite warm good breeze. Hop to off Mazatlan about 12:30 PM to watch for Pilot. Mazatlan is spread along the Mexican Mainland at the foot of the lofty Sierra Madre Mountains and opposite the top of Baya California. It is the largest Mexican Port on the Pacific. The exceedingly long beach is fringed with grooves of cocoa palms, a south sea island theme. After lunch we learned the Pilot would not come aboard until 7 AM tomorrow, so we spent a lazy warm afternoon, I listened to radio shortwave of Buffalo Bills playing at Boston in a snow storm.

Mexican Pesos

Monday, December 21, 1964 Mazatlan

I awoke a few minutes before seven and realized the ships was under way. It was slowly heading for the narrow opening between the ends of the breakwater. A tug assisted in leading to dock and after tieing a line, procided to push the ship so it would face the open sea when ready to sail. This was necessary as there was only dock space for four ships.

We were ready to go ashore. All details with customs and immigration were handled by Purser. We started out with the Nelsons. It was truly a Mexican town, population of 50,000. We were impressed that we were not approached by a single child or adult begging for a handout and only one person persistently followed us trying to sell us (a small rug) on the street. Weather was very mild, good breeze. We covered quite a few miles walking and returned to ship for lunch. I took a short nap then a walk by myself over to hotel and beach section. Millie stayed in bed all afternoon to rest her tired feet. After dinner on ship, ten of us took a city bus at dock gate for a round trip fare 40 centavos - 3.2 cents. It was a wild ride over some very bumpy roads with the driver turning sharp corners with abandon. Topped off the day with bridge.

Tuesday, December 22, 1964 Mazatlan

Expected to sail in PM. Ten of us took bus into town and another one (no transfer) that ran north out of town along the beach and then the residential, motel and hotel section. We went to the end of the line and then climbed some famous promontory jutting into the sea. The name of which escapes me for the moment. Back to town on the next bus wanted to look over the hotels but time did not permit so we hailed a dock bus and contributed our fourth 3.2 cents for quite a few miles of transportation. We arrived at 12:15 PM and were told the ship would not sail until Wednesday as there was some cargo (cotton) coming from the interior which was delayed and would not arrive until late tonight and that stevedores would work all night. Sailing time 6 AM 23

South American Tour 1964-1965 (Long Beach)

Tuesday, December 15 1964 -- Long Beach

Arose early for us - 8 am. We had a delightful breakfast at 8:30. Only the Captain, Chief Engineer and First officer eat in the Passengers Dinning Room and they are on a separate table. 

Weather partly cloudy and cool. Sea very calm. Passengers are permitted up in the bow and as there was little wind we spent a number of hours there.

Lunch was a surprise - a smorgasbord with many choices. This is daily and there are from 32 to 37 platters on serving table. Everyone is well satisfied with the food and its preparation. Millie and I took a two hour nap in room. Had an excellent dinner and then went on deck to watch the approach of Long Beach. I determined that L. B. had dock facilities there are 2204 acres in the area. We docked at 8:15 PM and we went ashore with Hilding and Elaine Nelson. Window shopped, made a few purchases and walked back to ships. 

Wednesday, December 16 1964 -- Long Beach

Up at 8 AM. Breakfast at 8:30. It is a beautiful day. Took a Taxi into town. Bought odds and ends - much cheaper than in S.F. It is an easy place to find lunch. Millie had an 12:30 appointment for permanent. We expected Ham and Ev Ridgeway (they are former Denverites now living in NO. Hollywood. He works for 3M) to visit us after dinner. But Ham had the "flu" so they didn't show up. So we had the hors d'oevures with the passengers. Then we played bridge with the Nelsons. Following an hour class on Spanish taught by one of the passengers who had lived in Mexico for a number of years. Millie discovered at bed time that the permanent had hurt her hair and it was breaking off and combing out in hand fulls.

Thursday, December 17 1964 -- Long Beach

Sailing time posted for 4 PM. Millie went back to hair dresser immediately after breakfast. I walked around the docks and took pictures the brochure on the Port of Long Beach states that in 1963 it was second to New York in collection of custom duty reserve. Millie returned at 3:300 PM w a hair dresser and an assist and a wig. They started to fit the wig to her head. It became a race against time. The passengers came in an said 3 minutes. They left as the crew stood by waiting to remove the gangplank. The ship sailed a few minutes after 4 PM. Out in open sea the surface was very calm some wind. After dinner all came to lounge at 8:30 "Rags" Montin gave the passengers another Spanish lesson.

South America Tour -- 1964-1965 (San Fransisco

Monday December 14, 1964

Flag of Norway in the log. Cruise line is Norwegian. 

Finally the Big Day arrived clear and rather cold. Overslept! Nearly two hours. Had breakfast, finished packing, loaded car and took off over Bay Bridge and on to the Alameda Embark Terminal. With help of one man we took luggage on board and saw our suite for the first time - in was a honey. We put our luggage away and gazed around excellent accommodations.

There were beds with reading lights over each. Dressing table with three view mirrors, two chairs, two separate closets using the full from wall, each with three shelves a rod for hanging clothes and four drawers. There is also an electric switch to turn on a small heater in bottom of closet which circulates warm dry air thru the closet to offset the humidity. The bedroom has a ceiling light and too curtained windows. 

The living room is on the front of super structure. It has three windows facing the bow and two more on the portside. All of the windows have wood blinds concealed below window and when uncatched the blind is forced up by a spring. It permits air to pass thru but keeps circling.

In this "Day Room" are four comfortable arm chairs, sofa and writing desk. with wall lights two ceiling lights. Heating and air conditioning controls in each room. The bath is large with deep tub and movable shower head with flexible tube. There are two wash bowls and the two medicine cabinets are exceptionally deep. The hall has a full length mirror and a hat and coat-rack. Doors  to cabin have two key holes side by side. one for our key the other for emergency for opening by authorized ship personal. The door can be opened quickly even tho passengers leaved key in lock. 

The ship was built in 1958 in Holland although it indicates Bergen, Norway as homeport it has never been there. 

We drove back to SF and the motel. I took the car to Fillmore Garage for storage. The owner drove me back to motel which saved a lot of time. We picked up our coats and odds & ends, walked over to Chestnut st. (one block) to get bus to downtown transferred to Market St. bus and then to Wells Fargo Bank to pick up cash for trip. Then walked over to terminal to get bus to Alameda. Millie walked ahead with attache case with money, I followed two steps behind with case of film. Arrived at 1:10 pm for 1:35 Bus. Walked from Stanton st Alameda to dock and boarded ship. the luggage we left on Pier 41 SF the previous Wednesday was not there. Steward checked and assured us it was in the warehouse. It was and it arrived later.

We were first to arrive. We met the other passengers as they came in the lounge. All of them had done considerable world travelling. The ship started moving out into SF Bay at 6:00 PM. It took two hours to go down the bay, go under Golden Gate Bridge and head out into the Pacific. Dinner at 6:30 PM an excellent meal well served amid an exceptional atmosphere. Retired to lounge after dinner where passengers became better acquainted. To bed about eleven. Everyone very tired but happy.

South America Tour–1964-1965 (to San Francisco)

Before beginning the log. I wanted to share photos of Ernest Saegart and Mildred (Elwell) Saegart. That way you can have a better picture of them. 

 

Saturday November 21, 1964 Tucson

Slept late, finished packing, left Tucson at 12:30 PM. We drove thru Casa Granda, Chandler, Mesa, Tempe, Phoenix (last four are very nice agricultural areas) and into Sun City, Arizona. Registered at Kings Inn – $10.50/day – an excellent room.

Drove over to Sun City Real Estate office. Inspected six model homes. Fell in love with Vallensia model – $18,995. Had dinner at Kings Inn, then to Sun City Saturday Nite dance. Met a lot of nice people.

Sunday November 22, 1964 Sun City

Put up $500 deposit on home to be built in 15 months.

Monday November 23 – Saturday Nov 28, 1964

Left Sun City, Arizona at 12:30 PM and drove to Sun, City California to occur with Betty and Avery Batson. Arrived about 4:30 pm. Spent Tues. with them and left wed 11/25 for L.A. arrived and docked at the Breakers in Santa Monica – cold and cloudy. Thurs. drove down San Diego Freeway – hammed in a traffic tie up for more than an hour – to Carlsbad, to visit Mildred Pomeroy Richards (a second cousin) and family. Had delightful Thanksgiving Dinner and evening.

Left at 10 and drove back to S.M in heavy fog. Spent Friday 11/27 in R.A. too much traffic for us small town guys decided to cut short our stay here and drive to Santa Barbara in the morning. Sat 11/28 took off at 11:15 AM foggy and quite cold. By passed SB on freeway, so continued on to Monterey for the night. Later decided to go on in to San Francisco which we did and stopped at the Alpha Inn Motel 2505 Lombard St.

Sunday November 29 – Sunday November 13, 1964

This period in San Francisco was spend sight seeing and in final preparations for trips. We visited Margaret Shaver, her son Mike, daughter Shelia in Palo Alto, Emily King in San Carlo, Red and Ida McKennon in Hillsborough; talked to Leona Brant of Cheyenne at hotel in S.F. but could not get together. We packed and repacked and took part of our luggage to pier 4-1 in SF, from days before sailing for transfer to Alameda. Sailing dates were changed several times. We arranged with Wells Fargo bank to transfer $3000 from our bank in Lakewood and then picked it up in small bills. Bought supplies, 6 cards of hearing aid batteries, at $1.75 for card of 6. We purchased drugs, film and cosmetics and some articles of clothing. We visited the tourist office of Ireland, Scotland, England, Switzerland and Netherlands for brochures and info on our coming European tour. We even bought an automobile, a Volvo for delivery on June first in Gothenburg, Sweden. A errand was made over the Bay Bridge to Alameda to familiarize ourselves with the streets so we could make it quickly the day we sailed and returned to S.F to put our car in storage.