'Pentakota' in Port Chalmers dry dock - & much more -

'Pentakota', Port Chalmers dry dock

Our first job was to show the Port Health people round all the holds, store rooms etc, and they set traps where the presence of rats was most promising.

Mr. Martin was the Lloyd's Surveyor. He started with the external hull survey, and found no major faults, just a few plate landings to be caulked, one or two whole plates to be chipped. Anchors were walked back into the dock and the cables ranged. The bottom was painted, first with chrome and then anti fouling, tank tops were cleared of dunnage, tanks pressed up.

'Pentakota' propeller blade problem.

Problems were found with a couple of our cast iron propeller blades. Apart from the damage near the tip, there was a deep, long cut near the boss in one blade, and these were replaced with our spares.

Port Chalmers, dry dock area

Coming out of dry dock on the 26th May, the Harbour Master Mr. Moloney moved us 300 yards or so to Bowen Pier where we discharged the remainder of our cargo and started voyage 26. The H.M. Mr. McKenzie took us out to sea on the 2nd June. We spent an uncomfortable night, light ship, in heavy weather, on our way to Bluff. The Pilot, Mr. Russell, boarded from the tug 'Awarua' and we were alongside No.1 Main Wharf by 1030.

Tallow in casks, Bluff

Bluff is in a pretty exposed area of the world, and this was winter time. The weather prevented us from commencing loading our cargo (various grades of tallow in casks) until the 9th June, which was a sad day for the European personnel (not Australians or New Zealanders, note). They had to sign in the Official Log book, accepting Company's Home Line Pay and Conditions 'on and from 9th June'. We were in Bluff until 15th June.

Back up to Lyttelton for bunkers, and then on to Napier, No.3 East wharf which we backed into on the 22nd. June. We tied up with heavy shoreside wires coir springs attached to them, and during our stay there we realised why. The swell in the harbour made itself felt all the time, with the vessel surging alongside the jetty, rubbing all the paint off in various places.

I enjoyed our time in Australia and New Zealand, my first visit to both these countries (and my last, to New Zealand). We always found a welcome ashore, and we must have attended a dozen or so local dances in the various ports. From what I can remember there was a certain pattern to these dances, usually in a single storeyed hall. A group of half a dozen of us from the ship would arrive at the entrance door at one end, and pay our entrance fees. The band would be on a stage at the other end, ladies sitting along the wall on the right, gents either sitting on the left or gathered at the bar near the stage. The music would start, some couples would start dancing, clusters of girls still sitting down, talking animatedly to each other. The long walk across the floor to ask one of the ladies for a dance, followed by the glances of the locals at the bar. After three tunes one said thank you and returned to the seats along the left hand wall.

I was on board in Lyttelton on Sunday, 18th June, when a local man asked me if a few of us would like to go for a ride in the country, in his car. If so, he would call for us in the afternoon. This was very nice of him, and I went round to see if anyone wanted to come. The Second Engineer came, Brian, and the Purser too, I think. It was cold and grey, and we had put our macs on.

I can remember the large car, because of the windscreen which was made of two vertical pieces of flat plate glass, angled back from the centre as if to push the wind to either side. We drove toward Christchurch.

Eventually we stopped, and he asked us to come with him to this building nearby (I think it was a corrugated iron hall) for refreshments.

When we got inside we found that some kind of church service was in progress, and we appeared to be the last to arrive. On a stage in the front stood a lady who was taking the service. She was exhorting the congregation to change their ways, and every time she mentioned 'sinners', curious glances came our way, seated at the back as we were, in our macs. Every now and again there was a short break in her sermon, during which time members of the congregation were encouraged to come to their feet and explain to us all about their sins, and how they had finally 'seen the light'. After the service ended, we were politely taken back to the ship.

We arrived back in Auckland on the 5th July, and left on the 15th July, having loaded more tallow in drums, canned meat and bunkers at West Queen's wharf, West wharf and Inner King's wharf. Our fresh water tanks had been carefully topped up, and our departure draft was 20' 1" ford, 23' 1" aft. Destination Balboa.