Thursday July 20, 1922 - Part 2

Gradually we gain speed. The two tugs are together now – in fact touching one another as they steam side by side pulling the ropes attached to our ship. We glide for two hours down the river – then one tug suddenly turns away & sails for home, followed a little later by the other. We are under our own steam now, but so gently is our own propeller revolving that still we seem to just glide along.

By the end of the morning we have reached the open sea. We stop for the first time: the Pilot boat comes alongside & we drop the river pilot, thanking him in our hearts for manipulating this long ship so successfully around all those corners of the Scheldt!

The morning has passed quickly enough. We have watched all the cabin trunks piled up on deck being carried off one by one to their respective cabins. We have been pleased to see our own arrive (I feigned ignorance of French when the porters said mine was very heavy!) (all “tips” are reserved for the end of the journey). Then there was the deck chairs to see to and place in position when a side had been chosen.

We were quite hungry by 11.0 am and went to the dining saloon to get a cup of soup – to find to our chagrin that summertime ceases on board a ship & the chef only considers it 10.0 am! We alter our watches and return in an hour and are not disappointed.

Lunch 1.0. Sleep from 2 to 4.

Wake for a cup of tea and find we are insight of England. We pass quite close to Dover and can make out with glasses the white ensign flying near the harbour.

Dover Castle stands out against the sky, beyond are the hills and woods of the English countryside. The white cliffs are in shadow and appear dark and grey. We are still looking as the warning bugle for dinner sounds.

Through the port hole of the dining saloon we catch through the circle a golden sunset behind the English hills. A walk around the deck after dinner and across the dark waters we can see the lights of some south coast town with a long row of lights indicating the promenade. Splashes of light show some great hotel…perhaps some are watching from the shore our boat – all lit up and bright as she steams to the west on their horizon.

The sky is clear with a cloud break in the Northwest; Venus as Evening star is shining with special brilliance. Gradually the decks are deserted and one by one the portholes darken as the lights are put out… the throb of the engines and the splashing of the sea against the ships bows are the predominant sounds.

 “The stars are shining overhead

-          Sleep sweetly then, Good Night”.

The S.S Albertville