Edisto (AGB 2) - Naval Cruise Book

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In order that the King find them present- able, the Royal Barber removed excess hair, and the Royal Doctor prescribed and ad- ministered a known cure for possible dis- eases contracted in a cooler climate. When at last they bowed before King Nocilla-Neptune, he allowed them to be presented to the Royal Queen, Parker SF2 and to amuse the Royal Baby, Chief Mc Bride. A final dousing down in salt water ended the purification rites and the polly- wogs retired to prepare entertainment for the Royal Banquet. First on the show bill was the inter' nationally obscure Miss Pollywog contest. From every corner of the ship, division With whetted appetites the Shellbacks thus fell upon their steaks and the pollywogs in their stew. Each division was supposed to provide entertainment but with Robinson SFI, and Gill YNl, vying for the mike with a determination akin to violence, the singing waiters just had to wait. Periodically we were carressed with the smooth velvet fog of Gravey's singing voice whose jokes were equally dense. At last pollywogs were pollywogs no longer and peace reigned again aboard EDISTO. Shellbacks brought forth their supple, sup- pliant maidens and trotted them before the eyes of the messhall for closer examination. Verborg, SK3, USNW, displaying a silken trophy of Panama, won with a walk that won the judges.

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,-v-1-1 lyttleton, n.z. After spending twenty-two days at sea EDISTO arrived in Lyttleton, New Zealand where seventy-six bags of mail were waiting to make our first down-under landfall even more pleasurable. Lyttleton, nestled on the sides of several hills, rises above the picturesque little harbor and is a quiet seaport serving Christ- church. We discovered that Christchurch was one shilling and thirty minutes train ride away. Shops and restaurants showed a strong continental influence, and the ancient British currency system was used. When we had mastered pound, florin, shilling and pence we discovered that people, especially taxis drivers, used slang expressions for money much as in the States. Money chang- ers came aboard to convert American greenies to British sterling and we set out to explore the local wildlife. The local Wives and Sweethearts Union was responsible for passing a law forbidding Pubs to stay open later than 1800. How- ever, it was only necessary to follow the well trodden path around to the rear door to enter and enjoy the hospitality of the MOOSE AND CAT, or the KENELWORTH AND ARMS etc., and drink warm 'arf and 'arf. New Zealand men are concerned with drinking and sports first, and everything else much later, and the women encouraged, with only a vague understanding our preoc- cupation with revelry. Since the caberets had beer but no other attractions, we fell back on the sailor's oldest gambit for meeting girls - simply introducing ourselves. This was done while walking around a square in Christchurch, and there were only two responses - Carry on Yanks, or Wait a minute, I'm choos- ing. The latter is an ideal method for handling sudden prosperity. After some adjustment we found the idiomatic barrier less of a problem than we expected and New Zealanders received us warmly and with many invitations. EDISTO was soon swarming with wee ones who traded pence for nickles and received plastic models constructed during the ship's long voyage from Panama to New Zealand, as did patients at Christchurch Children's Hospital. Obviously the com- mand, Wait at the quarterdeck for a guide, applied only to big people, and was no concern of theirs. They visited the living compartments and could be seen strolling around on the main deck with white hats cocked on their heads. Three mermaids also ViSitCd the Ship, coming over the side via rope ladder, and they retreated to sick-bay only when the camera bugs had exhausted rolls of film. As a unit they were named Miss Sick Bay, and were probably respons- ible for the sudden popularity of that anti- ceptic cubical. They decided not to remain aboard permanently after discovering that all Navy equipment is painted Haze Grey. Robertson, SFl, delighted several small charges under his care by applying . . amd plans were made fishing techniques acquired in Panama and rescuing a bicycle from the deep six. With liberal applications of machine oil it was soon in running order. With typical mechanical ingenuity sailors mastered right hand drive, confusing gear shifts and Bobbie traffic guides and sallied forth upon quests for souvenirs and sight- seeing in rented automobiles. Courteous New Zealand drivers seemed to recognize cars on the wrong side of the street or wobbling undecidedly in the middle as American drivers, and they moved onto the sidewalks or the reverse side of the street with a smile and a wave. After five days we sadly left New Zealand behind and, after a minor skirmish with the port motor and a fly-over sendoff by the Royal New Zealand Air Force, we turned southward toward the ice and duty. 1