100,000 MILES AT SEA

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29010, 26 September 1959, Page 2

100,000 MILES AT SEA

Swedish Captain’s Daughter An 18-year-old Swedish girl travelling aboard the motor-ship Barranduna has logged 100.009 miles at sea. She is Anita Aberg, daughter of Captain Gqpnar Aberg, master of the vessel. Aboard the ship also is her mother. Mrs Maja Aberg. Anita has been making voyages with her father since she was a very little girl and has made trips to Africa, North America, Britain, Germany, France, all the Scandinavian ports and Australia and New Zealand. A reporter who boarded the Barranduna at Lyttelton yesterday morning found Anita waiting on table in the saloon, where her parents and some of the officers were breakfasting. Until the tables were cleared and the dishes washed in the pantry, she had little time for conversation. Life aboard the ship is anything but leisurely for Anita. She helps the two stewardesses and one of her tasks is to keep the smoke-room"'clean. Clad in jeans and a blue sailor’s shirt, she turns out also to work with the seamen cleaning the decks or painting. Anita's ambition is to become a ship’s officer and perhaps, eventually, a master. Failing that, she would content herself with being a radio operator. “My father and the officers teach me navigation,” said Anita, “and I also study it from books.” She speaks English, German and French, and has a knowledge of other languages. No “Ticket” Captain Aberg explained that, although his daughter might be permitted to sit for and pass the examinations, he was sure she would not be granted her “ticket.” Service at sea as a seaman for at least three years and a half was one of the required qualifications. Although Swedish in almost all other things, Anita is of United States nationality, having been born in Seattle. Washington As the daughter of Swedish parents she is granted many privileges in Sweden, but there are several organisations which she is not to join. At high school at Gothenburg she was not permitted to take instruction in civil defence and. although classed as the school’s best athlete of the year, was not permitted to carry the flag m the school parade, an honour usually extended to the best girl athlete. She finished high school last June.