Shipping News

Press, 24 August 1976, Page 19

Shipping News

N.Z. chosen for : last voyage

'Almost 40 years roaming the world in the service of the Dutch merchant navy will come to an end within the next six weeks for Captain J. Sobels, master of the Nedlloyd freighter Madison Lloyd. Captain Sobels was at Lyttelton last week paying his farewells to a port with which he has had an association spanning 14 years. He was master of the one of the first ships to be used on a new service to New Zealand introduced by the Nederland Line and the Rffyal Rotterdam Line in the early 19605. He made three successive trips as master of the Neder Ebro before being posted elsewhere. But he was back again in 1965 as master of the Karimun. •For his last trip, he asked specially to be sent to New Zealand. The reason, he said/ was because the trip was one of the few opportunities his wife had had of sailing with him, and it was a part of- the world she had never, seen. Captain Sobels, who was; born in the Dutch East! Indies, comes from a long; line of seafarers. His father was a captain in the Royal Packet Navigation Company in the Indonesian archipelago, as were his uncle! and grandfather. In 1938, he became a| cadet with the Nederland! Line Then, as now, shore] life held many attractions, and it was generally 1 accepted that only 5 peri cent of the nautical school’s intake would reach the rank! of captain, he said. •For Captain Sobels, the' “home front” is a most im-! portant part of a sailor’s; life, yet it got little tribute, he said. He was married immedi-l ately after World War 11,1 but within three weeks was off on a 13-month voyage. His wife adjusted better; than man\ to the lot of a, sailor’s spouse.

“I took each day as it ’I came — there was no use j pining,” she said. ! Captain Sobels summed up ! his seafaring career as a ! | “quiet affair,” with no majot incidents. I The Sobels will retire in I the Netherlands, they have a house and cabin cruiser tc (keep them occupied. ARRIVALS ‘ Coastal Trader (9.6 a.m.), 2500, Capt. R. Jackson, Auckland iShipping Corp, of N.Z.). Botany Triumph (2.18 p.m.), 2803, Mount Maunganui (Scales) Toei Maru (9.20 a.m.), 7354 Auckland (Scales). Holmdale (2.31 p.m.), 911, Capt II Sheales, Chatham Islands uU.S.S.I. departures i Coastal Trader (4.5 p.m.), 2500 Capt. R. Jackson, Dunedin (Shipping Corp, of N.Z.). Sinkiang (4.22 p.m.), 6057, Capt. J R. Haines, Tauranga (P and jO). EXPECTED ARRIVALS Straat Colombo, Auckland. August 25. ;Coastal Trader, Timaru. August 25 i Union Melbourne, Wellington, August 25. Straat Fremantle. Wellington, August 26. ! Union Sydney, Dunedin, August 28. Mairoula Timaru, August 29. I Clydebank, U.S. Gulf, August 29. PROJECTED DEPARTURES Botany Triumph. August 25. Hazelbank. August 25. Regent Marigold. August 26. Coastal Trader Auckland, August 25. (Prima, Japan, August 26. Iberic. Bluff. August 26. i Union Melbourne. Wellington, August 26. ‘Holmdale. Wellington. August 26. Regent Marigold. August 26. Recife Maru. Dunedin, August 27, Union Sydney. Wellington. Aug 28. 'Straat Colombo. Auckland, Aug. I 28. Straat Fremantle, Auckland. Aug. 28. Toei Maru. Bluff, August 28. Turakina New Plymouth. August 28. VESSELS IN PORT Recife Maru, Cashin Quay No. 1. Iberic. Cashin Quay No. 2 Prima, Cashin Quay. No. 3. Hazelbank, G.P.E. Regent Marigold, No. 2 East. Holmdale, No, 3 East. Mawhera, No. 5 East. Turakina. No. 3 W» st. Toei Maru. No. 7 East. Botany Triumph. No. 7 West.