PASSION FOR THE SEA

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 20058, 15 March 1935, Page 2

PASSION FOR THE SEA

YOUNG BELFAST GIRL

WORK ON WIND-JAMMER

A passion for the sea is so strong in Nancie M. Moore, a 17-year-old Belfast girl, that she has crossed the world in a four-masted barque as an ordinary seaman and prefers that mode of travelling to any other. At the age of 16 she had had some experience of sailing in 18-foot yachts, and urged her parents to allow her to make a voyage as a passenger in the fourmasted barque L’Avenir from Glasgow to Mariehamn the home port of the Erikson Company, owners of several Finnish barques which engage in the wheat trade to and from Australia. “I had made arrangements before my parents knew, but had to use a lot of argument and persuasion before they would give me permission to go. They thought one voyage would be enough for me, but it only made me still more enthusiastic,” said Miss Moore, in the course of an interview upon her arrival in Wellington by the Monowai from Sydney. Miss Moore is visiting relatives in Wellington until she receives a cable from the skipper of the Ponape, a Finnish barque, that the ship has secured a cargo for conveyance to Europe. Seaman’s Discharge! Proudly, yet shyly, Miss Moore showed the interviewer the discharge she received from the skipper upon her leaving the vessel at Port Lincoln, South Australia. She said she was going to frame the document when she returns to Belfast. She also treasures a two-shilling piece which the captain gave her in payment of wages earned on the 90-day voyage —a few cents more than she had earned, indeed, because of the exchange ratio. Her wages were expressed to be 10 marks a month. “S.V. Ponape, “Gustav Erikson, “Mariehamn. “This is to certify that Nancie M. Moore has served on board the Finnish four-masted barque Ponape, gross register 2342 tons, as ordinary seaman during a voyage from Copenhagen to Port Lincoln, South Australia, from October 20, 1934, until January 18, 1935; total time served 90 days. During her stay on board, she has always acted in a sober and good manner and done her duties to my entire satisfaction. She is well recommended to anyone in need of her services. She is leaving the ship at her own request. Port Lincoln, January 19, 1935. CARL GRANITH, “Master of the Ponape.” Miss Moore almost belied .the part she has played, so young and feminine did she appear when she was identified on the crowded decks of the Monowai. Peculiar Coincidence A peculiar coincidence* is the fact that Miss Moore’s parents have met Lady Bourne, mother of Miss Pamela Bourne, South Africa, who visited Wellington about a year ago, and then as a “fo’c’stle hand” went aboard the Herzogin Cecile, one of the wheat ships. Miss Moore went aboard the Herzogin Cecile at Belfast to meet Miss Bourne, but Miss Bourne was then ashore.

“I have always been interested in the sea, and especially in sailing ships,” said Miss Moore. “My uncle is a surgeon in the Navy, but no others in the family have ever had sea experience. My first voyage was in L’Avenir, one of the wheat ships which happened to go to Glasgow that year. I liked the trip very much. I toured about Finland and the Baltic for a little after that, and had to go home by steamer to Belfast.

“Three weeks after, I went again on the Viking, another four-masted barque from Mariehamn to Copenhagen. I was really a passenger, but signed on as a stewardess. I was on my own again—l always go on my own. My parents were ‘dead’ against it.

“My people said they would not allow me to go on this trip, but after a few arguments and persuasions, consent was given. I joined the Ponape at Copenhagen. I had lessons on board on navigating, and was taught to use the sextant and to ‘shoot’ the sun. I kept charts of the voyages just for the interest. They will be nice to have to look back on. I also got lessons in Swedish. I like the Swedes and their country far better than any others. I also learned sailmaking on board.” “On the last voyage we left Copenhagen on October 21 and proceeded nbrth of the Shetland Islands because of the weather. The usual route is north of the Orkney Isles. The sailing ships do not go through the English Channel because against head winds they cannot beat there; there is no room, and at night or in fog it might be dangerous. A good run was made, and the line was reached in 33 days. We had been held up at the Canary Islands for a while, and also at Tristan Da Cunha, because of calm or very light winds. At Tristan Da Cunha we put in, and four boats full of natives came out to barter all kinds of things.

“Aii English parson came out and asked me to go ashore. I went with a bodyguard at the risk of being marooned if any wind came before I could get on board. I spent five hours there looking over the island. “Then came Christmas Day, when we were about the altitude of the Cape in 45. Next day a sudden squall got up in the night, followed by a gale, and tore out all our sails except three. The wind blew them to ribbons.

“A lovely wind took us across the Bight to Spencer Gulf, where we were held up for four days beating up and down the coast. We got into Port Lincoln after 88 days from Copenhagen. I went by steamer to Adelaide, where I spent three days, and then went by train to Melbourne and Sydney.” Miss Moore will be in Wellington till she receives a cable from the skipper of the Ponape. A wheat cargo is being sought by the skipper, and it takes five or six weeks to load a cargo of wheat. Miss Moore will then return home on board the Ponape.