ssMaritime.com & ssMaritime.net
With Reuben Goossens
Maritime Historian
Original Port Line badge
Author’s private collection
MS Port Sydney
Later names: Akrotiri Express, Daphne, Switzerland, Ocean
Monarch
Currently cruising as the MV Princess Daphne
Dave
James Sails – UK to Sydney in 1961
Postcard of the Port Sydney
From the ssMaritime collection
“I
was a Junior Engineer on the MS Port Sydney and I had, to say the least an
ecstatic and a wonderful homeward voyage back to Sydney Australia in 1961. We
sailed via Cape Town and across the Indian Ocean and during our long ocean stretches I
greatly enjoyed such wonderful company amongst the engineers, crew and when
mixing with the passengers.
A group of engineers out on deck on the Indian
Ocean
Provided by & © David James
Here I am at the controls in the engine room
Provided by & © David James
This me at the top of the mast standing at the Crows Nest (look out)
Provided by & © David James
There was a Percheron horse on board and I
befriended it and often went to visit for a pat
Provided
by & © David James
In
all I have had some forty four years of seafaring, sailing with companies such
as Port Line, Burns Philp, Union Steamship’s (Australia’s) sheep carrier such as the 1936 built SS Trangie,
as well as Sydney’s famed Hydrofoil ferries, Salvage tugs but more
recently Dredges. However, all of these have never diminished my fond memories
of one of the most beautiful and solid ships ever built, the MS Port Sydney,
indeed the best ship I have ever sailed on!
David James - Australia.”
The SS Trangie whilst
at an Pacific
Island
Provided by & © David James
An additional short Note regarding the SS Trangie: She was built by Harland and Wolff, Belfast in 1936 for a single ship company associated with
the United Fruit company of Boston, USA.
Her main purpose was the carriage of bananas between Caribbean ports and the UK and USA. She also had some luxury
accommodations for a limited number of passengers. She retained her
registration at Belfast
for almost her entire life. However, she operated from Australia for Union Steamship for some time and
became rather well known after she had returned to Australia
from a dramatic voyage to Mexico
in 1964 with her Australian crew and she was tied to a buoy off Cockatoo Island. During her last sheep carrying voyage many of
the sheep on board had apparently died and this had made big news worldwide.
She soon departed to be broken up.
The delightful MS Port Sydney is seen arriving in Sydney
Author’s private collection
Port Sydney - INDEX
Part One: Read about the history of the
Port Sydney
Part Two: John Whitehead Story - Page One - Story & photographs by John Whitehead 3rd Engineer
1959/60
John Whitehead Story - Page Two – The
story continues
John Whitehead Story - Page Three –
Online in the near future
Dave
James Story – Page
Four – Dave an engineer sails home to Australia
Part Three: Discover
her as a modern, but classic cruise ship – (on my cruise site -
cruise-australia.net)
Part Four: Princess Daphne DECK PLAN -
(on my
cruise site - cruise-australia.net)
“Classic Ocean Voyages”
Why not Cruise on this Ship, or one of the superb Classic Ships still
sailing today
Believe me it is worth it!
Use
the Back button on your browser or Close the Page to return to the previous
page
or go to our INDEX
***********************************
Who is the Author of ssMaritime?
Commenced
in the passenger Shipping Industry in May 1960
ssMaritime.com & ssMaritime.net
Where
the ships of the past make history & the 1914
built MV Doulos Story
Also
visit my …
“Save The Classic Liners Campaign” & “Classic Ocean Voyages” pages
Photographs on ssmaritime and associate pages are by the author
or from the author’s private collection. In addition there are some images that have been
provided by Shipping Companies and private photographers or collectors. Credit
is given to all contributors. However, there are some photographs provided to
me without details regarding the photographer/owner concerned. I hereby invite
if owners of these images would be so kind to make them-selves known to me (my
email address may be found on www.ssmaritime.com
only), in order that due credit may be given. I know what it is like, I have
seen a multitude of my own photographs on other sites, yet these individuals
either refuse to provide credit or remove them when asked, knowing full well
that there is no legal comeback when it comes to the net. However, let us show these
charlatans up and do the right thing at all times and give credit where credit
is due!
This
notice covers all pages, although, and I have done my best to ensure that all
photographs are duly credited and that this notice is displaced on each page,
that is, when a page is updated!
ssMaritime is owned and © Copyright 2010/12 - by Reuben
Goossens - All Rights Reserved