Information on sea routes in the South pacific in 1981/82

[Michael]

Hello everybody,

My name is Michael and I am an amateur novelist. Currently, I am looking for information on vessels crossing the Pacific Ocean in 1981 or early 1982.

Thus, I would like to know if any ships (cargoes, cruise ships...) left Australia or New Zealand to go to Chilean or Argentinian ports at that time, after crossing the South Pacific.

Would you know then what types of ships these were? Oil tankers, container ships, cruise ships, others? Also, would you have the names of some of these ships and the nature of their cargo, their itinerary or schedule ?


For instance, were there any Auckland to Valparaiso thing ? Or a cruise starting from the UK going round the world stopping by Australia / New Zealand and passing by Valparaiso, Punta Arenas or Buenos Ayres ?

In the event that no ship would have passed through there, were there sea routes in the other direction, through Southeast Asian waters and then the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean (thus passing through other ports maybe, such as Singapore or Cape Town)?

I would be very grateful if you could provide me with this information or direct me to somebody who could or to a website containing archives.

Cheerio,

Michael

[Hawkey01]

Michael,

Welcome to SH. I am sure you will get info in due course.

Neville

[BobClay]

I can speak for one vessel in that area at that time. I sailed on CP Ships bulk carrier W.C. Van Horne having joined her in February 1981. The final voyage was from Gladstone Australia to San Nicolas, Argentina (upriver from Buenos Aires.) We were carrying coal and arrived in Argentina in mid June 1981 having crossed the South Pacific and rounded Cape Horn. I paid off at that point.

I seem to remember we got close to the remotest part of the sea (Point Nemo) at the time. I also remember being on watch and hearing absolutely nothing for days on 500 KHz (international distress and calling frequency), although at night quite surprisingly distant stations could be heard.

My only Cape Horn transit and the sea was as flat as a mill pond, but we had heavy weather on the way up to the River Plate entrance.

[billyboy]

a warm welcome aboard from the Philippines. Please enjoy all this great site has to offer

[R58484957]

Greetings Michael and welcome to SH. Bon voyage.

[Michael]

Originally Posted by BobClay

I can speak for one vessel in that area at that time. I sailed on CP Ships bulk carrier W.C. Van Horne having joined her in February 1981. The final voyage was from Gladstone Australia to San Nicolas, Argentina (upriver from Buenos Aires.) We were carrying coal and arrived in Argentina in mid June 1981 having crossed the South Pacific and rounded Cape Horn. I paid off at that point.

I seem to remember we got close to the remotest part of the sea (Point Nemo) at the time. I also remember being on watch and hearing absolutely nothing for days on 500 KHz (international distress and calling frequency), although at night quite surprisingly distant stations could be heard.

My only Cape Horn transit and the sea was as flat as a mill pond, but we had heavy weather on the way up to the River Plate entrance.

Hi Bob,

First of all, sorry for replying you so late, I was a bit busy these days.


Second, through this post, I'd like to thanks all of you who wrote something to me here.


Third, Bob, thanks a lot for your account. It's very interesting indeed.


Then I'd like you to tell us more about this voyage. Things such as the itinerary, the crew, stopovers, maritime traffic, incidents and funny/scary things (if any) and so on.

Anything would help.



Michael

[BobClay]

Not a lot I can add. Ship was Canadian Pacific. British officers and Philippino crew. No stopovers, (not really anywhere to stop on that run.) Once you get down in the South Pacific ships are few and far between. I think we went quite a number of days without seeing another ship. I believe Point Nemo is well over 1000 miles from any point of land (you can Google that.) I seem to remember an albatross accompanied us for several days but that's not so unusual down that way.
We had two celebration drinks, Point Nemo and going around Cape Horn.
All the bad weather came once we'd got into the Atlantic, as June is midwinter down in those latitudes.
I honestly can't remember how long that journey took, but I'd say about 3 weeks. The old memory neurons aren't firing so well after 40 years.

[Michael]

Originally Posted by BobClay

Not a lot I can add. Ship was Canadian Pacific. British officers and Philippino crew. No stopovers, (not really anywhere to stop on that run.) Once you get down in the South Pacific ships are few and far between. I think we went quite a number of days without seeing another ship. I believe Point Nemo is well over 1000 miles from any point of land (you can Google that.) I seem to remember an albatross accompanied us for several days but that's not so unusual down that way.
We had two celebration drinks, Point Nemo and going around Cape Horn.
All the bad weather came once we'd got into the Atlantic, as June is midwinter down in those latitudes.
I honestly can't remember how long that journey took, but I'd say about 3 weeks. The old memory neurons aren't firing so well after 40 years.

You added enough. This must have been an interesting journey, though much not must have happened. I've read that Point Nemo has been chosen as the place where to drop decommissioned satellites, space stations or spacecrafts, for it is far from inhabited locations or maritime traffic. It seems that nothing fell on your head though...

[BobClay]

It's probably as empty a stretch of ocean as you could find on the planet.

[Engine Serang]

Originally Posted by BobClay

It's probably as empty a stretch of ocean as you could find on the planet.

Golden opportunity to pump bilges.
Or perhaps not.

[promarine]

Originally Posted by Engine Serang

Golden opportunity to pump bilges.
Or perhaps not.

PUMP BILGES !! only on stormy rough nights, did I say that ?
Andy

[Michael]

Originally Posted by BobClay

We were carrying coal and arrived in Argentina in mid June 1981 having crossed the South Pacific and rounded Cape Horn.

Hello Bob. It's me again. I read that your ship rounded Cape Horn. Do you know if it's something usual for ships going there, or if others might pass by the Strait of Magellan?

[BobClay]

My guess is that modern ships of any reasonable size would go around the Cape, but you'd have to ask the Navigators for a better idea about that. We certainly rounded it back then and I never heard any discussion about using the Strait.

[Michael]

Originally Posted by BobClay

My guess is that modern ships of any reasonable size would go around the Cape, but you'd have to ask the Navigators for a better idea about that. We certainly rounded it back then and I never heard any discussion about using the Strait.

Thanks for clarifying this point.