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Rob Coombs' Memories 1969-1793
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Himalaya at Night
24/10/1972 - 19:42, Dusk at Papeete
01/08/1971 - 19:44, Circular Quay, Sydney
01/08/1971 - 19:45, Circular Quay, Sydney
04/05/1971 - 19:48, Evening at Copenhagen
01/08/1970 - 19:49, Dusk in Venice
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Himalaya in Various Ports
Himalaya as portrayed on daily menu cards.
Sydney - Circular Quay
18/09/1969 15:59, Grand Harbour, Valetta, Malta This was the final trip with green boot topping.
10/04/1972 - 16:02, Boat port, Baie Des Flamands, Martinique.
17/03/1971 - 16:13, Port Everglades, Miami, Florida.
18/04/1971 - 16:17, Boat port, at anchor off Grenada.
24/10/1972, 16:22, Papeete, Tahiti.
Departure Pyrmont, Sydney - circa May 1972.
Well deck - departure Pyrmont, Sydney - circa May 1972.
28/03/1970 - 16:34, Circular Quay, Sydney. Opera House still under construction.
16/08/1972 - 16:39, Pago Pago, American Samoa.
17/10/1971 - 17:07, Obligatory post card view in Pago Pago Harbour, American Samoa.
16/08/1972 - 17:11, From cable car, Pago Pago, American Samoa.
05/07/1972, Yokohama Terminal, Japan.
10/03/1971, Beach & harbour, boat port, Acapulco, Mexico.
11/04/1972, Nelson's Dockyard, English Harbour, Antigua, Leeward Islands.
08/04/1972, Bridgetown, Barbados.
31/10/1970, From "Aloha Tower", Honolulu.
31/10/1970, From "Aloha Tower", Honolulu.
26/10/1970, Vancouver terminal, with Stuart Fleming (aka Surg) in shadows on the left.
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People Onboard
17/03/1971, Himalaya - Deck Department on Boat deck - Women's Weekly World Discovery Tour.
Rob writes;
The naming of all these people is a formidable challenge. I can help with the following; The Captain is Capt Fox, on his left was Staff Capt Geoff Howe, on his left is Allan Hough (Surgeon) and second from the left is Lillian Waddams (Nursing Sister). On Capt Fox's right are Chief Officer Bradford, third from the end is John McCririck (A/Surgeon), and Sandra Ayling (Nursing Sister). Behind Capt Fox's right shoulder is Brian Mitchell (Carpenter), myself, ?? (Projectionist), and Eon Dyson (Hospital Attendant). Behind Staff Capt Howe's left shoulder is Geoff Pappin (Plumber). Other than that my memory fails me.
01/06/1972, assortment in Ch Eng's cabin
L-R:
Rob Coombs, Bill Gunn (sadly deceased)(2nd Chef), Geoff Constable (Ch Eng), Peter Vogt (sadly deceased)(2nd Steward).
L-R Sitting:
Lilian Waddams (later Hough- sadly deceased)(N/Sist), Janet Snedden (later van Leerdam) (Asst Surg) & Jan ? (N/Sister).
16/09/1971, Rob's 29th Birthday bash on the hospital deck aft.
L-R:
Rob Coombs, Tony Boxall (Ch Steward), Geoff Pappin (Plumber) & at rear Peter Vogt (2nd Steward).
01/06/1972, PO's bar.
L-R:
Sandy Saunders (Aft Accom), ??, ??, ??, Rob Coombs, Peter Vogt (2nd Steward), ??, & kneeling Bill Gunn (2nd Chef).
01/06/1972, PO's bar.
L-R:
??, ??, ??, Rob Coombs, Brian Mitchell (Carpenter), Geoff Pappin (Plumber), ??, Bill Gunn (2nd Chef), ??, ??, & lower ??, ??.
01/03/1972, "London Night"- "Singing Waiters".
L-R:
??, ??, ??, Rob Coombs, ??, & George Alcock (Eng).
01/03/1972, "London Night" finale
L-R Rear:
Tim Watford (A/Surg) - note his right hand, Paul Tutton (Bureau) - in army uniform Sandy Sanderson (Aft Accom).
L Front
Lilian Waddams, & kneeling front - Alan Arkieson (Purser).
01/01/1970, New Year's Day excursion - Sydney Harbour.
Marjorie Dawson (N/Sister), Brendon ? R/O, and ?? (deck officer), with ?? (Dutch WAP) behind.
04/09/1970, Boat excursion, Palma.
13/06/1970, Crossing the Line ceremony, Richard Collin (A/Surg) as policeman.
13/06/1970, Richard doing his job.
13/06/1970, The victim consigned to the deep.
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Medical Department Staff
05/03/1972, Rob Coombs in Acapulco, Mexico.
12/01/1970, Oysters & Stout on operating table (where else?) - departure Fremantle.
L-R:
Anne Newshome (N/Sister), Stuart Fleming (Surg), Jean Tattersall (later McConachie)(Chilli Ho), Marjorie Dawson (N/Sister), & Richard Collin (A/Surg).
12/04/1970, Under the cherry blossom on the W.W. Cherry Blossom Cruise - near Sakai Bridge - Japan.
L-R:
Rob Coombs, Anne Newshome (N/Sister), Richard Collin (A/Surg).
24/11/1970, Prawns on post-mortem table (where else), departure Brisbane.
L-R:
Stuart Fleming (Surg) Anne Newshome (N/Sister), Rob Coombs, Graham Charlwood (A/Surg), Marjorie Dawson (N/Sister), Eon Dyson (Hosp Att).
17/03/1971, Medical Dept - Ft Lauderdale - Women's Weekly World Tour.
L-R:
Rob Coombs, Sandra Ayling (now Vogt) (N/Sister), Allan Hough (Surg), John McCririck (A/Surg), Lillian Waddams (later Hough - sadly deceased)(N/Sister), Eon Dyson (Hosp Att).
05/03/1972, Obviously post departure San Francisco with Allan Hough (Surg) and Rob Coombs.
05/03/1972, With obligatory Johnny Walker in hand - Lilian Waddams (later Hough- sadly deceased).
05/03/1972, Medical Dept - Acapulco.
L-R:
Rob Coombs, Jan ? (N/Sister), Allan Hough (Surg), Tim Watford (A/Surg), Lillian Waddams (N/Sister), & Eon Dyson (Hosp Att).
05/07/1972, On B Deck aft hospital deck, rather bored waiting to berth at Yokohama
L-R:
Janet Snedden (later van Leerdam)(A/Surg), Janice ? (N/Sister), and Lillian Waddams (N/Sister).
14/08/1972, Hospital B deck aft.
L-R:
Rob Coombs, Janice ? (N/Sister), Eon Dyson (Hosp Att), Lilian Waddams (N/Sister)(obscured) & Garven Faulkas (Surg).
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No2 Lifeboat Accident
14/08/1972, Being raised after successful rescue of lifebuoy in a Man Overboard exercise - centre rear Garvin Faulkas (Surg) and Rob Coombs.
Rob writes;
We were on a Pacific cruise and a number of us were to be examined for our lifeboat ticket when we arrived back in Sydney. At Suva, it was explained to us how to start the lifeboat engine. With permission from the bridge, it was lowered to embarkation level, and we took turns at starting the engine - over an active gangway no less. Workplace Health & Safety what? When being returned to the davits, some item (can't remember what) was tangled or causing an obstruction. I and someone else (sorry can't remember his name) climber back in to clear the problem, and with us still in it, the boat was wound back into the davits. The actual cause of the subsequent events were never fully explained to me, by apparently the winch winding the forrad cable didn't stop when it should have and kept winding until eventually snapping the cable. The bow fell and the boat swung like a pendulum - suspended only by the aft cable - above the concrete wharf. The two of us were fortunately in the stern and were thrown against the engine housing, if we'd been in the bow, we would have been strawberry jam on the quayside. I had always maintained that there was no way I could shin up a rope - I lied - and I did it in record time. Apart from the loss of skin on the palms of our hands, we were physically uninjured. However, I did give the Valium a bit of a nudge that night.
14/08/1972, This photo was taken by one of the hostesses when the boat was a fair way back to being righted to it's correct position.
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Panama Canal Transit 1972
09/03/1972, Panama Canal - heading N.W., approaching Gaillard Cut.
Passing through Gaillard Cut - from Monkey Island.
Gets rather close at times.
Through Gaillard Cut.
From Monkey Island
L-R:
Jan ? (N/Sister), Rob Coombs, Alan Hough (Surg), & Tim Watford (A/Surg).
Opportunity for mast maintenance by Indian deck crew.
Canal widening approaching Gatun Locks.
Canal.
Lunch on post-mortem table - Panama Canal transit.
L-R:
Jan ??(N/Sister), Tim Watford (A/Surg) Peter Vogt (2nd Steward) Alan Hough (Surg), Eon Dyson (Hosp Att), Dave Jarvis (Aft Shop) Lillian Waddams (N/Sister).
Entering second Gatun Lock.
Bill Gunn (2nd Chef) on the right and Tim Watford (A/Surg) to the left.
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Himalaya Deck Scenes
21/08/1972
02/02/1971
28/12/1970, Starboard boat deck.
18/12/1970, Looking forrad from A Deck aft.
10/10/1971, Typical departure Pyrmont 13.
10/10/1971, Under the Harbour Bridge.
10/08/1972, Departure Sydney.
10/03/1971, Acapulco beachfront from A Deck aft.
10/03/1971, Acapulco beachfront, from A Deck aft.
25/12/1971, Chasing "SA Oranje" across the Indian Ocean on Christmas Day from B Deck aft.
11/08/1972, A Deck portside.
16/08/1972, Everest Room, on the Promenade deck.
16/08/1972, Fwd shop, A Deck.
25/12/1969, Goanese Christmas tableau in peak # 147
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Ships of the Fleet
23/07/1970, Canberra southbound Himalaya northwards, in the Bay of Biscay.
23/01/1970, Canberra standing off Cape Town, awaiting berth vacated by Himalaya.
01/04/1972, Oriana under the Salazar Bridge, Lisbon - ready to berth upstream from Himalaya.
10/10/1971, Oriana departing Circular Quay (Stuart Fleming under "Oriana" lettering).
10/10/1971, Leaving Circular Quay with the yet to be completed Opera House at the rear.
08/04/1971, Oriana in Southampton on a murky April day.
08/04/1971, Oriana and Arcadia in the murk, Southampton Docks.
08/04/1971, Arcadia at Dock 105.
29/08/1972, Arcadia makes smoke at Suva (Fiji) on departure.
30/12/1971, Arcadia westbound, from Himalaya eastbound at 19:00 hrs off southern coast of South Africa.
30/12/1971, A few seconds later, Arcadia westbound and Himalaya eastbound at 19:00 hrs off southern coast of South Africa.
26/11/1970, Alan McKenzie assures me this is Iberia but is unsure of the location.
16/10/1968, Bow of Orsova from bridge.
16/10/1968, Looking aft from starboard side of bridge.
16/10/1968, Orsova bridge.
19/10/1968, Tourist deck aft.
19/10/1968, Tourist deck aft.
24/09/1968, Orsova at Hong Kong terminal - paint chipped off hull by hand - the noise was horrendous.
31/10/1970, Oronsay in Honolulu.
15/02/1972, Oronsay about to berth - Tokyo Bay.
10/01/1972, Orcades alongside at Fremantle.
27/11/1970, Orcades - Overseas Terminal, Sydney Cove.
22/08/1970, Chusan outward bound in Southampton Water.
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Storm in August 1971
07/08/1971, From bridge - Pacific storm - cruising from Auckland to Papeete.
From bridge - it didn't look too bad....
From D Deck aft.
From B Deck aft - great cruising weather!
From B Deck aft.
From D deck aft, below swell height no less.
Aft from the bridge - conditions don't look as bad this way.
Allan Hough (surgeon) tries hand at photography.
The swell gets bigger & better.
The bow digs deep.
The bow digs deeper - with the stern and props exposed a real rivet rattler. Note the green water lower left.
Secure in harbour, Papeete.
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Himalaya End
Women's Weekly tribute of Nov 20 1974 - after decades of W.W. Tours.
Lower half of previous page.
In the Hamilton Reach of the Brisbane River for the final time.
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The Reunions
15/01/2007, Reunion in London - 37 years later Richard Collin, Rob Coombs & Stuart Fleming.
01/01/2007, New year reunion 2007 - at rear -Stuart, Sandra Vogt, Alison and myself, and at front Stuart's daughter Emma & wife Evie.
03/01/2007, Most recent reunion with Stuart Fleming - 37 years later.
10/01/2007, Reunion with Graham Charlwood -37 years later - Gillian Charlwood, Rob Coombs, Graham, & Alison.
22/11/2009, Most recent reunion with Alan -at rear Alison & myself, and in front Alan and his wife Beryl.
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