Tina's journey North - a Passage through Hell.

















Tina's stay in Capetown improved and was very pleasant; we were together as a Family, and Capetown does have some lovely parts. The beaches were lovely, there was much to see, and Gregory and Gerard were the very best to take anywhere. It was nice too that I had a friend there from my time with the Elder Dempster Line, Roger Layzell. We did take the opportunity to change the Passport at the Consulate and thereby provide Tina her own Passport [as seen in the last blog.] We had fast gained the view that South Africa would not have a long term future for us.
The journey back to Walvis Bay for Tina proved to be another nightmare. First of all, think of days cramped in a non air conditioned compartment, this was travelling on the more remote part of the continent. Yes, there was an attendant to make up the bunks, generally do basic housekeeping, and bring food but it was not "touristy" more "Wild West". Tacked onto the rear of the train were carriages for non-whites, very basic.
The first real event of note was the encounter with the storm. As the train approached the storm then it was entry into the darkness of night. Rain, hail, wind, dust, buffeted the carriage, this was punctuated by crashing lightning, claps of thunder. But it is the darkness in the middle of the day that puts the fear of God into you. Gregory found it all awe inspiring and was not afraid, Gerard was a bit small for all this and as his brother was not worried took it in his stride. Tina had experienced bad weather with me at sea before but found this just a bit scary to say the least. This was weathered and the train continued its slow journey to Windhoek where a much worse event was to take place.
The train was used to provide transport to non-whites who were mainly contract labour bound to the mines and farms in the hinterland. It was compulsory at all times for white and non-white people to carry their Identity Cards. One poor African man did not have it with him so the Police took action. Remember the President had recently been assassinated in Capetown. The Authorities had an hair-trigger . This poor unfortunate was then the victim of a violent reaction. Tina's main desire was to shield the boys from this awful event and managed to do that. However it is still something that she cannot bear to think about .
Tina was later to go ahead of me back to the United Kingdom with the Boys whilst I worked out the balance of the contract with the South African Harbours. I went into hard training and gained a position with a First Class Rugby Club, Namib Park, and paid for the journey home by doing compass adjusting on the very large fishing fleet based on Walvis Bay.
South Africa is the land of the good, the bad, and the ugly. It is not for everyone and going there requires very careful consideration even now.


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