A message from Pete Delduca on Saturday, June 26, 2010

Again I have to say that the MV Dunera was not a schools ship in 1960, those who think they sailed on the first school trip are mistaken. I was on the last outward voyage to Aden from Southampton in January 1961. There is a short sequnce on youtube recalling the trip……………….

We had a rough passage through the Bay of Biscay and the ship was quarantined at all the stops. Only personnel due to be based at the port of call were allowed off. At Malta we arrived at Valletta in the midst of a NATO fleet on exersises. We sailed into the Habour behind HMS Eagle and just ahead of HMS Bulwark as I recall. It was also at this stop that a unloading derrick dropped the packing cases of the disembarkees into the harbour.

Poor souls watch all their worldly goods go to the bottom of the sea. I wonder if they were salvaged and if so what state they were in? At Limassol, where we got off, my mother was seen carrying an orange down the steps to the tender. She was forcefully told she could not bring it ashore, she tried to return up the steps to return the orange but was told she had disembarked and could not go back on board. the only course of action was to eat the whole orange, skin and pips included, before she could go anywhere.

At the time the ship was anchored and was enduring a gale so she was hanging on to the hand rail with one hand dutifully eating the orange held in the other whilst being thrown about by the violent motion.

A very memorable introduction to the beautiful island of Cyprus. Jan 1961 was a
very memorable cruise.