Suva, Fiji Islands

        Three weeks underway, and Suva was beckoning.  Three weeks does not seem like much but underway in the open ocean, aboard an ancient Icebreaker, that was built for breaking ice, not comfortable rides, seems like forever. Every time she rolled it felt like she was going to capsize, finally got used to that after awhile.  With 300 +  crew  the food stores were dwindling and rusty lettuce in the salad was becoming a common site.
         The docking facilities in Suva were not prepared for us, consequently we had to anchor offshore until docking space was available. Which brings me to the experience of being handed a sledge hammer and ordered to lay to the anchor locker. It seems me and one other unfortunate soul  were given the duty of knocking all the big chunks of rust off that 2 inch chain so that it would make it thru the locker hatch .From the condition of that anchor chain, I don't believe anchoring was a very common event, at least not in the last decade. Looking back I believe a respirator and eye protection should have been in order, sweaty and filthy we managed it, our dark blue work uniforms were red with rust, as we headed for the showers.
        After we anchored, the natives rowed out in their outrigger canoes, like a scene from Mutiny on the Bounty, and proceeded to barter with us.  They were selling wood carvings among other souvenirs including Thai sticks.  They would throw them up to us and we would offer them bic lighters and Levis or any item that had Coast Guard logo on it was popular.
        We were mustered on the flight deck before liberty was granted, and we were told that there was an 80% VD rate among the local girls, which consisted of African American girls with British accents. Indians,  the dot not the feather, and the native tribe girls who lived in the hills above the town. There was also two bars that were off limits The Green dragon and the Golden something.  Well most of the ships company ended up in those establishments because they were the only 2 bars around.  The black girls loved us, it seemed the men treated the women, like Americans did 100 years ago. The girls were fighting over who would get the private bedroom at the hotel. Now missing movement is a very serious offense, but when about 2/3 of the crew missed moving to the dock from the anchorage, not too much was said.
         Some of us took a cab ride up in the hills and the scenery was what you would expect a tropical paradise, where the native girls were openly offering themselves to us as they watched our cab go by.  after about 5 days or so we were rejuvenated and bound for Wellington.