Tuesday, November 23, 2010

South Pacific Survey 13th July 1951

Up bright and early to get ready for the journey to Aitutaki. Lots of people are disappointed we are going. They want us to stay until Bastille Day, from the 14th to the 19th but our work is complete and we must go.

Seems that I'm born to fly on holidays, at least I always seem to.
Cleared through Customs etc, said goodbye to all concerned and had a lei drooped around my neck, very nice too. An invitation to return as soon as possible and off we went in the Harbourmaster's launch to load the old Catalina with him.

We cast off moorings and after we were airborne we came back over the town to drop our leis, which if dropped overboard from a canoe or a ship after departure and if it drifts ashore you will surely return to Tahiti so the legend goes.

Set course over Moorea for Aitutaki and after an uneventful flight we touched down at Aitutaki.
We off loaded all our luggage preparatory to staying some 5 to 10 days.

Most of my passengers who had been up wining and dining late did not feel so good, but we had no casualties. This meant an early night for some, but as Scott was going back to NZ it meant that I had to burn the midnight oil and after that, I could not keep awake any longer.

I returned, and got up early again in the morning to finish off an interim report to the General Manager.

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