Jim Carbone (1969 - 1971)

Going around while entering San Juan Harbor, January 1971.

The ship went aground while entering the harbor just off Del Morro castle.

She started to shake as she went aground.  The harbor tugs would not

maneuver on the inside and push us off because it was too shallow.  Somehow

we got off but not without a bent screw.  The people in after steering said

that the whole steering mechanism came up off the deck when she went

aground.

As it says in the cruise book, a 5 day scheduled port visit became 5 weeks

while repairs were made.  Needless to say, it was to much liberty for

sailors.  Many nights at the La Riviera in old San Juan and at the casinos.

Pina Coladas went for about 25 cents at the clubs.  The going rate  for

taxis back to the ship from the casinos was about a buck in those days.  One

night the taxis  were charging $1.25 and a certain member of the crew (whose

name I will not mention) was too cheap to pay the fare and we walked back to

the ship.  It was ironic because that same crew member probably could have

bought all the taxis in San Juan.

The Supply Department had a beach party at Loquilla Beach.  The Chief (SKC)

asked me how much beer I thought we should bring to the party.  I said about

one six pack per person.  He laughed like hell when he heard that answer and

said how about a case per person. I was a very green LTJG at the time.  I

remember the ride back from the beach in a "deuce and a half" truck with

bunch of drunk sailors in the back.  You can imagine how we shook up those

little Puerto Rican towns as we drove through them with a bunch of drunk

sailors shouting every imaginable epithet at the local population.  Somehow

we made it back to the ship, but in those days the locals were shooting

sailors

Thanks for the memories

Jim Carbone