May 15th 2006  

After two days at quay everyone in the crew has presumably been ashore, taking the opportunity of having a walkabout. In the morning the Swedish Ship Götheborg was visited by some 400 school children around 10 years who were guided by members of the crew. Children often get bewitched when coming aboard a ship and to many of them the East Indiaman was a giant climbing frame and everyone wanted especially to climb on the guns.
 
Most of the deck-hands travel to Sweden tomorrow and are now busy with luggage and the cleaning of their accomodations. It is a somewhat traumatic experience for many of them. Also it seems that their belongings have doubled since they signed on in Cape Town and many a souvenir and clothes must be discarded.

During the portcall everyone is having their meals ashore. The crew after two months on board are used to the cooking of the ship´s chefs and now having food completely without spices is a rather dubious experience.

Yesterday afternoon some 2,200 persons visited the ship but today it is closed to the public since SKF is arranging a sponsor event on board.

The Götheborg and its crew have now changed the watches into harbour routines and all work on deck is cancelled as long as there are visitors on board. The southern Indian Ocean feels very far away right now.