Oceania - 7. Oce Chapter 7

With twelve people per group, with twelve tours per hour, I estimated that we would have just over 700 people through on the tours, which will last for half an hour each. In the late afternoon on Friday, as we berthed at the cleared marina, so as to make room for us, a television station van was already waiting for us, but it was not the television station that Dad had contacted and invited to tour the vessel.

When the other Television station crew arrived, Dad decided to allow both tv crews onboard, but he asked me to post more crew to stop any unauthorised entry into restricted areas, even though we would be only showing them a tiny area on all four decks.

Those being the shopping mall on deck three, the great hall and education centre on deck four, the Recreation Lounge and a vacant standard guest cabin on deck five, and the main galley and club restaurant on deck six. We pointed out that this is a sample of what visitors will have a chance to see tomorrow, with the shopping mall being closed during this time.

When it was announced at the end of the nightly news bulletin, which included parking instructions and rules of not bringing any filming device or mobile phone, as they will be confiscated and handed over to the local police, Daniel, Travis and I nervously watched the bulletin form the senior officer's lounge on deck one.

The information was broadcasted correctly, and clearly with no misunderstandings possible in the message, and once it was over, we sat down with the other officers for our evening meal. Daniel was informed that all crew were now back onboard Aquaria, and all families had reported that they are very happy with their new accommodations on deck nine.

Halfway through dinner, Dad thought of something and retrieved his mobile and dialled a number. “This is Hamysh T Lloyd of Lloyd Family Corporation, wishing to speak to your CO please” we heard my dad say into the phone.

“This is Commodore Harkins speaking, how can I help you this evening Mr Lloyd,” a voice said after a long period of silence, “Commodore, I presume that you have seen tonight’s news reports on television, about our event tomorrow?” Dad responded.

“Yes Mr Lloyd, and I wouldn’t be too surprised that you get inundated with visitors wanting to take a peek at your submarine,” the naval officer said. “Sir, I believe you have a Sea Naval Cadet unit based in Whangarei?” Dad asked, and hearing this, I stopped eating to listen more carefully to the conversation and Dad noticed this.

“Sir, if you don’t mind, I am having dinner with my senior officers, do you mind if I put this call on speaker” Dad added, before he pressed a button, so we could all hear both sides of the conversation. “Now, the answer to that question is yes, and if you are offering for our cadets to come on board your vessel, the answer is a definite yes.

The cadets are on parade night tonight, which is also the start of our school holidays, so give us a time and we will be there, along with some of my officers too, if that is permitted” the Commodore said. “Sir, this is Commander Trent Blackthorn, former Commanding officer of the smaller vessel Oceania, and now Director of Ocean Guardian Enterprises, a sub-branch of Lloyd Corporation, which will be operating worldwide to protecting our world oceans and seas.

I would like to invite your cadet unit and its cadet officers, plus yourself and a maximum of twelve officers to come and visit the Aquaria at 0900 hours tomorrow morning” I said before Dad could say anything else, and he just sat back and smiled.

“We will be there Commander, see you at 0900 hours tomorrow, thank you for this opportunity and have a good night,” the Commodore said before ending the call in a hurry, which made m chuckle, and everyone else joined in.

“Was that an eye roll I saw you do then father?” I asked Dad, and Dad laughed, “You must have been mistaken son. I am just proud of you taking the lead on this, that is all” Dad replied smiling, and as we continued dinner, we chatted about tomorrows events, deciding on what to do with the morning guests, that will be arriving ahead of the general public.

A traffic control company had been employed to set up barriers at the start of the marina wharf, to help security stop anyone approaching the submarine during the night, and Dad had made sure that Oceania set sail today, bound for home on Wake Island, which is a 6,150 km, 9 ½ day journey.

With officers taking it in turns to be on night watch for four hours each, daylight on Saturday morning finally arrived, and I was up early, and as requested, all crew who were assigned duties as tour guides, met me in the great hall at 0800 hours, where we ran through the routine for each tour, with a walkthrough of the set tour route.

With Uncle Jonah now the administrator of Wake Island, and Aunt Meredith and Uncle Oscar Armstrong as Administrators of Meredith Atoll, this leaves Daniel Atkins now the commanding officer of the Aquaria, and so he and myself, plus two senior officers elected to give our naval guests a tour of the vessel, starting with the Observation Bridge on deck one.

Deck two would be a no-go area, so deck three, we would show them the library, shopping mall and the forward, observation lounge, before heading down to deck four. On this level, we would show them the science laboratories and aquarium, the education centre, the great hall and the cinema lounge and cinema, before going down one more level.

On deck five, we would show them the guest recreation lounge, guest activity lounge and the explorer restaurant, plus show them inside two of the guest cabins. On deck six, we would show them the medical centre, galley, club bar lounge and deck restaurant, before heading down to deck seven, to show them the cadet recreation lounge and living quarters, general crew lounge and a quick look into one section of engineering, explaining that the engineering department is spread out over four decks.

Finally, we will show them the rear section of deck nine, which is the new submarine hanger and maintenance workshops, before heading back up to the Deck Restaurant for some morning tea, and this would give our visitors a chance to ask any questions, which we were expecting.

“Sir, what are the areas that we were not allowed to see on deck two and eight, and large parts of some of the other decks?” the first question was. “Deck two is the operations deck and is only accessible by all senior officers, some junior officers and the authorised bridge crew.

Deck eight is mostly science and engineering crew living space, plus main engineering, so it too is fairly restricted. Other parts of the decks that you did not visit, were either more science laboratories, main work areas, crew living areas, and on decks one and two are the officers living areas,” I responded.

“Sir, is it true that you have families that live onboard this submarine?” another cadet asked, “Yes, we have a total of 18 families living onboard, with a total of 27 children, aged from 4 to 14 years old, and those old enough attend school here on the Aquaria in the education centre” I replied.

There were a few more questions from the cadets, then came the question, that I was expecting. “Sir, you showed us an area on deck seven for cadets, have you had cadets on this vessel and if so where were they from?”.

“Very good question, yes we have had cadets onboard, but only once, they were from a private grammar school in Perth, Western Australia. Although it is extremely short notice, we are offering your cadet unit the opportunity to spend four days onboard with us, as we travel from Whangarei to Napier and back” I announced, and the room filled with cheers from the cadets, until the Commodore called for order.

“This offer is for all fourteen cadets present, and their two Cadet Officers, and is also open for up to eight Naval crew, with permission of the Commodore, of course, I have printed out permission forms, for the cadets, that need to be filled in by parents of all cadets, and returned when boarding at 0700 hours tomorrow” I added.

“That is very generous of you Commander, and I thank you for the offer, which we gladly accept, I will make sure that the parents of each cadet receive their forms as they leave today,” the Commodore said, as I handed over the forms to him.

“This offer includes all meals and soft drinks, activities and excursions, over the four day period, the cadet officers will be in charge, of the cadets, but if an officer of this vessel gives you any lawful instructions, I expect for them to be carried out, and I am sure that with the cadet officers assistance, we can keep the cadets well occupied during this time” I added, which received a lot of groans from the cadets, and I just smiled.

Once the cadets and the naval officers had left, the Aquaria was sealed shut, and the stairs raised, to prevent any intruders sneaking on board until it is time for the visitor tours. After eating an early lunch, as did all crew, I headed up to deck one, to see what the crows are like for the tours.

When I found no one in the observation bridge and seeing that I could not get a good view from there I headed to the executive conference room, where I found Dad, Daniel, Julia and Joshua, looking out the window, that faces the land.

“Hey Dad, come and check this out, the crowd is huge” Joshua said to me, as soon as he saw me enter, and before checking the view, I bent down and gave my son a hug. “Nice to see you again son! Did you and your mum have a good trip down,” I asked him, as Joshua returned the hug.

“Boring as usual, but it is great to be back on this tub again”, Joshua replied with a big grin, as he looked up at his grandfather, and my Dad just laughed, as I straightened up and glanced out the window. “Holy… Wow! That is some crowd, there are going to be some very disappointed people” I commented.

“That is why I have authorised that the tours continue on for an extra hour, to try an accommodate the extra people to see inside,” Dad said, and I nodded my head in understanding.

By the time we reached 5 pm, and there was still a good-sized crowd waiting, I stepped out onto the 3^rd deck platform, where there was still a long line. “Ladies and Gentlemen, if I may have a moment of your time… Thank you for being patience, while you wait for your turn to tour the Aquaria, as you are aware it is approaching 5 pm, the Chairman has authorised tours to continue for another hour, till 6 pm, to allow another 140 people to go on the tour.

For those beyond that number in the line, we apologise that you are not able to see the Aquaria, unfortunately, we are only here in Whangarei till morning, on behalf of the Chairman of the Corporation and the crew of Aquaria, I wish to thank you for your interest in coming to see us. Thank you” I said in a loud voice, and I was about to head back inside when Travis appeared.