Chapter Fourteen fascinating to watch these creatures opening up a passage in the water for the approaching ship. I made sure I was on the poop deck in order to get a good view. On arrival we went on a sightseeing tour by bus. This is where we experienced Apartheid for the first time. Some of our shipboard friends who were in the party happened to be Indians. On entering the bus - a double decker coach - our Indian friends were told to travel on top away from the whites who must travel below. They accepted the position in good spirit and we all met up again on Table Mountain, but we had to separate ourselves in the restaurant once again. Down in the city we stopped off in the famous flower market, and while Coral and I were looking at the passing shoppers, near to a taxi stand, we witnessed an unbelievable incident. A black youth, while cleaning a taxi accidentally bumped into another stationary taxi nearby. The driver, a white man, got out of his taxi and gave the youth a terrible thrashing. A white policeman standing a few yards away just looked on and laughed. I was about to intervene but was held back by Coral. We approached the policeman and asked him to save the youth, but he laughed back and told us to mind our own business and get back to our ship pronto. We left Cape Town on a stormy sea and met the full force of the southern winds where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet. There was also a heavy fog with the constant roar of the bull fog horns from the land and other ships passing. Our ship tossed, rolled and all but turned over in the mountainous waves. The hatches were all shut down and the passengers thrown about like nine pins in the lounges cabins and dining halls. Coral, Victor and I hugged on to each other and rolled about on one of the large settees which was chained to the floor. No thought of being sick but Victor did look a bit green at times. Coral did very well and kept her nerve through the buffeting which lasted for another four to five hours. We stayed put in the lounge and only left for our cabin when things calmed down enough. Two days later we arrived at Durban none the worse for wear.
125