Naar London 1977 Zeebrugge - Feliixtow NW Storm 8 BF

 Hans Nieuwenhuis and I made our first trip to London likely in 1977 to stay with Charles Hamilton (dir of "Dorian Gray" comp.by Hans Cox, at Ned Opera Stichting in 1976) 

We were not poor but for sure not rich, so we took the train to Zeebrugge where we arrived really TOTALLY wet for the night ferry to Felixtowe having NW Storm 9 Beafort! After nearly 2 hours the captain announced that "the storm was fading" and we were reddy to sail.  We had meanwhile a small late night snack and went to Bow Bar overlooking the dance floor, and of course the ship's bow. The nice looking bartender asked likely automatically when he heard us speaking Dutch: "Hello, welcome, twéé halve liters?" I replied in my best Cockney English that we rather had two Remy Martin or so.  "Verrrry wise choice!" he said. And there was the deck bell ringing, "steam" whistle blowing short, long, short, and off we went.  The Bartender started his information gathering: "First time, where are you from, how long are staying in London?  Opera? Dorian Gray, the Portrait off I assume, a Dutch Opera in English? Are you going to see something on West End, do you know the Round House? * Etc." (he was a student from... Ox, Camb,...?)  

And while the light tower came just in front of the ship, he asked quickly : "Ever been on a ship with storm force 8, do you know what's coming up?! - e beep went of with 3x S A in Morse (stow away) - Hang on, don't leave!" and he closed quickly all drinks- and glasses cabinets, took our 2 just poured Cognacs and stowed them away - Hans: "Hey! That's ours! .??" - but I got it! My father was waiter on the ship Antwerp - Leopoldsville 1929-32 with the Compagnie Maritime Belge (du Congo) and those stories were told over and over again during my youth. * I made a gesture with my hand  - no words needed - and de bartender knotted Yes, yes, yes! with his head and a verrrry large soundless laugh smile.  I said to Hans : "Shut up, hold yourself firmly and watch de dance floor!" (Hans can be verrrrrry stubborn) "No, I want my cognac back!!!" while the bow made his first "gentle" dive into the waves causing a big splash on deck and the first few of the dancing mob falling on their asses, sliding down towards the bow on the dance floor, followed by some others falling on their asses, joining those who didn't got on their feet to make a funny slide back.  Hans still hanging over the bar looking for his Cognac feel of his barstool, still on his feet due to the bartendendervwho grasped his arm. And then the "Cake Walk" started : the schip dived again into the waves, causing those on their asses on the polished dancfloor to slide - very amused - back to the front.... and then.... the schip was lifted some 45-50 degrees up, causing everyone on the dance floor and those seated on lose chairs to be catapulted backwards with all the chairs, and then we had the ship making an enormous slash while diving into - likely UNDER - the waves, catapulting really everyone and everything to the front, while the schip was turning araund de notorious sandbanks making it "rolliing", causing the whole bunch of people an chairs sliding left to right,starboard, backboard half a dozen times or more but diminuating.

A morse signal sounded 3 times  (don't remember what) and the bartender gave first off all Hans's Cognac, opened the cabinets and said to me Laudly laughing: "You friend clearly knows about sailing from Wagners Flying Dutchman.... on stage! "  We had a second Cognac for free. (policy of the captain /  ..... to replace SPILLED drinks due to unexpected circumstances)

We went to our reserved seats (no cabin, to expensive) an had a sleep. Woke up due to the announcement that we would land in Felixtox nearly on time though 2 hours departure delay.  so went of the toilets / washrooms to fresh up and came sick back. The whole ship, really, and the washrooms/toilets especially.... all vomited up to the sealings! Then I had to go throug the diner wher English breakfast including sausages, kippers, backed potatoes and other smells were almost steaming out of my ears!  No, I wasn't drunk att all! But sick of those smells!  We arrived well, but I said: "This was once, and never again the night ferry!"  We flew back Heatrow - Schiphol with KLM after 2? weeks of fantastic London. And! We saw an amazing Salome by The Lindsey Kemp Company in the Round House! (Read my comment on Salome by the Nationale Opera & Ballet)

Oh, btw. the schip was called 'Herrald of Free Enterprize"!  Any bell ringing? 

Watching tv in the cantine of the Stadsschouwbur Eindhoven (now Parktheater) during (pre-) Dress Rehearsel of Hans's Fledermaus for T.G. Globe in 1989, we got (I think) for the first time a "Breaking News!!" on Dutch tv holding the programmed broadcast. "And accident occurred just out of the port of Zeebrugge, a ferry on his way to England capsized by leaving the port and we're waiting for more information you will gest a.s.a.p! These pictures are live now!"  I noticed Townsend Ferries (since: P&O Lines!) first. And later: Herrald of Free Enterprice. 

Notes: 

* read my (fathers) story "Nanke gáán naar den Congo here

** Read my review on National Dutch Opera production of Salome