One beautiful south pacific day the ship driver ( better known as the helmsman) pulled in between two beautiful islands. I am sure the duty officer and the captain approved and gave the order. I don't know why unless it was for swim call. After we found a good spot we dropped the anchor. I don't understand why we had to weigh the anchor every time we dropped it in the water. You would think they would weigh it one time and write it down. I also didn't understand why a big burly seaman hit each link of the anchor chain with a big sledgehammer as it was reeled in. That was my knowledge of seamanship.

I guess the reason for our visit was for swim call because we heard the loud speaker blare now here this-now here this swim call-swim call. Swim call was voluntary especially if you didn't know how to swim. When swim call was called every one that was going swimming put on their trunks and went to the same side of the ship as seen in the little book. The reason for going to that side of the ship was because that is where the Marine sharp shooters stood watch for sharks. I don't know why that Marine said that marines were second class citizens. We were glad they were there. It's too late to worry about their having a sharp shooter medal.

I believe it was during this visit that a boat crew and a work party found the river on one of the islands. They went up the river until they found an orchard. They didn't know whom the orchard belonged to but they knew whom the fruit belong to. They brought back a boatload of fruit. I also remember our visits to these island and the natives. They knew that you should only drink the milk from the green coconuts. They would climb the tree with their bare feet (as seen in movies) and drop the green coconuts to the ground. They would hold a big knife between their toes and cut the head of the coconut off and hand it to us to drink.