Tuesday, November 20, 2018

TOWNSVILLE GHOST FLEET UPDATE

Cleopatra's river  changes  colour  ;  finally , some action on  war memorial  fountain .

A sleek looking  green   vessel (228metres long )  , with  an evocative   Egyptian name , above,  received  much  attention  from   ferry passengers  and  yachties , but not  the  local  media . However , our  roaming   S(h)ipping Reporter , the only  one  north of  Manly , Sydney , snapped  the  oil products tanker  , flying the Singapore  flag.  The SR  was  passing in a ferry after  having   kelp and barnacles  removed  from   his  boiler  and  thruster   at   the  Townsville Public Hospital . 

Remembering  that  the   great books by Alan Moorehead   on  the  exploration of that  famous waterway  dealt  with the  Blue  and  White Nile   , it  was  a  surprise  to  see  the  Nile  up  close and   lime  green . Perhaps the  BW in the  tanker's name  stands  for  Blue  and  White ? An inquisitive local reporter, lost on  the  waterfront,  could  have  stumbled upon   an  interesting story. 
 
Despite his  failing eyesight , while  being driven to the ferry by his carers , the waterfront  roundsman   was  pleased  to  notice that the Victory in the  Pacific  War Memorial  Fountain was  actually  working ( Tuesday ) . On  Monday it had been  bone dry, a  beer  bottle  up  against   the   brickwork .  Readers  are  well aware that  the relentless  S(h)ipping Reporter has been running  a long   campaign   against  the   shameful  neglect  of   war memorials  in  the garrison  town .