Journey Aboard the RMS Caloris (IC)
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2021 7:43 pm
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Grand Harbor, Atlanta Confederation
It was getting onto 9AM. Today was the first of February in 1889, and the RMS Caloris was on its last stop before heading for home. Grand Harbor was added to the docket as the 1888 Voyage that was a straight shot from Cartoonia to Kuronami, was a bit more difficult than expected. Rough weather, well that was to be expected, slowed them tremendously and that ate up a lot more fuel which put the ship on pure wind power. The hybrid steam/sail powered ship, common for its time managed fine but it was decided an extra stop to resupply was warranted and thus Grand Harbor was added. It was good though for Green Sea, the owners of this fair vessel. Another stop did add to the trip length BUT it did mean a few more paying customers which was good for business naturally. Not as many immigrants on this trip, mostly a few returning home to Kuronami, more tourists. Cartoonian immigrants seemed to be making up the biggest bulk of non-natives going to Kuronami for the first time to make a new life for themselves or seek work for the time being. The state of the world can be like that, some countries struggle, others do okay. The miracle of steam had shaved off months from these journeys and luxury travel started to become a thing.
This voyage also had a new captain aboard, Captain Abraham Andrews a seasoned veteran of the Royal Navy and civilian maritime service. He was thrilled to take up the job. Last year's Captain, Captain Edward Jonah Braun was in command of another ship closer to home, running between Kuronami's coastlines and outlying island territories. Not that he didn't enjoy the long journey, but his two daughters were now in a stately boarding school. Captain Andrews had children yes, but his were all well grown now. A new captain came a new crew, officers down the row, including another one from Cartoonia, one whom joined at the start of this trip that departed Kuronami months prior. Thus far the trip had been nice, ups and downs, but no major events to speak of. Well there was always time for something to happen.
On the bridge, The Captain talked over with his Officers, if any had further concerns to voice, he would listen and act upon them. A good captain must trust his crew and work with them, not dominate them, it's one of the things this Captain learned from his own father and grandfather before him. What might add to some complications this trip was you had the ship's designer and Chairman of the Green Sea Line aboard this ship. They had naturally sailed on the ship's maiden voyage when she launched in 1881 so who knows what brought them aboard this particular voyage. Well it didn't matter, as Captain he had the final say at sea, owners be damned. He looked at his pocket watch, just after 9 AM now. People were already gathering on the pier to board or see people off.
For those who had already been aboard this morning, some would assemble in First Class dining for a morning tea or coffee. Otherwise the promenade was always open for people who wanted to take in the lovely morning without going out into the cool February air.
For those in second and steerage, breakfast accommodations were the same but not as ritzy or nice, but tea and coffee were certainly available. This was a good time to get up on deck and take in the fresh-air and sunshine while one could. Second class cabins were generally a little nicer, some had private cabin others might share with one or two others. Easier to get around to the upper decks. If you were third-class steerage this might be your once chance to see a foreign port or be able to get up into the fresh air. Some times harsh weather could keep you below deck in the dreary dim poorly lit hollow shell of the ship. Third-class was usually limited to a large dormitory all shared by both sexes with only a single lamp and coal stove for light and heat.
One little girl from third-class was Cordelia Barnes. Her mother and her were returning to Kuronami from Cartoonia after tragedy struck their poor family. Well it was new start for them now, at least they hoped. Now having endured what felt like forever at sea, it was nice to get above deck a little. Well right now Cordelia was by herself, her mother wanted some breakfast first before getting up and out. Thankfully this was one of the few ships that allowed all classes to go above deck. There were some ships that only let first class get the privileged of deck access.
"Cordelia!" A sweet voice called out to her, but not her mother in this case, the voice of another girl, Anastasia Palma a girl from First Class. But class often matters little to children when they find something in common. For them, it was a love of two things, cute kitty cats and books. Oh books! Cordelia was pretty lucky, being poor and being literate don't usually go hand in hand but her late father, a Cartoonian man, rest his soul, wanted his little girl to read and read she did! Cordelia had one book, a book she cherished, and read it over and over again. It was all she had on this trip. Anastasia of course, from wealth, privileged and class, she could have all the books she wanted, and she certainly had plenty in her trunk. She was happy to share with her new friend.
"Ana!" The two girls ran right up to each other
"Here I brought you a bun from dining!" Anastasia handed it over to her
She unwrapped from cloth a freshly baked bread roll .
"Oh really? That's so nice of you! You didn't have to!"
"I don't mind! I wasn't very hungry for breakfast anyway!"
Cordelia did scarf down the roll. She must have been more hungry than she realized when she came above. "Silly, you skipped breakfast to meet me?" Anastasia handed her a little cloth to wipe the crumbs off her face. "I would have waited for you. I have another book we can read together. When the ship set off we can watch together!"
"Sounds like it'll be fun!"
Certainly passengers were excited about getting underway soon and below decks, plenty of crew were working hard and around the clock to get things ready. The kitchen cooking meals for people and all the day down in the engine rooms, fireman stoking boilers and getting them ready to go. Mechanics overlooking every mechanism of the engines to make sure they'd get going and staying as such. Deck hands meanwhile inspected the masts and sails to ensure they could hold up and make repairs if any were needed. For all accounts The Caloris was ready to get underway on schedule. Now all that was left was to get passengers aboard.
Officers down on the harbor, boarding ramps being joined to allow those to board. Third-class passengers boarding would be given a health inspection for lice or other sickness that may be afflicting them. First and second class were usually rubber stamped along, tickets marked and officers and crew welcoming them aboard.
Grand Harbor, Atlanta Confederation
It was getting onto 9AM. Today was the first of February in 1889, and the RMS Caloris was on its last stop before heading for home. Grand Harbor was added to the docket as the 1888 Voyage that was a straight shot from Cartoonia to Kuronami, was a bit more difficult than expected. Rough weather, well that was to be expected, slowed them tremendously and that ate up a lot more fuel which put the ship on pure wind power. The hybrid steam/sail powered ship, common for its time managed fine but it was decided an extra stop to resupply was warranted and thus Grand Harbor was added. It was good though for Green Sea, the owners of this fair vessel. Another stop did add to the trip length BUT it did mean a few more paying customers which was good for business naturally. Not as many immigrants on this trip, mostly a few returning home to Kuronami, more tourists. Cartoonian immigrants seemed to be making up the biggest bulk of non-natives going to Kuronami for the first time to make a new life for themselves or seek work for the time being. The state of the world can be like that, some countries struggle, others do okay. The miracle of steam had shaved off months from these journeys and luxury travel started to become a thing.
This voyage also had a new captain aboard, Captain Abraham Andrews a seasoned veteran of the Royal Navy and civilian maritime service. He was thrilled to take up the job. Last year's Captain, Captain Edward Jonah Braun was in command of another ship closer to home, running between Kuronami's coastlines and outlying island territories. Not that he didn't enjoy the long journey, but his two daughters were now in a stately boarding school. Captain Andrews had children yes, but his were all well grown now. A new captain came a new crew, officers down the row, including another one from Cartoonia, one whom joined at the start of this trip that departed Kuronami months prior. Thus far the trip had been nice, ups and downs, but no major events to speak of. Well there was always time for something to happen.
On the bridge, The Captain talked over with his Officers, if any had further concerns to voice, he would listen and act upon them. A good captain must trust his crew and work with them, not dominate them, it's one of the things this Captain learned from his own father and grandfather before him. What might add to some complications this trip was you had the ship's designer and Chairman of the Green Sea Line aboard this ship. They had naturally sailed on the ship's maiden voyage when she launched in 1881 so who knows what brought them aboard this particular voyage. Well it didn't matter, as Captain he had the final say at sea, owners be damned. He looked at his pocket watch, just after 9 AM now. People were already gathering on the pier to board or see people off.
For those who had already been aboard this morning, some would assemble in First Class dining for a morning tea or coffee. Otherwise the promenade was always open for people who wanted to take in the lovely morning without going out into the cool February air.
For those in second and steerage, breakfast accommodations were the same but not as ritzy or nice, but tea and coffee were certainly available. This was a good time to get up on deck and take in the fresh-air and sunshine while one could. Second class cabins were generally a little nicer, some had private cabin others might share with one or two others. Easier to get around to the upper decks. If you were third-class steerage this might be your once chance to see a foreign port or be able to get up into the fresh air. Some times harsh weather could keep you below deck in the dreary dim poorly lit hollow shell of the ship. Third-class was usually limited to a large dormitory all shared by both sexes with only a single lamp and coal stove for light and heat.
One little girl from third-class was Cordelia Barnes. Her mother and her were returning to Kuronami from Cartoonia after tragedy struck their poor family. Well it was new start for them now, at least they hoped. Now having endured what felt like forever at sea, it was nice to get above deck a little. Well right now Cordelia was by herself, her mother wanted some breakfast first before getting up and out. Thankfully this was one of the few ships that allowed all classes to go above deck. There were some ships that only let first class get the privileged of deck access.
"Cordelia!" A sweet voice called out to her, but not her mother in this case, the voice of another girl, Anastasia Palma a girl from First Class. But class often matters little to children when they find something in common. For them, it was a love of two things, cute kitty cats and books. Oh books! Cordelia was pretty lucky, being poor and being literate don't usually go hand in hand but her late father, a Cartoonian man, rest his soul, wanted his little girl to read and read she did! Cordelia had one book, a book she cherished, and read it over and over again. It was all she had on this trip. Anastasia of course, from wealth, privileged and class, she could have all the books she wanted, and she certainly had plenty in her trunk. She was happy to share with her new friend.
"Ana!" The two girls ran right up to each other
"Here I brought you a bun from dining!" Anastasia handed it over to her
She unwrapped from cloth a freshly baked bread roll .
"Oh really? That's so nice of you! You didn't have to!"
"I don't mind! I wasn't very hungry for breakfast anyway!"
Cordelia did scarf down the roll. She must have been more hungry than she realized when she came above. "Silly, you skipped breakfast to meet me?" Anastasia handed her a little cloth to wipe the crumbs off her face. "I would have waited for you. I have another book we can read together. When the ship set off we can watch together!"
"Sounds like it'll be fun!"
Certainly passengers were excited about getting underway soon and below decks, plenty of crew were working hard and around the clock to get things ready. The kitchen cooking meals for people and all the day down in the engine rooms, fireman stoking boilers and getting them ready to go. Mechanics overlooking every mechanism of the engines to make sure they'd get going and staying as such. Deck hands meanwhile inspected the masts and sails to ensure they could hold up and make repairs if any were needed. For all accounts The Caloris was ready to get underway on schedule. Now all that was left was to get passengers aboard.
Officers down on the harbor, boarding ramps being joined to allow those to board. Third-class passengers boarding would be given a health inspection for lice or other sickness that may be afflicting them. First and second class were usually rubber stamped along, tickets marked and officers and crew welcoming them aboard.