Transcription

Tuesday, Sept. 28, 1926    Temp. max 69°F. min 60°F.

First impressions on taking the

Naval Academy sub-chaser from the "Reina" pier

out to the Chaumoint, was that the Chaumont

seemed too small to go to sea -- but Bill

tells me that, "as is", she is a 14,000 ton

displacement ship (Whatever that means).

It was a cold, dark, drizzling day, nothing

looked inviting. We were aboard ship at

about 4:30 P.M. and found assigned to us

a very nice room on the port side -- correspond-

ing location as marked X in picture on opposite

page.  It had two bunks (singles) and a

transom, and was nice and roomy -- just the

contrary to what I had always heard.

Mother and Isabel (Claude) stayed for

dinner (it was [pork?]) and for the movies

which followed. They left the ship, and me,

at about 9:30 P.M. and I cried my eyes out

because mother was not going too.

Wednesday, Sept. 29th    Temp. max 80°F. min 60°F.

Got up at 7: A.M. so as to get

ready for breakfast at 745 -- was told if

we weren't there at the minute we would lose

out on service -- and I must have service.

There is a "first call" at 7:30 and a "last

call at 7:45 -- calls are made by a mess

boy playing a tune on a sort of xylophone.

Had a fine breakfast. Got underway

at 9 A.M. and was so surprised there was

no more motion than when at anchor. It was

so foddy and misty we could hardly see

the shore line. All day we glided along

down Chesapeake Bay & at about 5 P.M.

approached Cape Henry and the open sea

-- I was so excited and nervous because 

I had heard so much rough weather outside

of the Capes -- it started to roll and

pitch a bit, but alas!, I didn't feel

seasick. Can't say I exactly liked the

motion either. Also a hurricane was

reported around Cuba. The captain said

if it was bad and headed in our direction we

should turn around & go back into 

Hampton Roads until it blew over. At about

10:30 P.M. it was getting a bit rougher &

I sure did not want to turn in. The old