Mike Newton's Blog (8)

See The Sunday Post article about the event of 35 years ago and the 2013 Wellpark Reunion http://www.sundaypost.com/news-views/news-review/amazing-story-of-the-scots-who-saved-346-lives-1.126872

Who’s idea was it to have a reunion?



What was the catalyst that brought a few like minded people together with a desire to rekindle the extraordinary bond originally forged in a chance meeting in the South China Sea almost 30 years before?



No one who had been part of that encounter could have forgotten the events of the first stormy night and the amazing two weeks that followed it. But since then, over the intervening decades, the 395 people who were on “Wellpark” in… Continue

Here I start to try and describe the rescue and the two weeks the Vietnamese were on Wellpark. As a lowly second trip cadet I was not party to everything that happened so the following is my own experience, complemented by detail and my impressions of what happened else where. I apologise if in any way part of my description is not completely correct as a result. .......................



My mind drifted for a moment, drawn to the glass of ice cold water sat on my desk. The… Continue

We were already in to October 2nd, but I didn’t get to sleep that night. At 6am I headed downstairs to change into deck work clothes. We tended to wear a variety of boiler suits carried over from previous ships. Some cadets had orange or grey boiler-suits, but most had one that had started life as white when first made, or navy blue. Mine was navy blue, but I had torn off the sleeves for extra cooling. We were used to changes in routine and so were prepared for something new in the orders of… Continue

It was decidedly hotter on Wednesday 4th October. The horizon was hazy and the coastline of Taiwan was veiled in mist as we got closer to land. Many of the teenage Vietnamese had been standing at the ship’s side, day-dreaming as they watched the water slide past Wellpark’s hull as she powered forward. Only two whole days after their rescue it seemed they were at home on the ship and enjoying the experience like some low cost cruise.



But arrival in Kaohsiung meant confrontation with… Continue

Day 5 started slowly. The ship lay, swinging lazily on its anchor, in the hot still air. Everything was quiet, and those Vietnamese not included in the various work parties spent the time pacing restlessly up and down the deck. For the adults this new day brought more uneasiness. What was happening? What were the powers-that-be in some far off land deciding? What would be their fate?



Nerves tightened when a cutter was seen leaving the shore and heading directly towards Wellpark. As… Continue

October 10th was a special day. Not only was it my father’s birthday, but it was also Taiwan’s Independence day. We tried to create a bit of a carnival effect and hung up every available flag on the ship. It added a bit of gaiety to the pattern of life which in the last few days had been a bit stagnant for the Vietnamese adults. With no news on their future and the uncomfortable and restricted living conditions we were all beginning to wonder how long we could be left in limbo.



As… Continue

That was it. For the last ten days we had shared our ship. Now we were going to share our country and heritage. And our home would become their home. Any last barriers that there might have been, came tumbling down. The refugee’s trust was complete. Any reason to keep a small division in case the situation became more complicated, evaporated and the crew relaxed the rules. It meant the adults came into the accommodation freely to use the crew showers and toilets. Whilst they respectfully… Continue