With Don Miller VQ8CBR
at Rodrigues, 1967
by Larry Page, ex- WB2DHF, VQ8CH, VQ8CHR
This account began With Don Miller VQ8CBB at
St Brandon, 1967
On arrival back in Port Louis, Mauritius, from the St Brandon trip the
Edward Bear took up its previous berth in Taylor Smith's
dock used by two famous round-the-world yachtsmen. Firstly, in September
1897, Captain Joshua Slocum aboard Spray had received assistance
during the first-ever solo round-the-world voyage. Secondly, and just
before our return, 18-year-old Robin Lee Graham had arrived in the
24ft sloop Dove under jury rig following dismasting 18
hours after leaving Cocos-Keeling. He had cut the broken mast free, rigged
the boom as a mast, and sailed 2300 miles to Mauritius on one of the
all-time great yachting passages. He was going to need help from his
National Geographic sponsor, and communications back home from friendly
hams in Mauritius and California.
Meanwhile, Don Miller could not be sure of achieving his objective of
reaching Rodrigues before the German operator on the catamaran
World Cat, due from the direction of Australia. However,
Don's politicking with the local authorities made sure that no amateur
licence would be waiting when World Cat reached Rodrigues.
We knew that Edward Bear wouldn't be able to beat against
the trades to carry the DXpedition to Rodrigues. Fortunately, the supply
ship m/v Mauritius would soon be due to make one of its
regular trips to the island, so the DXpedition reserved berths for myself
and Don. Steve, VQ8CC, came along to help with operation and Lee Graham
(whose mast wouldn't arrive for a couple of weeks) got himself aboard also.
The extensive reef at Rodrigues meant that the ship anchored well off
Port Mathurin, and our gear was lightered off to form a big pile on the
dockside. As well as the DXpedition's Collins S-lines and KWM-2, Steve
brought along his Drake R-4A & T-4X. Our DXpedition was now travelling
in considerable style, for we were to be accommodated in the bachelor
quarter at the Cable & Wireless Mount Venus station. This was a
wonderful early 1900s prefabricated cast-iron structure built in Britain
for the days of the Raj. Each of us had our own room, and we dined with
crockery and cutlery embossed with the C&W crest cooked by mess servants.
We set up the station on a cool balcony. Antennas were no problem, for
C&W had thoughtfully made available lattice towers all ready for the
TH-3 and our dipoles. The antennas had a really good take-off over the
harbor to the Northwest. Because we had brought along a drum of extra
diesel fuel, C&W generators were able to run all night. However, we
were constrained for time as the ship would remain in port for only a few
days.
Operation soon got underway, using callsigns VQ8CBR on 80, 40 & 15M;
VQ8CCR on 160 & 20M; and VQ8CHR on 10M. Highlight of the operation
was a 160M QSO with W2RAA; unfortunately our 160M sked with W1BB was not
successful.
Don worked nonstop into the night from the first day. While he was on
the beam, Steve would be on the dipole. As I was the least experienced DXer,
I was relegated to 10M or the less open times. Don had rules about not
contacting certain individuals which dated back to past diferences. When I
was using Don's VQ8CBR call I was supposed to remember the offending call
signs and to just pick someone else when they tailended in. It was very
intoxicating to have a pile up trying to contact me and in my enthusiasm I
would forget the list. As the forbidden call sign was tuned in, Don who by
then had dropped into sleep on a bed a few steps away would suddenly awaken
and leap at the rig killing the QSO. Even in his sleep his unconscious
remained in control.
When the bands closed we toured the island with a Jesuit priest who had his
own rock band and an inspirational British agriculture officer who was
attempting to re-establish self sustaining food supplies. The majority of
the people were Creoles, the descendents of slaves freed when Britain
took the Mascarene Islands from France. Rodrigues had been a British base
for the assault on Mauritius in the Napolionic wars. The slaves of that
time adopted many British characteristics which continued down to the
present day. Interesting to me was the straw hats they wore which were
copies of early 19th century sailor caps. Also too their boats were copies
of extinct Royal Navy long boats.
All too soon the ship sounded her warning horn, as we packed up the gear.
Lee Graham rejoined us after making many new friends and we finished the
only leg of the 1967 DXpedition that could be called posh. Back in
Mauritius I rejoined the Edward Bear and a life of fish
curries resumed as Don plotted further DXpeditions. We re-stepped the new
mast on the Dove and Lee continued his circumnavigation into
very considerable fame. Don brought us charts and talked of Heard Island,
Nelson's Island, Iles Glorieuses, and some reefs he wanted to operate from.
It appeared that that we would be exploring the far corners of the Indian
Ocean. We prepared the boat for another voyage, but that is a further story.
(Written May 1998)
References:
Slocum, Sailing Alone Around the World, Chapter 17
Graham, A Teen-ager Sails the World Alone, National Geographic
Magazine, October 1968
Graham, Dove
This account began With Don Miller at St Brandon,
1967
Return to K2CD's
Look back at Don Miller W9WNV
(Images fetched from the W7HR QSL Gallery)