G'DAY, MATE!  USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN SAILORS VISIT PERTH

      USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN (CVN-72)
      Public Affairs Office
      Nov. 9, 1998

     

         Sailors from the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) "saw
      the world" Nov. 3-8 on a port call to Fremantle and Perth, Australia.
         The Abraham Lincoln recently left the Arabian Gulf, and is on its
      return voyage from a six-month Western Pacific deployment.
         Minor cultural adjustments made the trip fun.  Sailors quickly
      learned that Australian motorists drive on the left side, electrical
      current is 240 volts, and a "low joule soda" is probably diet cola.
      But the Australian dollar, equivalent to about 67 American cents,
      caused recurring confusion.  Australia has no one dollar bills, but
      does have $2, $1, 50 cent, 20 cent and 5 cent coins.
         Earlier overseas port calls for Abe sailors included Hong Kong,
      Singapore and the United Arab Emirates.  Easily understandable English
      was spoken in all three locations. But the 1.3 million residents of
      Perth and Fremantle speak "Aussie" (aw-zee), a colorful variation of
      the King's English.
         Many Abraham Lincoln sailors quickly realized that many Aussie
      pronunciations had a few "extra" syllables that they were unaccustomed
      to.  But Personnelman 3rd Class Amy Zentner of Lynnwood, Wash. found
      new acquaintances in Perth who felt her American speech was unusual.
      "They told us we had accents, and they were kind of intrigued by us,
      just as much as we were by them," said Zentner, 22. "They asked where
      we had been, and when we would come back.  They asked so many
      questions so quickly that I couldn't understand the accent.  A few
      times I just nodded and agreed, without really picking up the
      meaning."  She found that Down Under "fair dinkum" means "honestly,"
      "your shout out" means "your turn to buy me something," and a college
      is a "uney."
         The Abraham LIncoln sailors were elated to find temperatures in the
      60s, as they enjoyed the spring (Australian seasons reverse those of
      the United States).  The cool air was a welcome relief after three
      months on station in the Arabian Gulf, where they had served during
      teh hottest summer on record.
         Many sailors enjoyed bicycling, jogging, roller blading and hiking
      in King's Park.  The recreational area overlooking Perth holds
      approximately 250 kinds of animals including kangaroos, emus, wombats
      and wallabies.  Other sailors participated in community projects
      organized by the ship's Chaplains Department.  One group did carpenty
      work at the Child Care Center in Perth Children's Hospital, and others
      visited the facility the following day with the ship's volunteer clown
      troupe.
         Aviation Storekeeper 3rd Class Les Fuqua of Houston, Texas
      discovered an out-of-the-way music shop in Perth, where he met an
      Aborigine woman who is a percussionist for well-known local musician
      David Hudson.  "I picked up a djembe, a hand held drum. You play it
      with your fingers, but it gives a deep sound.  She played a digeridoo,
      a 3-foot carved wooden tube.  With a friend from Houston, Seaman Larry
      Thorn, I played a tribal rhythm," said Fuqua, 25.  "It's an experience
      I'll never forget.  I never thought I'd find myself in Australia
      jamming to muwsic like that."
         Other sailors enjoyed Navy-sponsored tours to marine caves, resort
      islands, sheep farms and wildlife parks, or went deep sea fishing,
      golfing or kayaking.  Some bought shirts or caps embroidered with the
      logos of Perth's three major sports teams:  the basketball Wildcats,
      the soccer Glory, and the football Broncos.
         Many middle-aged Australians expressed curiosity about the space
      shuttle Discovery flight of Sen. John Glenn.  On his first orbit of
      Earth in 1962, a 41-year-old Glenn made tracking observations over
      Western Australia.  While communicating with the Muchea, Australia
      tracking station, he described the outline of the city of Perth, where
      residents had turned on their lights to aid his navigation. Perth
      turned on its lights again Oct. 30 as the 77-year-old astronaut passed
      overhead.  This time Glenn expressed his gratitude to the residents of
      Perth by a video transmission.
         Salleybeth Bumbrey, U.S. General Consul for Western Australia,
      visited the ship Nov. 4.  Her consular district encompasses 976,000
      square miles, where approximately 6,000 Americans reside.  Other
      distinguished visitors included Peter Nattrass, Lord Mayor of Perth,
      and Justice Bob Nicholson of the Federal Court of Western Australia.
         The Abraham Lincoln arrived in Hobart, Tasmania Nov. 12, and will
      also stop in Hawaii and San Diego, where the aircraft and personnel of
      Carier Air Wing 14 will debark.  The aircraft carrier is expected to
      return to its home port of Everett, Wash. in mid-December.


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