Travel Australia - by Craig Hill

Lock Up Your Daughters Sydney!

July 5th 2007 07:02

So the US Aircraft Carrier Kitty Hawk has arrived with other ships that make up the fleet, which means there will be about 7000 male and female US sailors on downtime in Sydney over the next few days. Sydney has long had a tradition of these folk coming into our ports at different times and letting their metaphorical hair down. Sydney during World War 2 was particularly frequented by yank sailors and with the amount of Aussies overseas fighting they would have had their pick of it you would imagine.

Personally, I think it is the best reason to stay in this weekend one can think of, but perhaps I am missing something when it comes to Americans...

I don't know what it is with Sydney and their obsession with big boats, but combined with a train issue on the Harbour Bridge, it seems it causes havoc and not joy with locals. Sometimes you should just stay at home.

115

Vote

subscribe to this blog

follow this blog on Orble

start your own blog

The content on this site is written and mediated by Craig Hill

Go to Craig Hill's home page for information about corporate training courses, university preparation courses and writing services available

Comment by Ahmed

July 5th 2007 07:40

Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks

I hear prostituion goes up when those battleships land. There was also a big protest against a US military base being built in Australia, protestors said it would ruin that part of the country with prostitution and other such less than desirable bonuses that come with the US military.

What pisses me off though is when they do park their big ships they make the ports off limit to everyone except dock workers and their own miilitary people. I don't understand what right or authority they have to do that, they're the guests and they're telling us to back off from our own port. Yet people support that for some reason.

They're apparently scared of some terrorist attack, yeah, the military is afraid of the terrorists, weren't they the ones supposed to be fighting them? Nice.

Comment by D. Armenta

July 5th 2007 16:07

The Florida Keys and Everglades
The Black Sheep Chronicles
What constitutes bad manners?
The male mystique
Debate Fan
L.A.M.P.

As a former sailor in the U.S. Navy for 10 years, I can set your mind at rest on a few things:

If there are no prostitutes are available, they will spend their money elsewhere--not storm down the streets looking for hookers. Many ports of call have no prostitution.

Having met and pubcrawled with members of military organizations of England, New Zealand, Canada, Australia, France, Japan and the Philippines, I can assure you that 7,000 squids from *any* ship will probably make their presence felt no matter where they are from.

Ahmed, you are half correct. The U.S. Navy has increased security about its ships in port due to terrorist activity.

That is the main reason why you as a civilian are not allowed within harm's range.

Comment by Ahmed

July 6th 2007 03:35

Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks

Harms range? To hell with that, I went to the god damn port to see the big ships up close, just because the americans decided to park their big ass chunk of metal at my doorstep does not give them the right to make the port off limits to me. It's my god damn country, I can't go onto a port on my own god damn country because the pride of the US navy is scared of terrorists. Thats just ridiculous.

Comment by D. Armenta

July 6th 2007 21:46

The Florida Keys and Everglades
The Black Sheep Chronicles
What constitutes bad manners?
The male mystique
Debate Fan
L.A.M.P.

No, Ahmed.

An American aircraft carrier would be the logical target for a terrorist attack, would it not?

If that carrier were to be attacked, the U.S. Navy would not want innocent civilians to be anywhere nearby. Fear of terrorists has nothing to do with it. The U.S. Navy is a voluntary force; if those folks were scared they would not have joined.

American military ships, along with all other military ships, will not dock in another country's harbor without that country's permission. They also pay for the privilege, as well as bring the aforementioned 7000 personnel onshore to spend large amounts of money, supporting the local economy.

This was before your time; in the mid 1980s Australia did not permit nuclear-powered ships to harbor there. America respected that wish.

I think it is a damned shame that in these dark days you can't visit an aircraft carrier visiting your port; this was not always so. Sailors' collateral duties always included giving tours of the ship..until 9/11.

Perhaps in the future. I hope so..an aircraft carrier is truly a wondrous thing to see.

Comment by Ahmed

July 7th 2007 02:39

Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks

The US navy may be a voluntary force, but sometimes people have no choice but to 'volunteer'. So I'd say some of them are definitely scared

Look, it's their boat but it's my port. They are welcome to dock here if they pay the money, but they don't buy the port, they pay to dock their ship, big difference.

It's not up to you or anyone else in the world to decide whats safe for me or what isn't safe for me, you can tell me 'danger will robinson: terrorist attacks! danger!' but thats where it stops. If I'm not afraid of terrorists I'm not, so why the hell can't I go on the damn port?

It's not that I'm afraid, it's that the damn navy is scared shitless I or someone else might eb carrying a bomb, they're scared shittless there precious boat will sink. You're saying they delibrately don't allow me to go on my own port for my own protection, but thats just bullocks. Especailly with the US concept of freedom which doesn't involve forcing anyone to do anything but warning them of what might happen if they do something.

Comment by D. Armenta

July 7th 2007 03:11

The Florida Keys and Everglades
The Black Sheep Chronicles
What constitutes bad manners?
The male mystique
Debate Fan
L.A.M.P.

Alright then; let's look at your premise, Ahmed. You contend that the U.S. Navy won't allow civilians aboard due to "fear" of someone smuggling a bomb on.

Let's suppose that is exactly what does happen. The door is then opened for strife between the U.S. and Australia.

Ever hear of the phrase "Divide and conquer"?

Comment by Ahmed

July 7th 2007 03:26

Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks

It's their boat so if they don't want me onboard then thats fine. However it's my port, they pay to dock in it then they can, but they can't make the port off limits to me.

After all, it's my god damn country and thereare no laws against being on the port in Australia, they have no right to come here and say 'gee, well since were a bunch of little 'frady cats were not gonna let anyone on the port'.

Comment by Anonymous

July 8th 2007 04:21

can anyone tell me if the kitty hawk is coming to brisbane in the next month or so

Comment by D. Armenta

July 8th 2007 18:23

The Florida Keys and Everglades
The Black Sheep Chronicles
What constitutes bad manners?
The male mystique
Debate Fan
L.A.M.P.

LOL Ahmed..really, you've got to do a lot better than this to get a rise out of me.

"Fraidy cat"???HAHAhahahahahaha!

Just had a flashback to grade 1.....

anon., you can probably find out online, try navy times.

Comment by Ahmed

July 9th 2007 03:05

Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks

Well you tell me why they make the port 'off limits' to everyone, if they're not scared then what? I very much doubt it's for my protection, more like, for there protection.

If the military is supposed to make freedom possible then the US sure isn't diong it's job right, however if I'm still to believe it is then they're pretty scared of letting anyone near their tin cans.

Comment by Anonymous

July 9th 2007 21:44

not to add to the scared thing but i work for a company that delivers $1000 of dollars worth of t/a to these navy ships when they are in brisbane, yet security at the docks refuse to tell us when there may be a ship arriving, there are usually no articles about a ship arriving until that day, i have spent hours surfing the net and can not find a single web site that says where they will dock, and the last person off one of the ships that mentioned that another ship may be here in a few weeks got a grilling from security at the docks, not to mention the 2 check points we have to go through just to get within range of deliring to these guys, even just a weeks notice would be nice, so when know when to put some extra staff on etc, and actually be prepared for these guys so we can service them better, usually the first we know is when we get the first order from them and after that it doesn't stop till lockdown, a total of $7000 - $8000 worth of food, and that was from the essex

Comment by docileoptimist

July 19th 2007 06:06

Look, it's their boat but it's my port. They are welcome to dock here if they pay the money, but they don't buy the port, they pay to dock their ship, big difference

Okay with a name like Ahmed it's more then obvious you aren't a true blooded Australian , but it makes me laugh how you can call it YOUR port? Did you build that port ? Did pay to have it built? No , I don't think you did Ahmed.

Secondly, why dont you get off your high horse with the whole American Navy thing, they aren't savage beasts that are coming to rape and pillage Australia or any other country for that matter.

The Media over exhagerate as per usual , which I feel has given the American's a bad name. If you weren't all so narrow minded and didn't just assume or hear things second or third hand , you might actually stop to realise that these people, our commrad's in battle , are actually very nice people.

People shouldn't make idiots of themselves by assuming and talking or referring to things they know nothing about Ahmed. Maybe you should listen to D. Armenta, who knows what its like first hand.

Yes the HSS Kitty Hawk will be in Brisbane today they are actually docking and will be in town till Sunday or Monday. I am actually travelling to Brisbane just to meet a friend from the Kitty Hawk. =)

Comment by Ahmed

July 19th 2007 06:56

Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks

Okay with a name like Ahmed it's more then obvious you aren't a true blooded Australian , but it makes me laugh how you can call it YOUR port? Did you build that port ? Did pay to have it built? No , I don't think you did Ahmed.

With an attitude like that it is obvious you ruin Australias image

It is my port, because I'm an Australian citizen, I have equal share in it

Part of the ports construction was funded by my government, the one I pay my taxes to.

Secondly, why dont you get off your high horse with the whole American Navy thing, they aren't savage beasts that are coming to rape and pillage Australia or any other country for that matter.

Where did I call them savage beasts? I did call them scaredy cats but I don't think I compared them to hostile animals. I don't even see it like that.

The Media over exhagerate as per usual , which I feel has given the American's a bad name. If you weren't all so narrow minded and didn't just assume or hear things second or third hand , you might actually stop to realise that these people, our commrad's in battle , are actually very nice people.

I'm not against them as people, I'm not saying they're bad people. You're just jumping from post to post, all I'm against is them making the port exclusive to themselves, I don't particularly like their excuses for it either.

People shouldn't make idiots of themselves by assuming and talking or referring to things they know nothing about Ahmed. Maybe you should listen to D. Armenta, who knows what its like first hand.

Maybe you should not assume things based on a persons name