A view from the Crow's Nest, March 1, 1942

Sunday
March 1, 1942

Today has been a very busy day for Pops and me. Soon after breakfast we took the Sunday paper and my knitting and went up to the "Crows' Nest" The day was sunny, but not too warm and the visibility was poor. We thought that surely we would be disappointed and would not see any ships. There suddenly out of the fog emerged one – then two big ships loaded with guns – cruisers or destroyers – they're all the same to Pops and me. We don't know much about ships. Then the crowd at the Crows' nest began to thicken and even though we had a "front seat" so many people came and stood in our way that I pulled out – and did I have a struggle – had to back about four times – we were jammed in so closely. Went over Funston to the Marina where we had another front seat and saw the whole convoy come under the bridge. Such a thrilling sight I don't hope to see very soon again. There was one beautiful ship – I felt sure it was the Lurline and we could see hundreds of people hanging over her sides. Pops and I were so excited because we wondered if our own baby might be among them. We didn't count the ships as we should have, but there must have been twelve or fourteen. One beautiful liner had four smoke stacks and she was so long we wondered what they were going to do with her. Pops and I had started out to the beach about ten o'clock and it must have been about ten thirty when we spotted the first ship and after waiting to see the last ship safely through the gate and under the bridge, we went home to find it three o'clock. After a bite of lunch we went back again to see what we could see. This time I was determined to have a view from Telegraph Hill, Luck wasn't with me, and after we had struggled to get to the top we weren't fortunate enough to be in the right spot at the right time when somebody pulled out and, as a result, I had to complete the circle and go back down the hill. That didn't deter me. I found a place to park and this time took Shank's Mare. When we climbed up to the circle we saw our beautiful, graceful four stacked ship getting ready to dock. There were about five tugs out there shoving her around inch by inch. One young man loaned us his binoculars and we could see the passengers – hundreds and hundreds of them _ hanging over the sides. Everyone was breathless – passengers and spectators alike. In the midst of it all the Clipper took off from Treasure Island and sailed like a bird out to sea. We lingered on the Hill until our beautiful ship was safely snuggled against the pier and they had thrown out many ropes to hold her fast. Who is she? Wouldn't I give a lot to know? From whence did she come? Perhaps we'll not know the answer to that for some time. I shall seam the morning paper assiduously to see if I can solve the enigma. Some of the people on the hill said it was the Queen Mary – that we don't have any ships on the west coast with four stacks – everyone is agreed – so it must be, we think, from Australia. I heard on a radio broadcast one time that the Queen Mary couldn't dock at any of our piers – not that our bay was too small or shallow, but that our piers were too short. Well, this boat docked and with the neatest bit of maneuvering that I've ever seen – and I think I could say that for all the thousands – yes, thousands – of people that witnessed the docking. Pops and I didn't get home to dinner until about seven thirty. We were so excited, for we didn't know what the day might bring forth. I'm, glad though, that Virginia didn't come today. It is a sad anniversary of our little David's passing and I'm sure she wouldn't want her home coming to be on that date. I'm glad that she and Bert could be together on this day.
It made me feel a little comforted to see the way those two beautiful passenger ships were so protected by our navy. I hope and pray that our ships continue to come through so nicely. On the East coast the shipping is so endangered that nothing is safe in those turbulent waters. Four of our ships were sunk within the last twenty-four hours.