It was relatively easy traveling in 1961 via ocean liner from Honolulu, Hawaii to Mombasa, Kenya.
The trip back to the U.S.A could easily have been made first via either air or ship from Mombasa to London and then by air to Vancouver, Canada, and finally via ground transportation to Seattle, Washington!
{A} - Speculation concerning Ann Dunham’s possible sea voyage from Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, to Mombasa, Kenya in the Spring of 1961.
Honolulu to Mombasa, Kenya
It seems probable that Ann, 18 years old and about 4 or 5 months pregnant, traveled via one of the passenger ship itineraries indicated on the timetable linked below. I believe it is likely that she traveled alone.
Worldwide 1962 Ocean Liner Sailing Schedules -- British India Line
http://www.lastoceanliners.com/cgi/l...l?l=0&p=0&r=EW
For example, assuming the sailing schedule was similar in 1961, she could have taken the voyage: -- Line 42, Around the World, Westbound via the Orient & South Africa,1962. On the leg from Hawaii to Kenya, it utilized the American President Lines, Messageries Maritimes, and the British India Line.
Alternatively, she could possibly have taken either of the following two voyages:
Travel Details, Line 42, as One Possible Itinerary:
Depart from Honolulu, USA, March 7, with stops at Yokohama, Hong Kong, Saigon, Singapore, Colombo, Bombay, Seychelles, and arrive at Mombasa, Kenya, April 25.
Thus, the minimum total trip time from Honolulu to Mombasa was slightly over 7 weeks. However, I presume passengers could arrange to make extended tourist stops at cities along the route, board the next ship traveling the same route and belonging to the same shipping line which stopped at that city, and then continue the journey. It probably would have been especially easy to arrange extended stopovers along the way in either Yokohama or Bombay, since these stops involved changes in shipping lines. We don't know how long it actually took Ann to travel via ocean liner from Hawaii to Kenya.
American President’s Line:
http://www.lastoceanliners.com/cgi/lolline.pl?APL
Video: S.S. Lurline - Matson Liner sailing from Honolulu - from whiteships.com
Uploaded 3/26/2009 by ‘TheWhiteShips’
"A home movie of the SS Lurline on Boat Day in Honolulu. Taken in the early 1960s, this scene was a regular occurrence in Honolulu during the golden era of steamship travel (1927-1978). Each week, Matson's grand white passenger ships arrived from California or the South Seas, and later continued on their voyage across the Pacific...."
http://youtu.be/qsUOQWGgVWc
{B} - Speculation concerning the trip from Mombasa to London in August 1961
POSSIBLE SCENARIO #1 - Take TRAIN from Mombasa to Nairobi, Kenya and then take PLANE and fly to London
- Speculation regarding the possible airline flight by Ann Dunham with her new baby boy, BHO-II, in mid to late August 1961 from Nairobi to London.
There are credible but unconfirmed reports that a Christian Missionary may have accompanied Ann and BHO-II during her travels.
Image of the BOAC World air routes, published April 24, 1960:
http://www.timetableimages.com/ttima...60/ba60-13.jpg
Nairobi, Kenya to London
Based on the April 24, 1960 BOAC schedule (Section: Britain – East & Central Africa) linked below, it is possible, for example, that Ann and BHO-II, after his birth at the Coast Province General Hospital in Mombasa, could have taken BOAC Flight BA116 (Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday) on a 'de Havilland Comet 4 Jet Aircraft', which departed Nairobi at 3:35 (GMT+3), made stops only in Khartoum and Rome, and arrived in London at 14.15 (GMT+1). The total flight time for this option was just slightly under 13 hours. A breakfast and a main meal were served on the flight. Comet 4 Flight BA122 (Wednesday), another possibility, had the same flight time of slightly under 13 hours.
http://www.timetableimages.com/ttima...60/ba60-12.jpg
Video: An East African Comet 4 Aircraft Lands at Embakasi Airport in 1963:
Uploaded 3/24/2009 by 'rafflesnh'
http://youtu.be/zlB-OPwsmzc
Video: BOAC Cabin Crew VC10 Advertisement 1960s/70s
Uploaded 3/12/2010 by 'koksy'
The ad shown in the video linked below was probably produced in about 1964 when the new BOAC VC10 aircraft was first introduced into the fleet serving Kenya and other locations in Africa. Ann and BHO-II would not have traveled in this aircraft but I think the film does give a good picture of the high level of customer service provided by the BOAC flight crews in the 1960’s. Note the stewardess handling the baby bottle at about the 0.10 mark and then interacting with the new mother and her child at about the 0.32 mark.
http://youtu.be/Wqm0_pNXsMs
The page linked below shows historical images of the Nairobi Embakasi Airport:
http://www.mccrow.org.uk/EastAfrica/...20Airports.htm
POSSIBLE SCENARIO #2 (My Preferred Scenario) - Take SHIP and sail from Mombasa to London.
Mombasa, Kenya to London
This scenario is identical to Scenario #1 above except it substitutes the unconfirmed but VERY CREDIBLE report (Mark Seidenberg) that Ann Dunham and her newborn child took the British India Lines, S.S. Uganda from Mombasa to London Docklands rather than making the trip to London by air.
The trip from Mombasa to London via the S.S. Uganda would have taken about 3 weeks. - http://www.merchantnavyofficers.com/KenUg.html
Thus, if Ann and BHO-II boarded the ship on about August 9th, they would have arrived in London Docklands about September 1st. Flying all the way from Kenya to London and then on to Vancouver would have been the FASTEST way to make the trip. However, I believe Ann arrived in Mombasa by SHIP in the Spring of 1961 and it seems natural that she would leave Mombasa by SHIP in August after the birth of her child. Also, it seems likely that Ann had a previous BAD EXPERIENCE trying to fly out from the Nairobi airport prior to having her baby, when she was in an advanced stage of pregnancy and was apparently refused permission to travel by air. Also, I suspect that Ann, after all the tension and the birth of her child, likely wanted to "get the hell out of Kenya" as soon as possible but was not anxious to assume the chores of taking care of a new baby in some small apartment in Seattle. Boarding a ship in Mombasa and taking a sea voyage for about 3 weeks would probably be the easiest way to get this accomplished, provided an early ship departure date to London was available.
{C} - Speculation concerning the trip from London to Vancouver, Canada
Based on the April 24, 1960 BOAC schedule (Section: Europe - Britain - Ireland - Canada - USA) linked below, it is possible, for example, that Ann and BHO-II took Trans Canada Flight TC541 (Wednesday) in August 1961 on a Lockheed ‘Super Constellation’ which departed London (North Side) at 17.00 (GMT +1), made stops in Glasgow, Scotland, Winnipeg, Canada, and arrived in Vancouver at 7.40 (GMT -7) on Thursday morning. Thus, the total flight time for the trip was just slightly under 23 hours.
http://www.timetableimages.com/ttima...60/ba60-02.jpg
Video: Lockheed L-1049 Breitling Super Constellation Sion Airshow HD:
Uploaded 9/24/2011 by 'valoutnet'
http://youtu.be/vqd7AYJAIEE
{D} - Speculation concerning the trip from Vancouver to Seattle
(3) - Ann and BHO-II then traveled the approximate 141 miles via ground transportation from Vancouver to Seattle, Washington, where Ann started night school extension courses at the University of Washington for the Fall 1961 Semester. -- (http://www.wnd.com/2009/09/107889/)
Updated: 5/6/2015
The trip back to the U.S.A could easily have been made first via either air or ship from Mombasa to London and then by air to Vancouver, Canada, and finally via ground transportation to Seattle, Washington!
{A} - Speculation concerning Ann Dunham’s possible sea voyage from Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, to Mombasa, Kenya in the Spring of 1961.
Honolulu to Mombasa, Kenya
It seems probable that Ann, 18 years old and about 4 or 5 months pregnant, traveled via one of the passenger ship itineraries indicated on the timetable linked below. I believe it is likely that she traveled alone.
Worldwide 1962 Ocean Liner Sailing Schedules -- British India Line
http://www.lastoceanliners.com/cgi/l...l?l=0&p=0&r=EW
For example, assuming the sailing schedule was similar in 1961, she could have taken the voyage: -- Line 42, Around the World, Westbound via the Orient & South Africa,1962. On the leg from Hawaii to Kenya, it utilized the American President Lines, Messageries Maritimes, and the British India Line.
Alternatively, she could possibly have taken either of the following two voyages:
- Line 62, Leave Honolulu: April 1st, Arrive Mombasa: May 25th
- Line 101, Leave Honolulu: June 7th, Arrive Mombasa: July 25th (not likely, IMO)
Travel Details, Line 42, as One Possible Itinerary:
Depart from Honolulu, USA, March 7, with stops at Yokohama, Hong Kong, Saigon, Singapore, Colombo, Bombay, Seychelles, and arrive at Mombasa, Kenya, April 25.
Thus, the minimum total trip time from Honolulu to Mombasa was slightly over 7 weeks. However, I presume passengers could arrange to make extended tourist stops at cities along the route, board the next ship traveling the same route and belonging to the same shipping line which stopped at that city, and then continue the journey. It probably would have been especially easy to arrange extended stopovers along the way in either Yokohama or Bombay, since these stops involved changes in shipping lines. We don't know how long it actually took Ann to travel via ocean liner from Hawaii to Kenya.
American President’s Line:
http://www.lastoceanliners.com/cgi/lolline.pl?APL
Video: S.S. Lurline - Matson Liner sailing from Honolulu - from whiteships.com
Uploaded 3/26/2009 by ‘TheWhiteShips’
"A home movie of the SS Lurline on Boat Day in Honolulu. Taken in the early 1960s, this scene was a regular occurrence in Honolulu during the golden era of steamship travel (1927-1978). Each week, Matson's grand white passenger ships arrived from California or the South Seas, and later continued on their voyage across the Pacific...."
http://youtu.be/qsUOQWGgVWc
{B} - Speculation concerning the trip from Mombasa to London in August 1961
POSSIBLE SCENARIO #1 - Take TRAIN from Mombasa to Nairobi, Kenya and then take PLANE and fly to London
- Speculation regarding the possible airline flight by Ann Dunham with her new baby boy, BHO-II, in mid to late August 1961 from Nairobi to London.
There are credible but unconfirmed reports that a Christian Missionary may have accompanied Ann and BHO-II during her travels.
Image of the BOAC World air routes, published April 24, 1960:
http://www.timetableimages.com/ttima...60/ba60-13.jpg
Nairobi, Kenya to London
Based on the April 24, 1960 BOAC schedule (Section: Britain – East & Central Africa) linked below, it is possible, for example, that Ann and BHO-II, after his birth at the Coast Province General Hospital in Mombasa, could have taken BOAC Flight BA116 (Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday) on a 'de Havilland Comet 4 Jet Aircraft', which departed Nairobi at 3:35 (GMT+3), made stops only in Khartoum and Rome, and arrived in London at 14.15 (GMT+1). The total flight time for this option was just slightly under 13 hours. A breakfast and a main meal were served on the flight. Comet 4 Flight BA122 (Wednesday), another possibility, had the same flight time of slightly under 13 hours.
http://www.timetableimages.com/ttima...60/ba60-12.jpg
Video: An East African Comet 4 Aircraft Lands at Embakasi Airport in 1963:
Uploaded 3/24/2009 by 'rafflesnh'
http://youtu.be/zlB-OPwsmzc
Video: BOAC Cabin Crew VC10 Advertisement 1960s/70s
Uploaded 3/12/2010 by 'koksy'
The ad shown in the video linked below was probably produced in about 1964 when the new BOAC VC10 aircraft was first introduced into the fleet serving Kenya and other locations in Africa. Ann and BHO-II would not have traveled in this aircraft but I think the film does give a good picture of the high level of customer service provided by the BOAC flight crews in the 1960’s. Note the stewardess handling the baby bottle at about the 0.10 mark and then interacting with the new mother and her child at about the 0.32 mark.
http://youtu.be/Wqm0_pNXsMs
The page linked below shows historical images of the Nairobi Embakasi Airport:
http://www.mccrow.org.uk/EastAfrica/...20Airports.htm
POSSIBLE SCENARIO #2 (My Preferred Scenario) - Take SHIP and sail from Mombasa to London.
Mombasa, Kenya to London
This scenario is identical to Scenario #1 above except it substitutes the unconfirmed but VERY CREDIBLE report (Mark Seidenberg) that Ann Dunham and her newborn child took the British India Lines, S.S. Uganda from Mombasa to London Docklands rather than making the trip to London by air.
The trip from Mombasa to London via the S.S. Uganda would have taken about 3 weeks. - http://www.merchantnavyofficers.com/KenUg.html
Thus, if Ann and BHO-II boarded the ship on about August 9th, they would have arrived in London Docklands about September 1st. Flying all the way from Kenya to London and then on to Vancouver would have been the FASTEST way to make the trip. However, I believe Ann arrived in Mombasa by SHIP in the Spring of 1961 and it seems natural that she would leave Mombasa by SHIP in August after the birth of her child. Also, it seems likely that Ann had a previous BAD EXPERIENCE trying to fly out from the Nairobi airport prior to having her baby, when she was in an advanced stage of pregnancy and was apparently refused permission to travel by air. Also, I suspect that Ann, after all the tension and the birth of her child, likely wanted to "get the hell out of Kenya" as soon as possible but was not anxious to assume the chores of taking care of a new baby in some small apartment in Seattle. Boarding a ship in Mombasa and taking a sea voyage for about 3 weeks would probably be the easiest way to get this accomplished, provided an early ship departure date to London was available.
{C} - Speculation concerning the trip from London to Vancouver, Canada
Based on the April 24, 1960 BOAC schedule (Section: Europe - Britain - Ireland - Canada - USA) linked below, it is possible, for example, that Ann and BHO-II took Trans Canada Flight TC541 (Wednesday) in August 1961 on a Lockheed ‘Super Constellation’ which departed London (North Side) at 17.00 (GMT +1), made stops in Glasgow, Scotland, Winnipeg, Canada, and arrived in Vancouver at 7.40 (GMT -7) on Thursday morning. Thus, the total flight time for the trip was just slightly under 23 hours.
http://www.timetableimages.com/ttima...60/ba60-02.jpg
Video: Lockheed L-1049 Breitling Super Constellation Sion Airshow HD:
Uploaded 9/24/2011 by 'valoutnet'
http://youtu.be/vqd7AYJAIEE
{D} - Speculation concerning the trip from Vancouver to Seattle
(3) - Ann and BHO-II then traveled the approximate 141 miles via ground transportation from Vancouver to Seattle, Washington, where Ann started night school extension courses at the University of Washington for the Fall 1961 Semester. -- (http://www.wnd.com/2009/09/107889/)
Updated: 5/6/2015
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