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| Fritz Stehwien on the SS France, October 1968 |
After a short docking at Southampton, UK, the ship sailed out to the open ocean. A unique experience for all!! For an artist however, the landscape motifs were disappearing quickly, as the view was limited to endless grey waters blending into endless grey skies. With only a hypnotizing wake to watch as the ship made its way across the Atlantic. This was perhaps the first trip where Fritz wasn't quick to pick up his sketch book to capture scenery; and with the SS France being a luxury liner, it seems the people weren't necessarily ideal subjects for sketching either.
The amenities were great fun, however, for those members of the family who were not affected by the motion sickness. There were things like movies, dancing, swimming and entertainment offered daily. And absolutely fine dining. It was a French ocean liner, after all.
The mystery of what lay ahead was as unimaginable as the depth and vastness of the ocean. Perhaps Fritz was the only member of the family who had an idea, as it was his second crossing of the Atlantic. The year before, in 1967, he had spent 3 or more months in Saskatchewan, on a study trip and visit to his sister in North Battleford. The family often remembers, that this 1967 trip with its overwhelming landscapes and 'easy living' was the reason for the immigration to Canada.