March 2, 1942-Monday
Getting into really tropical weather—very heavy and moist air. Everything gets soggy and damp, even paper. We spend most of our evenings on the Main Deck aft where it is fairly cool. This evening a full eclipse of the tropical moon stirred up a little excitement among the boys. Most of their evenings they spend singing very sad songs to the accompaniment of a harmonica. Some of their favorites are Red River Valley, The Prisoner's Song, Blue Heaven, South of the Border and Old Black Joe.

The food is poor as usual and even the pop and Cokes are warm so that you can't enjoy them. It's hard to take when you see barrels of iced beer going to the officer's quarters and hear of the crew eating french-fried potatoes, fresh tomatoes, cake and ice cream. We all talk about the meals we are going to buy for ourselves and the milk we are going to drink if we are only given the chance when we land.

March 6, 1942-Friday
We probably crossed the equator some time on Wednesday, (or, as found out later, on March 2). There has been no noticeable change in humidity or temperature for the last 5 or 6 days. This morning we anchored in the harbor of the magic city of Rio de Janeiro (River of January). It certainly is that for I have never seen more beautiful scenery.

[At] about 7:00 AM, I saw land; a long range of very rugged mountains off the starboard. They looked almost purple except where barren rock shown through. The tops were hidden in dark clouds and white, stringy clouds clung to the sides like elongated glaciers.

Now a part of the city came in view.It was strung along the shoreline like a string of beads and seemed lifeless. No boats appeared and the tall modernistic buildings seemed vacated. Finally, we detected several autos scooting along a highway near the shore. Just to the left appeared Sugar Loaf Mountain, exactly as I remembered it explained in my 7th-grade geography.

Next we entered the harbor proper.It fairly buzzed with activity. Ferry boats crossed continually, freighters pulled out and in and cabin launches were everywhere.

Their entire harbor is surrounded by very high and steep mountains. Some appeared almost as large teeth sticking straight into the clouds from a jawbone of green-covered hills. On the tip-top of the pinnacle closest to the harbor entrance is...a building [accessed] only by a cable tram-car.

On the highest peak to the left of the city and overlooking the harbor itself is the famous statue of Christ. I certainly miss my binoculars. Everything is just far enough away so that details cannot be discerned.