By Myrtle Lauridsen
Axel came from Denmark as a young man in 1926. He and a friend decided it was time to try a new life.
They sailed from Denmark on a ship called "Helge Olav". While on board they decided to try first class as things appeared to be quite a bit better there than in the immigration section. They boldly made themselves at home at the dining room table and elsewhere for several days. They thought things were going very well, until one day someone tapped them on the shoulders and said they'd best go down where they belonged, so they did go back to their own part of the ship and stayed there.
There was a very bad storm at sea and the stewards had to re-set tables two and three times, as dishes and food went crashing onto the floor, making an awful mess of broken dishes and food. Most of the passengers were sea sick, but not Axel and his friend. They enjoyed every minute of the journey until they arrived in Halifax.