En liten rolig historia - Pieni kevennys
Dear Sir,
It is with regret and haste that I write this
letter to you; regret that such a small misunderstanding could lead to the
following circumstances, and haste in order that you will get this report
before you form your own preconceived opinions from reports in the World Press,
for I am sure that they will tend to overdramatise the affair.
We had just picked up the pilot, and the
apprentice had returned from changing the ‘G’ flag for the ‘H’, and being his
first trip was having difficulty in rolling the ‘G’ flag up. I therefore
proceeded to show him how, coming to the last part I told him to ‘let go’. The
lad, although willing, is not too bright, necessitating my having to repeat the
order in a sharper tone.
At this moment the Chief Officer appeared from
the chartroom, having been plotting the vessel’s progress, and thinking that it
was the anchors that were being referred to, repeated the ‘let go’ to the Third
Officer on the forecastle. The port anchor, having been cleared away, but not
walked out, was promptly let go. The effect of letting the anchor drop from the
‘pipe’ while vessel was proceeding at full harbour speed proved too much for
the windlass brake, and the entire length of the port cable was pulled out ‘by
the roots’. I fear that the damage to the chain locker may be extensive. The
braking effect of the port anchor naturally caused the vessel to sheer in that
direction, right towards the swing bridge that spans a tributary to the river
up which we were proceeding.
The swing bridge operator showed great presence
of mind by opening the bridge for my vessel. Unfortunately he did not think to
stop the vehicular traffic. The result being that the bridge partly opened and
deposited a Volkswagen, two cyclists and a cattle truck on the foredeck. My
ship’s company are at the present rounding up the contents of the latter, which
from the noise I would say were pigs. In his efforts to stop the progress of
the vessel the 3rd Officer dropped the starboard anchor, too late to be of
practical use for it fell on the swing bridge operator’s control cabin.
After the port anchor was let go and the vessel
started to sheer I gave a double ring Full Astern on the Engine Room Telegraph,
and personally rang the Engine Room to order maximum astern revolutions. I was
informed that the temperature was 83 degrees, and was asked if there was a film
to night. My reply would not add constructively to this report.
Up to now I have confined my report to the
activities at the forward end of my vessel. Down aft they were having their own
problems. At the moment the port anchor was let go, the Second Officer was
supervising the making fast of the aft tug, and was lowering the ship’s towing
spring down into the tug.
The sudden braking effect of the port anchor
caused the tug to ‘run in under’ the stern of my vessel, just at the moments
when the propeller was answering my double ring Full Astern. The prompt action
of the Second Officer in securing the shipboard end of the towing spring
delayed the sinking of the tug by some minutes thereby allowing the safe
abandoning of that vessel.
It is strange, but at the very same moment of
letting go the port anchor there was a power cut ashore. The fact that we were
passing over a ‘cable area’ at that time may suggest that we may have touched
something in the rived bed. It is perhaps lucky that the high tension cables
brought down by the foremast were not live, possibly being replaced by the
underwater cable, but owing to the shore blackout it is impossible to say where
the pylon fell.
It never fails to amaze me, the actions and
behaviour of foreigners during moments of minor crisis. The pilot for instance,
is at this moment huddled in the corner of my day cabin, alternately crooning
himself and crying after having consumed a bottle of gin in a time that is
worthy of inclusion in the Guinness Book of Records. The tug captain on the
other hand reacted violently and had to forcibly be restrained by the Steward,
who has him handcuffed in the ship’s hospital while he is telling me to do
impossible things with my ship and my person.
I enclose the names and addresses of the
drivers, and insurance companies of the vehicles on my foredeck, which the
Third Officer collected after his somewhat hurried evacuation of the forecastle. These particulars will enable
you to claim back the damage that they did to the railings of number one hold.
I am closing this preliminary report for I am
finding it difficult to concentrate with the sound of police sirens and the
flashing lights.
It is sad to think that had the apprentice
realised that there is no need to fly pilot flags after dark, none of this
would have happened.
Yours Truly,
Master
