Blame it on the apprentice!
REFN: 825.2891
The following report from a ship's Master is reproduced by kind
permission of the anonymous author who appears to be gifted with
remarkable "sang-froid".
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 pre-conceived opinions from report in the world press,
for I am sure that they will tend to over dramatise the affair.
We had just picked up the pilot, and the apprentice had returned from
changing the "G" flag for the "H" and, it 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 Chart room, 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 the vessel was proceeding at full harbour
speed proved too much for the windlass brake, and the entire length of
the port cable was pulling 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 present rounding up the contents of the latter, which from the noise
I would were pigs. In his efforts to stop the progress of the vessel,
the Third Officer dropped the starboard anchor, to 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 Engine Room Telegraph and personally
rang the Engine Room to order maximum astern revolution, I was informed
that the sea temperature was 53 and asked if there was a film tonight;
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 the 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 after tug and was lowering the ship's
towing spring onto the tug.
The sudden braking effect on the port anchor caused the tug to "run in
under" the stern of my vessel, just at the moment when the propeller was
answering my double ring Full Astern. The prompt action of the Second
Officer in securing the inboard end of the towing spring delayed the
sinking of the tug by some minutes, thereby allowing the safe abandoning
of the 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 might
suggest that we have touched something on the river 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 behaviours 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 to himself and crying. The tug captain,
on the other hand reached violently and had to forcibly be restrained by
the Steward, who has him handcuffed in the ship's hospital, where he is
telling me to do impossible things with my ship and my crew.
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 for the damage that they did to the
railings of the No. 1 hold.
I am closing this preliminary report, for I am finding it difficult to
concentrate with the sound of police sirens and their flashing lights.
It is sad to think that had the apprentice realized that there is no
need to fly pilot flags after dark, none of this would have happened.
Kind regards,
Master
