Floating disasters just waiting to happen !
I sailed in tankers and `tramps` [though mostly in `tramps`] in the 40`s/50`s era, and the ships of my day were pretty small compared to the `Goliaths` of today. I never had much time for passenger ships, regarded them as nothing more than floating hotels. However, I must say that the ships of that time did at least look like ships. They had sheer and grace and beauty, were lovely to look at ! Quite unlike the hideous monstrosities of today, the ugly floating apartment blocks or tower blocks which are all from `Disney Land` and completely lacking in any sense of grace or beauty whatsoever. Many of the old `tramps` also had beautiful lines and even the plainest of old tramps at least had `bags of character` which certainly cannot be found in todays huge `box boats`. [ I do realise that the old windjammer men probably said the same things about the coming of steamships ].
I well remember hard times in quite small ships battling atrocious weather and being practically `underwater` for days on end. I remember being `vessel not under command` for almost three days in the Bay of Biscay, the ship being battered and hurled about `here there and everywhere` by incredible winds and the most ferocious of seas. This because the ship just did not have sufficient power to maintain `steerage way` under those conditions. There was no one on the wheel [it would have been pointless] and the wheel was just `lashed fast`.
I come now to the point of this dialogue. The point is that throughout many such experiences at sea I was never ever at any time scared. I found such experiences to be exhilarating and challenging. This I promise is not said out of BRAVADO, but maybe is an example of the `foolishness of youth`. The point I wish to make is that whilst I was never scared on those ships of old, these hideous and monstrous cruise `ships` [?] of today just SCARE THE HELL OUT OF ME ! Maybe they should, maybe they shouldn`t ? Though I`ll tell you why I feel this way.
The truth is that I have never even stepped aboard such a vessel, However there are factors relating to them which disturb me. I read accounts of problems with unruly and `mouthy` passengers , people who it seems cannot accept reason or common sense, and of how crew members are unable to control such people. I read of poorly trained and even untrained crew members who in the event of an emergency would be unlikely to know their `a—es from their elbows`. In fact I get the impression that there really are very few real seamen around these days anyway. I read also of mixed crews of different races, half of whom cannot understand what the other half are saying. THAT must be A REAL MORAL BOOSTER in times of crisis ! Actually concerning some of todays seafarers [note I did not say seamen !] I seem to recall an incident from a few years back when a Greek cruise ship had a fire in the engine room. Apparently in no time at all the crew including the Master had taken to the boats leaving the passengers aboard to fend for themselves. I seem to remember that the passengers actually put the fire out themselves before later being rescued, and that the captain of the ship was eventually jailed for his actions. Anyway, to return to my point.! I look at the sheer size of these huge modern monstrosities, and the incredibly ridiculously huge numbers of passengers they will carry. I consider the reports of indiscipline among these passengers of today. [ not like the days of Titanic, Birkenhead, and many others ]. I think of the apparent lack of real well trained seamen today, and the apparent level of incompetency in some of todays crews. I think upon these things and I imagine the probable absolute panic and sheer bedlam which could ensue should one of these monstrosities be stricken with a real crisis. I`m afraid I regard all such vessels as `gigantic floating disasters just waiting to happen`.
I accept that ALL ships [ considering their purposes and their environment ] could logically be regarded as potential disasters waiting to happen. However, bearing in mind the potentially massive SCALE of such disasters happening to these modern `Goliaths`, then yes ! they really do SCARE THE HELL OUT OF ME !
To my mind building such `creations` [note I still will not call them ships !] is nothing short of madness, though of course will continue if out of greed alone.
Is there any one out there of like mind to myself ? Or have I been reading the wrong sort of literature ?
OR am I simply being `paranoid` ? Then again, some might say that I`m `just an old dinosaur`!
Come on now, I really do want your views on this one !
Regards to all , Ken.
Note:- Posted on other sites also.
