Party and Booze
on Navigational Safety Watch:
on Navigational Safety Watch:
Maritime Memoirs and Life Lessons
I was a third officer on board a vessel navigating from Manila to Japan. We had lots and lots of beer cargo in the old ship’s holds. I went to the bridge 15 minutes before my time of duty at 12 o’clock midnight. I had to accustom my eyes in darkness. There was a beam of light from a light house, right ahead. The smell of beer was on the air. Every one was talking. Then I observed that the second mate that I was about to relieve, together with the steersman and the safety navigational watch on duty, were having fun. Each had a bottle of beer drunk straight from the lid. There were two boxes of beer on one side of the navigation room. Never mind, I told myself. But what is that light house doing right in front of our ship? I went to the chart room to verify the previous ship’s fix position and the ship’s speed. Then, using the gyrocompass and the radar range marker, I took our ship’s fix position at 11:48, 11:50, and 11:52 before my time.
“Sec, wala ka sa rombo. Isang oras pa at bangga na tayo riyan sa light house na iyan. Ayusin mo muna bago ako gumardiya sa time ko.” (Second Mate, you are out of the planned course. In an hour's time, we will be colliding with that light house).”
Immediately he took his position and changes his course 90° to the right.
