ONAHAMA,JAPAN

ONAHAMA, JAPAN- 25TH DECEMBER 2006


Ohayo gozaimasu.

Winter, extreme cold, thin air, sub zero degrees Celsius. We heaved up the anchor at five in the morning. No harbor pilot boarded. Only Captain maneuvered the ship to berth at Onahama harbor. While the Christendom celebrates the Christmas day, our ship had been called to berth for unloading operation because December 25 is not holiday in Japan.

Upon docking, I noticed the cleanliness of the water at the pier without any floating garbage. The pier and its port facilities are well-maintained. Thereafter, cargo hold was opened and unloading operations started. This was my very first time to visit the “Land of the Rising Sun” but I haven’t had gone to shore because of too much work and we had visitors on board, the marine superintendent and the technical managers.

On the same day I had my laptop computer from Ms. Saito, a businesswoman representative from Sanyo. I bought a computer in to familiarize myself on making reports, paperwork, and documents prepared by Third Mate. Thereon, I started to keep myself busy typing documents as well as editing the entries of “El Viajero- Accounts of a Navigator”.

At Onahama, unloading operation is only from 8 am until 5 in the afternoon.During nighttime, the surrounding is very peaceful and tranquil. However on our watch duties, we found discomfort due to the biting cold of steadily blowing wind which goes through deep into the bones, entering the four layer inner garments. We kept sheltered from cold near the gangway and still fulfill our duties.

The next day, 26th of December at three in the afternoon, the skies darkened, strong winds prevailed, and rain showers poured. Our agent arrived and brought the notice from the harbormaster that all vessels must pull out of the harbor due to approaching low pressure on the east coast of Japan. Although the harbor has a breakwater, ocean swells have an impact on the safety of ships at berth. The advisory stated that ships must sail away 20 nautical miles from the coastline and remain adrift.

On board, the crews have been alerted. We stationed forward and aft for undocking. We secured every movable equipment on deck and headed out of Onahama harbor. We navigated approximately 25 nautical miles after 3 hours and remain floating. At the bridge, we closely monitored the ship movement and position through nautical chart plotting as well as radar observations. Three huge ships manned by Filipinos at nearby pier have also pulled out of the harbor. We heard their Captain communicating in Tagalog to the Master of the other ship. The sea became very rough in the evening. Huge waves slammed against the ship’s iron hull. Thick rain showers overwhelmed the surrounding. Strong winds continuously sounded its roaring blow. We were sleepless again on that night because of the ship’s rolling motion. Due to bad weather, the smart link telephone lost its signal.

At day break; still remain afloat on the Pacific Ocean, east coast of Japan, the state of the sea is still the same. Overcast skies dominated the heavens. White caps and sea sprays are visible on the water surface. The gigantic ocean swells looked like a series of mountain slopes. Captain said the situation is normal in Japan during winter season. On the afternoon, the sun appeared and the sea became moderate. The low pressure has dissipated. We sailed toward Onahama anchorage and dropped anchor again. Shifting to berth was scheduled on the next day, 28th of December.

We docked at Onahama for the second time. Unloading operation resumed immediately. My shipmates gone for shore leave, ate in Japanese fish port restaurant while others bought Filipino foodstuffs at a Pinoy store owned by a Filipina. They also had a DVD of Pacquiao-Morales bout which the crew did not witnessed the grand finale fight.

The unloading at Onahama was completed on the evening of December 29th. The next day, we sailed heading south along Japan’s east coast to our next unloading port in Saganoseki, Japan. Navigation on the Japan eastern coast was greatly affected by headstrong current called Kuroshio also known as Japan Current. It flows from the northern equator near Luzon mainland, northeasterly direction along Japan’s east coast to the Aleutian Islands in the north Pacific reaching Alaska. The ship’s speed was reduced to 10 nautical miles per hour.

Underway to Saganoseki, we washed the decks with sea water to remove the cargoes on the surface. The ship owner was set to visit the ship at Saganoseki. We shivered in cold. Our hands became numb while we mopped and scrubbed the ship’s deck. The unforgiving chilly wind penetrates in depth even though we had sweaters, winter jackets, winter pants, and raincoats.

Captain cancelled the New Year celebration on the 31st evening because we were still at sea. The celebration was set upon arrival at Saganoseki anchorage in accordance with our ETA or estimated time of arrival on the morning of January 1st, 2007.

"THE COURSE LINE OF CIRCUMNAVIGATION"

THE COURSE LINE OF CIRCUMNAVIGATION- DECEMBER 2006


Caleta Coloso, Chile to Onahama, Japan has a total distance of 9225 nautical miles and a month-long voyage across the Pacific Ocean. We sailed from Chile on November 25th. Thereafter, our departure report was sent to our company in Japan thru e-mail that ETA or estimated time of arrival in Asia would be on the 24th of December. In this voyage to our home port, the crew has been very busy in preparation for our arrival to Japan. Many visitors are expected to board the ship particularly the ship owner, technical managers, and marine supervisors. Chief mate initiated the repainting of the entire ship and the reconditioning of deck equipments and machineries.

On the first day at sea, we washed the deck and ship structures with fresh water to remove salt from sea water sprays. The job orders were divided individually and according to priority of work to complete. One of my assignments is to paint the pilot access ladder on both ship’s side and also the accommodation ladders. I prepared the things necessary especially safety harness and life line. I buckled up and began my work. A special shipboard operation of working in outboard restriction. Nobody could see me if I fall overboard. Uncertain moves would risk my life of falling into the water, be lost in the vastness of the Pacific Ocean or could have devoured by carnivorous sharks. A few meters below my work place, waves smash into the ships hull, chasing the ship, and playing at me. Another danger of being swept away outboard.

Few days before we cross the earth’s equator, the sea became smooth and calm just like a mirror without any ripple on the surface. There’s almost no prevailing wind and the surrounding is very warm. Our skin was darkened by the burning heat of the sun. Sweat unstoppably oozes while we continuously work on deck racing against time to accomplish the job of the day.

We passed the equator on the 6th of December. Three days after, the atmospheric condition suddenly changed. Strong winds began to blow steadily, the sea became rough, squally rains hampered our maintenance work. Winter season is in effect in the Northern hemisphere. We are inclined to adapt our body system into the harsh conditions of a cold climate.

In a long voyage like this, boredom is evident in everyday life at sea. Days being out of sight of land, no telephone to make a call, one must try to have recreation on board such as watch DVD movies, computer games, karaoke , strum guitar, basketball, build muscles in the gym, or simply read, read and write. We kept on counting the dismal days on board. Daily routines are just a matter of repetition. Like what retired mariners said, “Employment contract ends, body health deteriorates, but work at sea is never ending”.

In monotonous days at sea, I focus on the program for myself called continuous professional education. It underscores the advancement of learning the practical science of navigation. Every night, regardless of existing sea conditions, I spend three hours at the bridge navigating the ship under the supervision of our Third Mate. Though exhausted after the day’s work, I would still keep myself updated with the ship’s position, weather observations, operation of electronic navigation equipments, ship maneuvers when encountering a vessel, and the adjustments to the ship’s course with respect to natural disturbance like current, wind, waves, and swell.

12th of December, we were located 320 nautical miles south of the Hawaiian Islands. The north equatorial current pushed us through to gain more speed. It’s been two weeks and a half since we left Chile but we haven’t had encountered any passing ship and had not seen even a single island.

Sailing westward, ship’s time has been setback one hour every two or three days in order to conform to the local time in a zone description the ship is located at. From Chile to Japan a total of 12 set backs on ship’s clock occurred. However on December 16th at 1945H, the calendar day was advanced one day when we crossed the International Date Line or IDL, the earth’s 180th longitude which divides the western hemisphere into the east. Instead of having a rest day on Sunday December 17th, it became Monday. In this voyage, we’ve crossed the earth’s equator from south to north and passed the IDL from west to east.

December 23rd, one day before arrival to Japan, the state of the sea became agitated again. Heavy winter gales of northern Pacific battered our ship and caused too large angle of rolling .Rains associated with sea sprays and fog reduced the visibility ahead. Delay for our ETA has been updated to inform our agent and port authorities at Onahama. We’ve been waiting for the signal of our Smart link telephone on board so we could greet or loved ones a Merry Christmas and keep updated after a one month voyage from Chile.

On December 24th, the crew was busy in preparation for the Christmas Eve. We grilled lechon at the portside gangway area. It’s very cold out side and the lechon became elastic and not too crispy after grilling. At 5 pm, we dropped anchor almost 6 miles from Onahama harbor. We had Christmas dinner. Captain ordered all crew never consume alcoholic beverage because the next day was the scheduled berthing. After dinner, we greeted our love ones thru Smart link. The telephone unit got hotter because the crew made calls hour after hour.

After 194 days of navigation from China to Africa, westward to South America, across the Pacific Ocean and back to Asia, I have circumnavigated the earth and convinced that the world is round.