"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.
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.
posted by Arez at 9:04 PM
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