Title: Joining my first ship m.v. Jag
Laxmi, Gen Cargo carrier
of Great Eastern
Shipping Co.Bombay.
Looking back--
After passing out of
T.S.Dufferin in 1965, about 7 of us were interviewed and selected by the GESCO
Suptd. with ROR & Seamanship questions included at the interview - like an
MOT Oral Exam and was then accepted for Apprenticeship. We were instructed to
join our respective ships in July-Aug 1965. I arrived in Calcutta by train
from Madras to join m.v.Jag Laxmi"- a gen-cargo freighter, due at Calcutta,
travelling by ordinary 3rd class Mail Train to join my first ship as a Cadet---er..
" Apprentice " saab- a much forgotten term today.
On arrival Howrah Station at 5.30 am, I proceeded by a local taxi direct
to GESCO office and waited there from 0630hrs till 0930 at the foot of GESCO
office. With just about Rs 50 left in my pocket this was the only economical and practical way..and it seemed
quite alright then.
The Per. Manager, Mr Bose at Calcutta, a kind man and a fine gentleman
arrived in the office at sharp 9.30 am.
He observed me with keen interest and possibly saw a
very naive, tired & dishevelled youth esp.after 2 nights in a 3rd
Class compartment and asked
–
When did you arrive ?–
I said at about 5.45 a.m
Where were you till now?-
I said-waiting on the office steps on Gr. Floor, sitting on my steel
trunk.
Have you at least had Tea – I said No Sir. He was
visibly surprised and smiled and then offered me Tea and even biscuits was
served-He was indeed more understanding
and helpful than I could have dreamed of --a great blessing..
Not only was I provided Tea and biscuits --but also with board &
lodging at the Calcutta Mariners Club for 11 days, but added in was Re-assurance
and friendliness to a lone youth at 18, which was something most needed.
Till date... nearly 5 decades later- I have never
forgotten his kindness at that first meeting.Bless him
-IThe first meeting with
a Principal Employer is a real challenge and an important landmark in anyone’s
Career.
I have seen it is more like “Strange encounters of
the third kind” these days.
I settled in to the Marine Club for a long wait as
the ship was held up at Sandheads . with not arrival -ETB
The Club was a convenient place and the room and
meals were extremely good.I actually spent 11 days waiting in the Marine Club
for my ship to dock from Sandheads.We learnt patience then on Dufferin and it
was no issue really
The resident seafaring crowd at Marine Club Calcutta were all
senior to me by at least 3 years or more.
Mostly, from ISS and Scindias -who were doing their respective
Competency Exams..Most were ex Dufferin and so much easier to
connect.Some doing their 2nd Mates Exam-popularly then
was called Meal Ticket.
All were friendly, most helpful with a
relaxed, friendly ambience prevailing.
An interesting part of those times was to
see a 2nd Mate joining his ship with his own Sextant & Binocs
on a coal carrier on coast.
In many companies then, the navigating officers
carried their own sextant and binocs. as a part of the "professional gear" as
per Company orders then.
Today we possibly will see a Navigational GPS
and Laptop in one's baggage.
I had to go daily to the shipping office-"Marine House" to get my
ID card processed.At that time a company did not issue a guarantee to facilitate
getting a Passport to new entry
Cadets - (Unless you were fortunate to have your own
passport). The ID card was a slow and tedious process
and the daily trudge -- to get my travel documentation
&ID Card done.. The walk to Marine
House was a herculean feat in pouring rain with waterlogged roads
.During that time in
July Calcutta
had very heavy rains - and flooding, but no TV & media to report it.
Had to
once wade through 4 feet of water and walk to Mercantile Marine Office in
soaking wet clothes. We Indians
manage to some how survive & still smile- -
But it was
also a good lesson that the Weather (& the Sea) have
the final & last say in Life on earth.. a useful
lesson for any Mariner to be!!
M.v. Jag Laxmi finally docked at Calcutta Jetties
and my batchmate and co cadet S.K.Wadhawan (late) and I boarded one evening by
6 pm and reported on duty, to start our
Apprenticeship.
We had finally arrived at Destination No
1.
This period of Apprenticeship (Cadet) was initially CP really..i.e.
Chipping & Painting in first year, part Watch-keeping second year and in
senior term usually after gaining some experience help the Ch. Officer in many
duties inc stores indents, repair lists and of course do routine
maintenance.Some Watch keeping in port and at Sea.
Simple life , hard work and a set routine that seldom changed except
perhaps with a Ch Oficer's mood was all quietly -cheerfully accepted.
The princely stipend of Rs 90 /-pm as a first year Cadet was received
with great respect and valued as thrift was a way of life. Ships were simple and most had no AC cabins, nor with the omfort of
attached facilities--
We managed with Reading or some indoor games as it was all that we had to
spend time with-
A Recreation lounge was provided witha few indoor games anda
library.That was all .
Food was passe.In 1965, we saw 3 galleys on a ship with different kinds
of food cooked! (refer next blog post)
The officers meals was to some extent still british cusiine partly..but
changing rapidly.
Later, in the end of 1966 , I was transferred to m.t.Jag Jwala -a coaster
oil tanker.There it was mostly Tank Washing and Gas Freeing work on ballast
passage, assist in cargo loading and some times with miscellaneous
maintenence or checking Stores, Indents etc. on loaded passage.
Finally, towards the end of the tenure, it was own study with the Self Examiner book –nicknamed Selfi” in the
last few months of Apprenticeship and then to 2nd Mates Examination-
the much awaited Ticket with financial independence.
As a "prospective" merchant navy officer, the
period as a Cadet was a Learning and Adjustment time-.
Life was so simple; few demands and I was content & happy.
On the whole, a good rounded off experience really and of course subject
to a few variations with behaviour patterns of human nature that was also an
education in many ways.Today we call it Group Dynamics in HR
!!
CONCLUDING
We in our time and youth, some how managed our entire apprenticeship period of 3 years (less remission for Dufferin time) with out leave for our own economic reasons and went straight to do the 2nd. Mates Exam -cleared it .
This mind you, in an
era when Mobiles or Email was unheard of.
Letters from home
were just once ot trwice a month in port.
No contact with our
homes for months end on.
As we age, our
physical & nervous strength & ability gradually reduces-a natural
process.
I also often wonder how we did all that so easily..... and yet
managed and .. smiled.
WE learnt to accept what ever Life gave us with
good cheer and thanksgiving.
The very idea of
joining a ship and going all across the globe was
a dream then-
Capt.TR.
EPILOGUE
REFLECTING--
What really has changed in 50
years -
The Working norms, terms, short term contract conditions,wages and
the upgradation of technology in operations has radically changed the shipping
scene. Above all so many ominious protocols with their unfair Legal implications
has had its negative impact –
The Sea and the man and even the basic seamanship is the same really--but many new problems have
crept in including serious hazards like Piracy and Criminalisation -in legal
battles when accidents or pollution incidents occur-
However to a great extent the Human Factor and psychology
remains the same in dealing with challenges-
Yes, Attitudes and
expectations have altered a great deal.
Thus, whilst we see Technology with electronics and new systems help--
we also have many a major set backs in Sea life and a Merchant Navy Career.
|
No comments:
Post a Comment