The keel of the vessel hit the sand. The master put the propellers in full stern but the scarce water below the keel won’t let the boat retreat. The immense waves and strong current got the boat off the keel. It rested to its side. The vessel stood tilted like the inclined Pisa tower. Every successive wave hitting it gave it a further tilting swing. The vessel wavering on its side and having no control the masters begin with his prayers.
The 35 meters survey vessel was small for the size of a ship but suited our survey purpose. On most of the days we hardly caught action as the Monsoon Sea in India is pretty rough.
The company offered me a reliever but I was keen to finish the survey task. It had been almost 3 months at the eastern coast of India. Reliance has undertaken its biggest oil exploration project in the newly found Krishna Godavari Basin. Big multinational offshore construction companies were chipped in. These were the happening times in Indian offshore industry. We got a part of the action.
The company guest house was in a small nonchalant locality, people were amicable although anyone hardly interacted while we went out for evening strolls.
Amma would get the breakfast for us. The old lady ran an in-house kitchen thus earning some extra income for her family. I would call upon the driver Shrinu at 9 a.m. We would drive to the survey vessel. I would check the survey setup. Occasionally we would sail to the estuary to retreat by noon.
Evenings we would drive to the sports complex for a game of lawn tennis. The basket, foot & volley ball grounds would be preoccupied, while lawn tennis court would be free except the kids’ occasionally playing cricket. Some evenings college professors turned up on the court for a game, they played pretty well, comparing us amateurs.
We had driven 25 kms to the only sports shop in the town to fetch a basket ball, but finding the tennis rackets we changed our choice of sport.
On usual days we went around the market in the evening for a glass of badaam milk, juice & sweets. Often we drove to the beach. These were the good times in life.
A few weeks earlier, notwithstanding the inclement weather we had been sailing to accomplish our survey task. Having spent 15 yrs at sea, I am used to rough weather and high swells, my colleagues however were new to the vivacious moods of the sea. Everyday my friend got sea sick, kept vomiting but won’t abandon his survey desk, even giving up food in the long tiring day of survey. The zeal left me amazed. When the going gets tough, the tough get going.
Oh! Let me introduce my colleagues and friends. Anand – fresh from IIT Mumbai now was exploring the world below the sea. He watched the sonar data with great amazement and read it in minute details. His post tenure Dev joined in who had accomplished his Hydrographic studies in US of A. A jolly bright geologist Gaurav joined us towards the concluding days of the survey.
Sea is a wonderful place with all shades of life & can put the will and spirit to test …at times.
The last day of survey we were enthusiastic. The task was scheduled to finish by noon. To celebrate we planned a late night movie in the town.
Today was to be our day of reckoning.
We began our day early at 3.30a.m. Gravel was accumulating in the channel dredged for vessel transit, where the water was shallow the boat bumped on the sand below. It being high tide we candidly sailed by. By dawn we were in the sea calibrating underwater sensors. Everything went as scheduled.
Post noon as we prepared to sail back Dev suggested running few more calibration lines for verification of the multibeam sonar sensor. Concluding calibration we sailed back.
The navigation system crashed. Computers make me a believer in fate. It gives a sense of control until its crash.
We yet had to traverse the diminishing water channel. It was neutral water after the high tide. Now was the best time to get across. After the onset of low tide the water would recede. The master expressed his confidence to navigate as he had been trailing the same route for months over. He placed two seamen to look for sallow water patches. Both guided him different routes.
The keel of the vessel hit the sand. The master put the propellers in full stern but the scarce water below the keel won’t let the boat retreat. The immense waves and strong current got the boat off the keel. It rested to its side. The vessel stood tilted like the inclined Pisa tower. Every successive wave hitting it gave it a further tilting swing. The sea was receding with the low tide, further grounding the vessel.
Fishing vessels passed near by. Their crews came on the deck to have a look. Even after repeated waving and shout for SOS neither of them came for assistance. It was well understood – the channel was narrow and waning, any vessel offering help would risk itself getting grounded.
My colleagues braced the life jackets. Each successive wave swinging the vessel got them frightened. The vessel recovered some of its pose when the wave recessed until the next wave stroked, we managed to recover our underwater sensors and stored them in safety.
After a long pugnacious hour one sister survey vessel came to our rescue but could not approach the shallow waters. A dingy fiber boat attempted closing up to pick up a line from our vessel but it too failed to approach. Single bump on the sea floor could impose severe damage the fiber boat.
Our vessel drought was 1.8 mtrs and being grounded the water was less then 6 feet, in all probability - lesser than 5 feet. I concluded - one could safely walk across to the dingy. I solicited the crew to jump in the water with the line and pass on the rope but found the crew was wanting in experience and courage for the calculated risk.
I took off my clothes. With a safety vest and line took a plunge in the water. As supposed, I stood on the sea floor but the high swell would push me every time I made approach to the dingy. Struggled against the waves I managed to swim to the dingy. A crew took the line from me and in a moment of puzzlement tossed the line in the sea to pull me on-board.
By now the vessel crew gathered enough courage to take a dive and pass on the line. Both the crews jumped, while one managed to get the line the other returned.
We boarded the sister survey vessel. The line was tied to the bollard for pull. The channel being too narrow, this vessel itself got grounded. It chucked off the line and sailed to the port. “Rescue is impossible”, vessel master stated in desperation. A fellow surveyor in this vessel offered me a towel and his jacket. We were offered a piping tea by the cook. It was dusk when we reached the jetty. I only had a towel and a Jacket. Moreover I had to get back to our vessel with some help.
In the meantime, the office was called upon. It was graceful that the ‘survival at sea’ course had been undergone. The new surveyors had the training, but found it of little respite while experiencing the real sea scenario. . Allah, Jesus and Shiva found their place on the poster, pasted near the wheel. The master smashed a coconut and had begun his prayer. Master looking deflated made the situation look further grim.
The owner of the vessel was given a call at his house. He managed to arrange a towing vessel for rescue, but the predicament lingered. No vessel could get near the grounded vessel.
We found a small flat fishing raft with a portable propeller motor. I along with my crew and the boatman with his son left for the grounding site.
From far could see the lights on the vessel rocking in the sea. It had been more than six hours now since it had been grounded. I noticed the vessel had been displaced quite a distance from the site it was grounded. Waves and current had dragged it by a long way. Sea water again was rising with the high tide.
From far could see the lights on the vessel rocking in the sea. It had been more than six hours now since it had been grounded. I noticed the vessel had been displaced quite a distance from the site it was grounded. Waves and current had dragged it by a long way. Sea water again was rising with the high tide.
As our little raft advanced I noticed the vessel drawing nearer. On-board the navigation system was working again after half a dozen of resets. The vessel was dragged across the reef to deeper water and now managed to navigate on its propellers. A big relief sighed.
Past midnight we reached the Jetty. Everyone was relieved to see the vessel safe back in the shore. I had called upon Shrinu to procure refreshment and parceled dinner. The young guys on-board had been brave.
The next day we drove to the town for a noon show of the movie ‘jane tu ya jane na’.
