Don't Panic, Write a Report.

[Capt Bill Davies]

DON'T PANIC - WRITE A REPORT
It is with regret and haste that I write this letter to you, regret that such a small misunderstanding could lead to the following circumstances, and haste in order that you will receive this report before you form your own pre-conceived opinions from reports in the world press, for I am sure that they will tend to over-dramatise the affair.

We had just picked up the pilot, and the cadet had just returned from changing the " G " flag ( I require a Pilot ) for the " H " flag ( I have a Pilot onboard ) and , it being his first trip, was having difficulty rolling the " G " flag up. I therefore proceeded to show him how. Coming to the last part of this instruction I told him to " let go ". The lad, although willing, is not too bright, making it necessary to repeat the order in a sharper tone.
At this moment the Chief Officer appeared from the Chart Room, having been plotting the vessels progress, and thinking that it was the anchors that I was referring to , repeated the " let go " to the Third Officer on the forecastle. The port anchor having been cleared away but not " walked out " , was promptly let go. The effect of letting the anchor go from the " pipe " whilst the vessel was proceeding a full harbour speed proved too much for the windlass brake, and the entire length of port cable was pulled out from the " kenter” I fear the damage to the chain locker may be extensive.

The braking effect of the port anchor naturally caused the vessel to sheer in that direction and hence, directly towards a swing bridge that spans a tributary of the river up which we were proceeding. The swing bridge operator showed great presence of mind by opening the bridge for my vessel. Unfortunately, he did not think to stop the vehicular traffic , the result being that the bridge partly opened and deposited a Volkswagon, two cyclists, and a cattle truck on the foredeck. My ships company are presently rounding up the contents of the latter which, I would say from the noise were pigs. In his efforts to stop the progress of the vessel, the Third Officer dropped the starboard anchor too late to be of any practicable use, for it fell on the swing bridge operators control cabin.
After the port anchor was let go and the vessel started to sheer, I gave a double ring " Full Astern " on the Engine Room telegraph and personally rang the Engine Room to order maximum astern revolutions, when I was informed that the sea temperature was 530 and asked " was there a film tonight " : my reply would not add constructively to this report..

Up to know I have confined my report to the activities at the forward end of the vessel. Down aft they were having there own problems.
At the moment the port anchor was let go, the Second Officer was supervising the making fast of the after tug and was lowering the ships towing spring down onto the tug. The sudden braking effect of the port anchor caused the tug to " run in under " my stern just at the moment when the propeller was answering my double ring Full Astern.

The prompt action of the Second officer in securing the inboard end of the towing spring delayed the sinking of the tug by some minutes, thereby allowing the safe abandonment of that vessel.
It is strange, but at the very same time as letting go the port anchor there was a power cut ashore. The fact that we were passing over a " cable area " at that time may suggest that we may have touched something on the river bed. It is perhaps fortunate in this respect that the high tension cables brought down by the foremast were not live, possibly being supplied by the underwater cable, but owing to the shore blackout it is impossible to know where the pylon fell.

It never fails to amaze me, the actions and behaviour of foreigners during moments of minor crisis. The Pilot, for instance , is at this moments huddled in the corner of my day-room, alternately crooning to himself and crying after consuming a bottle of my best scotch in a time worthy of inclusion in the Guinness Book of Records. The tug master, on the other hand, reacted violently and had to be forcibly restrained by the Bosun, who has him handcuffed in the ships hospital, where he telling me to do quite impossible things with my ship and crew.
I enclose the names and addresses of the drivers and details of the insurance companies of the vehicles on the foredeck, which the Third Officer collected after his somewhat hurried evacuation of the forecastle. These particulars will enable you to claim for the damage they did to the rails abeam of No. 1 Hold.
I am enclosing this preliminary report, for I am finding it difficult to concentrate with the sound of police sirens and their flashing lights.
It is sad to think that had the cadet realised that there was no need to fly the Pilot flags after dark, none of this would have happened.

For weekly Accountability report I will assign the following casualty Numbers T/990101 to T/990199 inclusive.

Yours truly


Master

M.V.