# Most Important Action...



## DICK SLOAN (Jan 19, 2007)

For Masters,Captains,Skippers...What was the most avasive action you have had to do while being on a ships bridge.


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## Alistair Macnab (May 13, 2008)

Coming out of Fowey in Cornwall and heading west at night when a crossing vessel on my port beam became a steady bearing. I couldn't believe how a target so broad on the bow was actually on a collision course! I took a round turn to starboard and the "France" ploughed across my bow at about one mile distant full speed for Cherbourg.
Another time rounding Dondra Head south of Ceylon, an overtaking vessel on my port quarter came closer and closer and it was obvious she was not going to take any avoiding action. Again, with a round turn to starboard, I took evasive action and the "biggest tanker in the world at that time" one of the Ludwig ships, passed close to port. She was light ship so her hull loomed very large in the moonlight. Those were the days!


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## DICK SLOAN (Jan 19, 2007)

I would of thought Port Said would have caused a few missed heartbeats...I know the Pilots used to take over...but I remember being on the wheel and going so close to the ship going the opposite way...we could shake hands...it scared me...lol


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## Nick Balls (Apr 5, 2008)

Avoiding a jack-up's leg after a blackout ............3 inches is enough !


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## Bill Davies (Sep 5, 2007)

DICK SLOAN said:


> ...*I know the Pilots used to take over*......lol


Dick,

Contentious!!, You should know better.

Bill


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## ROBERT HENDERSON (Apr 11, 2008)

I think we would all have been in situations where we have had to take quick evasive action at some time or other.
Two stick in my mind. I was Master of a small coaster tanker the Syndic, we had loaded fish oil in Lexioses (spelling) bound for Poland, coming up the English Channel a RN vessel passed astern of me and disappeared over the horizon. The Navtex gave a navigation warning of a ro-ro ship that had capsized in the Terchelling seperation area, I left a lookout on the wing of the bridge while I went to the chartroom to mark the position of the wreck on the chart. The lookout drew my attention to a vessel getting close, it was the same RN ship on a converging course but as he had come abaft the beam was to all intents and purposes an overtaking vessel, I had to go hard over to port and round his stern to avoid a collision.

The second time I had loaded in Rotterdam for the River Thames and was proceeding West in the Maas seperation lane and was slowly being overhauled on the Port side by a small German Tanker, the German tanker had just cleared ahead of me when he altered course to the North West across my bow, this resulted in me stopping the engines. When asked by Maas VTS why he had taken such action, the OOW of the German ship said he was the second mate and that the Captain had told him to stick to the courses drawn on the chart.

Regards Robert


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## Bill Davies (Sep 5, 2007)

Dick,

Lost count! They range from frequent evasive action dodgeing the 'grotty yachties' in the English Channel when ULCCs were a novelty and the 'yachties' used to see how close they could get to many which I would not go into detail here.

Brgds

Bill


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## ROBERT HENDERSON (Apr 11, 2008)

Bill Davies said:


> Dick,
> 
> Lost count! They range from frequent evasive action dodgeing the 'grotty yachties' in the English Channel when ULCCs were a novelty and the 'yachties' used to see how close they could get to many which I would not go into detail here.
> 
> ...


I think most of us have been in that situation with yachties, it was not only on ULCCs.
I remember one situation near the entrance to Plymouth with a bunch of yachties in a race and had their navigation lights turned off so their competitors not could see them. Strange but True.

Regards Robert


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## Bill Davies (Sep 5, 2007)

Robert,

Fully understand. I would not be surprised at anything I hear about the yachting fraternity. Is that contentious??

Brgds

Bill


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## ROBERT HENDERSON (Apr 11, 2008)

Bill Davies said:


> Robert,
> 
> Fully understand. I would not be surprised at anything I hear about the yachting fraternity. Is that contentious??
> 
> ...


Bill
It is only contentious to people who have not been in that situation.
I probably have more experience than you navigating in confined waters. So here is another hard to believe situation.
I was going East bound in the English Channel bound for a Spanish port, dense fog, visibility 50mtrs when a yacht called up on VHF asking for a position, and were any ships close to him. How could anyone identify him with the PPI littered with echoes.

Regards Robert


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## Nick Balls (Apr 5, 2008)

A few years ago I found this note pinned to the radar.
" What's that on the radar?
A tiny little dot.
Maybe it's a speck of dust?
or a misdirected snot?
Could it be a buoy?
But No as like as not 
......it's some toffee nosed Ar** Bandit
In his Daddy's Yacht"

It was signed Ron Barcadi
BUT I suspect it was our resident wit, the second Mate from Sunderland 
Poetry was always his strong point


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## Nick Balls (Apr 5, 2008)

His Name ?
Well we called him "Green Buoy" this was on account of the fact he got the wrong side of one in the very tidal approaches to Great Yarmouth , and hence learned a lot that particular day ! 
By the way I have also done a lot of yachting so have seen both points of view. The trouble with yachts is you just don't get the poetry.


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## Don Matheson (Mar 13, 2007)

On a semi submersible being towed from Israel to Invergordon we were approaching the Dover Straights on weekend afternoon with lots of yachts around. Our tug has all his towing indicators showing and we are watching the yachts when one decided to pass between us and the tug. Our skipper starts blowing our horn and the tug is sounding his but this clown kept on coming. Suddenly someone noticed this rather large wire that ran from the tug to us which would have stopped him dead and we would have rolled him under the rig. He just managed to get clear but I am sure he would have reported us to the coastguard for dragging big "ropes" around the water when he was sailing.
Don


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## ray bloomfield (Oct 31, 2007)

Early eighties and was sailing around without a mate (for 15 mths) on a small coaster in the S'thern North sea, Only on short runs and if tired at sea would grab a couple of hours on the bed at the back of the wheelhouse while a Cape Verde sailor would keep watch. On one occasion I was rudely awoken by said Cape Verde shaking me and saying ''big ship, big ship'' I went into the wheelhouse and I could not see any big ship. It was a very dark and rainy night, 'wheres the bloody big ship then' says I and the sailor pointed up in the air and sure enough there was the forward mast headlight shining like a star bearing down on us!!!! Hard a port an hope. Was in the apps to Rotterdam , between Noord Hinder and Goeree. Who was in the wrong ??(Smoke)


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## Binnacle (Jul 22, 2005)

Proceeding eastwards through the Straits of Gib, daylight, dense fog, full speed plus Gib current up our stern, Empire boat in ballast. Captain on bridge, in charge, relieved mate, who on departing informed me she was on full speed as he sadly shook his head. Out on bridge wing religiously sounding BOT signal, as good third mates do. Captain observing radar. A vessel crossing from port to starboard suddenly loomed up out of the fog, very close to. I shouted to the Captain "full astern" then "emergency full astern". He quickly responded, My next concern was shouting to the forward lookout, a young cadet, to get off the foc'sle head. Then I grabbed the bridge wing and held tight awaiting the crash. That was an example, Dick, of a Captain who was sufficiently experienced not to argue with the third mate when given an order in an emergency situation. Fortunately we picked up the full Spanish crew, transferred them to HMS Daring, and proceeded on our merry way, undamaged.


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## Tony Crompton (Jul 26, 2005)

Having to go astern on a 50,000dw tanker to avoid a windsurfer crossing ahead of us in a narrow channel.

Tony


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## ROBERT HENDERSON (Apr 11, 2008)

ray bloomfield said:


> Early eighties and was sailing around without a mate (for 15 mths) on a small coaster in the S'thern North sea, Only on short runs and if tired at sea would grab a couple of hours on the bed at the back of the wheelhouse while a Cape Verde sailor would keep watch. On one occasion I was rudely awoken by said Cape Verde shaking me and saying ''big ship, big ship'' I went into the wheelhouse and I could not see any big ship. It was a very dark and rainy night, 'wheres the bloody big ship then' says I and the sailor pointed up in the air and sure enough there was the forward mast headlight shining like a star bearing down on us!!!! Hard a port an hope. Was in the apps to Rotterdam , between Noord Hinder and Goeree. Who was in the wrong ??(Smoke)


No doubt you were for sailing without a competent officer on watch.

Regards Robert


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## ray bloomfield (Oct 31, 2007)

Yes correct, but luckily no collisions, strandings other than intended or any other mistakes, no problems with PSC, MCA (or equivelant) or any other official bodies and I got a good wage as well, best job I ever had.


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## sidsal (Nov 13, 2007)

I was 2nd Mate on T2 tanker (1947) where master , mate and chief engineer were permanently drunk. After several voyages to Persian Gulf I felt my ticket was in danger. I often was not relieved by the mate ( a demoted master).. The crunch came as we were coming towards Suez on my watch. Master came on the bridge and after a while I pointed out that a small Arab dhow was crosssing our path and bearing was not altering. As we closed I suggested we alter course but master said to hold course. I twice more suggested we alter course - same reply. He went into the chartroom as the situation was becoming critical and I imagined he was looking at the chart. I peered in and he wasn't there - he had descended the inside stairway to his cabin.
I hared out onto the wing and the dhow was right on top of us - Hard Aport - just missed him - he was bouncing in our bow wave.
Shortly after we entered Suez Bay and on stations, the mate fell back into a coil of mooring ropes and had to be assisted out of it as his **** was in the coil with his legs and arms akimbo. The anchor was dropped with the ship going ahead and nearly tore the cable out of the chain locker.
When we had anchored I knocked on the masters door and went in and told him I was walking off as soon as we hit uK or near. He said he would class me as a deserter. I walked off in Le Havre and got the ferry to Southampton and went to HO in London. Did me no harm as I was promoted next trip.
In those days Esso were very short of officers as they were taking several tankers a month onto the UK flag from the US flag whhere wages were much higher.


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## ray bloomfield (Oct 31, 2007)

Posred by Alistair Mcnab
Coming out of Fowey in Cornwall and heading west at night when a crossing vessel on my port beam became a steady bearing. I couldn't believe how a target so broad on the bow was actually on a collision course! I took a round turn to starboard and the "France" ploughed across my bow at about one mile distant full speed for Cherbourg.

Have been pondering the above since posted...

The only port big enough for the 'France' to the west of Fowey is Falmouth abt 20+/- miles away

If she was on your port side and you were heading west(?) can you remember where your were to within a few miles? and as she was the give way vessel then she was going the wrong way!! Cherburg was a long way behind her.

Rgds Ray


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