M/S "CARE "

M/S "CARE " Finally long awaited telephone from Warsaw has rang: - Sir, this is speaking Polservice, you will join the best ship tomorrow in Rotterdam. She was bulk carrier 38000 DWT, name "CARE" – owned by German. I was completely surprise, because I thought, that I would wait for a long time for this dreamt dollar's contract. I heard short information and of course I confirmed, that I’ll go. - How much do they pay? - asked my wife. - You Know, cholera, that from this nervousness I forgot to ask them - I answered worried. I forgot also to ask, what is the ship, but he said, that was best one. Besides German owner - this sounds O.K. Next day I arrived to Rotterdam, where at hotel I met English Crewing Manager. Crewing office was placed in England. After a long conversation the Englishman was glad, that I speak English. - At last we will understand Chief Engineer, who also is Pole, you will be translator - affirmed dignified the Englishman. At dinnertime sat at our table nice Filipino woman, it turned me out; she goes onto my ship. During conversation I was not told why she had flown from Manila. Latter on I inquired, that this sweat girl was owner of directing crewing agency for Filipinos and she came, because just they were on strike demanding the pay for hitherto existing work. Next day all three of us took a taxi and drove on board. My eyes powerful heap of that scrap appeared to be "Best ship" - I groaned in spirit reminding myself the conversation with "Polservice" representative. The ship has 22 years old and she was horrible neglected. In cabin I met English Chief Officer, who had already packed his luggage. He was very glad to see me, so he embraced me palm saying: - Chief, no problems, only a big problem! He took his valise, and said: -Bye! Bye! And he went down the gangway not familiar me with the ship at all. I appeared in front of white dressed Scottish Captain. - Hello Chief! How good, that you are already on board, you have at once to fill up ballasts - said "Old Man" onto welcome. - Aye Sir! - I answered - I get already to work. I did not know what was waiting for me. Filling up ballasts – routine job, easy thing, so I rang to engine room, to order Engineers fill suitable ballasts, how it is practised in our fleet. Chief, this is not our job, it has been always Chief Officer work - I heard from Chief Engineer, also Pole. I found a carpenter /Filipino/ and I ordered him to measure ballasts. - Chief, it does not have to measured, there are holes in ballasts tanks and they are leakages between them - calmly affirmed carpenter. I rummaged in - /ship was built in Leningrad/, Russian-German - English documents, I drew out plans and I began to bite in two ballast systems. Pumping station was situated in engine room, and through whole ship was mean ballast channel, from which really they filled following ballasts. I got off to engine room and I began to bite into pumping station. On the big rusty box watches showed coefficients, opened air following ballast valves, but unfortunately they could be opened only on board, but not down in ballast’s channel. Ship began to lean out, water was not coming there, where it had been pumped in – valves were stock. I climb up onto deck, and I quickly measured ballasts by myself and I went down 15 metres onto manhole ladder, into valve’s channel running along starboard ship 's side. In darkness, in high one-meter channel, in stinking and oily water I found by feeling cart on rails under water. Slowly, going on pushed manually cart, I lit up torch and I checked following valves. Stubborn springs of valves I hit with hammer this, springs until they were with rumble released. Whole wet and oily, I was crawling 200 meters on cart in the one-meter channel, then I reached exit manhole, climbed on ladder to the deck and again went to Engine Room. Trough next 20 hours I measured this rout, over and over, it was kind of relay race, bloody exhaustive. I was polished, wet, dirty and close break - damned life of bilge’s rat. Did my dollar contract have to look that way? Perhaps I will not hold out and I will give it up. But return home it’s shame, so I compressed my teeth and I continued to work as hard as I could. In spite of huge troubles and all opposites, I filled up those damned ballasts tanks and emaciated felt into the bed dirty. After two days, we sailed away already, and there was no time for meditations, I had to work. All ship was rusted, and engine was spraying fountains of oil and hot water. Everybody was surprised that she is still afloat. We were drifting few days, and repairing engine, but fortunately we reached Norfolk in States. We had to load pet coke to Romania. Our Captain – elegant one, was sipping whisky and didn’t take anything to his heart excessively. Tired, eternally dirty Chief Engineer was weeping every day, that engine would not go further. When we arrived to Norfolk road- suddenly surprise- to the ship's side arrived motorboat with FBI man, and in a moment the "Old Man" called Chief Engineer and me to his cabin. -Gentlemen, please pack necessary things. You have to go with FBI Officer onto land to hotel- informed us stifled and nervous "Old Man". - What is going on? - I asked surprised. - Nothing, all Poles (from communist country) have to be put into hotel, because there is in this port Navy Base – answered armed FBI Officer. - What? Does it mean, that we are arrested? – asked frightened Chief Engineer. - No you will stay in hotel only during ship’s berthing at this port. After loading I will bring you back on board – added Officer. We looked insecure to each other, how can he deceives us, but well, what to do, how authorities order that way, it has to be this way. We packed bundles and we got by motorboat and under escort to shore, leaving the furious captain, with all the problems. The FBI Officer drove us in his car to a beautiful seaside hotel, comfortable with air-conditioning, ten stations TV network, restaurant, disco and a beautiful swimming pool. Summer was in full moon, and lot of guests were staying at hotel. We were informed in the morning that in restaurant and bar we can eat and drink what we wish to, only we have to sign the bills. The FBI Officer said, that we could go to city or where we want, except Navy Base... It’s wonderful - I though to myself - I can live all the time in such prison, that is luxurious holidays, and additionally ship’s salary is paid. In restaurant and bar after few days all bowed us, because we drank only dearest liquors and we signed large tips /pocket money/ for waiters and bartender. The hotel /American House/ was opened for all people and all the time guests were changed. We were spending all days on the beach or at pool, and the evenings at disco. We went to the city to have some shopping. One day arrived to the hotel an American family, with Polish origins. - Oh, you are Poles! – suddenly started to cry old man, close by us in restaurant. In a moment we feasted together, and American countryman boasted, that he is millionaire, who made moneys on packing of potatoes. His seventeen years beautiful daughter, took a liking for herself of me and every day in the morning, she woke up me inviting onto pool. Dad was watching us with approval, on and in conversation mentioned, that he need to have as a son-in-law only Pole. The heart is not a servant, stayed in Poland. The FBI Officer made us “family album”, but he got frightened, when we began to photograph him also. He transported us with pleasure by own car, where we only wished ourselves, but not to Navy Base and he was very friendly at all. He told us once, why they take Poles and all of seamen from communist countries to the hotel. Once upon a time, when it was not under restriction yet, our seamen were returning after drunk to the ship, they missed the way, and reached the Navy Base. They were walking dikes long after navy ships, wanting to tour them, until somebody did not realised himself, about type of excursion. Terrible hum made himself, they were recognised as the spies and jailed. Latter the matter of “spies” was explained, and they were free, but from this time greater rigours were introduced, which pleased us personally very much. On removals from the FBI Officer’s" Family album”, I recognised some friends from Poland, apparently we were not only one experienced American hospitalities here, resulting from this rigours. We spent in hotel one week, it passed like lightning and FBI took us with his motorboat back to the ship on the road. Our ship was full loaded with coke and waited for us at anchorage. The Scotsman greeted us swear languages, and after that, he added to me: - Chief, get to work, pump up this damned ballasts, because nobody is able to do this. All luck, that ship loaded light coke, which permitted not to discharge all ballasts. Captain tried alone to crawl in valve’s channel to discharge ballasts, but after few hours he gave up entries. American Chief Engineer signed on (according rules) for manoeuvres of entries and exits from port, was paid 1200 dollars. Sitting in the cabin, he pulled whisky and did not look down to machine engine at all. I pumped up ballasts and we sailed to Romania, surprise oneself, that this scrap is still afloat. At sea the "Old Man" received a telegram that we will be sailing on the line to Norfolk. Thunder hit him, on thought that he would work again in valve’s tunnel. I was jumping up happy; will I always have free holidays at "American House"? But company did not like it! From Romania I flew plane onto different ship from the same company, where Captain /German/ sack off German Chief Officer, because he was lazy and he was eating too much. Shit! No more holidays - I thought, and now I should stop eating. Captain. . Włodzimierz GRYCNER