Volume Two Number Two

- 0.3 pages, 87 words -

Dear Friends and Family, So much to say! But there's no time! The trip to Haiti was significant - growth for me spiritually and professionally. I came back to Washington for a little break (see my new awesome nephew and go hiking), but now I'm leaving again. We're going to Israel in a week or two; I'm sailing the Spirit of Grace as captain. I'd love to write more, you know I would, but there's too much else to do. God Bless You, seriously, Jake

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Date: June 19, 2006 4:56 PM (1.8 pages, 1,055 words)

The following sea story is previously unreleased, distributed only to a very limited audience. It is here released to the public for the very first time, additional details provided for those with less maritime literacy. (*Name changed to protect the Guilty)


We're back from Haiti - what a trip! I'm going to be sending out an Adventures update soon, but just for you man, a sea story I don't know yet whether I'll share with the larger audience. Here's how it starts: I fired my chief mate on the way back with five days to go to Lake Charles.

Vizzini* has a 1600 ton master's license and is not permitted to sail more than 200 miles off the coast. He's mid-fifties, wearing a graying beard kept well tended. I first met him in Gretna when we were helping after Katrina, and from what I knew of him there, I had my reservations for this trip.

We delayed our departure from Haiti and then stopped in Montego Bay, Jamaica to wait for Hurricane Alberto to get beyond us. On the afternoon of dropping the hook in Montego Bay, I informed the watch officers that we would maintain our standard underway watch hours and keep an anchor watch on the bridge. This is standard safe marine practice, not a task I ever anticipated needing to justify or explain to any knowledgeable mariner. Vizzini balked, however, and as gently as I could manage, I put my foot down. Vizzini complied, but didn’t seem very happy about it.

On the morning of our departure from Jamaica, I came to the bridge to relieve Vizzini and take the eight to twelve anchor watch. I was on the bridge at 0747. (Official relief time is 0800, customary relief time is 0745, and I try to be there about 0738, so I was running a little late.) Vizzini was stooping at the top of the ladder, looking down and waiting to see me start up the ladder from two decks below. As soon as he saw me, he stood up, turned around, stepped outside the bridge and went down the outside ladder. I was flabbergasted! I have never had a watch turnover experience as bizzare!

The next morning we were underway and after I relieved him, I noticed Vizzini’s log entry for the watch was "Ditto." This was scribbled in cursive in pencil and then on top of that, in pen. I had asked him a few times previously to make one single entry for his watch - visibility, cloud cover, wind, sea state, temperature, course and how the ship was moving in the water. I asked him to use pen and not pencil. When I read "Ditto," I was incensed!

I called Vizzini in the mess decks on the sound powered phone and told him to come to the bridge to make a more professional log entry. He started to resist, so I said, "Right now." He said he'd be right up. Sixteen minutes later there was no sign of him, so I made an announcement on the public address system, the 1MC - "Chief Mate Vizzini, lay to the bridge, now. Chief Mate Vizzini, lay to the bridge, now." It was readily apparent how mad I was, my voice may have been quaking. In addition, for those who might not know, saying “lay to” as opposed to “your presence is requested” has a demeaning connotation, one I meant to reinforce by adding the “now” bit. I had been praying for assistance to stay calm and trying to keep a cool head, but I grew more furious as each minute passed.

Three minutes after making the announcement, I sent one of my lookouts to find Vizzini. Vizzini said that he knew that I wanted to see him, but he was tired, was off watch, and was going to sleep. I left the bridge after a quick scan, stormed down the ladder to his stateroom, threw open the door and said, "I am logging you insubordinate! You are off the watch!" Then I welded his door shut. He was under the covers in his rack, blinking stupidly at the light let into his room when I opened the door. Vizzini’s only concern, as it came out later, was that I would file an official report with the Coast Guard.

The whole thing was so surreal! It's the kind of thing a guy is supposed to read about, not live through! The issue was more than a log entry, it was the principle. Am I the captain, or not?! Can I be confident that my crew will do what I tell them when I tell them? What about in an emergency? Even the body only has one head. It seemed to me, upon reflection, that I turned an important corner with that situation. It was a test, and I passed it. I had been questioning my legitimacy as a captain due to my age and considering the experience of others. I was trying very hard to make it the last five days without a confrontation with Vizzini, but it had to happen. And now that it’s over, I'm glad that it did. I am the captain and you will do what I say. That’s how it has to be, ships don’t function any other way. My requests are reasonable, and with your compliance, watch officer, we will get along great.

With all that, I feel that I have release from God to leave Friend Ships. I'm driving home on July 1st with all my stuff, and I'm moving to Chelan. I'm going to live in the log house for a while, clean the place up, acquire power and hot water, chink the logs, keep out the rodents, make it a home. I've told them here that I still want to sail with them, but when they're not sailing, I'll be at the log house. It feels really great, but I am going to miss some friends that I've made. It'll be an interesting transition to make.

Wow, this is a long one. There's a line of people waiting. Gotta go, be in touch.

Jake

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As any long time reader knows, six weeks later I was back in Louisiana preparing for the fateful trip to Israel.