高港故事，Navneet: 每个人都有许多跟工作相关的故事

Stories From Gaogang.........Part 8

高港故事--第8部分

We boarded the vessel at 0630 Hrs. and moved in to the cabins we were allocated. During sea trial, there are technicians, service engineers, owner’s representatives, surveyors, navigators, cooks etc. besides some ship staff who would be the part of the crew sailing on the ship after it is handed over to the owners. There is only a limited accommodation on board the merchant vessels.

我们6点30分上船，然后搬进了分配给我们的船舱。在试航期间，船上有技术人员、服务工程师、船东代表、测量员、航海家、厨师等，以及一些船员，这些船员在船被交付给船东后，将成为随船出航的全体船员中的一部分。商船上只有有限的舱位。

It is determined by the minimum number of people required to run that particular type of the ship and is limited by the capacity of the lifeboat and life rafts provided on the ship.The extra people carried onboard the ship during sea trial are accommodated in every conceivable place on the ship.

它是由操作各种船只所需的最低船员数决定的，并受限于船上救生艇和救生筏的承载人数。在试航期间，船上的额外人员被安置在船上每个你能想象到的地方。

译文来源：三泰虎 http://www.santaihu.com/44427.html

Cabins of Captain, Chief Engineer, Chief Officer and Second Engineer have a day room and a bed room. In these cabins three-to-four people are accommodated while many other are shared by two people each. It’s mandatory for every ship to have Life Boat and Life Rafts capable for accommodating the personnel in the event of emergency. When Titanic sank, many people died because there were not enough lifeboats to accommodate all of them. For the extra people who go on the ship for sea trial, extra life rafts are carried onboard.

船长、轮机长、大副和二管轮的客舱里有一间休息室和一间卧室。在这些客舱里，三到四个人共住一间，而其他大多数人则两人一间。每艘船都必须配备救生艇和救生筏，以便在紧急情况下能载人。泰坦尼克号沉没时，因为缺乏足够的救生艇，造成许多人死亡。对于那些乘船出海试航的闲杂人等来说，船上也会配备多余的救生筏。

The first test that is carried out after the vessel leaves the berth is about the reliability of the lifeboat. It won’t be necessary for me to detail all the tests that are carried out on the ship but I will speak of a few. The life boat is loaded with sand bags along with minimum personnel required to operate the boat such that the total weight is equivalent to the weight it is designed to carry which itself is worked out in the basis of number of the people it is allowed to carry x 75 Kgs. assumed as an average weight of the person. The ships that we are making here have what is known as a free fall type of lifeboat.

船只起航后进行的第一项试验是关于救生艇的可靠性。我没有必要详细说明在船上进行的所有测试，但我会举例说一些。救生艇除了操作船支所需的最少船员还载有沙袋，这样救生艇的总重量与设计荷载重量相等，也即核载人数乘以平均75 公斤/人。我们在这里建造的船有一个自由落体式救生艇。

In this arrangement, the lifeboat is held on a davit mounted in the aft of the vessel. It is kept in a ready to launch condition. Once the releasing mechanism is operated, the boat dives in to the sea and resurfaces at a safe distance from the ship. In a real situation, this will be done with all people seated and belted to their seats. It’s like a rollercoaster running down the slope, but Life Boat launching except for the moments like this is not a fun. It is launched in the case of extreme distress. That’s to say, a do or die moment on the ship, when your ship can’t assure the safety and shelter in vast expanse of the ocean where it serves as your lagoon till such a moment of despair. The situation can arise in minutes, when the ship collides with another or is wrecked by the storm or is engulfed by fire that threatens to consume it.

这种救生艇被固定在船尾的吊杆上，随时准备下水。一旦进行下水操作，救生艇立刻落入海中，在与船只保持足够安全距离的地方重新浮出水面。在真实情况下，下水时所有的人都将坐在座位上并系上安全带。这就像在斜坡上向下冲的过山车，但救生艇下水的时刻并不好玩。它是在极度痛苦的情况下启动的。也就是说，会发生在当你搭乘的船只无法在广阔无边的海洋里提供足够安全与庇护，船开始沉没，绝望无助的千钧一发之际。当船只与另一艘船相撞、或被风暴摧毁、或被大火吞没时，这种情况发生起来特别快。

After launching of the lifeboat, the next test that is carried out is of Rescue Boat. Rescue Boat is another launchable boat provided onboard the vessels. It is meant to rescue the people who may accidently fall off the ship or it can be used to help some marooned people of some other nearby vessel in distress. Launching it too involves great many risks. It is lowered in water with men onboard who after the boat touches the water, pull the lever to release it from the hook of the winch that lowers it. Accidents can happen. During one such launch, when one person on board pulled hard at the release lever, he lost his balance and fell overboard. He was retrieved two miles downstream from where he had got carried away in five minutes or so of his fall.

救生艇下水后，进行的下一个试验是救护船。救援船是船上提供的另一种下水船只。它的目的是营救那些可能不小心从船上掉下来的人，或帮助附近遇难船只上的船员。救护船的下水也可能发生很多风险。救护船会先下降，大船上的人推动释放杆将它从绞盘的挂钩上放下。这个过程中意外随时可能发生。在某次下水过程中，大船上的人用力拉着释放杆时失去了平衡，从船上掉入海中。在落海五分钟后，他在下游两英里的地方被找到。

All the people who get in to the life boat have their life jackets on them, so they may not drown but the strong currents can carry them away in seconds, literally like rag dolls. If a person falls in the river, his location with respect to the landmark positions of reference on the banks can still be known but in the vast ocean, there are no relative positions to judge where he fell. The calmness on the surface of the sea is frightfully deceptive and one gets the feel of it only when one gets down in a boat.

所有进入救生船的人都穿着救生衣，这样他们不会被淹死，但是强大的水流可以在几秒钟内把他们像布娃娃一样冲走。如果一个人掉到河里，还可以通过岸上的参考标记物知道他的大概位置，但是在浩瀚的海洋中，根本没有可以参考的位置来判断他的下落。海面上的平静是非常具有欺骗性的，只有当一个人下了船，才会有这种感觉。

Looking down from the safety of the ship, shimmering water with ripples dancing over it caused by the slight stir in the air, or spread like a sheet of satin over the large expanse of can appear to be inviting one to poetry, but below the surface, it hides perils, like the vast shroud of uncertainty spread over our future, it lets enjoy the instant that eye beholds and the mind pictures.

从船上往下看，波光粼粼的海面被海风轻轻吹出微微的波纹，有时候也平静得像一张无边的绸缎，让人忍不住想吟诗一首，但水面之下隐藏了无数的危险，像巨大的盖布盖住了我们未知的未来，让我们时刻欣赏眼前和想象的画面。

And all this picture that I am drawing here is of placid seas, but there are people who have gone around the oceans of the globes in reed boats, however this doesn’t belittle their majesty or trivialize their might. All those who take up the challenges of climbing the summits or crossing the oceans kneel down and pray after successful conquests because they know that, their feat howsoever daring may seem to the ordinary human beings wouldn’t have been possible without the blessings of the Almighty.

我在这里描述的画面都是平静的海洋，有人划着芦苇船在每个海上畅游，然而这并没有降低他们的威严，削弱他们的力量。所有那些勇于攀登高峰或横渡海洋的人在挑战成功后都跪下来祈祷，因为他们知道，如果没有全能的上帝的保佑，他们的壮举在普通人看来是不可能实现的。

What to talk of the oceans, the currents in the rivers too are very strong. I remember when I was on one ship that used to go to Brazilian, Peruvian and Columbian ports in the mighty Amazon. The currents in that river are so strong that it is not uncommon to see huge chunks of lands, with houses and animals on them, broken away from shore and being carried downstream like little islands. The sand at the bed of this river keeps shifting to form what are known as bars or barriers. So every time when you come to the river after a few days, its topography can be different and unless you sound the water in the river ahead of you, the ship’s bottom can scrape against the river bed causing serious damages or even rupture of the bottom of the ship, if it runs aground.

说到海洋，其实河里的水流也很强烈。我记得我曾经在一艘常常开往亚马逊的巴西、秘鲁和哥伦比亚港口的的船上呆过。这条河的水流很湍急，我们时常能看到大片大片的土地，上面还有房子和动物，从岸边断裂下来，像小岛一样顺流而下。这条河河床上的沙一直在移动，形成所谓的栅栏或障碍。所以每次当你隔了数日再经过这条河，它的地形可能又发生了变化，如果你没有对前面的河水进行勘测，船的底部可能就会被河床严重剐蹭，如果发生搁浅，船底甚至还会破裂。

A boat was carried on that ship and where the water depth was known to be less, the navigators would lower the boat in water and sound the depth of the river ahead to decide whether the ship could pass or would have to wait for the high tide to ride over the bars. Our final port of destination used to be Ikitos in Peru. It was what is known as an anchorage port. There was no wharf or jetty for the ship to be tied alongside. It used to be tied to the buoys in the river and the cargo was discharged in the barges. For going ashore, some boat was hired but the service was very unpredictable, so for most purposes the “all purpose” rescue boat was lowered and used. It had an overboard engine that is started by pulling a string.

船上会装载小艇，如果水深不够，船长会把小艇降入水中，勘测前面喝水的深度，决定通行或等候涨潮，以便通过这些障碍。我们的目的港口一般是秘鲁的Ikitos，所谓的锚泊港。这个港口没有可以供船只系泊的泊位或码头。过去人们把船绑在河里的浮标上，通过驳船卸货。为了上岸，人们搭乘一些小船，但是小船的服务不太靠谱，所以大多数情况下，人们放下并使用全能救援船。这种船有一个舷外发动机，拉动发动机的线就能工作。

During my visit to Ikitos on many occasions, I too had gone ashore on that boat. But once it so happened that one Third Officer and a Seaman had got on that boat for some job. The boat is kept of the deck in the accommodation quarters which are in the aft of the ship. The boat was lowered and the engine started. It raced to the forward of the ship and after reaching a few meters ahead of the ship, the engine stalled and stopped. Both the persons on board tried to start the ship as it drifted back. The boat drifted rapidly and was sucked below the barges that were standing around the ship for taking the cargo. I wasn’t sailing on the ship that time and I came to know of this incident later. I don’t know whether they were wearing their life jackets or had committed the gravest mistake of their lives.

我曾多次访问Ikitos，我也曾搭乘小船上岸。但有一次，一名三副和一名水手登船工作。这条小船是装在船后舱室的甲板上的。船下水了，发动机也启动了。它冲到船头，在离大船几米远的地方，引擎熄火了，停了下来。船上的人都试图在小船漂回来时把大船发动起来。小船漂得很快，钻到大船周围运货的驳船下面。我当时没有在船上，后来才知道了这件事。我不知道他们是否穿着救生衣，是不是犯下了人生中最严重的错误。

When it came out from the other end, in an overturned state, the men weren’t there. They were never found. Amazon is home to vast aquatic life, much of which hasn’t been researched yet but some of you might have read about Pirahnas or seen the movie with the same name and the scenes of their voraciousness might revisit you while reading this, but little is known about hundreds of other unknown species and their ravenousness. In the aquarium at Singapore, I saw a tiny scorpion form the amazon kept in a sealed glass cell. It had a warning displayed cautioning the people against touching the glass cabinet as it read that the mere touch could instantaneously paralyze and kill.

当它从另一端出来的时候，船是翻的，船上的人不见了，再也没有被找到。亚马逊河是巨型水上生物的母亲河，其中的大多数都尚未被研究，但你可能读过《食人鱼》这本书，或者看过同名的电影，看到这里你可能忍不住回忆起食人鱼疯狂吞食的场景。但我们对数以百计的其他物种及他们的贪婪习性并不清楚。在新加坡的水族馆里，我看到了一只亚马逊小蝎子，被放在一个密封的玻璃容器中，旁边有一个告示，警告人们不要触摸玻璃橱柜，因为仅仅触摸就会导致瞬间瘫痪和死亡。

印度网友评论：

Suchisree/ Sree Kumar /  / 9 months ago

Dear Navneeth,

Very very interesting experience straight from the horse's mouth.

Regards,

Suchisree.

亲爱的Navneeth，

非常非常有趣的经历。

祝好

 

Navneet /  / 9 months ago

Thanks Suchi- I have lived most of my life at sea. I have many stories to tell. I feel great when people find them interesting.

谢谢Suchi网友，我在海上度过了大部分的时光。我有许多故事可以分享。大家觉得有趣，我很开心。

 

Suchisree.

Prasad Ganti /  / 9 months ago

Navneet saheb, very interesting experiences !

Navneet saheb，这些经历十分有趣！

 

Navneet /  / 9 months ago

Thanks Prasad Ji- Everyone has many stories related to one's job. Some interesting and some no so. People find the stories related to sea fascinating, but life out there is quite a slog.

谢谢，Prasad Ji-。每个人都有许多跟工作相关的故事。有些很有趣，有些不那么有趣而已。大家觉得跟大海有关的故事让人着迷，但是海上生活可是挺苦的。

 

Gv /  / 9 months ago

A very informative blog for landlubbers.

I'm sure very few of them would know of these things.

Wbw,

RRG.

对新水手来说这是一个非常有用的博客

我相信大多数人并不知道这些事情。

Navneet /  / 9 months ago

Thanks GV sir, if I am not wrong, you too were a sailor. Yes, for landlubbers any news from the sea is fascinating :)

谢谢GV先生，如果我没猜错，您也是位水手吧。没错，对新水手来说，大海的事总是让人着迷。

 

Geeta Kashyap /  / 9 months ago

Nice to read about your experience, as I read I tried to imagine by recalling visuals from the movies. I have read so much about Amazon river, the forest and the vast variety of plant and animal life there. I even have a book on this subject. All I can say is, ' Wow, you are so lucky to have had such varied experience!'

很高兴阅读您的经历，我在阅读时努力回忆电影中的场景。我读过很多关于亚马逊河、亚马逊森林、无数植物和动物的文章。我甚至还有一本这个主题的书。我只能说，“哇哦，您有那么丰富的经历，真是太幸运了”。

Comment

Navneet /  / 9 months ago

Nice to know Geeta that you have been taking such an interest in reading and knowing about Amazon. I have gone deep up the river but haven't had the chance of goving their for adventure- for which Amazon is still holds lots of fascination for the adventurists, but still I have been fortunate enough to see such far off places for which people are ready to spend thousands of dollars for a few days trip

很高兴知道您对阅读和亚马逊如此感兴趣。我曾经深入亚马逊河，但没有机会去探险，亚马逊还有许许多多令探险者着迷的东西。我已经很幸运了 ，可以去到那么多地方，其他人可是得花上几千块钱才能旅游几天。

 

Ushasuryamani /  / 9 months ago

Wow Navneet

What an amazing blog !! What an adventurous/dangerous life you have been leading..

I have a cousin who was with the navy we used to affix the name SHIP with his name and he has told be all about raging storms, rains , tornados, turbulent water etc. that he had experienced!! Nature can be beautiful ad treacherous too!!!

Yes God saves those who earnestly pray...unless it is one's Karma to face the inevitable. My heart goes out to the two who went missing in the Amazon River..yes..I have heard about / seen the Piranha. As you have rightly said, God knows how many more dangerous species are down there !

哇，Navneet

这博客太棒了！！您经历过这么冒险和危险的人生。

我有个堂兄在海军，我们都在他的名字后面加个ship（船）他也告诉过我很多他经历过的暴风雨，大雨，龙卷风，湍流等等！！大自然很美但也很危险。

上帝帮助那些虔诚的祷告者。除非是报应，无可避免。我同情那两个在亚马逊失踪的人，没错，我听说过也看过食人鱼。就像您说的，上帝才知道水面下还藏着多少危险的物种。

Navneet /  / 9 months ago

Thanks Usha Ji- Ashu ( a regular at Sulekha) also started calling me as Sailor Uncle and later many Chinese too would address me so. :) Yes, Nature is beautiful but it can be very unforgiving and ruthless. You must respect its might.

谢谢Usha Ji-，Ashu也开始叫我航海大叔，然后很多中国人也这么称呼我。没错，大自然很美丽，但也可能非常残忍无情。你要对它的力量心有敬畏。