When Two Sisters Meet

The berthing of two vessels of the same class or type does sometimes happen but not often enough as to not cause a slight stir amongst both vessels crews! Many pretend to ignore the occurrence with a simple brush off and disappear ashore, to their beds or to watch a movie without even acknowledging the fact further. Others rush to get their cameras as the image produced (a doubling up of the one that they have over photographed) gives energy to an exhausted hobby! And there are many other reasons for a slight well-hidden excitement to stir; friends to meet, memories of a past voyage on that vessel to re-live or simply information is required with regard to engineering problems - maybe a problem shared is a problem halved through a simple conversation between Chiefs!

It is in this note that the two vessels the Pacific Endurance and the Pacific Endeavour parked side-by-side in Kholmsk harbor. It is not the first time that they have met, it won't be the last time that they have been in port together but it has been a few months since the last time and so a different day materialized for all onboard both vessels.

The Russians ran around excitedly, they tend to show their emotions more than westerners do, and once upon the others vessel they hugged or shook hands of their comrades violently whilst grinning from ear to ear like a Russian versions of some Cheshire Cats. The four western advisors though on both vessels, reacting in true "no show of emotion" style carried on the day as if nothing unusual was afoot. The morning passed by with the pre-requisite number of hours spent working, morning break extended itself from the usual half hour as to nearly make it worthless starting again as 1200 O'clock was knocking at the door and lunch was eaten in the usual harried style.

During lunch hour they wandered around the accommodation as if lost; one engineer mentioned casually that he needed some spares and then suggested mutely that the other boat might just have what he wanted. Another concurred and wandered aloud if they had any fictional books onboard that they could lend. And so the proceedings got underway! By 1230hrs three advisors had initiated the voyage across the deck, down the gangway, along the dock, up a very similar gangway and onboard the other vessel. Identical in color, shape, design and feeling with the only difference being that the security code to enter the vessel was one digit different. The other advisor brushed off the occurrence with a wave and proceeded to sleep his way through lunch - he was obviously not going to rise to the occasion!

I went across; I chose the route of 'I need some advice' and wandered off to the other vessel! The four advisors on the other ship were all eating lunch and welcomed us with open arms (they were probably relieved that they had not had to make the decision to come over to our boat, somebody has to break free and today that was I and my fellow advisors) and so passed the next four hours!

I forgot all of my excuses of wanting some food item, I forgot to talk about anything remotely related to engineering or vessel matters and I completely forgot to mention that I might want some spare parts that I did not have on my vessel across the way! I spent those four hours catching up with people that I had met before, meeting new people that I might have heard about and basically talking about life, families and everything and everything that was as far removed from the vessel as Mars is to Earth!

This meeting today was typical of the situation! Laughter and jokes propelled the meet to last longer than the suggested "I'll just pop over there for five minutes" but it served its purpose in more ways than one! For myself, I got some good photographs of the vessels (I was sick of photographing only one) and I appropriated a jar of marmite (something that I had been longing for and that we had run out of ages ago). This meeting though was about far more; it was about seeing new faces, about getting out of the house and meeting new people! A ship is an enclosed world and although it can be a very happy crew and vessel it is sometimes necessary to make a break, to pass the time with others not so connected and to have a breather from the same faces and conversations that one typically has after the first week onboard! Eventually, after wiping the tears from my eyes (from laughter not sadness) I meandered back to my vessel.

The ships will meet again, maybe I will be at home, on the other vessel or still on the same one but regardless I will make the same old excuses, I will pretend that nothing of note has occurred that day and after much hanging around and shows of indifference I will eventually find an excuse that will lead me down one gangway and up the next!

Ieuan Dolby
Author and Webmaster of SeaDolby.com
Copyright © Ieuan Dolby, 18th January 2007