At the first sign of the ship being approached by suspicious craft, the Captain on the loudspeaker, told us – there will be a blast on the ship’s Emergency Siren followed by the announcement on the PA of the code “Sierra Papa”.
Crew
to go to assigned stations, and passengers to proceed immediately to their
cabins by interior routes – avoiding windows and outside areas of the ship.
Don’t spend excessive time to gather personal belongings. Use handrails where
available and be alert for sudden movements of the ship.
Remain
in the stateroom with balcony doors secured and curtains drawn. Move as far
away from exterior walls, windows and balconies as possible. Prop open the
cabin doors to enable instructions from the crew to be heard.
Information
will be passed on as soon as it becomes available so please remain alert.
At
10.30am of June 5th everybody on the ship was required to take part
in a Piracy Drill for all Passengers and Crew Members.
The
Captain’s instructions said “I would like to impress on all passengers the
importance of this drill, and that it is taken seriously. Your participation in
this drill is very important for the safety of all on board.”
So
here we were in our cabin with a slight frisson of excitement as we imagined
the ‘for real’ Piracy Invasion of our huge ocean liner. How would they gain
access to a deck? High above them from the water? Mental pictures of harpoons
shooting up and over rails. Something from a 007 movie recalled.
While the crew above them manned the strong
fire hoses and forced them back.
Memories of the ‘Acquille Laura’ years ago
(excuse the spelling – it was years ago) and the passengers herded on deck, and
one even being forced overboard to his death as part of the negotiation process.)
Before
long the deep, reassuring voice of the Captain came back over the PA to every
corner of the ship. The drill was over. He went ahead to give details of piracy
in the area over the last few years. In 2011 there had been one hundred and
something attacks, but fewer than that successful because of the actions of
international security ships in the area.
The ships themselves had been able to beat off attacks by use of their
fire hoses. Many less attacks had happened in 2012 and 2013.
This
whole area from present position right through to the approaches to the Suez
canal had been the scene of attacks, but this season of fluctuating monsoon
conditions was not favourable to small boats trying to attack. The swell and unexpected conditions made the
sea more difficult for them to negotiate.
What
an interesting morning we had. Our Filipino cabin steward came in later to do
something and I had a chat. Was he nervous of pirate attack? No – not on this
ship. But he had Filipino friends who were crew on a cargo ship that had been
captured and held off the coast of Africa. It was not pleasant, but they were
OK. The Company paid the ransom and they were freed.
So
while we on this ship would be safe, it had happened. Happened to quite a few
ships. And our cabin steward had Filipino friends who had actually been
captured.
Thinking
about this I could only be grateful we are on this ship and can feel
safe.
I’d
just like to comment on what the Captain said of the seas hereabouts and the
monsoon. I’m not keen on the way the deck comes up to meet my foot, or is not
there where I expect it to be when I put my foot down. The swell is not bad
enough for me to feel sea-sick, (so far, touch wood), but it is enough to leave
me uncomfortable when I’m moving around the ship. Even on my walking frame. Not
so bad on my scooter as my feet are not seeking purchase on the deck for every
step.
The
other excitement of the day was the expected State of Origin Football broadcast
on the big outside screen by satellite from 4pm to 6pm while we sailed due
West to the South of the southern most
tip of India. By 4pm we had found a seat on Deck 12 looking up at the screen.
The clarity and colours are amazing. Even in the strong sunlight.
Around
us there were quite a lot of other people who had made their intentions clear
by turning to the screen whatever seats, tables or pool lounges they had. This
is the main pool deck, and we could see the water from the pool sloshing up and
over the pool surrounds. A few people were in the pool or the several heated
spa pools or showers round about. Waiters moved between lounges, tables and
chairs with buckets filled with cold beer bottles for sale. A girl came around
with a tray handing out open-top bags of freshly made crisp, pop-corn. Smelled
great and – yum, was salty and crunchy.
So
we sat and crunched pop-corn till the screen changed and there we were at the
ANZ Stadium in Homebush, Sydney, with the screen a sea of blue shirts, flags
and even wigs. Then the areas of maroon came up. Cheers all round us. And the
game was ON.
I’d
have to say the crowd all around were vocal, but not necessarily one eyed. Good
play was cheered for both sides, and a Try caused deafening roars – whichever
side scored it.
But
the game went on amid the beers, cool drinks and snacks – and the appreciation
of a good game of footy. Of course those supporting New South Wales were the
happiest at the end of the day, when all drifted away to do whatever came next.
We
went down to our own cabin balcony and sat in the warm balmy air to watch the
sea and the small fishing boats we could see dotted around the ocean.
Barely visible on the horizon we could make
out a cargo ship keeping pace with us parallel, and we passed some sort of inter-island
cargo ferry. The low, small fishing boats with 3, 4 or 5 people were dotted on
the sea between us and the horizon for
about 30 minutes. Where were they from? we wondered. We seemed to be a long way
from land in any direction, so how did they find their way home?
We
helped ourselves to dinner up in the Horizon Court Buffet on Deck 14. Bruce
went to look at the Pavarotti Concert on the big screen where we’d seen the
football, and I went back to the cabin to finish my book before the end of another day at sea.
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