It was a nice Saturday morning, and Bow Star was well anchored at the Belmont anchorage along the bend of Mississippi River. With both the weather and the river current in favorable condition, it was the perfect time to conduct a drill. Our newly signed-on captain, Captain Luisito Cantona, spearheaded a realistic man overboard (MOB) drill that focused on two rescue maneuvers, Single Turn and Williamson Turn.
Beforehand at the bridge, the Captain discussed the safety precautions and the drill procedure. After the MOB boat’s lashings were unleashed, it was lowered to deck level by davit so we could board it. Onboard the MOB boat in personal protective equipment (PPE) were Captain Cantona, Third Officer Mark Nilo Pardillo, Electrician Rod Jake Caceres, Stewardess Ma. Lourdes Divinagracia, and myself.
As soon as the MOB boat touched the water, its shackle and forward painter line were released, and the engine was started. The Captain drove around the ship first to assess the surroundings (especially the current) to make sure it was safe for the four who volunteered to act as MOB victims. Those brave were Deck Cadet Camilo Jr. Escorial, Engine Cadet Melvin Tabangay, Deck Boy John Kenneth Portes, and Engine Boy Nel Bacay.
The ship’s starboard side accommodation ladder was lowered two meters above the water. With their life jackets on, two of the “victims” jumped from the ladder alongside the ship for the MOB crew to rescue, and for the crew who remained on the ship to observe the drill. They were brought back to the accommodation ladder after being rescued.
The other two “victims” were picked up from the ladder, brought to a distance away from the ship and jumped into the water so the rest of the crew could observe and execute the rescue procedure for when the man overboard had drifted away from the ship. They were retrieved after the rescue maneuvers were smoothly executed. Afterwards, Stewardess Divinagracia and Third Officer Pardillo took turns in driving the MOB boat, under the Captain’s supervision.
All of us learned something new from the drill, especially Stewardess Divinagracia, who experienced driving an MOB boat for the first time. Having recently joined the company when Odfjell opened its doors for female seafarers from the Philippines, she had started to look forward to more interesting experiences that her male colleagues have always done on board. The rest of us, meanwhile, were reminded that while we can learn by reading our books and manuals, experience remains the best teacher of all.
Bow Star was moored port side alongside DOW A8 terminal in Freeport, Texas. It was a sunny Thursday, perfect for testing the lifeboat on water. Safety precautions were observed and proper personal protective equipment was used as the lifeboat was lowered by davit. In fact, the reason Captain Luisito Cantona didn’t allow to launch the lifeboat by freefall was that the stern lines were blocking the way into the water.
On board the lifeboat was Captain Luisito Cantona, Third Officer Mark Nel Pardillo, Third Engineer Carl Eugene Garinganao, Ordinary Seaman Kristian Eivend Abubo, Stewardess Ma. Lourdes Victoria Divinagracia, and myself. It was Lourdes' first time to experience the actual launching of a lifeboat so her excitement was written all over her face.
While the Captain drove the lifeboat around, the equipment inside the lifeboat – from the sprinkler system to the lighting system to its engine – was tested. The food and water rations and the medical equipment’s quality and dates of expiry were also checked.
What did we gain from this experience? We became more familiar with what actually needs to be done in case of an “abandon ship” situation, not just with reciting our duties and responsibilities during the lifeboat drill.
We further developed having chronic unease – the experience of unease and discomfort regarding the management of risks – strengthening our ability to identify the potential risks.
Our individual key competencies such as communication, problem-solving, teamwork, and leadership were also tested, and enhanced. As we observed safety measures, the activity also allowed for identifying loopholes and mechanical faults.
It was a fun learning experience! Despite the lifeboat’s rolling, none of us threw up – not even Lourdes, who seized the moment and whose smile didn’t fade.
Indeed, we only get to truly know something if we experience it ourselves, and fully immerse ourselves in the process.
