A RARE PHENOMENON
The modern phenomenon of manning merchant ships with a mixture of different nationalities with their diverse cultures and languages can cause communication problems on board.
As an example of this, I worked on an Israeli owned tanker with a total crew of thirty two persons that consisted of fourteen different nationalities. The common language among the crew was Italian. Ironically there were no Italians sailing on the vessel.
Some funny things can happen as a result of misunderstandings and the following is an example.
I wish to thank John Flynn, docking pilot with Moran Towing USA who first told me this tale one otherwise cheerless day when berthing at Bayonne in New Jersey.
The Captain’s Note to the Chief Officer :
Early morning there will be a total solar eclipse at 0900. This is something that cannot be seen every day, so let the crew line up in their best clothes on deck in order that they may see it. To mark this rare phenomenon, I will myself explain it to them. If it is raining we will not be able to see it clearly. In that case we should gather in the messroom.
The Chief Officer’s Note to the First Officer :
On Captain’s orders, there will be a total solar eclipse early tomorrow at 0900. If it is raining, we will not be able to see it clearly from deck in our best clothes. In that case, the sun’s disappearance will be fully observed in the messroom. This is something which does not happen every day.
The First Officer’s Note to the Second Officer :
On Captain’s orders, we shall fully observe in our best clothes that the sun disappears in the messroom at 0900. The Captain will tell us if it is going to rain. This is something that does not happen every day.
The Second Officer’s Note to the Bosun :
If it is raining in the messroom early tomorrow, which is something that does not happen every day, The Captain, in his best clothes, will disappear at 0900.
The Bosun’s Note to the Crew :
Early tomorrow morning at 0900, the Captain will disappear. It is a pity that this does not happen every day.
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Snippets
Short StorySnippets is a collection of random short stories and anecdotes that is not bound to any genre and written to amuse, inform and entertain.
