DON’T PANIC Report


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Article reprinted with permission of Roy Glencross


It is with regret and haste that I write this letter to you, regret that such a small misunderstanding could lead to the following circumstances, and haste in order that you will receive this report before you form your own pre-conceived opinions from reports in the world press, for I am sure that they will tend to over-dramatise the affair.


We had just picked up the pilot, and the cadet had just returned from changing the “ G “ flag (I require a Pilot) for the “ H “ flag (I have a Pilot onboard) and, it being his first trip, was having difficulty rolling the “ G “ flag up. I therefore proceeded to show him how. Coming to the last part of this instruction I told him to “ let go “. The lad, although willing, is not too bright, making it necessary to repeat the order in a sharper tone.


96 | ISSUE 106 | DEC 2023 | THE REPORT


At this very moment the Chief Officer appeared from the Chart Room, having been plotting the vessels progress, and thinking that it was the anchors that I was referring to, repeated the “ let go “ to the Third Officer on the forecastle. The port anchor having been cleared away but not “ walked out “, was promptly let go. The effect of letting the anchor go from the “ pipe “ whilst the vessel was proceeding at full harbour speed proved too much for the windlass brake, and the entire length of port cable was pulled out from the “kenter”. I fear the damage to the chain locker may be extensive.


The braking effect of the port anchor naturally caused the vessel to sheer in that direction and hence, directly towards a swing bridge that spans a tributary of the river up which we were proceeding. The swing bridge


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