A SAILOR LESS QUALIFIED

 

The other day I chanced upon a well-made documentary on the Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala. It showed in detail the training the naval cadets are imparted and the tests they have to clear before graduating from the Academy. It suddenly dawned on me that if my instructors had insisted on my clearing all those tests, I would never have made a naval officer.

To start with, swimming. I have disclosed in an earlier post that I can’t swim, period! Passing a swimming test was compulsory even in the National Defence Academy, Kharakvasla, where I did my cadet training. To recount briefly, here is what happened. One day while learning to dive, I developed a severe headache. The headache reappeared in all its ferocity the next time I went into the pool. Bravely, I went to the pool again after a few days when the swimming instructor looked at his sheet and informed me that the records showed I had already passed the test. A fast, happy retreat to my cabin never to attempt to swim again! How and when a tick appeared against my name is a mystery that will never be solved.

Fortunately, in my 30 years in the Navy, I never needed to swim. There was one occasion, though, when I fell from a boat into the sea off the Andaman Islands. Providentially, there was another boat secured to our ship right next to where I fell and as soon as I came up for the first time, I saw the boat and climbed into it, safe and sound!

Was I ever scared that I could not swim? No, I had faith in my ships and never ever thought that the ship would sink and I would need to swim to save myself.

Next, sailing. The term here refers to a sailboat with no engine. Sailing is compulsory in the Naval Academy but in our NDA days, it was not so and it was treated more as a hobby. Aware of my inability to swim, I was hesitant to sail as these small boats are notorious for capsizing. Of course, we had to learn the theory of sailing and in that field I was quite proficient as I could tell the difference between a mainsail and a spinnaker. I was au fait with sailing terms too and knew a bit about port and starboard tacks, being ‘in irons’ and running free!

Thirdly, knots. Cadets have to learn to tie a whole lot of knots - reef knot, sheepshank, clove hitch, this hitch, that hitch! My main hitch was that I could not tie a knot; all I could do with a rope in my hands would be to get all knotted up. My knot tying skill is limited to tying an elementary one in my pajamas and shoelaces. If they ever get knotty, I need help! As an important part of our marriage customs, just before the ‘pheras’, a ‘bua’ or a sister ties a thread called ‘kangana’ on the wrists of the bride and the groom. Once the ceremony is complete, the groom is supposed to unknot the bride’s kangana and vice versa. Well, I could not unknot my wife’s and quietly pleaded with her to do it herself. Nobody saw us so the legality of the marriage was never questioned.

Back to our cadet days and, yes, there was a practical test for knots. How did I pass the test? My memory is not very clear on this and I can only guess a few possibilities. Perhaps I was next to an adept knotter who would quickly tie the desired knot on his rope, surreptitiously exchange ropes with me and tie the knot again on the new rope. The examiner either didn’t notice or decided to take a benevolent view and ignore it. Or maybe the theory and practical marks of Seamanship were combined and I obtained pass marks overall.

One other disqualification. Not having a girl in every port.