The Merchant Marine Express

We have finished at Buffington , Indiana docks and are heading back north to Stoneport , Michigan which is on the north eastern side of the state.

Buffington is situated at the Southern Most part of Lake Michigan, just to the west of Gary , Indiana . In Buffington, there are two Casino boats moored alongside each other and offer the latest in gambling and have buffet restaurants inside. We delivered our Limestone in record time- this after having to Anchor just off the coast for a twelve hour period to allow high winds and seas, subside. But during the evening of the 9th, we had to alter our plans and the captain chose to anchor just to the north of port.
I’m not usually in charge of Anchoring on the ocean going ships, as the Chief Mate usually handles this task, but because there were only four of us awake, this time, the captain asked if I had ‘ever’ anchored a ship and I responded with a ‘yes’; so I was in charge. Well, with a deep breath and some recounting on previous experiences enabled me to do the task by ‘dropping the hook’ and securing the massive link of chain using the brake wheel of the Windlass after letting ‘2 shots’ past the hawse pipe and down into the water. A ‘shot’ is ninety-feet.
I had help with the aid of my Able Seaman, Ray, and the 2nd Mate looking on. I had only a little window to see out and view the lead of the chain, as it disappeared into the dark of the water. The captain needed me to report how the chain led from the boat, in order to determine if the anchor was holding, correctly. It wasn’t but twenty minutes when the anchor was set and we could measure distances off the ‘beach’ for purposes of keeping track of the ship’s position and just sit and watch from the safety of the Wheelhouse- each huge wave as they passed like they were picking up the large ship and setting it down, gracefully.
With a great view of Chicago off to the West, I felt relieved that we would soon be pierside in a matter of hours.
However, it wasn’t until mid morning the next day when the captain made the decision to heave anchor and head into Buffington. Well, guess what…I was in charge of heaving anchor, as well!
This time, I felt more confident and determined to bring the massive three ton anchor alongside the ship’s hull, by using the power of the windlass as it slowly pulled each link of chain, one by one, and secured to its normal resting spot off the portside of the vessel. Once the Anchor was in sight and allowing for the silt and mud to wash off each of the two ‘flukes’, it would somehow turn in the correct position and make a final ‘clang!’ as it knocked against the steel hull.
With all said and done, we were only four miles from docking and the whole process of approaching the pier took approximately an hour and a half before being secured to the unloading dock.
It takes only five cable wires to securely moor this massive ship and with the help of our own deckhands and Able Seamen, we got the job done, safely. In only a few minutes from being moored, we started the plan to discharge the rock ashore using our conveyer belt within the boom. I happened to finish my Watch just as the unloading process began, so I ventured ashore and had the chance of peeking in at the Casinos and mailed a letter home.
I have a footnote to add about this as I was concerned that I couldn’t find a mailbox to send my letter so I attempted to ask the Casino if they could kindly send this letter that was intended for my wife. After asking around, It wasn’t until I talked with five different individuals that I finally found the right person who, in fact- turned out to be the mail person.
This is how it went…
I first asked the Gift shop lady in the lobby of the Casino and she didn’t know where there was a mailbox but instructed me to go to the Human Resources Department of the Casino. Well, The woman there said it would cost an additional amount on top of my 39 cent stamp, so she then directed me to a ‘door’ back down the hall.
Upon running into an employee who just exited this door that had a combination, he said I could kindly type in the three-digit coded number and then proceed to the Security guard just inside. After asking the security guard, she directed me to a loading-dock (for trucks) just to the right of where she was and spoke with another lady who told me to arrange for an ‘escort’ by Security to an Administration building.
Well, after the security guard summoned a van to pick me up, the nice gentleman guard driving, who introduced me as Raymond, proceeded to take me a few blocks to a new building. Although, just as we passed the building I just came out of, he spotted the mailman’s truck passing by the other way and quickly turned around and flagged the man down. I politely asked the mailman if he could send my mail and he obliged.
Amazingly, I wasn’t tired out by all this, and only had a couple of dollars in my pocket to spend- so off I went.
Time to go..the weather is turning so who knows what tomorrow will bring. Stoneport by midnight.
-Nadir

Tags: Arthur M.Anderson