Sea State Six

Story Info
A day in life of my job as a Navy guy.
1k words
4.35
16k
1
Share this Story

Font Size

Default Font Size

Font Spacing

Default Font Spacing

Font Face

Default Font Face

Reading Theme

Default Theme (White)
You need to Log In or Sign Up to have your customization saved in your Literotica profile.
PUBLIC BETA

Note: You can change font size, font face, and turn on dark mode by clicking the "A" icon tab in the Story Info Box.

You can temporarily switch back to a Classic Literotica® experience during our ongoing public Beta testing. Please consider leaving feedback on issues you experience or suggest improvements.

Click here
dirtyjoe69
dirtyjoe69
968 Followers

If there are any sailors out there they will know what I am talking about when I say sea state six. It isn't the worst state to be sailing in but it is not picnic either. I remember it as if it was yesterday and the moment still brings fear in my heart.

I am a radar operator on a warship, which I love doing. Most people can't handle the overly cold dark room which others on the ship call the mushroom factory. It takes some getting used to not knowing whether it is night or day and the constant up and down and back and forth gets to the strongest of stomachs at times. I have yet to be seasick myself but I have seen plenty of others lose their cookies when the weather gets a little rough.

It is akin to being in a state of drunkenness all the time when you are sailing in rough waters. Perhaps that is why I enjoy the rougher seas, for me it is like a free drunk and I love that feeling. You are always feeling a little dizzy and your bearings are hard to gain not to mention the tricky footwork you have walking throughout the ship.

Some take seasick pills or wear a patch that helps them from being sick but I just go with the flow. The only problem with not ever getting sick is that you end up on the radar longer then those that are so sick they have to head to their racks and sleep it off. I have found that keeping my stomach full helps, if you have a half full stomach you can feel it moving with every wave.

Being on the radar is great because you stay dry and the job is relatively easy (at least for me it is) and when you are doing combat exercises it is extremely tense and exciting. I love when I get to do the job I am paid to do. But being on a ship means you are a sailor first so we are left with other jobs that aren't as cool or fun. We paint the ship constantly, although it isn't hard it becomes tedious unless of course you are on the top part of the ship and painting the deck when you are about to arrive in Hawaii (sorry forgetting off track just brought back some good memories). We also do a job called molly which means you have to clean up the main cafeteria. Molly is a good job because unlike when you are on the radars you only work during the day. On my shift for radar watch I sleep 5 hours then work 7, and then I sleep for 7 hours then back on watch for 5. This is very hard on the body and mind.

If you do a man overboard exercise we go to what is know as rescue stations and we all play a part. It is a ships evolution that I love. If I am at the radar at the time of the event I have to plot it in the system and this is fast and exciting. At the same time you are longing all the information in the radar log. If you are not on the radar at the time but still on watch the radar guys rush up to the Zodiac (an inflatable boat) to rescue the man overboard. We are in charge of handling the lines that lower the boat. This job is also exciting because you have to be safe yet fast at the same time.

The one job I hate is when we do what is called a RAS (replenishment at sea). This allows us to take items on board from another ship and even fuel. It happens to be the most dangerous evolution for us as two boats travel side by side hooking up the big fuel lines. The rougher the seas the more dangerous the job becomes.

One time we were out in the straights and it was really rough out. The seas were ranging from sea state five to six. The waves crashing into us were so big they came all the way up over the bridge wings where we have to hand out our distance lines. It was January and it was cold and the constant waves crashing into us soaked us to the core leaving our hands numb. We were doing the RAS at around midnight and with the distance line you have to keep it taught to let the captain know just how far it is between the ships. So you are left constantly taking in slack and letting out line. It is exhausting work and with cold hands it is that much harder.

We were twenty minutes into the RAS when we hit a huge wave this caused out line to go much too tight and it was slipping through the lead handlers grip. On the line there are flags at each twenty foot mark. Working your way with the line with these flags also makes it difficult to grip the line. I was already exhausted when the wave hit us. I could feel the line sliding through my grip as I was back up at that time when all of a sudden I felt a tug on my body. I started to panic because one of the flags had caught up in my lifesaver and was pulling me toward the edge. All I could see in my mind was going over the high edge. It didn't help that the other ship was towering over us also on the crest of a wave. It looked as if it had to be six stories looming over us like it would rock over and crash into us at any moment.

I took a breath as I felt my feet sliding on the deck toward the rail, I reached into my knife sheath and pulled out my trusty knife and began sawing at the flag. I cut the plastic flag just before I reached the end. The release of tension had me falling onto the deck but at least I was safe. For the first time in my life I was almost scared enough to piss my pants.

Sailing is never easy and dangers are always present but I still love my job and couldn't imagine doing anything else.

dirtyjoe69
dirtyjoe69
968 Followers
Please rate this story
The author would appreciate your feedback.
  • COMMENTS
Anonymous
Our Comments Policy is available in the Lit FAQ
Post as:
Anonymous
1 Comments
AnonymousAnonymousover 14 years ago
Not a Bad Submission

He just left a lot of stuff out. I was a Radarman and then an Operations Specialist for most of my 24 years. RD and OS was the same job just a different name. I don't know what type of ship the author was serving in but my first 3 ships were destroyers. They were very narrow and long so the ships rolled a lot. What most who have never been to sea on a small ship does not understand is when the ship rolls 45 degrees it is just as easy to walk on the walls as to walk on the deck. When the ship rolls more then 45 degrees it is easier to walk on the walls then the deck. As to sea sickness the ship pitching is much worse the when it rolls. I will also say when I was sea sick I still stood my watch on the radar scope. I did keep a bucket between my knees for when the worst happened. I will also say to the 'lubbers that every thing you do on a ship is very dangerous. I was on a ship and a guy went to throw trash over the side one night. He fell overboard. We soon found nim and had a search light on him and he just disappeared. Lost at sea.

Mike S.

Share this Story

Similar Stories

Kortzan Enterprises Ch. 01 Brittany gets a lucrative offer.in Erotic Couplings
Vampires Don't Sparkle Ben meets a mysterious woman and starts to fall for her.in NonHuman
The Next Door Wolf He finds out his neighbor is a werewolf.in NonHuman
An Old Man and His Fantasy Girl Much older man realizes his dream of the girl next door. in First Time
Isabella Travels 500 Back Years Ch. 01 Isabella travels through time to 16th century scotland.in Sci-Fi & Fantasy
More Stories