BLOG 40 - A Personal Lament - Bombay for 1st Class Part 'A' - Calcutta for 1st Class Part 'B'

A Turbocharger Rotor before being sent for balancing

I had written this more than a year ago and, now, started editing it. I pondered over publishing it 'as is', detailing my financial problems, as it was basically a personal issue. But I felt that it is necessary to be frank about such things, so that other seafarers can show an element of caution in their financial dealings within their own family. When it comes to financial matters, we seafarers are babes in the woods and too generous with our assets. Many a time, it comes back to haunt you when you are much older, especially if one has bought assets in somebody else's name.

Marine Musings 9 – I Obtain my Chief Engineer’s Licence – Also known as 1st Class Part ‘B’ – I Wander into Temples

Chapter 1 – I reach Home. My Finances are in Ruins.

Somehow, the same urgency to appear for the exams that I had on board the ship, did not seem to carry over into my stay at home. I was more or less languishing, sleeping, eating, roaming around without any set purpose. I took it easy, later on realising I had taken it too easy.

I had to first of all clear my 1st Class Part ‘A’ exam, before I could tackle 1st Class Part ‘B’. The former was a purely written exam with mathematical subjects and the latter having the same format as 2nd Class Part ‘B’. The subjects for 1st Class Part ‘A’ were Applied Mechanics and Thermodynamics. The subjects for 1st Class Part ‘B’ were Electricity, Naval Architecture and Ship Construction, Engineering Knowledge 1 and 2, followed by Orals.

I had only prepared Engineering Knowledge on board, because they were the toughest subjects. But I had a lot to prepare for the other subjects. I was weak in Mechanics and no very strong in the other mathematical subjects. I needed to prepare under some kind of tutelage that was not available in Chennai in those days.

In those days, Seafarer's exams were held only in Bombay and Calcutta.

A worrying obstacle to my going to Mumbai was the lack of finances. Even though I had been sending quite a bit of money into a joint account for 2 years, there was hardly anything in the account. I did not say anything to my Father as it would have hurt him. But I knew that he had been pressured into parting with money on a regular basis. I was upset, more because I knew who had regularly pressured my Father to part with large sums on a regular basis.

That person well knew the circumstances at home and that I would need money for my exams, but he forced my Father to nearly empty the bank account.

I was on the streets now with Rs. 900 in the account. This situation took the wind out of my sails and I was, momentarily, in a bad state of depression. When I poured out my woes to my friend and colleague, Raj - who had by then taken up a shore job - he was the one who advised me on what steps to take on a tactical basis.

I was literally forced me to go back to my Company Office to ask for money, when I should have had plenty. That feeling of helplessness was a very low point and rankles to this day. After knowing that there was no money to sustain myself and look after the family expenses, I actually told the Company GM that I wish to join back immediately. Realising my state, he gently prised the reason out of me and told me ‘Sea Farers are totally inept at dealing with their own finances. I have seen a lot of such cases. But that does not mean that you put your professional career on hold. Now convert a few months of your leave into cash and go and do your exam’.

But I was forced to rearrange and rethink my finances. Quietly I opened another account in a different bank, asked the Company to send money into the new account, cashed in a few months of my leave and prepared for Mumbai. I also left instructions with my new bank to transfer a fixed sum of money each month into my Father’s account for family expenses.

Chapter 2 - Bombay for my 1st Class Part ‘A’

In the 1990s and later, after the STCW (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping) Convention came into force, it was compulsory for an Engineer to attend classes in a recognized Marine Institute, before he can appear for any exam. This law was not prevalent when I appeared for all the exams. You had to study on your own. A semblance of classes used to be held in DMET, but hardly anyone attended the lectures.

In DMET, we had studied all these mathematical subjects exhaustively and in much more detail than was necessary for these exams. But the problem was remembering what we had been taught 6 years ago. But good text books such as Reeds series were available to guide us. These text books were on board all Sisco ships and I had studied them on board. They were also available, second hand, in certain bookshops in Mumbai at discounted prices. In the UK, they cost a fortune.

Once I realised I had been wasting my time in Chennai, I shifted to Mumbai. My brother was then working in Mumbai and I took up residence in his flat close to Chembur, to cut down expenses.

Seafarers always visit the Seaman’s Club, if only to look for familiar faces. The billiard room Marker told me that Thomas Varghese, my batchmate, was residing in the Club. A joyous reunion followed.

I think Tommy was then studying for his Combined Certificate, which certifies him to be a Chief Engineer on both, Steam and Motor ships. This certificate puts you into the elite class, the highest echelons of Marine Engineering. My aspirations were for a modest Chief Engineer’s Certificate for Motor ships.

We decided to study together, albeit for different certificates. After getting permission from my brother, he also moved into the flat. Serious studies followed, with him being my ‘guru’ in the mathematical subjects, as in the days of DMET. I don’t know how he did it, but he could recollect every bit of what had been taught in College even after 6 years. Amazing.

To make things even better, we used to get lunch from his sister, who was staying with her husband pretty close by. For me, both were then available, top quality knowledge for the mind and top quality home cooking for the stomach.

I still relish the closeness of those months with Tommy. He was a hard taskmaster and used to bring my wandering mind back into focus. We studied and studied. Thanks to him, I cleared Part ‘A’ easily in the first attempt. Simultaneously, he also prepared me for the mathematical subjects in Part ‘B’. He also cleared his "Combined" Certificate.

I think I cleared the 1st Class Part ‘A’ in February 1976. But seats were not available for 1st Class Part ‘B’ for the next nine months in Mumbai.

Entertainment during those days consisted of an evening of billiards or snooker at Chembur Gymkhana. It was during that time that I managed to have ‘breaks’ of over a hundred points several times. The push cart vendor at the road corner outside Chembur station would open his business around 10pm, serving delicious ‘Pav baji’, using Amul butter. Divine. I have never come across that level of taste in all my subsequent years.

No movies.

Chapter 3 – The Kolkata leg of the Chief’s Exam

Seats were available in Kolkata from October onwards. Sending a telegram, I booked a seat for October 1976 and followed up with a postal envelope containing copies of all documents. Those days photo copying machines were scarce and using them costly. Cyclostyling was more in vogue. I found a shop with a photocopier close to Churchgate Station and paid the price, got the copies and mailed them out.

After getting an acknowledgement from Kolkata, I had to wait 2 weeks in Mumbai to get hold of the 1st Class Part ‘A’ Certificate hard copy from MMD Mumbai.

Present day scenario is you can apply on line, check seat availability, reserve your seat, send your documents on line and keep track. On completion and passing exams, you can download digitally signed certificates at your convenience. All within an hour.

Then it was back to Chennai. My brother got married during this period and then took his bride to Mumbai. My ‘Manni’ (sister-in-law) had been working in Reserve Bank Chennai and got herself transferred to Mumbai.

A short stay in Chennai and I was off to Kolkata. (I think it was July 1976). I had booked a room in Marine Club Kolkata, which was pretty far off from the interesting spots of Kolkata; so with reduced temptations to waste my time, concentration was on studies. Sylvan surroundings with a lot of greenery, the Marine Club Kolkata was a good retreat and a wonderful place for studying. The room had latticed French windows, abutting a nice garden.

There were 2nd Mates studying for their Mate’s certificate, Mates studying for their Master’s, 3rd Engineers studying for their 2nd Engineer’s certificate, 2nd Engineers studying for their Chief’s certificate and a smattering of youngsters for their initial certificate. I was one of the last few from my batch appearing for the exam, not having been sanctioned leave in time for both of the important certificates.

There was a kind of ritual amongst the occupants of Marine Club who were studying for their exams. They study, they sleep, they eat, they study but at 11pm most of them used to assemble in the Coffee Shop inside the Marine Club. I followed the noise on the second night to see what was going on and landed in the Coffee Shop. I knew two of the Mates and one of the 2nd Engineers. As with seafarers everywhere, we were all comfortable with each other in no time.

Sandwiches, samosas, snacks, coffee, tea, Horlicks, Ovaltine and milk was always available to hungry residents. Apart from this availability was another feature to the 11pm meet. The four tables were more or less divided into each group flocking together as per what exam they were appearing. Justified. I became part of my group and welcomed the break, as sometimes I studied till well past midnight.

At each table, there were heated discussions on the subjects that they were studying. I was a very silent listener for the better part of ten days, during which I found that each table had one or two dominant speakers who thought they had an answer to everything. At my table, I found that the dominant ones were not sound in their knowledge of machinery and were misleading others. Showing off is an universal trait and seafarers are not excluded from that club.

Around the tenth day, I intervened during a discussion that was going badly astray. I had pulled up a pad and a pen and had drawn a small sketch relating to the topic under discussion and during a lull, I pushed it to the centre of the table and slowly, softly explained in detail. I had been marked negatively till then, as I had not taken part in the discussions. Suddenly, they realised that being quiet does not mean lack of knowledge or expertise. They listened, digested the information and asked questions to clear their doubts. I was happy to answer them all. The other table’s occupants turned around to see what was happening, sensing the sudden lack of loud talk from our table. As the week went by I found that people were coming in with their doubts and getting them cleared by me. It felt good to help.

Seeing this, candidates from other tables started coming to my room with their questions. Master’s candidates and 2nd Engineer’s candidates started coming singly till, a few days later, I found that it was eating into my study time. I wanted to help, so I told them to come in groups. The Coffee Shop became a class room, as I spent 2 hours of my time teaching them, answering their questions and clearing their doubts.

How come I was teaching Master’s candidates? They had a paper on Basic Engineering Knowledge. I am glad I helped many a seafarer obtain his certificate. I also realised I had a flair for teaching and explaining topics succinctly.

So went the days till the exams came up in October. The 20 days prior to the exam was a nightmare due to loudspeakers belting out film songs at full volume. It was close to Durga Puja time. The song of the season was “Mere Naina Sawan Bhadon” which was played at least 100 times a day. This was from a movie on rebirth or reincarnation, starring Rajesh Khanna and Hema Malini. It still rings and reverberates in my ears when I think of the song. I think my hair fall started then, as I was pulling them out.

One key bit of narrative that I forgot to add chronologically, was Raj had given me one of the latest books on Tankers and Tanker Safety. Although I was not a ‘Tankerman’, having worked only on bulk carriers, I read and absorbed each detail in the book.

Exams were, on the whole, pretty easy. Engineering Knowledge papers had very practical questions on Engineering, all of which I had experienced on board the Sisco ships. The Safety questions were tricky but navigable.

There were also two Tanker Safety questions and, although not a “Tankerman”, I attempted both due to my book knowledge.

Orals took place more than a month later. I was asked how is it that, having served only on Bulk Carriers, I was able to answer Tanker questions with clarity. I told them (there were 2 Surveyors taking my Orals) about the book that Raj had given me. They liked what they saw and passed me.

I had to wait nearly 3 weeks for my Chief’s Certificate. As the clerks in the MMD office did not seem to be doing anything about it, I had to (once again, as I had done in Mumbai during my 2nd Class) go directly back to the Surveyors to expedite the preparation of the Certificate. The Certificate was ready the next day.

During the interim, I had put in my resignation letter to SISCO, but had received a reply that ‘letter noted but not accepted. Discussion pending on your return to Chennai’. Enigmatic.

Certificate in hand, I boarded an unreserved seat on a Chennai bound train and had a surprisingly pleasant journey due to a family with a small child.

On reaching home, my Father had a message for me from the GM of the Company. So I went to the office. Over the full day, he and a Senior Superintendent tried to persuade me to take back my resignation, even going to the extent of saying “Two years or less of being a Chief Engineer and a seat next to mine is assured”. In other words, a promise of an Office job.

But I explained to them the ‘frog in a well’ syndrome of remaining in SISCO and my wanting to experience different engines, different ships and throw myself into the unknown and see what happens. Finally, as they were unable to convince me, they accepted my resignation with the proviso that I can join back whenever I wished. I had to serve out my notice period.

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