Monday 4 May 2015

A Moment in Time

Exercise 11: Life is full of mundane missed moments. Sometimes, the subway door closes right as we’re walking down the stairs. Sometimes, we’re the first in line for the movies when they announce the theater is full. If only we hadn’t forgotten our jacket – if only that red light hadn’t caught us – if only … Write a paragraph or several in which your character’s life goes off track due to a missed moment in time …


"You can't leave me stuck here alone with the kids in this weather." my wife said tearfully. "The last time I dug and dug snow for hours, and just when I finished the snowplow came and piled it up deep across the driveway and I couldn't get out." I replied "You know I have to get this done, it is my job." She answered "You don't get overtime, you don't get days off for spending a weekend offshore, so why go on our time? Go on Monday, hopefully the storm has passed by then."

The weather forecast was calling for heavy snow fall. She had problems digging out before when I was away. Being stranded in our house with no family to help out, and two young children concerned her. On the other hand, my supervisor was adamant that I go offshore to check on the modifications. I was torn between the two, and after much thought made my decision. As there was no compensation, or days off in trade, spending a weekend offshore was not fair to me or to my young family.

 I cancelled my helicopter flight, and rescheduled it for the following Monday morning. We had many errands to do that weekend. She saw no reason why I had to spend the weekend offshore. Frankly, neither did I, it was my boss that thought I must go out. I already knew what modifications were required to adapt the drilling fluid system to handle oil based drilling fluids as I had already been involved in the conversion on its sister ship previously.

Sunday morning arrived, and with it a wild snow storm blew in from the ocean. Our house was less than a mile away from Conception Bay, and there was little to block the wind coming in over it. The snow drifted in against the ocean side of our house, and completely blocked the door way. I had to go out of the house through another door, and dig in to clear the huge drift away from the entrance. The whole family went outside. My wife and I shoveled to clear the driveway so we could move the cars, the children climbed up the snow banks and slid down them.

The news broadcasts covered the weather offshore as well as on land for Newfoundland. The predictions for the Grand Banks called for very strong winds and extreme wave heights. I was glad I was not out there. Even after many years at sea the motion of the platform in waves made me nauseous and dizzy.

That night the wind howled and rattled the house like nothing we had ever heard before; I thought the doors would blow in with the force against them. I slept, fitfully, waking up often to check the time, as I had to leave early to drive to the heliport.

I woke to the alarm clock, and got out of bed. I looked out the window in the darkness, and could see more snow had fallen overnight, and had been blown into deep drifts across our driveway and the long street down to the main highway. I went out to the end of our drive and saw the snow, above my knees, all the way down to the main road. Driving the car would not be possible until a plow came and cleared the road.

I returned to the house and called the heliport to advise them I would not be able to get there for my flight to the rig. A grim voice at the other end said, "Nobody is flying out to the Ocean Ranger today."

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On February 14, 1982, the Ocean Ranger was hit by a large wave, took on water, and began to list severely. Lifeboats were launched, and the order to abandon ship was given. The drill rig capsized, and sunk. All 84 crew on board perished.

The article below gives details of the incident, and a summary of the report into the disaster. The memorial statue shown at the end of this article was the result of fundraising and lobbying efforts by my friend Rob Strong and myself, in memory of those lost at sea.

http://www.heritage.nf.ca/articles/economy/ocean-ranger.php

© 2015 NoelHC

Ocean Ranger Memorial, 2010




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