In the course of our conversations with guys we come into contact with a lot of guys who have problems with addictions, normally alcohol or porn, but also drugs and other stuff too … including gambling. These things have an effect on a bloke of course, but not only on the individual also they have a massive knock on effect to family and friends. What you put into your life / body has an effect …
The ship had been deployed to the South Atlantic, and had come back via South America, the Panama canal and America, Boston to be precise … tough ay? As usual we took on fuel before we left to head back across the Atlantic to Plymouth. We were a couple of days out of America enjoying a reasonably calm crossing, just tidying up the final bits and pieces ready for the return to the UK and leave after a 7 month deployment. Thoughts were turning to home … when there was a loud bang and the ship stopped in the water. I was actually on the upper deck when this happened, and it had all the indications of a blown engine. Now, that was not a common occurrence but it did happen, at least we would not have to conduct an engine change in a foreign port, we had three other main engines to get us back to the UK. The normal routine was to start another then look at what had happened. The second engine flashed up .. then very quickly there was a second bang … the engineers started a third and … yup, another bang. By this time the Senior Engineer had reached the Machinery Control Room and ‘suggested’ (reasonably forcibly) not starting the fourth engine …
So, here we were in the middle of the Atlantic with three knackered engines and no desire to risk the fourth! The engineers started their investigations and quickly realised that the common denominator was fuel, and when tested it came up as contaminated. Contaminated with water, thus the engines would not run. The fuel system consisted of several tanks that could be cross connected to feed part or all of the system… as we were in cruising state, and not at action stations, most of the valves were open, thus all the system was contaminated with the exception of one tank which was able to supply a diesel generator so we could maintain electrical supplies. So began the very laborious and time consuming task of ‘cleaning’ the fuel. The engineers were able to ‘strip’ the water from the fuel and produce enough to get the engine back up and running and get us to the Azores where the contaminated fuel was pumped out and replaced with clean fuel to get us back to the UK. The engines were actually OK and suffered no lasting damage.
So what’s that all about I hear you ask? Have a think about what you are putting into your life .. into your body … does your drinking effect the family …do you have a hangover and grumble at the kids? Do you watch porn and then have expectations / desires that your wife / husband or partner does not like ?? Maybe it’s a quick flutter at the bookies or a few spins on a Fixed Odds Betting Terminal … Sometimes this stuff creeps up on us … we thought the fuel was OK until the full effect became apparent .. and we ended up adrift for about 12 hours before we began to get the situation back under control. Thankfully we just caught it al before we were in real difficulties, it could have been a very different story if the whole system had been contaminated .. we could have needed a tug … if you are concerned that what you are putting in is having an effect on those around you, or your health etc do think about getting it sorted before its too late … make sure you are only putting ‘clean fuel’ in … there are lots of passages in the bible about looking after your body, dangers of alcohol, etc etc but I’m gonna give you this one about what we look at … it’s often said that the eye is the window of the soul … what you put in does have an effect … don’t leave it too late to make changes!
“Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a dank cellar. If you pull the blinds on your windows, what a dark life you will have!”
(for those who are interested that is from what is called the Sermon on the Mount … Matthew Chapter 6 v 22/23).
To read more about keeping you body fit and free from any addictions, check out Code VI from The Code.
Image Credit: Christian Allard
