We’re Not Afraid To Die

i. The steps taken by the captain to protect the ship when the rough weather began were-

•The captain dropped the storm jib and lashed a heavy mooring rope in the form of a loop across the stern to slow the boat down.

•Everything was double lashed and the raft drill was gone through.

ii. The steps taken by the captain to check the flooding of the water in the ship were-

•The canvas was stretched and the gaping holes were blocked with waterproof hatch covers. This helped most of the water deflate to the sides although some of it was still seeping in.

•The author also found a second electric pump when the first one went out of service.

The mental condition of the voyagers on January 4 was oscillating between hope and despair. The water had finally receded after about thirty-six hours of continuous pumping out water. They were given the very first meal in the last two days. This meal was given to them by the Captain’s wife. The meal consisted of some corned beef and cracker biscuits. After this the storm started building up badly. And on 5^th January the situation deteriorated and became desperate. When the Captain went to console his kids, the younger kid asked him innocently if they all were about to die. He also added that he wouldn’t be afraid if they were all together. This strong statement made the Captain confident and he began to fight for sustenance.

The initiation –

The initiation shows the building of the strong ship ‘wave-walker’. The ship was professionally built and innumerable enthusiastic preparations were made in 1976 by the author and his family. The wave-walker had completed the first phase of the three year-journey very nicely when they were entering the Southern Indian Ocean. So the Captain hired two American men namely American Larry Vigil and Swiss Herb Seigler to help the Captain one of the world’s roughest seas. A certain shift in the narration in the first section is noticed when the ship encounters an atrocious weather when the high sea waves created a havoc. The water started seeping into the boat and to top it all, the Captain met with an accident. Even though the situation had only deteriorated, the best part was that everything was being handled by the people together as a family.

Overcoming the situation-

The second part of the story deals with the entire family and crew standing up together and overcoming the situation. The brighter side of human nature is reflected here wherein they all help one another be stronger every time. The young ones too display a sense of prompt action and fearlessness. They display the actual nature of brevity.

The Victory-

The third part of the story shows how the occupants of the ship have safely reached Amsterdam. Initially, the Captain had lost all hopes of being able to successfully reach the island. But a sudden announcement by his son cheered him up when he heard is son declare that he was the best father and captain the whole world.

The reaction of the children was much different from that of the adults. The adults were hopeful in the beginning. But the children were hopeful even when all the adults had lost hope. Whenever there was a strain of hopefulness, the children made sure that the elders were fully supported by them emotionally and mentally. They never lost hope.

The story swings between hope and despair continuously. This shows how family members can stand beside one another and manage the entire situation wisely and wonderfully. The Captain’s wife stayed at the wheels at the most crucial hours of the journey and saved the ship. The Captain himself didn’t let the ship deviate and took it towards the island in the correct time. Also, his seven years old daughter didn’t let him worry about her head injury and gave him hopes. And his son was not afraid to die.

The lessons that we learn from such hazardous experiences when we are face-to-face with death is that man should be brave enough. An optimistic and brave person can struggle through any kind of situation and emerge victoriously.

Most people usually wish to lead a hustle free life. But it is only because of brave people like the Captain himself that we are able to discover new lands and connect with one another. This urge enables a person to excavate the extraordinary. The urge to push beyond the comfort zone just to know the world is an awesome feeling.

My mother tongue is Bengali. And there are innumerable words in my language for a storm. They are Jhor, bristi etc.

NOTE- Use any word that is the synonym for storm in your own language and write it here. Answers can be different.

The various types of vessels in Bengali are – nouko, jahaj etc.

NOTE- Use any word that is the synonym for a vessel in your own language and write it here. Answers can be different.

The Indian language from which the word ‘Catamaran’ is derived from is Tamil.

I have heard a few boatmen songs. These songs usually express emotions which wish to come back home. Men in the boat usually spend a large part of their lives in the sea. But they wish to come back home always. So there is a feeling of homesickness in all their songs.

Knot- A fastening made by looping a piece of string, rope, or something similar on itself and tightening it.

•Stern- Serious and unrelenting, especially in the assertion of authority and exercise of discipline.

•Boom- A loud, deep, resonant sound.

•Hatch- A small opening in a floor, wall, or roof allowing access from one area to another.

•Anchor- A person or thing which provides stability or confidence in an otherwise uncertain situation.

•airship- A power-driven aircraft that is kept buoyant by a body of gas (usually helium, formerly hydrogen) which is lighter than air.

•Flagship- the ship in a fleet which carries the commanding admiral.

•Lightship- the ship in a fleet which carries the commanding admiral.

It used in the third paragraph of the account to denote ‘to engage’.

The map is shown below:

Ile Amsterdam is a French pronunciation of the island in Amsterdam.