The Lord of the sea will never ever abandon his daring sailors and with this in mind, we the sailors set on a voyage. Long sailings itself is a sort of quarantine and we the sailors have been doing it for ages.
In my 22 years of life at sea, I have done several voyages of about 30-45 days at sea and still remember a voyage during the beginning of my sea career somewhere in 1999 wherein we sailed from a Port (cannot remember the name) to Santos in Brazil which was known as a “Seamen Paradise” those days. The sailing itself was 45 days and with 30 more days at anchorage the total passage was of 75 days. We survived on fish which we fished at anchorage and our potable water tanks almost went dry and that too in those days where we all hardly heard of so-called internet and people like me had to wait for months to say hello to my mother who was anxiously waiting to hear my voice and with those wages, beginners like me couldn’t even think of a radio call. Imagine 75 days at sea, same faces, same routines with abuses sometimes, no contact with the family, nothing called as Facebook or Whatsapp, no live TV, rationed water, survival on fishing luck and we did it. Not just once but several times.
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Can’t we do it for just 21 days and that too for very valid reasons for our own safety and of our near and dear ones with so much internet entertainment at our disposal? It’s not worth blaming the central or state government. We get what we deserve and we all have elected them. Let us stay home and avoid venturing out for no valid reason. It is the best opportunity for us, Catholics to repent and pray as we are in the season of lent. Prayers can make miracles.
Presently 22 of us are self-quarantine on a vessel at Mossel Bay in South Africa. Vessel still sails between on/offshore. Situation on board is not easy and comfortable as before because the vessel has a local crew on board and they are not allowed to go on shore leave when the vessel is fast alongside. The management level officers are handling the situation in a very professional manner.
A friendly environment is the need of the hour at this time of crisis and we succeeded in convincing the locals and making them aware of the present day scene created by the deadly invisible Virus.
Lock-down is the need of the hour and needs to be handled in a very professional manner with due respect to humanity and the general public as responsible citizens need to support this lock-down sportingly. Unnecessary high handedness by the people in power can have a reversible effect and in this present kind of crisis, ugly human acts can lead to an instant disaster.
Last but not the least, from miles away from my Goa, request my fellow Goans and countrymen as a whole to stay at home, repent and pray if you believe in prayers. Let mother Earth rest and breathe peacefully for some days. We harmed her a lot for our selfish personal gains but I am sure she will never abandon her children. This phase will pass off shortly. The creator of the earth just wants to make us aware of where exactly the human power stands. Hope the mankind will be renewed once this Virus passes off.
Stay home, Stay Safe.
