Blyth Adventurer

Sailing 2nd mate on the Blyth Adventurer, sometime between June 71 and June72, for tax purposes don't you know!  Sailing through the eye of a severe tropical cyclone, hurricane or typhoon to those safe on shore.  Already lost the steel gangway between the midships accomodation and the aft accomodation.  This old T3 oil tanker was in light condition with very little ballast, the damage being done to our ship was wind related only.  The ocean was throwing the ship around like a rag doll but the wind was doing all the damage.  Called captain to bridge as Chief engineer was fighting multiple engine room fires, and I was a little concerned about our radar mast.  Of the four large bolts holding the base of the large mast in place and which projected into the deckhead of the wheelhouse only two remained.  With the loss of the gangway we had also lost communication with the chief and the engine room.  The gist of the chief's message was, "get some more ballast into the ship before all my oil lines rupture with the strain of the ships movement".  Trouble was the pump room was about halfway along the after deck and I did not fancy my chances of hanging on the the main oil lines when the wind had torn away our walkway with such impunity.  Also the pumps and valves were all at the bottom of the ship, not a pleasant prospect in the middle of this mayhem.
The Captain, a man of intellect, ex polish hurricane pilot in WW II and food connoisseur of the first order said someone would have to go down the pump room,  line up pumps and start ballasting full main tanks.  There was no initial rush of volunteers.  The good man decided he would go.  Bloody heroes, he would not have a clue how to line them up or start the pumps.  I said I would go with him.  Tied together and with a safety line around the main oil line we crawled along to the pump room.  Letting go of the safety line was difficult, particularly when you have large aerodynamic ears like mine.  Enough said, into the relative quiet of the pump room and down into the depths.  Lined up pumps and valves and started pumping, did much care if they overflowed or not.  Coming up to the top again the captain decided we had better go aft and check out the engine room, 2nd mate not amused but thought a brave man needs a coward to keep him safe from himself, second lap of the after deck, fortunately the offside ladder to poop still intact.  Just as well we came, all overside drains blocked and seawater threatening to lap into the main oil tank vents.  Water in oil, engine stops, rag doll sinks!!  Clear drains and then open watertight door into main engine.  Looking down from on high we could see numerous small fires around the engine room where pipes had burst.  Suddenly, Captain runs out and comes back a few seconds later with a foam fire extinguisher.  To my astonishment he releases it into the depths of the engineroom.  Astonished chinese engineers and a perplexed chief look up to see it snowing in their engine room.