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A day in the life of Lee Vessey, Navigating Officer.
My name is Lee Vessey; I am the Navigating Officer of HMS ENDURANCE.
Lee Vessey
My whirlwind day starts at 0320 when I get my call from the OOW, “its 3 20 Navs, weather has come down, visibility is 6 miles, your on watch in 25 minutes”. I haul myself out of my warm bed and quickly dress, splash my face, grab a coffee and head up to the bridge to take the watch. As the Navigator I generally prefer to do a morning watch (0345 – 0745) as it is usually quiet, I get to see the sunrise, and can have personal control of ensuring the ship is in the correct place to start the day.
On watch I will execute the navigational plan of the ship, whether that be surveying or driving to meet a rendezvous, or just simple passage. I will fix the ships position at regular intervals on the paper chart, and verify it each time with the modern radars, GPS and electronic charts. I keep a constant lookout for other ships, ice, and other dangers, and will generally have an officer under training to teach and supervise in their final few months before they qualify as warfare officers. Also on the bridge will be two other watch keepers, the quartermaster, (an able seaman or Royal Marine) who mans the wheel and runs the ships routine, and a Survey Recorder who will control the surveying operations and log data on the sea, weather and wildlife.
The sun rises early in Antarctica, and by looking out at the horizon we get a good feel for what the elements have in store for the day. (Massively important in Antarctic Operations). At 0645, I, (or more likely my under-study!), will call the Captain to wake him with his morning report, which will include our progress, situation, events encountered overnight, and the weather. Shortly after at 0700 we wake the Ship’s Company with the traditional ‘Call the Hands’ pipe on the Bosuns’ Call. A warning pipe may sometimes also be required to warn the crew of any ice on the upper deck.
As the crew commence their breakfast the smell of toast and bacon inevitably works its way up the stairwells to the bridge and initiates a deep rumbling in our stomachs! Our relief turns up at 0745 and we formally handover and head down below for the best part of the morning watch the trucker’s breakfast!
Delicious as it is, I squeeze it all down before shooting up to the bridge in time for the Daily Operational Tasking brief at 0800. This affirms the plan for the day and briefs all the teams on their requirements, as well as giving the crucial meteorological and helicopter details for the day.
Around 0820 the brief will finish, I will check the new OOW is fully content with the plan and driving the ship in the correct direction before heading down to my cabin for some personal admin and a quick shower – fighting the twin temptations of having a quick lie down on my bed, and attacking my grizzly itchy charity beard with a fresh razor!
By 0900 I am back at work ‘turned-to’ and the Ship will be about to launch one or both of her helicopters for it’s tasking. Again I will check our position on the chart and work with the Ops Officer to make sure the Ship is within range of all the areas required, that she it is in relatively safe water, and is able to steer the necessary courses to enable the helicopter to launch. Icebergs need to be weaved between too, and if we can continue our surveying of the seabed at the same time then the goal is achieved.
My main role as Navigating Officer is the preparation and execution of the ships navigation, which includes the management of the bridge – generally the busiest place on the ship. Various individuals have there set jobs which all intertwine to achieve ultimately the same goal: to battle through the many tasks that need to be achieved each day, and only achievable through teamwork. This involves reconnaissance of the shore, flying operations, launching and recovering boats from the ships side, the understanding of machinery and propulsion information coming from the engine control room, whilst all the time surveying the waters beneath. Icebergs constantly connive to place themselves directly in the direction the ship needs to go.
HMS Endurance in Antarctica
The OOW is the hub of all the activities as he manoeuvres the ship as exactly and safely as possible. I will be on his shoulder or in the background to ensure things are running smoothly; but generally just keeping a careful eye and ready to step in if the practised procedures are not working, or an emergency or change of plan occurs. At times, when particularly busy, the whole scene resembles something similar to an orchestra, and is quite fascinating to see the man in the centre conducting everything around him with firm, and dynamic orders. If the OOW becomes overloaded I will officially take the navigation and will keep the ship in safe water, to allow him to concentrate on whatever may be of most concern e.g. launching a boat or helicopter.
Plans for the next few days constantly change depending on a multitude of factors, such as the weather forecast and the progress of the current operations. I engage in a constant dialogue with the Captain and Operation Officer to firm up the plan for where the ship needs to be throughout the day, at what time, for what task, and I will then draw the navigational plans, get approval from the Captain, and instruct the OOW. This can involve passage through narrow channels, uncharted waters, or anchorages. Sometimes special considerations are needed with regards to the speeds required, the propulsion state, the distance off land and the concentration of ice.
HMS Endurance navigating her way through the ice
Hopefully I will get good notice before one of the more difficult areas of navigation, though sometimes the situation and decision dictate that the ship may need to anchor in Cove ‘x’ in 30mins time to enable the boat to be recovered etc etc.. Once my plans are drawn up on the chart and in a separate notebook, I will ‘take’ the ship from the OOW and pilot her through the most difficult waters. This is one of the most satisfying and enjoyable aspects of my job as it is often quite taxing, and always requires my full concentration as generally the ship will be in very shallow and confined waters where a mistake could mean running aground.
One of my other responsibilities is the training and currency of all the bridge watch keepers, and the overall standards and professionalism of the bridge team. This ranges from the instigation of a cleaning routine to writing the watch bill (duty roster) and invigilating monthly exams. Training for the OOWs is continuous.
The ship is also the 6 month home of two Junior Warfare Officers who are completing the penultimate part of their training on ENDURANCE. Learning the skills and dynamics of being an OOW they learn a large range of subjects, including Astro-Navigation (which we still use today!), tides and the Rules of the Road, and most importantly, how to handle the Ship and perform as that central hub in the team. Once they return to the UK the will undergo a 2 week practical and exam assessment on all that they have learnt, - and for them, and every warfare officer who goes through it - is very much a pass or fail fortnight! Therefore a large part of my job is the instruction and professional development of these two officers and it is immensely rewarding to see them do well under final assessment and pass into the Fleet.
Hopefully a lull in the action will occur around midday, and I am able to head down for lunch. I generally forget to tick my preference by the requested ten o’ clock; however the steward’s selection always proves better than mine! I look forward to the meals hugely as a good tasty meal at lunchtime is something I look forward to all through the forenoon (morning), and will almost guarantee my good morale for the rest of the day! The food is surprisingly and consistently good for a Ship in the middle of the ocean that only embarks fresh supplies every three weeks. The lunch break also provides a little respite where I can grab a cup of tea and catch Sky News on the television to see the worlds events – seemingly so detached from ourselves steaming around the bottom of the planet.
Before long though I am back on the bridge, and will commence work on the evenings, and the next days charts. I fortunately have enough space to do this in close vicinity to the OOW so I can still be at hand if required. At some point I will get a visit from the Leading Meteorologist, `Spud’ Murphy, who will show me the charts and give me his [usually reliable] forecast for the next 24hrs. This is critical to help me shape the overnight plan and ensure I don’t plan a maximum speed transit into a gale force wind! After talking again with the Operations Officer, I will find out where he would like the ship to be in the morning, then I will speak to the Charge Surveyor to find out where she would like to survey overnight. From this the plan will take shape and I can craft a set of Night Orders (the Captain’s overnight instructions) for the OOW. Critical to the plan will be the time we need to depart one area in order to get to the next place on time.
The bulk of the ships flying operations will be complete by early evening, and I will head below to tackle the small mountain of administration that comes with the job. After dealing with the main bits I will check my emails, and hopefully have time to go to the gym for an hour before the evening’s two meetings. The next days planning meeting takes place at 1800, with the CO chaired Command Brief just after at 1830. Here each of the 20 attendees will give a précis of their day’s events, and any command level issues. I will generally brief the overnight plan and submit the first draft of night orders to the captain for his signature.
After the brief it’s straight up to the early sitting for dinner. Sometimes this is a three course meal, always very tasty! Then, providing I have no urgent business, I can indulge in a one of my few extra activities.
The Growlers
I enjoy teaching two of the crew classical guitar, and am currently teaching three of the crew to play the drums. – all of whom are progressing very well. The drum lessons are usually a pre-cursor to a full band practice where I play the drums in the ships band the ‘Growlers’! - A successful and popular band whose main stomping ground is the Falkland Islands. I enjoy hugely being part of the band, which includes members from each mess deck; junior rates, senior rates, and officers.
As the night draws in, we will pack up the equipment, and I will go up to the bridge to make sure everything is correct, and book my ‘shake’ for 0320.
My aim will be to get to sleep before 1000 latest, so I head down to the cabin and do the standard routine every sailor does; prepare kit ready for the morning, and secure the cabin for sea, (a necessary precaution to avoid random objects winging their way off shelves and onto my head).
Finally I get to bed. Reading my book for 5 minutes usually helps to empty my brain – still spinning from the day’s events, but generally after only 3 I am already in a deep sleep.
My service career began when I joined Britannia Royal Naval College in January 2001; I spent time at sea as a young officer under training in Her Majesty’s Ships Sheffield, Leeds Castle, and Fearless before navigating the ships Grimsby and Middleton. I completed Frigate Navigators course in May 2005 and became navigator of the much larger and brand new ship Mersey, before joining my most challenging appointment so far, Navigator of the ENDURANCE, in August 2006. Though I have always been a navigator, my future will move initially towards instruction before specialising in warfare.
Lee amongst penguins
I come from a small village on the Wolds near Grimsby, Lincolnshire, and I am looking forward to returning home next year to see all my friends and family, and especially my 2 year-old Dalmatian, Bradley.
Bradley
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