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Description
The ocean does not sit still like water in a sink. It moves more like conveyor belts, ever changing and altered by temperature and salinity.

Tatiana stood at the helm of the Phantom Queen, a Single Deck Merchant ship. Below deck was 210 metric tons of cargo, including Factory Parts along with crates of guns and ammunition. The current journey was 16 days long. The sun rose on Day 10 when an urgent alert was sent by radio from the UK Meteorological Office. A large and powerful Cape Verde extra tropical storm front had suddenly intensified into a Category 4 Hurricane. She studied the satellite map, there is no way to avoid it.

Dark storm clouds looming closer and closer, casting an eerie shadow over the vast expanse of the Atlantic Ocean. The crew hurried about, double-checking cargo, their faces etched with determination. The storm that awaited them promised to be one of the fiercest they had ever encountered with estimated winds of 209 to 251 km/h.

Tatiana had sailed through treacherous storms in her career as a Merchant captain. But this storm, this colossal tempest, posed a formidable challenge. The Phantom Queen sailed deeper into the heart of the storm, Tatiana studied the changing sea conditions. The waves grew taller and more relentless, crashing against the sides of the ship, threatening to sink the ship. She kept the bow aimed at the storm with the knowledge that she had to make decisions to ensure the survival of her ship and her crew. The storm intensified, lightning illuminating the sky and thunder reverberating through the air. The strength deck of the Phantom Queen groaned. At one point the ship was listing at 12 degrees starboard, and a single wave hitting at the wrong angle can make the ship list irrecoverably, leading to a quick trip to the bottom of the unforgiving ocean.

The storm raged on into its 14th hour, between crashing waves and the storm providing a fierce downpour, visibility was down to zero at times, at best visibility was about 200 meters. Tatiana's instincts told her that she needed to change course, follow a small break in the tempestuous clouds, offering a glimmer of hope in the distance. She adjusted the ship's heading, aiming for a path that should lead them to the calmer seas beyond the storm's grip. The Phantom Queen fought against the fury of the storm, the four Caterpillar engines were being pushed to their red line to maintain 4 knots at a course of 201 degrees, then 217 degrees. She had to worry about safety problems that can threaten the ship including some or all of the cargo shifting, spontaneous combustion, cargo saturation and crew members getting hurt, killed or going overboard.

With waves crashing over her deck, it honestly felt like a roller coaster. Lightning crackled across the sky, illuminating the Single Deck Merchant ship against the inky black water.

Tatiana felt the effects of exhaustion while she was steering the ship, checking radar and the satellite map while picking at cold food and drinking a coffee. While visibility was very poor, she still checked her surroundings often. Looking up through the windows of the bridge, her eyes scanned right to left, just off the port bow she saw a sailing vessel called a Fluyt. This was a Galleon with square rigs of three masts. The Galleon's lanterns glowed impossibly bright. The sight caused a chill ran down her spine. Her Chief Engineer saw it too, his face went white with fear and he started to recite what she guessed was a Shinto prayer. Then it was gone.

More hours turned into an eternity as the storm raged on when the ocean finally started to calm, the wind losing its ferocity. Tatiana navigated the ship out of the storm's clutches and into the soothing embrace of tranquility. This type of storm was called a Ship Killer for good reason.

Nearly twenty hours into the ordeal, the sun emerged from behind the retreating clouds, casting its golden glow upon the exhausted crew. Tatiana allowed herself a moment to savour the victory.

With the worst behind them, Tatiana ordered the Rotation A crew to make basic repairs and sleep for a full six hours with Rotation B crew continue to stand guard. Necessary repairs can wait until Rotation A crew was a little more rested. She knew that they had narrowly escaped the storm's wrath and defied death. The Phantom Queen returned to her original heading with a course correction, Tatiana knew that this journey was far from over and that more dangers awaiting her on the vast canvas of the ocean. With the wind at her back, she steered her ship onward, ready to face whatever challenges the ocean had in store. She ordered her Navigator to take over and the ship to run on two hour shifts for the next two days before restoring normal four hour rotating shifts.

Tatiana kept her crew alive through the storm, and the Phantom Queen in one piece. She went to her cabin to get long overdue rest and sleep. At the edges of her consciousness, she felt true terror today. What does it mean, to see that ship ?

Description
The ocean does not sit still like water in a sink. It moves more like conveyor belts, ever changing and altered by temperature and salinity.

Tatiana stood at the helm of the Phantom Queen, a Single Deck Merchant ship. Below deck was 210 metric tons of cargo, including Factory Parts along with crates of guns and ammunition. The current journey was 16 days long. The sun rose on Day 10 when an urgent alert was sent by radio from the UK Meteorological Office. A large and powerful Cape Verde extra tropical storm front had suddenly intensified into a Category 4 Hurricane. She studied the satellite map, there is no way to avoid it.

Dark storm clouds looming closer and closer, casting an eerie shadow over the vast expanse of the Atlantic Ocean. The crew hurried about, double-checking cargo, their faces etched with determination. The storm that awaited them promised to be one of the fiercest they had ever encountered with estimated winds of 209 to 251 km/h.

Tatiana had sailed through treacherous storms in her career as a Merchant captain. But this storm, this colossal tempest, posed a formidable challenge. The Phantom Queen sailed deeper into the heart of the storm, Tatiana studied the changing sea conditions. The waves grew taller and more relentless, crashing against the sides of the ship, threatening to sink the ship. She kept the bow aimed at the storm with the knowledge that she had to make decisions to ensure the survival of her ship and her crew. The storm intensified, lightning illuminating the sky and thunder reverberating through the air. The strength deck of the Phantom Queen groaned. At one point the ship was listing at 12 degrees starboard, and a single wave hitting at the wrong angle can make the ship list irrecoverably, leading to a quick trip to the bottom of the unforgiving ocean.

The storm raged on into its 14th hour, between crashing waves and the storm providing a fierce downpour, visibility was down to zero at times, at best visibility was about 200 meters. Tatiana's instincts told her that she needed to change course, follow a small break in the tempestuous clouds, offering a glimmer of hope in the distance. She adjusted the ship's heading, aiming for a path that should lead them to the calmer seas beyond the storm's grip. The Phantom Queen fought against the fury of the storm, the four Caterpillar engines were being pushed to their red line to maintain 4 knots at a course of 201 degrees, then 217 degrees. She had to worry about safety problems that can threaten the ship including some or all of the cargo shifting, spontaneous combustion, cargo saturation and crew members getting hurt, killed or going overboard.

With waves crashing over her deck, it honestly felt like a roller coaster. Lightning crackled across the sky, illuminating the Single Deck Merchant ship against the inky black water.

Tatiana felt the effects of exhaustion while she was steering the ship, checking radar and the satellite map while picking at cold food and drinking a coffee. While visibility was very poor, she still checked her surroundings often. Looking up through the windows of the bridge, her eyes scanned right to left, just off the port bow she saw a sailing vessel called a Fluyt. This was a Galleon with square rigs of three masts. The Galleon's lanterns glowed impossibly bright. The sight caused a chill ran down her spine. Her Chief Engineer saw it too, his face went white with fear and he started to recite what she guessed was a Shinto prayer. Then it was gone.

More hours turned into an eternity as the storm raged on when the ocean finally started to calm, the wind losing its ferocity. Tatiana navigated the ship out of the storm's clutches and into the soothing embrace of tranquility. This type of storm was called a Ship Killer for good reason.

Nearly twenty hours into the ordeal, the sun emerged from behind the retreating clouds, casting its golden glow upon the exhausted crew. Tatiana allowed herself a moment to savour the victory.

With the worst behind them, Tatiana ordered the Rotation A crew to make basic repairs and sleep for a full six hours with Rotation B crew continue to stand guard. Necessary repairs can wait until Rotation A crew was a little more rested. She knew that they had narrowly escaped the storm's wrath and defied death. The Phantom Queen returned to her original heading with a course correction, Tatiana knew that this journey was far from over and that more dangers awaiting her on the vast canvas of the ocean. With the wind at her back, she steered her ship onward, ready to face whatever challenges the ocean had in store. She ordered her Navigator to take over and the ship to run on two hour shifts for the next two days before restoring normal four hour rotating shifts.

Tatiana kept her crew alive through the storm, and the Phantom Queen in one piece. She went to her cabin to get long overdue rest and sleep. At the edges of her consciousness, she felt true terror today. What does it mean, to see that ship ?