Panic is a Common Hazard at Sea

Well, don't you think, sir, that 

when his subordinates all agree that 

The Ship is going down that The Captain 

ought to listen to them?  

It's very common for some subordinate officers 

to think The Ship is sinking when 

all that's happening is a little weather. 

Panic is a common hazard at sea. 

The highest function of Command is to override 

and listen to nothing but The Voice 

of his own professional judgment.

Call Captain Southard. 

State your name, rank 

and present station. 

Capt. Southard :

Randolph Southard, Captain, 

US Navy operations officer, Fifth Fleet. 

You understand that you've been called 

as an expert witness on Avenger-

class ship handling? 

Capt. Southard :

I do. 

State your qualifications. 

Capt. Southard :

Some 20 years on smaller combatants, 

ten years of commanding all types, including 

ships ranging up to guided missile destroyers. 

To clarify for the members, will you use the map marked 

"Exhibit A" to illustrate the position of the Caine 

when she encountered the storm? 

Capt. Southard :

The Caine was approximately here. 

The Storm hit from the northeast, heading southwest. 

Vessels of the task force steered south 

in an attempt to outrun The Weather. 

The Caine, in her spot on the right flank 

of the sweep pattern, caught 

the worst of it. 

Rather than steering with the wind aft, 

she turned north into the wind and seized. 

That was the situation in the strait 

on the day in question. 

Thank you, Captain. 

You may be seated. Trial counsel, you may proceed. 

Thank you. 

Captain, let's say that, hypothetically, 

you're the one who's in command of the vessel. 

A cyclone blows up without warning traveling west 

and you're directly in the path of it. 

The wind keeps increasing, its direction holding steady from the north. Soon your wind is force ten to 12 and your seas are mountainous. 

Under the circumstances, 

what would you do? 

Capt. Southard :

Well, I'd execute the classic Navy maneuver 
known as getting the hell out of there. 

And how would you go about that, Captain? 

Capt. Southard :

Well, it's almost rule of thumb. 

You say the winds from the north are 90 knots, 

center of the cyclone coming at you from the west. 

The best course is south. 

You might have to head a couple of points 

one way or the other, depending on your seas, 

but there's only one way out of that mess... south. 

But then you have a terribly strong 

stern wind, don't you? 

Capt. Southard :

What about it? 

Well, can a small vessel ride safely going downwind in such conditions? 

Capt. Southard :

She'll ride just as well going downwind as upwind. 

In fact, with your high freeboard going forward, 

a smaller vessel tends to back in the wind. 

Other things being equal, she'll do 

slightly better going downwind. 

How about turning north in those circumstances 

and heading into the wind? 

Capt. Southard :

Well, that would be dubious and dangerous, 

not to mention idiotic. 

Why, sir? 

Capt. Southard :

Well, you're heading yourself right back 

into the path of the cyclone. 

Unless you're interested in sinking, that's not smart. 

That's all, sir. 

Captain, have you ever conned 

A Ship at The Centre of A Cyclone? 

Capt. Southard :

Negative. Been on the fringes often, 

but always managed to avoid the center. 

And have you ever commanded 

a mine countermeasures ship? 

Capt. Southard :

Negative. 

Okay, this trial, sir, concerns an Avenger-class MCM at the center of a very dangerous storm. 

I'm aware of that. 

Capt. Southard :

I've had MCMs under my command, and 

I've read the book on them. 

They don't differ from smaller-class vessels 

in terms of characteristics and 

handling in rough weather. 

I only ask these questions, sir, because you are 

the only expert ship-handling witness, and 

I believe the extent of your expert knowledge 

should be clear to the court. 

Capt. Southard :

Well, I've handled these ships in almost every conceivable situation for the last ten years. 

Haven't handled a mine countermeasures

at the center of a cyclone,

 but I don't know who the hell has 

besides the skipper of The Caine. 

That's a thousand-to-one shot. 

Then would you state, without reservation, that the same rules hold for an MCM at the center of a cyclone? 

Capt. Southard :

At the center of a cyclone, there 

are no hard and fast rules. 

That's one situation where it's all 

up to the commanding officer. 

Too many things happen too fast. 

You remember the hypothetical question 

put to you by trial counsel about the storm, yes? 

Capt. Southard :

I do. 

I want you to assume in that situation that 

The Wind and The Seas become bigger. 

They become bigger than anything... 

Anything you have ever experienced. 

You have lost Control of your ship, sir. 

You actually believe she could sink. 

You are in the worst-case scenario. 

Do you bring around north into the wind, 

or do you continue south, stern to the wind? 

Capt. Southard :

You're getting very extreme.

 Yes, sir, I am. Would you prefer not to answer the question? 

Capt. Southard :

I'll answer it. 

Please. 

Capt. Southard :

In the worst-case scenario, 

I'd come around the north, 

into the wind, if I could. But only 

in the worst-case scenario. 

Why? 

Capt. Southard :

Because the engines in your rudder 

have the best chance that way. 

That's why. It's your last chance 

to keep control of Your Ship. 

But aren't you heading back 

into the centre of The Storm? 

Capt. Southard :

First things first. If you're on the verge of sinking, 

you about as bad off as you can get. 

Mind you, you said worst-case scenario. 

I did, sir. Thank you very much. 

No further questions. 

Captain, who, in your opinion, 

is the best judge as to whether A Ship 

is in the worst-case scenario? 

Capt. Southard :

There's only one judge. 

The commanding officer. 

Why, sir? 

Capt. Southard :

The Navy made him Captain 'cause 

his knowledge of The Sea and of ships 

is better than anyone else's on The Ship. 

It's very common for some subordinate officers 

to think The Ship is sinking when 

all that's happening is a little weather. 

Well, don't you think, sir, that 

when his subordinates all agree that 

The Ship is going down that The Captain 

ought to listen to them? 

Capt. Southard :

Negative. Panic is a common hazard at sea. 

The highest function of Command is to override 

and listen to nothing but The Voice 

of his own professional judgment.