The Cat's Paw

The 6th Term Naval Cadets at the National Defence Academy are an envied lot amongst their Army & AF Coursemates. When the Pongos and Flyboys are struggling to get ready for breakfast after their outdoor trg,the Naval lot is reaching back from the Mess to get into another set of KDs and move on. Many a Naval Cdts have blissfully enjoyed the Butter of their own Coursemates in this phase. However,this bliss is not a forever blessing for many a Cadets do not realise the advantage of being a "Land Lubber". NDA offers a very micro experience of Navy's actual life. The reality of losing the feet from the land hits many when the Ship starts moving towards the high seas.The butter starts tasting a lot more raw and the stomach churns out even the last of the bugs. Many a plastic buckets have faced the agony of Land Tigers foray to the Rocking Seas.

An integral part of a Sea Cadet's life is a Cat's Paw exercise.Soon as one lands on the Trg Ship,a new reality hits.One becomes the lowest form of Marine Life onboard the ship.The glorious ex-6th Termers have to scrub the decks, chip/paint the Ships side, brasso the Ships brass and many more sundry acts. Life becomes topsy-turvy as Navy starts its real training.

In each sortie to another port/return leg to mother port,an exercise called "The Cat's Paw" is carried out. 6 Sea Cdts are lowered on a Whaler Boat about 15-20 miles from the Port.A little ration, Flare Gun, Navigation Chart,Magnetic.Compass and a primitive Communication set is provided to the boat. 02 such boats are lowered and the ship moves away. Then the battle to reach the harbor begins.

My first Cat's Paw happened off Karwar in Feb 1992.Karwar had not taken the shape as a Naval Port then. The sea was a bit rough that day and sea state was about 2-3.Waves were large and rising high.Our Trg Cdr was Cdr VR Naphde,a Rimcollian from 43rd NDA (if memory jogs me right). He took great pride in tough and upright trg. Having a close look at the Sea onthat morning,he ordered the lowering of the Whalers. I was selected as the Coxswain of the First Whaler.My crew seemed to be good as it had a potential Engineer,two potential Divers,a potential Logistician and a potential Pilot. I was given the chance to steer them due to my background of having Captained Whalers at NDA.

As we got lowered from the Port side of the Ship,the Ship rocked to Starboard and the Whaler slammed into the Ship side.I ordered the removal of the Robinson's Screws. The Whaler landed into the sea with a thud and in a wave's trough.In the next moment a wave crest swooped my Whaler up and we came almost parallel to the Ship.I saw a smile on the face of the Trg Cdr as I saluted him.

The next moment,the Ship's screws started turning and she made headway.My boat was going up an d down the waves.A large wave hit us and we lost the Ship. The big waves did not allow us to see the second Whaler. I ordered my team to pull out the Oars to pull the boat. This was the time the reality hit me hard. The potential Divers and the Logistician had started the division of the ration and were merrily opening the Jam and Cheese tins. The waves were pushing us up and down and all seemed to be at sea.

In the next 3 minutes or so,the first diver felt his stomach churning.As he fell sick,the other diver and logistician also fell sick. Without an oar being pulled ,these 3 studs went under the "garboard strakes" and just slept away.

The Engineer, the Pilot and self were left fending the waves and steering the boat to the harbor.Painstakingly,we rigged up our sails and tried to catch the favorable winds.The winds blew on and off and there was no sign of wind beneath my wings. The other whaler was never in contact even as we tried hard to use the vintage comm set."Mother This is Baby-1" and "Baby-2 This is Baby-1" drew no responses.

Soon the ration got over and our water bottles held our spirits. The high waves kept on rocking the Whaler up and down and sails were of no use to the boat or to us. The three of us survivors with Sea Legs kept pulling in rotation as one held the Rudder to steer general direction Karwar.

At about 1600 hrs,the potential pilot saw a dot on the horizon."Mosquitoe approaching", he shouted. Soon,a single engined chopper was hovering on top of us and the Pilots waved at us. As we waved back,the Chopper moved away!!The Comm Set did not utter a sound.The Engineer revealed that the battery was dead.

The sea grew calmer and a great silence engulfed us. The calm.sea brought our 3 comrades into action too. We ploughed on and at 1730 hrs,we raised Karwar.Soon,I glided the Whaler next to the Ship and saw a smiling Trg Cdr on the Helo Deck. I ran up and did my de-briefing.The Trg Cdr accoladed our "Fighter Spirit" and said that our cast off was so turbulent that the other Whaler was not sent off that day. It was our lone battle that day.

Last year,the Pilot got ditched at sea from a Single Engined Chopper.He fell from a great height and was on DIL. He fought valiantly and today I heard that he is back on his feet and raring to go on.The Cat's Paw had proven his mettle. The sea legs and the fighter's spirit came out clearly on that day. Everyday in our lives is a "Cat's Paw" and "Fighters" are always winners....