A young ensign had nearly completed his first overseas tour of
sea duty
when he was given an opportunity to display his ability at getting
the
ship under way.
With a stream of crisp commands, he had the decks buzzing with men
and
soon, the ship had left port and was streaming out of the channel.
The
ensign's efficiency has been remarkable. In fact, the deck was
abuzz
with talk that he had set a new record for getting a destroyer
under
way.
The ensign glowed at his accomplishment and was not all surprised
when
another seaman approached him with a message from the
captain.
He was, however, a bit surprised to find that it was a radio
message,
and he was even more surprised when he read,"My personal
congratulations upon completing your underway preparation
exercise
according to the book and with amazing speed. In your haste,
however,
you have overlooked one of the most important unwritten rules
of
seamanship:
"Make sure the captain is on board before getting under way."
