Vostok-1: The Three Masters. Ocean Fishing Routine

HELICOPTER FOR MASTER SOKOLOV

The voyage of the longliner Vostok-3 began in October 2012. After the crew change, the vessel left the port of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky for catch in the Sea of Okhotsk.

Master Dmitry Sokolov felt the first symptoms of the coming disease on February 9. He had been suffering of cough. He might have a cold under the icy marine wind when, heated in the cabin, he flung out to the open bridge to give instructions to the deck crew. But on February 9, the cough got so severe it almost tore his chest with pain, writes the correspondent of DV-ROSS.

“If that had happened to a sailor, - says Dmitry Mikhailovich, - it wouldn’t have been a problem at all. We would have arranged him some transport and sent him to the shore for treatment. But with a master it is much harder. Who would take care of the ship? And how much paperwork it takes… for this reason I suffered to the last.”

In those cold February days, the freezer longliner Vostok-3 of Vostok-1 Fishing Collective farm fished in the North-Okhotsk part of the sea. As fishermen say, “beyond the doughnut”. “The doughnut” is the nickname for a central part of the Sea of Okhotsk, surrounded with the economic zone of the Russian Federation, though it looks more like a polygon instead.

On February 14 it became unbearable; the wash basin water was turning pink after the master’s cough. Dmitry Sokolov realized he could not stand it anymore. He called the management of Vostok-1 Fishing Collective Farm, told them of his bad cold and asked what he could do. He was advised to consult a doctor in Vladivostok. That was what Dmitry Sokolov decided to do.

Obviously, the doctor informed the Collective Farm management of the Master’s condition prompt enough. In less than 24 hours Vostok-1 management arranged everything needed. They found a new master to replace Sokolov, arranged an Emercom helicopter for quite big money and drew up all the documents required to turn over the command.

In the meanwhile, the Vostok-3 longliner was ordered to move towards Kamchatka as close to the shore as possible, and wait for a helicopter.

On February 15, a Mi-8 helicopter hovered over the ship. First, the new master came down on a windlass, and then ill Dmitry Sokolov was taken aboard the helicopter. The whole crew tumbled out on the deck to say goodbye to the master. While he was lifted, they agitated their hats, shoot videos of him, wished him to recover and come back soon.

After an hour, the helicopter delivered the ill fisherman to a hospital in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. But it was Friday night, and the doctors had already left. As the necessary medical specialist was away, Dmitry Sokolov was offered to stay in the reception ward until Monday. There he was examined and provided with basic medical assistance. As the master felt better, he asked to be sent to Vladivostok. The company arranged a flight for him.

“When I came to the fishermen’s hospital, I happened to meet the doctor I had consulted from the sea, - says Dmitry Sokolov. – I was taken to the ward and well examined. Now I am at the day patient facility. I hope I will recover soon and return to my vessel. I am grateful to my dear company for saving my health and, maybe even my life, no matter how much it took”.

CREDO OF MASTER RUBANOVSKY

“We went for catch to the North-Okhotsk area, - the master of the longliner Vostok-2 Vladimir Rubanovsky tells his story. – We fished for halibut and ray. But last year the weather was awful since the middle of October: it stormed a lot. But the greatest troubles were killer whales. They would steal our halibut boldly right from the hook. Sometimes there would be around twenty of those predators flocking about the vessel. What fishing would it be when they surrounded the longliner and didn’t even let us get the fish on deck?

What do we usually do in such situations? Our many years’ experience teaches us to get rid of the importunate competitors. We just pull up stakes and leave, and as soon as the killer whales get exhausted and fall behind, we alter the course abruptly. Then repeat the manoeuvre. Such zigzags are the only way to escape from the ravenous whales. Killing them is forbidden by law, so they have thrived to a great number. To be honest, Americans and Japanese have a short way with them.

“Our longliner crew consists of 23 people, - continues Vladimir Mikhailovich. – It has been three trades since we began working with Indonesian sailors. Usually they are three or four people representing our trade partners. It is a way for the trade partner to control the production process and ensure the duly performance of the supply contract. The foreigners work with everyone at the fish processing workshop. They are good guys. Due to their Indonesian national character, they are better at monotonous tasks, which makes a positive impact on the quality of our products. But some of their peculiarities and, first of all, their food preferences, may sometimes give our sailors a good laugh.

Usually, at first the Indonesians try to follow what we eat. There is nowhere to go at sea: no one is going to cook for you to satisfy your national taste. The foreigners have to adjust, and they really do their best. However, they do it in their own way.

For example, we were amused to see them add hot ketchup and pepper into milk porridge. Our sailors tried to convince them that such food was normally eaten without spices, but the Indonesian guys had their own vision of it. Our sailors also had a lot of fun watching the foreigners spread a thick layer of jam over a pork fat sandwich.

But during the many months’ job the international crew becomes one whole, and many members of the crew return to the vessel for another voyage.

Our guys may get flaky sometimes, too. One day a sailor, who probably was too much absorbed in thought, instead of dropping a buoy, and then an anchor while setting the fleet, moved to the place where hauling is usually done. While the crew was laughing at the luckless sailor, everyone had to make another round to set the fleet again.

But few minutes of joy are usually followed by hard fishing labour. Twelve hours’ shifts and pickup shifts never let you have a proper rest. It is even worse during storm, when the deck dancing under your feet keeps you alert every second. But for a decent payment people go for distress and hard work. There is a stable core crew that has been working on all vessels of Vostok-1 Fishing Collective Farm for many years in a row. They are normally chief officers, chief engineers, motormen and mechanics.

“We believe that every day at sea, being far away from land and from our dearest and dearest is already a great feat, - answers Master Vladimir Mikhailovich Rubanovsky when I ask whether labour feats are still performed today. – For this reason as soon as we hit the second half of the trip, we start looking at the calendar impatiently, fumbling the suitcase handle…”

CAREER OF MASTER BRYUKHANOV

He is a truly self-made man. But he is never going to rest on his laurels. When at the age of 46 his father, the Russian Army officer Alexei Georgievich Bryukhanov, passed away, fifteen year-old Ivan was shocked. His father had been preparing him to enter the High Military School of Blagoveshchensk. He had been dreaming of seeing Ivan becoming an officer. But by some quirk of fate, everything changed…

After finishing high school in Spassk-Dalniy, Ivan had to choose what to dedicate himself to. He decided to take the advice of his cousin, seven year his senior, and enter Vladivostok Sea Fishing College. After graduation in 2004, he took the luck and got a job at Vostok-1 Fishing Collective Farm. Curiously enough, the young specialist was admitted to the crab fisher and processor boat Pacific-Orion as the third mate. The industrious and well-educated lad was noticed soon. After the first trip, the Deputy Head of the Collective Farm for Fleet called him in and asked about his further plans. Ivan Bryukhanov admitted he was determined to stay and work at Vostok-1.

“By that time I had twigged that the company looked stable and fair, and that I could not let myself leave it”, says Ivan Alexeevich Bryukhanov today.

Every trip was new experience and knowledge, until last July, when Ivan Bryukhanov turned 30, he was entrusted with the master bridge of the refrigerator vessel Chance-103.

“The crew consist of 18 people; the majority of them are specialists who have sailed a lot on the vessel”, the master says. – “So I went on my first voyage. There I realized that the main thing was to organize the crew work in the optimal way. Our task is to deliver sea products from the fishing area to Vladivostok and other ports. It is harder to do in autumn and winter. It storms and there’s much ice. And our vessel is quite small, only 54 meters long. Last October we got in a storm. The waves were 5-6 meter high, and the wind reached 25 meters per second. The worst thing was icing on the vessel haul and castle. It affects the stability a lot: the ship may turn over. So the crew pulled their life vests on, fixed themselves on safety harness and went out on the forecastle to remove the ice.

In family life, Ivan Alexeevich has recently had some nice changes as well. A year ago he married a girl from his hometown, Spassk-Dalniy, who he had been dating for the last three years. She works as a hairdresser in the town. They also have their own apartment, but Ivan dreams of buying one in Vladivostok.

“I am missing home all the time, even though my voyages are not that long, only around one month each, - confesses the newly wed. – And when you are back, it is not always possible to go to Spassk-Dalniy. Then my wife comes to meet the vessel. But she doesn’t always succeed to leave and come. That’s not life. Moreover, we are thinking of our future child. How will it be like when he is born?”

“Being a master is not the limit for me, - honestly says Ivan Alexeevich Bryukhanov. – I intend to continue my studies extramurally at Far Eastern State Technical Fisheries University to become a captain instructor in the future”.

By Dmitry Latypov