My Voyage on the NSS Navigator
May 20, 2022
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By John R.
My journey, or might I say, voyage, has been a highlight of my time at NSA. The NSS Navigator has been a good ship, seaworthy, and hasn’t let me down. It can support its weight, it leaks at times, cracks form, but if you keep a cool head, it's nothing you can’t overcome. Thankfully, my fellow crewmates are the best in the business. We set out from Port North with a goal, to deliver news to the four corners of NorthStar, and I think we’ve done that. However, the voyage is nearly at its end. The end of a voyage is always bitter-sweet, especially with such a good captain and crew. The Commander, or the second in command to the captain, knows her stuff, and the Chief Engineer has saved the boat many a time. The rest of the crew is a joy to work alongside. You know, they say that a good leader always put their crew first, as a fellow crewmate said: “There is no leadership without serving, sacrificing, and humbling yourself to the level of a slave.” Indeed, leadership isn’t just about leading and taking charge. Sure, those are both very important things, but you still need to listen, be able to take advice and admit that your way wasn’t the best one at times. That is the mark of a good leader. Our Captain and Commander both have those traits, and they have led us well.
When we set out from port, we had a lot of new crewmembers who had never been at sea before. I was one of the new ensigns, and I must say, I have learned the ropes of this business, literally. We initially hit some rough seas, as the ensign portion of the crew were still learning, but we caught on eventually. The veteran sailors, who have achieved Lieutenant due to their veterancy, were excellent teachers and great team players. It was an honor to sail with them. It's the same with any other endeavor really. Every job is going to be rough at first, unless you're a natural, but once you learn the ropes, it gets easier. With every job there are new methods, schedules, and ways of doing things. There will also be rough seas, trials, men-overboard, and storms. However, once you get through them, you come out stronger.
It was routine as normal, getting to know the crew better, practicing tying things together (very important), and getting your sea-legs. It was positively thrilling. The ship rocked back and forth; everything was tied down to a solid base so it wouldn’t go overboard. Sometimes things did get out of hand and go overboard. Stress does exist on a ship, and you often have duties that extend beyond the ship. Sometimes it isn’t easy, but that's where time-management comes in. If you can manage your time properly, then it shouldn’t be an issue. Most of the time, work on the ship is light. The work-load pulses, it has its highs and lows. Some days you will have barely anything, but as the cutoff point approaches, the work begins. Before storms, we would have to do everything quickly before it hit. That gave a need for haste and a certain amount of stress. Of course, the people who took care of their duties beforehand didn’t have as much stress. But, as I said before, keep a cool head, manage your time, and plow through. Procrastination sinks boats.
Everyone had their role to play, every other week on this year-long voyage, the captain called a meeting with all the crew. In these meetings the captain outlines what needs to be done, or what needs fixing. If one of the crew is having trouble, the others chime in to help. First and foremost, we write news. Now, you may be wondering: “If you are that far out at sea, how do you get the internet to gather information?” That's a totally legitimate question, but some things are better left unknown. Anyway, our year-long mission was to spread the news, and we did that. As we come into port we are finishing up. As I am writing this, I’m in the galley, my favorite (but not always prudent) place to relax. They don’t like it when I hang around the pantry, because stuff tends to go missing when I do.
Whether I re-board the ship next year for another voyage is uncertain. I plan on it, but sometimes outside forces can keep you from things you want. This is no exception. This was a thrilling journey, and I would do it again, and again if I could. However, I only have a year left at Port North. After I learn what I can from the port next year, I’ll move on to those learning facilities landsmen call “universities.” Then I’ll find a career. I don’t think I’ll run off to the Navy, but probably stay on land. Although, I won’t stop writing. Throughout this journey, I’ve found hidden talents that I didn’t know I had. I found that I actually like writing. I enjoy writing stories, editorials, and other news articles. They say that the best way to learn to swim is to jump in. Perhaps it is the same way here? Best way to find something you enjoy is to try it.
John R. lives in Oregon, in the United States and this is his first year at NSA. He is in 11th grade, and enjoys pastimes such as reading, hanging out with friends, friendly debates, and speaking international affairs. He also loves studying and speaking of U.S. and Military history. Future career goals include engineer, architect, firefighter, or police officer.