Mate's Quick Decision

This happened when I was sailing on a 10,000 tons tanker. A rather small vessel, former chemical tanker but at that time it was carrying only light products like mogas, naphta etc. We had many voyages in the Gulf, loading most of the time in Iran at Bandar Khomeini and Bandar Shapur and discharging at Fujairh or Jebel Ali or other places in the area. Nevertheless, one time we have loaded at Fujairah and the destination in the B/L was shown as Mutsamudu and Ajouan in the Comores Islands. None of the crew has ever been there and we were wondering how it was like. We arrived without problems and were steaming at slow speed, waiting for the pilot. Which eventually arrived in a small open boat. The boat driver was curious to see how a ship looks like from the inside, so he made fast his boat to the pilot ladder and came on board. He didn’t have too much time to wonder as his boat unfastened and started drifting. He saw that and started runnig towards aft and crying “Oh Mon Dieu! Oh Mon Dieu” (O, My God!). The Mate, which at that moment was aft , checking the moorings , made a very quick decision and lowered one mooring line , then lowered himself on the rope and managed to catch the boat just in time. The boat driver was simply frozen, not believing that his boat was recovered. He thanked so many times to the Mate and the next day he brought him a basket of fruits as a sign of his gratitude. Actually this happening created a nice bond between us and the shore people and we had a very pleasant stay in Mutsamudu.