| I remember well the first ship that I
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| | involved. There is the Captain with a
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| joined that had a Satellite Phone on it.
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| | nice little sat phone and software
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| I joined as Chief Engineer on this tiny
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| | through which he can do his departure
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| little Research Vessel on a tiny little
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| | checks, send daily reports, order stores,
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| river in Papua New Guinea and I never saw
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| | check his private email and on more
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| the ship when I arrived at the wharf, all
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| | advanced systems check the latest stock
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| I could see was this massive white Golf
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| | prices. But he has an ongoing problem as
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| Ball perched high on the top deck. Looked
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| | every time he presses "send" nothing
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| as if it was pushing what little there
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| | happens, or he has lost his latest daily
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| was of the ship down into the water. I
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| | report to some unknown "chip with legs"
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| remained in awe of that UFO for the first
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| | inside the white box that hums.
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| half of the trip and for the remainder I
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| | Oh deary me! Scratching of the head
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| wished that I could afford the six-pounds
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| | ensues and attempts at throwing the
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| per minute that it cost to use!
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| | computer or phone over the side are
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| Yeah, satellites and all that went with
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| | resisted. It is then that an Engineer
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| them sneaked up on all ship's staff
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| | happens to be passing by and that he
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| without notice or prior warning. Once
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| | notices that the Captain is suffering
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| upon a time we could leave port and not
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| | from high blood pressure. Then a couple
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| be heard from, left to our own devices
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| | of mouse clicks later the whole problem
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| until the next port but now we are being
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| | is solved, the missing file relocated or
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| constantly monitored and required to send
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| | the email winging its way upwards or
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| daily reports through to the company. No
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| | across the blue ocean. Yes, I have found
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| longer is it "have a safe trip and see
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| | that the majority of Engineers have an
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| you when you get there", now it is "we'll
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| | easier grasp or ability to understand
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| be watching you". Ah, long gone have
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| | computers and the software involved than
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| those days when we where a team all alone
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| | have the Navigators. Not sure why and I
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| on the high seas!
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| | am not going to get into this subject but
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| Engineers never really became involved
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| | believe me it is fact!
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| with the Sat phones for many years. One
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| | Satellite phones also changed the way of
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| day sunbathing on the Monkey Island and
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| | communication with the outside world.
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| the next a UFO had landed on your
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| | Before all communication from and to the
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| favorite spot. And the funny thing was
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| | ship went via the Captain. Every piece of
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| that nobody ever really talked about it
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| | writing could be censored or displayed at
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| at all. If it had been a new generator or
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| | the Masters discretion but nowadays Chief
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| a new ballast pump then everybody would
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| | Engineers, Mates and even Second
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| have been discussing it for months before
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| | Engineers are sending their own stores
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| and after. "At last we are getting a new
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| | orders and emails to Head Office.
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| one", the Chief would say and the Captain
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| | Engineers talk directly to
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| would respond with "no more blackouts
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| | Superintendents about their mechanical
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| then eh"? Faxes and telexes would fly
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| | problems, mates read incoming emails when
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| around and all would be posted for all to
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| | alone on watch and all can be done
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| see, even the cook would become enthused
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| | without others being able to oversee or
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| due to the excitement surrounding him. "A
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| | hear what is being said. The satellite
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| new ballast pump eh?" the cook would say
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| | phone has brought to the ship a sense of
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| at dinner, "yep, 300m3/hour" the third
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| | industry ashore, the ability to
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| would reply enthusiastically. The cook
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| | communicate and talk easily when and
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| would then typically respond with "good,
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| | where you want without having to wait for
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| great, no more blackouts then, eh?"
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| | a week or two or without having to use an
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| having totally crossed his wires. But the
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| | intermediary to pass the messages along.
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| satellite remained a silent misnomer that
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| | Nowadays a ship without some form of
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| was unheard of one day and then the next
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| | email/sat communication is improbable and
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| installed and running. I am never sure
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| | all at sea are fully familiar with the
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| why this was as the whole idea and set-up
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| | system and expect to be able to use it
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| far exceeds that of new machinery or
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| | when and where they want. All part of
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| anything else but there we have it. I
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| | being at sea in the Modern day Merchant
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| would hazard a guess for the secrecy and
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| | Navy one could say! Emails and mobile
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| lack of conversation regarding this
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| | phones have become a part of life
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| advent - that of fear of such tremendous
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| | everywhere so why should seafarers be any
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| change. So new and so large an alteration
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| | different? Now with such systems being
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| in the way of life at sea, but this is
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| | commonplace calls are cheaper and
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| only a guess.
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| | affordable. Emails can be written
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| And the Captains? Well, they all changed.
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| | whenever the computer is free and sent at
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| Most became serious recluses (more so
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| | minimal cost, this cost often being
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| than before) and watched these phones day
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| | carried by the company as pennies rather
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| in day out, warding off Engineers and
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| | than pounds are involved.
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| others alike from getting close. Padlocks
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| | Imagine the future, instant diagnosis of
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| and intricate codes were used to prevent
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| | engine problems, expert advice at hand
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| usage other than by themselves, and those
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| | for the engineers. The Engineers have a
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| that could installed the phone in their
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| | serious problem and have broken down in
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| cabins. It was a stressful time and
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| | the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. They
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| lasted nearly ten years. Ten years of
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| | are scratching their heads as to what has
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| complete disintegration of any normalcy
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| | gone wrong and the only people that can
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| between Engineers and Captains and ten
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| | help them are 2000miles away in an Office
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| years of Engineers having to beg, borrow
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| | unaware as to the drifting vessels
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| or steal to even get close to the Black
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| | plight. Today we can call these experts
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| Handset. I suppose it was such an
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| | up and describe the problem and thus gain
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| advanced and sudden change that it took a
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| | invaluable insight into what may be wrong
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| while to get used to and become accepted
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| | or what they can possibly do to rectify
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| as an everyday piece of equipment - just
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| | the problem. The future gives them this:
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| another one that may break down or
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| | A mobile phone to take down to the work
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| require maintenance.
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| | site, a video camera to send instant
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| Of course over time everything got
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| | pictures of area and problems to Head
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| cheaper, the white golf balls became
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| | Office, a recording of full conversation
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| smaller and have all but disappeared.
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| | to replay later (for insurance and
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| Handsets reduced in size from large and
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| | blame), instant download of possible
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| awkward monstrosities to those resembling
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| | solution or temporary repair of the
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| typical household phones (except for the
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| | problem and immediate advice from the
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| padlock that the Captains could never
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| | expert ashore who can see exactly what is
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| actually dispense with) and Engineers
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| | going on.
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| suddenly became necessary in the
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| | Yep, that is the future that we will look
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| operation of the associated software. Why
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| | towards, a few years down the line we
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| do I say that? Well, let me digress for a
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| | have gone from haphazard and unstable
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| moment. When Engineers and Deck Officers
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| | radio communication to instant and clear
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| step ashore in an unknown and distant
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| | access anywhere anytime!
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| port it rapidly becomes apparent that the
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| | What will the next fifteen years bring?
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| Engineers are far more able to navigate
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| | Whatever it may be just make sure that
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| their way back to the vessel. The same
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| | you have an Engineer at hand.
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| becomes clear when computers are
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