Today, a few of us were granted a rare and unusual privilege: a visit to the command centre of the Amsterdam.
All the way forward on deck 7, we went through a locked door and entered the quiet, wide, glass-enclosed expanse of the Bridge of the ship. A couple of senior officers and an officer on watch manned their respective stations.
The height and width of the structure allowed an unobstructed view of the horizon, at this height over ocean level about 20 nautical miles away.
The bow of the ship far below us plowed ahead at about 19-20 knots on a dead straight course, only occasionaly automatically adjusted by timed engine thrusts to correct course for drift or current.
The overhang of the Bridge, extending about 8-10 feet over each side of the hull, was glass covered all around, even the floor had a reinforced window, and permitted to view the sides of the ship from stem to stern. A console with controls to maneuvre the ship was close at hand. The helmsman, at docking either Captain or First Officer, is able to see every part alongside the hull and adjust his fine tuning of the ships movement to execute a faultless docking in tight harbours.
There is everything of the latest technology: various GPS's, Radars, proximity warnings, turning circle warnings, engine control panels, fire control panels, electronic charts, stabilizer controls, a variety of steering controls, electronic compasses, aninometers, fire warning panels for each area of the ship, communication equipment of every ilk, ballast and trim controls, too much and too overwhelming to list them all.
But, traditional aids to mariners were evident as well, a barometer for instance, tracing every nuance of atmospheric pressure over time, paper charts, manually written log book, signal flags, pelorus and compass, flash lights.
The bridge is almost silent, except for the occasional ring of a phone or a quietly repeated command. No audio warning signals went off during our visit of course. There is no noise from instruments, engines, wind...but there are rails and handholds in critical spots, as the bridge would be a rather violently moving place in heavy seas.
There was even a traditional ship's bell and a flask of sea water, which could have been a sample of the sea where Amsterdam was first launched.
Well, if I would have another turn at chosing my life career, I would aim for a position on a bridge like this, managing a large ocean going vessel after having learned the skills and experienced seamanship 'from the keel up'.
Now, this was a perfect sea day, flat, light breeze, minimal swell, brilliant glitter from the sun, not another ship for hundreds of miles - comparatively easy, I suppose that beyond-hurricane conditions would paint another impression altogether.
