SWARAJ DVEEP SAILING EXPEDITION

MADRAS TO PORT BLAIR

15 Feb To 08 Mar 1970

CORPS OF ENGINEERS

THIS IS THE FIRST EXPEDITION EVER IN

THE HISTORY OF THE INDIAN SUB-

CONTINENT THAT TWO SMALL SAILING

BOATS, WHICH ARE BASICALLY MEANT

FOR COASTAL SAILING, HAVE SAILED

ACROSS THE BAY OF BENGAL FROM

MADRAS TO THE ANDAMAN & NICOBAR

ISLANDS ENTIRELY ON WIND POWER

WITHOUT ANY OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE

SUPPORT.

THE EXPEDITION WAS PLANNED AND ORGANISED BY THE COLLEGE OF MILITARY ENGINEERING, PUNE, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE ENGINEER-IN-CHIEF, LT GEN R A LOOMBA AT ARMY HQ, NEW DELHI

MAJ GEN M M NATH WAS THE COMMANDANT OF THE CME AND LT COL R MANORANJAN WAS THE VICE COMMODORE OF THE CME SAILING CLUB. THE ENTIRE PLANNING AND COORDINATION FOR THE EXPEDITION WAS DONE BY LT COL R MANORANJAN

JALDOOTS

RAJHANS

MAJ MOHAN SINGH (SKIPPER)

CAPT Y. K. SAXENA

CAPT D. S. ALAGH

LT B.D. JAYAL

ALBATROSS

CAPT R B KHANNA

CAPT K N SETHI

CAPT K K LAMBA

CAPT V K DUA

PHASES

• BACKGROUND• PLANNING• PREPARATION AT MADRAS• CONDUCT• RECEPTION

PLANNING

• MET DATA• DURATION OF EXPEDITION• NAVIGATION TRAINING• COMMUNICATIONS• FOOD• WATER• MEDICAL• SAFETY EQUIPMENT• MET BROADCAST

NAVIGATION TRAINING ATINS VEDURUTHY - COCHIN

• EQUIPMENT:-– COMPASS, SEXTANT, CHARTS, ALMANAC, AZIMUTH TABLES

• CHECKED ACCURACY OF EQUIPMENT AND LEARNT ITS USE• BOAT COMPASSES – CHECKED BY GYRO COMPASS

• SEXTANTS HAD ERRORS – THEY WERE ALSO CHECKED & RECTIFIED• METHOD OF FINDING OWN POSITION

– SUN – RUN – SUN– SUN – RUN – MERAULT

• INFO OF LIGHTHOUSES ON THE ISLANDS• INFO OF HOSTILE TRIBES INHABITING THE ISLANDS• MEDICAL

• WATCHES SET ON GMT

COMMUNICATIONS

• BETWEEN BOATS – PRC-25• BOAT TO GROUND STATION – GR 345 (AMPLIFIER UNIT

GA-480 LEFT BEHIND)

• NETTING DONE WITH SUPER CONSTELLATION AIRCRAFT

• FLAGS AND COLOURED WINDSOCKS• TRAINING IN MORSE CODE (C.W.)• INTERNATIONAL DISTRESS FREQUENCY• HAM STATIONS

ARRANGEMENTS FOR FOOD AND WATER

• FOODCOOKED FOOD FROM DEFENCE FOOD RESEARCH LABORATORY MYSOREa) PRECOOKED CANNED FOODb) FOIL WRAPPED PRECOOKED STUFFED CHAPATIES AND PARATHASc) HEXAMINE COOKERSd) HEXAMINE COOKER SOLID FUEL TABLETS (600)e) CAN OPENERSf) TINNED-

DAL, PULAO, KEEMA, UPMA, PARATHAS, KHEER, JUICES, FRUIT, MILK

g) SNACKS IN PACKETS

• WATER – (PER BOAT)a) TWO GALVANISED IRON TANKS – SAUSAGE SHAPED -20 GALS EACHb) THREE PLASTIC JERRYCANS – CAPACITY 4 GALS PER JERRYCANc) TWO TIN TANKS – 6 GALS EACHTOTAL WATER PER BOAT – 64 GALS – FOR 20 DAYS

MEDICAL TRAINING

• COMMON AILMENTS AND THEIR TREATMENT

• FOOD/TIN POISONING

• EMERGENCY FIRST AID

• ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION

SAFETY EQUIPMENT

• SELF INFLATING DINGHI WITH DINGHY RADIO• SARAH EQPT – (SEARCH RESCUE & HOMING)• SEA SURVIVAL EMERGENCY PACK• MAY WEST LIFE JACKETS• SHARK REPELLANT POWDER• SAFETY ROPES• PISTOL

SAILING TECHNIQUE

wind wind

wind

SPARES CARRIED

• KEROSENE OIL FOR LANTERNS• BATTERIES• CORDAGE• SWR – STEEL WIRE ROPE• SHACKLES• NAILS• WIRES• WOOD• CARPENTER TOOLS• SAIL CLOTH• NEEDLE & THREAD• FIRST AID KIT

SAILING TECHNIQUE

wind wind

wind

DUA, RABS, LAMBA, SETHIDUA, RABS, LAMBA, SETHI

ALBATROSS TEAMALBATROSS TEAM

SAXENA, MOHAN SINGH, ALAGH, JAYAL SAXENA, MOHAN SINGH, ALAGH, JAYAL

RAJHANS TEAMRAJHANS TEAM

BRAVE CREW OF ‘ALBATROSS’ AND ‘RAJHANS’

Standing( L to R ) :CAPT VK DUA, CAPT RB KHANNA, CAPT KK LAMBA, CAPT KN SETHI

Sitting( L to R ) :MAJ MOHAN SINGH, CAPT YK SAXENA,

LT BD JAYAL, CAPT DS ALAGH

LEARNING NAVIGATIONLEARNING NAVIGATION

LEARNING TO NAVIGATE

LEARNING TO NAVIGATE

LEARNING TO NAVIGATE

GOVERNOR SARDAR UJJAL SINGH and COL MANORANJAN WITH THE TEAM BEFORE DEPARTURE.

POOJA CEREMONY - MADRASPOOJA CEREMONY - MADRAS

POOJA CEREMONY – BRIG S S CHHACHHI-CE SOUTHERN ZONE

Team Members watch while the ‘Pandit’ performs the customary religious ceremony before embarking on the

voyage.

Governor of Tamil Nadu, Sardar Ujjal Singh, Seeing off the team at Chennai on 15 Feb 1970

OFF WE GO – CHENNAI HARBOUROFF WE GO – CHENNAI HARBOUR

LEAVING CHENNAI HARBOUR

OFF AT CHENNAI HARBOUR

ON THE HIGH SEAS

NAVAL OFFRS SEEING US OFF NAVAL OFFRS SEEING US OFF

CHENNAICHENNAI