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