Photographs and Images from the Lightbox and Darkroom of Stuart Lees, APSNZ

An intense pain flashes through the entire body, finally focussing in the space directly behind the eyes. The transition from sleep to waking.

The gentle, continuous hum and vibration of the ship slowly filters through the senses, getting stronger nearer to the engine and boiler rooms.  It is become instinctive to assess what the ship is doing from this- steadily steaming as expected, or perhaps a high speed run if the priorities have suddenly changed since the last time awake.  The ship rolls and pitches, but this is hardly noticed, nor the resulting ‘sailors walk’ which became second nature long ago.

The watch slowly gathers in the engineering workshop, compulsory caffeine fixes in hand.  The few shared words, jokes as a group readies itself, steeling itself against sensory assault about begin.  The time to descend is approaching, the rumble is louder here, heard more by the bones than the ears, and the ever-present heat can be felt, soaking through the floor at the fleet.

Readying for Watch

Middle watch, from midnight for 4 hours, and inhuman conditions onboard what was once the pride of the RNZN fleet- a Leander class frigate called WAIKATO, or the mighty Wai to its crew.  Relief comes at 4 AM, when there are whole 3 hours of sleep before another working day at sea begins.

At least it isn’t the morning watch, where emergency breakdown drills are usual, and result in 90 minutes of waiting for the inevitable emergency, then the frantic action required to rectify the problem.  Simulating emergencies on a steam powered ship is done by creating the actual emergency- failure of a fuel pump is done by shutting down the fuel pump, flame out of a boiler is done by flaming out the boiler.

The hatch to the boiler room is normally open during cruising watches, with a high level of watertight integrity reserved for defence watches, action stations, and higher risk conditions such as entering a harbour, or fuelling at sea.  A plywood cover is over the opening, minimising heat and noise leakage into the rest of the ship.

Opening this cover, and the assault is immediate-a sudden rush of heat, humidity and noise.  Descending a ladder almost too hot hold, the body already reacting to the wet heat- in excess of 100 degrees F and at 100% relative humidity, and sound pressure of 120dB, into an earthbound hell.

The pulse is strong down here.  The ceaseless heartbeat of the machine.  Pressure and power surrounds, miles of pipes containing various amounts of steam pressure, from low pressure, saturated steam, through to the high pressure superheated.  The steam saturating atmosphere can be seen escaping all round the space.  But this steam is not dangerous-low pressure and warm at best.  The superheated steam contained the high pressure systems, driving the engines, is deadly.  Any leaks of this would result in a pencil thin jet, invisible and not unlike a laser.  And if a superheated pipe system ever gave way…..  The risk, though small, is never mentioned, never discussed.

Curiously, as the plant becomes older, it becomes more efficient.  The steam wears away the pipework, and the boiler, with a heat exchange between the flame and water in the pipes occurs, this thinning of the pipes results a more efficient transfer.  Of course, if the pipework gets too thin, it can no longer contain the pressure within.

For all the intensity, the power machines and the comradery shared by those who attend the demands of this unpredictable mistress, it is strangely silent, devoid of human voice.  The noise is phenomenal, overpowering.  The complete antithesis of silence being deafening.  It bypasses the ears instead is heard by the entire body.  Communication does exist- a fumbling, basic form of sign language.  Far from belittling those who work these spaces, it adds to the comradery, and the sense of elitism.

There is something primeval about the ability to create fire.  But the fire created here is not the average household log file.  Flames 12′ long, created by spraying diesel fuel directly into a space and initially ignited with a flame thrower.  Fuel and air pressure is controlled by the Boiler POMM -the air used not only to support the combustion, but to shape and control the continuous fire ball.  The amount of steam produced to drive the engines is controlled by how many sprays are inserted into the boiler and therefore how many jets of flame there are.

Boiler POMM and the on-watch crew

Increasing and decreasing the number of sprays in the boiler, regulating steam quantity does not always go smoothly.  Occasionally a mistake is made, extinguishing all the flames in the boiler.  The’ peaceful’ watch suddenly becomes a hive of frantic activity as everyone does their pre practised tests to try to preserve steam pressure, and water level in the boiler.  This means the boiler must be isolated from the main and auxiliary ranges within 60 seconds or so, while increasing steam production in the other boiler to minimise the impact of the boiler shutdown on the ship’s performance.  The shutdown boiler is then prepped as fast as possible.  It is this emergency more than any other, that the watch trains for- response time is critical.  Too little water in the boiler, and pipes burst taking the ship out of action for months.  Too much water in the boiler and there can be carry over to the superheated system, and the ship’s engines are vunerable to both liquid, and salinity.  The feed water is significantly more pure than the drinking water.  Both are produced in the steam-powered evaporators, turning out 4 tonnes of very pure, distilled water every hour.

There are hundreds of valves in the boiler room alone.  And everyone who works in the boiler room is expected to learn not only every one, but also to memorise the systems as well.

Boiler Room

Both transferring fuel and blowing soot involves a trip through the cathedral-the passage way between the two boilers.  The name is very fitting, both to the look of the passage, and the feelings evoked while standing in the middle.  Flanked on either side by the boiler in close proximity, roaring with the power they harness.  Occasionally the huge pulse-felt rather than heard, where another spray is put into the boiler and ignited, creating a new jet of fire 12′ long.

Punching Sprays

The feelings-not unlike standing next to a controlled explosion, barely contained.

The Cathedral

Novice galley staff are sometimes sent into the boiler room with a bag of rubbish to throw into the boilers.  Once in the boiler room, they are thoroughly briefed by the Boiler POMM about the dangers of the space, especially about occasional deadly invisible jets of superheated steam leaking from the boilers, detectable only by the condensation on the opposite wall.  They then sent through the cathedral to the back of the boilers to ditch the gash –.  Normally after five minutes of fruitless searching of a way to get the rubbish into the boiler, the begin the return trip through the cathedral.  At this point, it is not unknown for the Boiler POMM to pulse the boilers, either by putting a couple of extra sprays in each boiler and momentarily igniting them, or adjusting the fuel and air mix in the boiler to the point where both boilers vibrate.

The experience in the cathedral is indescribable and the young  cook exits the space very quickly, ashen slipped faced and positive they were moments of way from their maker.

Back of the boilers

The watch begins by getting a handover from the off-going watch, Tantric chants almost in their similarity.  Spoken in reverence, talismantic statements giving the states of each machine in their care.  And slowly, as each person is relieved by the oncoming watch, the space is handed over, the off-going watch heads off to bed, and calm settles over the space again.