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Excerpt from Bluewater Seven
South From Alaska

When he reached the stern, he could see that the Challenger had moved closer to the rig and had picked up more speed. Ron came running up and no words were needed. Jeff just pointed at the Challenger, as she appeared from the dark, snow clad night and closed on the rig. Jeff picked up the intercom and yelled, “Grab onto something and brace for impact.” Ron and Jeff gripped the handrail and stood watching as the dark Challenger moved closer. The Challenger looked much bigger now than she had earlier. The large ocean-going tug towered thirty feet above the deck of the rig and was moving sideways with the current. Snow and ice covered most of her. Jeff thought, I understand what the skipper of the Titanic must have felt as the iceberg approached; there was nothing to do but wait. The Challenger was now so close that Jeff could see the skipper standing on the dark snow covered bridge, looking down on them with fear written across his face. It wasn’t fear for himself. It was the fear of someone who has always been in control, having his boat and men tossed to the mercy of the sea. It looked like the tug was going to land solidly against the port stern section of the rig. At the last moment a wave lifted the Challenger and moved her away from the rig, so when the blow came it was a glancing one. The force of the impact dislodged so much snow that the night was transformed into a mini blizzard. Icicles flew from the tug and bounced around the deck like shrapnel. The shockwave raced throughout the rig and loose items fell from desks and lockers as the Challenger bounced off to the starboard side and angled off into the darkness. Jeff ducked his head and closed his eyes as the Challenger induced blizzard swirled around him, and Icicle shrapnel tore at his clothing. It only lasted a couple of minutes; then it was back to the normal snowfall. Jeff ran to the aft handrail and leaned out to see what damage had been done. It looked like the rig had been spared. The rubber bumpers on the side of the tug had absorbed most of the glancing blow.

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