Nostalgia: Navy Nagar & Sea Cadet Corps

Mumbai during the 1990's, ah! it was Bombay back then. The period when our teachers blessed us with endless list of homework; the time when we would course around the lanes playing Cricket, Football, Kabaddi and whatever kept us on our feet; when every Sunday I would go trekking with my friends accompanied by our parents - those were the times when the days' were filled with such excitement and adventure. Nostalgia crept in, when after a little more than a decade, I got re-connected with a friend from the school days (Must thank the social media boom here)

As we sipped the afternoon coffee, in some 30 degree Celsius Madrid heat, reminiscing of the times spent in the sailing school, in the 35 degree Celsius Bombay weather, flashed through. Both of us were associated with the Sea Cadet Corps (also referred to as the "SCC"). Yes, the Sea Cadet Corps - the wonder years of sea adventures. For the newbie’s and for the new born digital nerds, Sea Cadet Corps is a non-government voluntary youth organisation with honorary officers imparting nautical and allied training to the boys and girls in the age group of 10 to 18 years. In conjunction with the Naval Sailing Club, adjacent to Training Ship Jawahar at Navy Nagar in Colaba, Mumbai, the Sea Cadet Corps was actively involved in conducting the 1982 Asian Games Sailing Event, 1987 Commonwealth Regatta, the International Enterprise World Championship in 1991 and the Asian Sailing Regatta in 2004. To experience these adventures, one had to undergo the rigors of disciplinary courses and training's. In a nut shell, it was all about "D-I-S-C-I-P-L-I-N-E", the fitting 10-letter word I could think of from my worthwhile experiences with the Sea Cadet Corps. The thoughts of a 5th grader dreaming of the big submarines flashed by when the life of Navy Officers lured me to those dreadful waters and sea monsters. Time dedicated to the likes of watching discovery channel and grazing through the encyclopedias from the nearest library trying to grasp what this adventure all meant was all worthily invested (let me remind you, back then the Internet had not boomed to the scale it has today). Submarines and sea creatures were my next research. My family has some kind of history associated with serving the country, and perhaps that influenced my decision to join this adventurous training camp. Top Gun, Men of Honor, Under-siege, and Down Periscope were some of the “must watch" movies that would pump in the adrenaline to venture out in the sea. I still remember (though loosely) my very first interview back in 1993, with Commodore Rabi Ahuja on the Training Ship Jawahar. The Commodore almost got me, a little shy Cadet back then, weeping for not talking out loud while addressing to one of the reporting Officers. Since then the training acquired through this institution has helped me with not only instilling confidence but has also brought discipline into my life. Officers and Cadets had to scream their lungs out - AYE AYE SIR! Or let me put it this way, they were known to be super active and vocal, when in action and particularly in marching parades. Waking up at 0400hrs every Sunday morning, travelling an hour through Bombay’s lifeline i.e. the local trains and the B.E.S.T bus services to reach the ship's quarterdeck for an early breakfast before the Cadet parade at 0730hrs. Phew!!! Catching the B.E.S.T from Mumbai's Chattrapati Shivaji Terminus Station (we called it Victoria Terminus aka V.T. Station back then), moving through the silent streets of Fort and bakery lane on a Sunday morning with several other fellow Cadets, who as well looked more than half-sleepy, was not an easy task as I had first thought it to be. The initial weeks were tough to adjust to this routine, as I had never experienced this before, but as time flew by I got bonded with the wonders of the early morning alarms, tying the 8's Knot, the Sailing and Rowing lessons, the alpha-beta-delta of flag signals, the swimming in the ocean – yes, would you believe, I did dive into the Arabian Sea as part of the weekend course between the Training Ship Jawahar and the Lighthouse :) (well, not that Mumbai boasts of good sea water, but I did befriend with the crabs, and developed a good palate for sea salt), the blue Cadet uniform and the white Cadet cap, and the dream of making a four year run for that Officers white uniform and the peak cap.

The coffee mug is now almost empty and we were taking our last sip. The unforgettable experiences of swimming in the sea water and those of rowing near the Training Ship Jawahar always reminds of some good crazy times I experienced. I think the foundation of my personality was established with the Sea Cadet Corps - no doubt about that. After all, it was for the love of anchoring in the sea and in the manmade mean machines. Since then the wonders of the never-ending digital world and that of some heavy metal has kept me attached to my present-day passion. Until next time - Aye Aye Captain!!