Maung Myint Kywe - The Ocean of the Sea

Introduction to the beginning 

Every ocean has been known to trap people and ships. But no ocean has been known to trap ships and people as much as the Pacific. The Pacific Ocean is a master at trapping people and ships in unexpected ways.

A mutiny broke out on board the Bounty in the Pacific Ocean, and the ship was burned near Picang Island.

The ship, named after the American writer Herman Melville, was sunk in the Pacific Ocean by a whale. While sailing, the ship, called the Hymer, was blown to pieces by an underwater volcano directly beneath its belly.

Until such incidents occur, the world's largest ocean is usually peaceful.

The very name Pacific conjures up images of peace and gentleness.

However, for these reasons, no one should underestimate the Pacific Ocean.

Don't people who live in peace often suddenly and unexpectedly turn violent and cause great harm?

Those dangers were not on the mind of Commander Philip Dupree as he climbed aboard the nuclear submarine Starbuck just before nightfall. He nodded to the officer on duty at the helm, leaned against the railing, savored the salty sea air, and watched with satisfaction as the ship's rounded bow sliced ​​through the waves and powered ahead.

Most people respect the ocean. Some are terrified of it.

But Phillip Dupree is not one of those people. He embraces the ocean's ruggedness and clear calm. But he's not one to fall under its spell anytime soon.

He had served twenty years at sea and fourteen years on a submarine, and his abilities were highly valued by his superiors.

Don't they often turn violent and cause great harm?

Those dangers were not on the mind of Commander Philip Dupree as he climbed aboard the nuclear submarine Starbuck just before nightfall. He nodded to the officer on duty at the helm, leaned against the railing, savored the salty sea air, and watched with satisfaction as the ship's rounded bow sliced ​​through the waves and powered ahead.

Most people respect the ocean. Some are terrified of it.

But Phillip Dupree is not one of those people. He embraces the ocean's ruggedness and clear calm. But he's not one to fall under its spell anytime soon.

He had served twenty years at sea and fourteen years on a submarine, and his abilities were highly valued by his superiors.

It looks like a horse. But there will be no spectators. The Underwater Operations Department has ordered that the Starbuck test run must be conducted secretly in a very remote part of the Pacific Ocean, without any escort ships.

Dupree was chosen to lead the Starbucks test drive because he was a meticulous person and followed instructions to the letter.

"While Dupree was still at the Naval Academy, his classmates called him the Data Banker. Dupree's skills were particularly evident in the submarine world. However, when it comes to advancement in the Navy, skills are usually second-rate."

To become a naval admiral, one needs to have qualities such as good character, communication skills, and good relationships with influential people.

Dupree lacks those qualities, which is why he was recently promoted over and above him.

The alarm button on the helm sounded, and the dark-haired, slender young man on duty at the helm picked up the speakerphone. The young man, who was not supposed to see the person on the other side, nodded his head twice and then replaced the speakerphone.

"The control room," the little boy replied curtly, raising his hand.

"The echo sounder reports that the sea surface has risen 1,500 feet in the past five miles."

Dupree looked back thoughtfully.

"There must be underwater seamounts, but there's still about a mile of water under the hull of our ship."

He smiled and added, "You don't have to worry about getting it on the ground." The handkerchief smiled back.

"It would be better if it was four or five feet higher than that to be more secure."

Smiling, Dupree slowly turned back toward the sea. He held the binoculars that hung loosely around his neck.

Holding one hand in his, he gazes with interest towards the horizon. That action is a habit.

It's not only a stupid thing to do, it's also a pointless act. The advanced radar system on the Starbuck is capable of detecting objects before they can be seen by the naked eye. Dupree knows that.

However, 'observing the ocean with one's own eyes can clear one's mind of worries.'

Finally, he sighed and put the telescope back down.

"I'm going down for dinner. I'll be ready to go into the water at 21:00."

He quickly and easily descended the three-story helm, which in modern navies is called a "rut," and entered the control room. In the control room, the superintendent and the navigator were looking at the depth marks on the chart paper. The superintendent looked up at Dupree.

"Malin, we're seeing some strange things here."

"There's nothing better than ending the day with a little something special."

Dupree replied cheerfully. He stepped between the two officers and looked at the map, which was illuminated from below and displayed on a milky glass, with intricately detailed lines. The map was marked with short lines and sharp, jagged lines.

There are symbols and mathematical formulas written in a hurry.

Dupree asked, "What are you seeing?" The navigation officer slowly entered and reported.

"The ocean floor is rising at an astonishing rate. If the ocean floor does not rise to the surface in the next 25 miles, our ship will be stranded on an island or islands that are not believed to exist in the sea."

“Where are you?” “We are here, sir.”

The navigator pointed to a spot on the map with a pencil.

"Oahu, 670 miles north of Kahuku Point, zero - zero - seven degrees."

"Dupree turned to a control panel and then pressed a button on the speaker."

"Radar, this is the Marine Commander speaking. What are you seeing?"

"I can't find anything, sir," a voice came from the speaker.

"It's clear on the radar. Wait a minute, you're going to say it again. You can see something vaguely visible twenty-three miles ahead, just off the horizon."

"Something?"

"No, sir, it's more like a smokestack or a low-lying cloud. I can't say for sure yet."

"Okay, report back when you can identify it accurately."

Dupree replaced the speakerphone and turned back to the two officers from the map table. -

"Well - what do you think?" One of the supervising officers shook his head.

"If there's smoke, there's fire. If there's fire, there must be something burning. Isn't it possible that there's a big patch of burning oil?"

"Where does the oil come from?" Dupree asked impatiently.

“Our ship is not very close to the shipping lanes to the north. The shipping lanes that go from San Francisco to the Far East via Honolulu are about four hundred miles to the south. The Navy deliberately chose this place to test the Starbuck because it is not close to anyone else in the world.”

Dupree shook his head.

"A burning oil slick is not a good idea. A new volcano erupting from the bottom of the Pacific Ocean would be a bit closer. But that's just a thought."

The navigation officer wrote down the directions sent by the radar on the map and then drew a small circle on the map. "It's just a cloud forming on the water."

The navigator spoke his thoughts out loud.

"But that's not possible. The atmospheric conditions indicate that it's not possible."

A voice came out of the speaker.

“Major, Rador is speaking,” Dupree answered.

"The captain is answering." "I can tell you about that thing, sir."

The voice seemed to hesitate before continuing.

"According to radar measurements, it is a large mass of fog about three miles in diameter."

Are you sure about your belongings?”

"I dare to bet even with my position, sir."

Dupuy pressed a button on the speakerphone and then connected to the telephone on the helm.

"Hands up, the radar is reporting something directly ahead of us. When you see it, report it to me first."

He broke contact with the helm and turned to look at the officer in charge of the control room.

"What is the current depth?"

"Still rising rapidly. Currently 2,800 feet, but still rising, sir."

The navigation officer pulled a handkerchief from his trousers on his hip and wiped it on the reins.

"I was very shocked. The closest place to seeing this kind of rise in the ocean is the Peru-Chile Trench, where it rises vertically by one mile for every mile it goes, starting at a depth of 2,500 feet."

"It is by far the most unique underwater slope in the world."

"Yes, the geologists of the world must be very happy to have found such a unique place." "One thousand eight hundred and fifty feet,"

The officer's voice came out of the echo chamber without any pitch or low pitch. .