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Marlon woke up to the sharp sound of his alarm clock. He abruptly opened his eyes and squinted quickly after as he left his shutters open last night and the sharp blinding sunlight was entering his bedroom. It was a rough night. Marlon was among one of the Cape Carless Port Authority's (CCPA) best "MIDAs" - Marine Infrastructure and Damage Assesment technicians. His job was to inspect shoreline installations and make sure they are in good technical condition. He was also responsible for valuation of losses resulting from collissions between water vehicles. When the storm struck Cape Careless yesterday, it was instantly clear that he is going to have a busy night... Already off the bed, he went to the bathroom to refresh himself, still thinking about the last night's "coastal stampede". The damage from the sailors' panicked rush back into the safety of Flapjack's Stormalong Marina were extensive. According to the preliminary report by Marlon's team, the total financial damages in their area neared 52 000 €. His team worked from 7:30pm to past 3 o'clock in the morning so it was understandable that Marlon was dead tired and wanted to stay at home today. Unfortunately, not long after he finished his evening activities, it became clear that his expectations will not materialize. His boss - Falkon Huey - called him at around 2am and ordered him to report to Cape Careless Hospital at noon. From what Marlon understood, there was a shipwreck off the coast of Cape Careless last evening and he was asked to interview the survivors and gather information for the CCPA's records. While recalling yesterday's events, Marlon noticed that it was already 11 o'clock... However, he stoically decided that before rushing off to the hospital, he will make himself a late breakfast and prepare a mug of coffee that his friend gifted him last week. It was a coffee from the Activator's plantations deeper within Udanani. The friend managed to buy some of it from a Swedish merchant vessel which resupplied in Cape Careless last month. Marlon did not really understand why he was the one chosen for the job of interviewing the people rescued yesterday. He was a MIDA Technician. As such, he was not responsible for documenting actual shipwrecks. However, according to Huey, the castaways were almost certainly foreigners and CCPA needed someone who could communicate with them. In an uneducated society of Slackers, the knowledge of foreign languages has been a rare skill, chiefly enjoyed by those who served aboard seagoing vessels. By Slacker standards, Marlon was a citizen of the World as he knew four foreign languages. This was probably the reason why Huey decided that Marlon is the best interviewer available as he spoke fluent English, French and had some basic knowledge of Italian and Greek. It was already noon when the "interviewer-against-his will" went outside and started up his car. He wasn't too worried about being late, as it was customary and socially acceptable among the Slackers to arrive late to the meetings. The traffic in the city was quite light too, so it didn't take the MIDA technician long to reach the island's only medical facility... He entered the building and directed his steps to the reception desk. He introduced himself and asked where the patients from yesterday's shipwreck could be found. Marlon's request caused a lot of consternation in receptionists who looked at each other questioningly, then, started to rumage through their files believeing that this had to be a mistake. Marlon didn't mind. Failure to organize one's workplace was also quite specific for his tribal brethren. This kind of disorder was often leading to delays and organizational hiccups but to the Slackers it was just a natural fact of life like traffic jams or queues were for others. Eventually, the receptionists managed to confirm that a group of castaways had indeed been admitted to the hospital last night. They directed their guest to fourth floor and wrote him down room numbers under which he could find the people he was looking for. The MIDA Technician took an elevator and entered the ward on the fourth floor. He approached the first room on his list in which one of the injured crewmembers was recovering. He hesitated for a little while before entering. He reached for his ledger first and reviewed some of the questions that he planned to discuss with the patient in room 439. Just as he reached for the doorknob, the door opened and the lead doctor, looking rather tired, emerged from the room and looked questioningly at Marlon without saying a word. After a short but awkward silence, Marlon introduced himself again and stated his business. The doctor didn't seem to pay any attention to his words though... - Look, I really don't care. Just go in and do whatever you need to do. - But... is it the right time for me... - Sir, please! I spent entire night patching these people up and I should have finished my shift two hours ago. I'm going home now! I am tired and very irritated. Go ahead, gather your intel, talk to this guy, I don't know, smother him with a pillow if that be your wish, I don't care. Good day to you... sir... Upon which the doctor dashed off, performing a spectacularly angry stride across the ward. "Moron" Marlon thought to himself and took a deep breath, bringing up a polite expression onto his face as he entered the room. On the bed he noticed a young, perhaps thirty year old individual with a fairly short, dark and slightly curly hair. He had a four-day stubble across his face and dark hazel eyes which curiously fixed onto Marlon's face. The young patient was rather stocky but looked quite fit too. Judging by his appearance he looked a lot like the stereotypical boatswain or mechanic. He had fairly minor injuries - it appeared that he had a twisted ankle. He was also bruised all over the right side of his body but other than that, he was well and in a good psychological condition. Marlon cleared his throat and said: - Good afternoon Sir. My name is Marlon Pilsmooth and I am a CCPA official. I am here to gather some information regarding the shipwreck that you and your... The Slacker stopped and shook his head in disbelief, then, closed his eyes and stiffened his lips as he recalled that Huey said the castaways were foreigners who did not speak Udananian. Apparently his mind was probably still sleeping. He started over and asked slowly... - Do you understand my words? - Of course I do, pleased to meet you! Boatswain Karfloo Kasterlan at your service. Please excuse me for not standing up. You know, my ankle is... "off duty" at the moment... To Marlon's surprise, the stranger spoke fluent Udananian. His choice of vocabulary was a little odd but apart from this, his command of the language was flawless. The CCPA officer froze for a moment as it was unusual for a "foreigner" to speak this language so fluently. - I... I'm sorry, I... didn't expect you know my language. Not many foreigners do you know. - Oh, ah... actually I am not a foreigner. I am Udananian. Just like the rest of my crew. This statement has really captivated Marlon's attention. He forgot all about the sleepless night and focused on his interviewee. An Udananian? This meant that the person across the room belonged to another tribe because he was definitely not a Slacker... But which tribe exactly? - I see... Wow! I did not expect that. You are not one of us for sure. The Slackers I mean. In that case, may I ask where do you live? Are you from Mainland Udanani? - Ah, no - Karfloo responded - I actually come from the Western edges of New Udanani! Far away from the Mainland. In fact, our goal aboard "GS Navigator" was to sail East and see if we can find other Udananians to make friends with. But due to that storm... - I see. And I'm sorry for the loss of your ship - Marlon said sympathetically - The good thing is that you are all safe now. But, coming back to your home, I'd like to know where exactly do you live. Western reaches of New Udanani you say? Instead of answering, Kasterlan looked around the room and pointed to one of the corners. - Ah, there it is. Could you please pass me my sailor's sack? I have a map of my city there! Marlon passed the sack to his new acquaintance and he reached into it. The sack was still quite damp after yesterday's night and Mr Kasterlan expressed concern whether the chart was still in a condition good enough to view or was it just a wet, colorful stain. Eventually, the castaway found the chart and carefully opened it. Looking relieved, he said "It's fine! Here, this is where I come from!" passing the map to Marlon. The Slacker looked at it for a good, long while, analyzing the unfamiliar city. Then, continued the lively discussion with Mr Kasterlan, asking many question regarding his local homeland, society and culture, marking the first historical exchange between The Slackers and The Gridlayers. The two men have also exchanged important navigational data, necessary for the return of the Gridlayer crew to their starter city. Unexpectedly, Marlon's extra "chore" had turned into an amusing and interesting afternoon... Two days later, Marlon filed his report to CCPA. Rather than the circumstances of GS Navigator's sinking, it mainly contained information on castaways themselves. In time, the news of the discovery of a completely new tribe have also reached the Slacker tribal council. Once their guests recovered from wounds, the sociable Slackers invited the crew of GS Navigator to Cape Careless City Hall for a "meet & greet" party where further friendships were made and The Gridlayers had an occasion to express their gratitude towards their rescuers, including the crews of STS Rain, Skylark II and Cirrus V. Despite the fact that the meeting between The Gridlayers and The Slackers was a coincidence caused by a dangerous event at sea, it turned out to be a positive moment and a geographical breakthrough as well. Also, as a result, The Gridlayers tribe have permanently entered the canon of Udananian history, having been defined by the researchers with the following description: "The Gridlayers favor traditional city-building models and assets. They refrain from experimenting and using non-standard solutions in their cities." Comment replies: @TogaMasterJohn - Although I have never seen Lake Michigan with my own eyes, I always consider it to look more like an inland sea rather than a lake. It's huge! I believe it takes considerable skills to sail safely on such a large body of water. If you capsize, there is little chance you will manage to swim to the shore! Thank you for the compliments - I hope that today's storytelling holds up to the standards too!
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It was an early summer afternoon in Cape Careless and the yachts and sailboats have been out in force all over the harbor with their crews enjoying sunny weather and snacks out at sea. The day was generally peaceful and a constant (almost boring one could say) Northwestern breeze made it possible for even inexperienced captains to enjoy a successful sailing session in ideal weather conditions. However, at about 4pm, the skies over Cape Careless started to darken a bit. First, a milky overcast has covered the visible horizon, reducing sun to a bright, blurred spot. Later, however, the clouds transformed into a rather unpleasant, lead-colored curtain. Shortly before 6pm the first lightning struck the surface of the water, making it abundantly clear to one and all that it was time to bail and set course for the nearest port... At first, most of the ships started to calmly converge on the mouth of Flapjack's Stormalong Marina and Country Club, creating orderly queues along the waterways... However, as the number of slips available started to shrink, the tempers flared... Sailors who entered the port a bit too late, started to perform dangerous stunts and picked up fights in order to moor their boats in preferred spots. This created an absurd, chaotic spectacle which was promptly accompanied by the sounds of thunderclaps from an impending storm. The important thing though, was that everyone was within the port's limits and safe... as long as they were agile enough to dodge beer bottles being hurled at them by irate seamen. However, there was yet one more vessel cutting through the rising waves. Having learned through the radio that Flapjack's Stormalong Marina was at the brink of riots, Skylark II was sailing towards Courageous Flynn's Docks. The crew have decided to moor with the small marina as it wasn't wise to seek other options in such a bad weather. While poorly sheltered, Courageous Flynn's Docks has at least offered safety, shore leave and a warm tavern nearby. However, when the Slackers aboard Skylark II prepared to drop sails and cover the remaining distance with the engine, their radio suddenly went on and a frantic voice blurted out the following message over an emergency channel... The crew of Skylark II, chilled by the desperate call for help, looked questioningly at the captain - Pierse Toonleigh. He was not just a regular yacht owner but an active-duty second officer aboard STS (Slacker Tribe Ship) "Long Haul" container vessel. He also knew international laws regarding rescue at sea very well. The call for help was genuine and he could not afford to ignore it. The crew of Skylark II jumped to the rigging and prepared the boat for an insanely risky mission. The course to the last known location of the sinking ship was set and Pierse and his crew promptly sailed by Courageous Flynn's Docks. Then, made a tack to continue sailing with the gusty Northwestern wind... The journey was difficult due to the wind coming directly from the location of the distressed vessel. Alyssa was thus forced to beat to windward, using series of medium or long tacks to keep approaching the target and maintain the speed in worsening weather conditions. After about an hour of navigating through rough seas, the wind changed and started blowing from the West, allowing Skylark II to finally stabilize course at close-hauled port tack. At roughly the same time, the crew noticed another sailboat, about 1/3 NM away from them to the North. Pierse, who continued to command his crew while being constantly smacked in the face by thick rain, stopped and reached for his binoculars. He took a good, long look at the unit running the same course as Skylark II. Then, looking relieved, he walked to the radio and started the following exchange. - Cirrus V, you're back with us?! - Yeah! Just like in the old days! Pierse heard a familiar voice. It was Ranald Dooles - a chief mate with whom Pierse had made several voyages to Wilhelmshaven. People felt safe around Dooles - an old sea wolf and experienced crewmember. As it turned out, he has also intercepted the rescue call and was steaming towards the accident with his friend onboard to help the sinking ship. - Cirrus V, let's match speeds so we can get there together. It should be safer this way. - Negative Skylark II! - replied Dooles - it looks like you have a greater SOG [speed over ground] than us. Just go in first, every minute counts! We'll just follow your lights. Don't worry, we'll manage. - Understood, you are right. Try to keep us in your sights and let us know in case you need help! Skylark II - over and out. About 30 minutes later and in what was already an all-out gale, the crew of Skylark II suddenly noticed a bright light darting across the sky. They were close and the sinking ship was shooting a signal flare into the ink-black sky. Skylark II corrected the course and approached the accident area with Cirrus V trailing behind. As it turned out, yet another Slacker ship was already on the scene. A relieved container ship (aptly named STS Rain) has been aligning herself with the sinking vessel and preparing for a rescue operation just as Skylark II approached from another side. After a quick radio exchange, captains of both ships have agreed to the rescue plan. Two crew members from each ship were supposed to board GS Navigator, help the crew out and then use STS Rain's liferaft to transfer the injured aboard the container vessel. The crew of Cirrus V was to provide an overwatch and react to any unexpected turn of events. Once the castaways have been secured, all of the Slacker ships have readied for departure. Due to the ravaging strom, the captain of STS Rain has decided to assist Cirrus V and Skylark II with tow lines, relieving the crews of these vessels from having to fight their way back to Lagmi Shi Island. GS Navigator has been lost to the sea, but all hands have made it out alive. At around half past 10 p.m., STS Rain reached the safety of Cape Careless. The ship has disconnected the tow lines and the brave, but tired, crews of Skylark II and Cirrus V limped into the mouth of Flapjack's Stormalong Marina. The passing storm was still thundering around Cape Careless, but now it was safe to unfurl the sails again. Conversely, STS Rain has thrown the anchor within the roadstead and again used their liferaft to move the injured mariners to the nearby beach where medical services have already been waiting to receive and treat the wounded. Once everyone has been accounted for, STS Rain signed off, and the crew of GS Navigator has been admitted to the nearby hospital. Marking the end of their harrowing adventure. To be continued... Comment replies: @kkffoo - It's indeed somewhat challenging - let's just hope I won't succumb to a multipolar disorder! I consider myself a Slacker though, so I have a pretty determined identity. I'm happy that you appreciate the cities layout. It's a very interesting work and greatly the NAM's merit - it really makes cities more interesting. @TogaMasterJohn - Well, the important thing is you came back but it's true - I noticed you have been missing from the forums for some time. Are you sure you still want to moor with CCFSAM?
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Version 1.0.0
472 Downloads
This is the model of a SAR Cruiser of the 28m class as operated by the German rescue organization DGzRS. It is a remarkably seaworthy vessel with a full aluminium hull designed in a net structure. It is powered by two MTU diesel engines with a combined power of 2.880kW, which allow speeds up to 24kts. It is designed and equipped to provide help in the most extreme weather conditions. It even has the capability of self-rightening in case of capsizing. Their Motto: “Rausfahren, wenn andere reinkommen.”. (We go out, when others come in) Content There are 4 lot files in this pack, install whichever you like (it is possible to use all 4 files at the same time). The lots should show up relatively at the end of your port menu. A_1P_SAR_cruiser1 · docked (working lights on, bridge lights on, navigation lights off, personnel on deck, fenders overboard). A_1P_SAR_cruiser2 · underway (working and bridge lights dim, navigation lights on, personnel on bow) A_1P_SAR_cruiser3 · hard to stbd A_1P_SAR_cruiser4 · hard to port Dependencies · none Instructions Unzip and place in plugin folder, eg.: C:\Users\<USER>\Documents\SimCity 4\Plugins Dedication This model is dedicated to the brave crews serving on DGzRS vessels to save others. -
Eight nations to sign. Both Arctic navigation and Search and Rescue will be greatly improved in these waters.
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Sunken vessel owner has questions. Considering the amount of money we are blowing up in Iraq and Syria, can we not find a few bucks for a couple of serviceable choppers for a new SAR base in the arctic? There is getting to be rather a lot of traffic up there.
