When we arrived in Equatorial Guinea, we were contracted to drill an exploration well for a large oil company. After drilling the well, we returned to Malta.
The terms of the contract, was that the Chinese state oil company CNOC would pay a day rate for the voyage back to Malta. This was about $10 million.
As CNOC were paying this money, they kept their company representative on board to oversee the return voyage to Malta from Equatorial Guinea.
One day, during the voyage north, the electrical technician was trying to restore the internet connection. Generally a Northern heading, resulted in loss of internet
However, in his efforts to get internet the Electrical Technician accidentally disabled the auto steering, and did not know he had done so.
This caused the ship to turn 180 degrees. The Polish Seamen on watch on the Port and Starboard bridge wings, thought nothing of the turn and didn't question it. As periodically, the ship had been briefly put on a Southern heading to enable internet reception. So they thought it was normal.
The 2nd Mate, was supposed to be on watch. But, as he was in the chart room, behind the wheelhouse, he never noticed the ship turning.
In the chart room, the 2nd Mate was more interested in surfing the internet. Up until that time, his efforts to get internet had been in vain.
However, when the ship turned 180 degrees and headed back South, the internet came back. So the 2nd Mate was delighted, as he could now surf the internet.
The ET was also delighted, that he had restored the internet. Although in reality this was nothing to do with his efforts.
It was simply the ship was now on a heading, which was best for receiving internet.
Auto steering was eventually restored, by the unknowing actions of the ET. However, the Electrical Technician, nor anybody else knew the auto pilot had been disabled and then restored. So no course corrections had been made, because nobody realised anything had changed.
So for the next six hours, the ship headed the wrong way, and nobody was any the wiser.
The second mate, who was on watch, dutifully recorded speed, distance logged, position and heading and then went back to the chart room to continue surfing the internet, playing games etc. At no time did he notice anything amiss, as he was more interested in the internet.
That is until the company representative came to the bridge to see how we were progressing. The 2nd mate proudly informed him, that since he last enquired, we had travelled a further 60 miles, at an average speed of 10 knots.
At this point, the company representative informed the 2nd Mate, that's all well and good. But why are we going the wrong way.
Anyway, that episode ended the Second Mate’s career on Songa Saturn.

Sounds like you've led an exciting life Robert.

On the voyage South, the frozen food for the 3 week voyage, was carried in a frozen food container, welded to a platform on the starboard main deck. When we exited the straits of Gibraltar, the 2nd mate who was on watch, was given instructions from the Captain, to alter course to 235 degrees. As soon as he altered course, we started rolling heavily, as there was now a beam sea. The Captain by this time was fast asleep, so the 2nd mate did as he was told and kept on the course. Because of the rolling, the frozen food container came adrift. The doors then burst open, and most of the frozen food spilled out on the deck to then be washed over the side. Because of this, there was barely enough food for the voyage South for the next three weeks. In fact I would say, we definitely were on half rations for the next 3 weeks.

The Saturn was damaged on April 2nd 2011, as the result of a collision with an ex English channel ferry called the Windward II ex Viking II. The collision resulted in failure of Two bow anchors, which resulted in The Saturn being forced off location. This resulted in the drill string having to be sheared. However, we did not have time to emergency disconnect the LMRP. This resulted in severe damage to the rotary table, the catastrophic disconnection of the diverter, damage to the diverter housing and damage to the moonpool area, as well as damage to the slip joint and riser. The BOP ended up at an angle of 22.5 degrees. The damage to the Windward II was even more catastrophic, as she sank very quickly after the collision. As the Driller on shift at the time, I can safely say, that it was an exciting event.