Rear-Adm. Yin Dunping has worked with his crew for days, preparing for the Chinese Navy's first overseas deployment patrolling the waters off the Somali coast.
"We are in real combat status," said Yin, the deputy commander of the Navy's three-vessel fleet.
Yin had only a few words for journalists on board. "Reporters are also crew members. By being here, you become soldiers and must obey orders," Yin told reporters who will accompany the ships on the mission.
After the briefing, a bus took us straight to the port in China's southernmost city of Sanya, Hainan Province, where the three vessels were berthed.
The bus entered the port slowly. The destroyers Haikou and Wuhan lay to the left and supply ship Weishanhu was berthed to the right not far away.
As we arrived at the Wuhan, two armed soldiers in white naval uniforms were standing guard. I stepped on the vessel ladder with excitement.
We will sail from here to patrol the Gulf of Aden and waters off the coast of Somalia. This is the first overseas deployment for Chinese maritime forces.
Luckily, I had a soldier to show me to my room, or I'd never have found it. We passed through doors one by one, turned left and right, went on and on as if in a labyrinth.
The 10 sq m room was configured for two people. Every corner was taken up with a table, a chair, a double-decker bunk, a closet and a bathroom. I had a lot of baggage, especially equipment like my tripod and camera, that made the room even more crowded.
But our accommodations are "special treatment." Many rooms on board are even smaller.
I then began to try my equipment. After debugging my lap-top, iridium satellite phone and maritime satellite, I suddenly noticed the ship was swaying slightly. I felt a bit dizzy as well as hungry.
It was time for lunch. It was good and there was plenty to eat with stewed ribs, braised chicken wings, fried vegetables and steamed lettuce.
An officer stared at me and smiled. "You will lose your appetite in a few days." By that, he meant seasickness.
We heard that every person who goes out to sea will experience it: the dizziness and vomiting. Some might be bedridden for a week.
"With all that's going on, you might have no appetite anyway, even if you don't get seasick," said another officer.
No matter why I don't eat, I guess I'll miss this good food.
(Xinhua reporter Zhu Hongliang with the fleet contributed to this story.)
Source: Xinhua
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