Circa 2002
Today, Prasad emails his teenage daughters while he sails. He also voice chats, sends ecards on occasions, gifts via amazon.com from ports and uses SMS messages for emergencies. Says the 45-year-old engineer in Dock and Dale Shipping Company, "I feel less isolated from my family and more involved in day-to-day decisions because of the Internet. Besides the Times Of India newsletter in my inbox lets me stay connected with the latest in the country."

Like Prasad, most sailors have paid a heavy price for their lucrative careers on sea: isolation from the world and their families. Now, the Net provides a solution that's easy and cheap.

Say hello to the dapper, Net-savvy mariners.

While Internet access on board still remains a pipe dream for most sailors, the impact of email on every aspect of the Merchant Navy, from logistics and operations to easing a lonely lifestyle, is profound.

Teekay Shipping Company's Chief Engineer Darius Dadachandji uses email to constantly keep in touch with his international offices. Reports, time schedules of loading and unloading at ports, spares and status of purchases are mailed back and forth between the ship and the offices. Besides, "every time we connect via satellite to the Internet to send out official mails, we also send personal emails from our crew, and download incoming mails." The only diktat: No attachments.

The sailing isn't as smooth on other vessels. Most officers are restricted to one or two mails. Others pay to use this service. But Symantak Bhattacharya and his friends found an easy way to avoid paying six dollars per outgoing email. They post all mails collectively to one friend, who then emails them individually from the shore!

For Reena, mailing her husband Captain Rakesh Prasad is an exercise in précis writing. "51 characters cost me 30-40 rupees when I email them to the ship's address. But I send the detailed ones to his Webmail accounts, so he can access them on port."

However, accessibility isn't easy on many ports. Sailors admit that India is ahead of many other countries in terms of availability of cyber cafes and cheap connectivity. Explains Second Officer Sachin B, "Internet speeds are a big problem in Argentina and other South American ports. In South Africa and Europe, life can be extremely difficult without a laptop as there are no cyber cafes near the ports."

Internet telephony is another option on ports of under-developed countries like Cameroon, Togo, Ghana. Prepaid cards for these are easily available, and messengers like Yahoo, AOL are popular.

Sailors use the Net for other activities too. Some use sites like Indian Mariner and Jobships to post resumes, hunt for jobs and contact shipping companies. Sailors also search the Web for schedules and costs of courses to upgrade their skills. Study material is available, but at a price. Explains Sachin, "I have already downloaded software about coast plotting, navigational charts, etc. Though worth a few thousand dollars, it has helped me immensely."

Communication and the ability to retain friends via the Net is the biggest draw for Second Officer Manuj Gupta. Gupta is currently posting his profile on matrimony sites like The Weddinghub and Bharatmatrimony. "Most of my friends meet their prospective wives a few times while on shore and make up their minds. Luckily, I don't have to do the same as I have some months to get to know girls better via chat and email.''

Many sailors' families admit to overcoming their tech phobias because of the convenience of the Internet. They narrate their special Net moments and goof ups. But the day Reena Prasad couldn't stop thanking email was when "my husband's mother was diagnosed with cancer. He called me immediately after receiving my email. I was glad to be able to lean on his shoulder in such a difficult time!"