Do you know what it feels like, to be too late for something? Its really a sad felling isn't it? When some great opportunity for something comes your way, and you miss it, because your to late.

It happens all the time, most times it doesn't matter to much, but other times it means tragedy. Thats what it meant for the 84 men, aboard the worlds largest semisubmersible offshore oil rig. They called it the Ocean Ranger, it was larger in size than 2 football fields, and weighed about 15,000 tonnes. Those who built this sea giant, like those who built the Titanic, firmly believed a mishap could never happen, and the oil rig was considered unsinkable. How true it is when men put so much confidence in great inventions, it only leads to disaster. They put the Ocean Ranger off the south shore of Newfoundland, were often the sea claimed those who got trapped in its vicious storms.

Well the men aboard this oil rig, had no thoughts of any problems. Life was so relaxed and comfortable, filled with many pleasures. If they wanted to watch a movie, they could go down to the movie room, or listen to music or dance, there were rooms for all sorts of amusements. They could exercise, or play cards, almost anything was there for them to enjoy.

It was February 6, 1982 that a small hint of trouble occurred in the ballast system. There were 26 ballast compartments, in the pontoons, that kept the rig afloat, and level in the water. It was only a minor trouble, the rig tilted too far on one side, so it was not reported as it should have been. One week later, the warning came in, a dangerous storm is coming. The Ranger had ridden out many bad storms in the 6 years of operation. All the crew were busy sending valentine cards to the they loved back on the land, with no worry of the danger soon to come upon them. The storm struck, with 30 to 40 foot waves, and winds up to 100 miles per hour pounding against the large so called unsinkable oil rig, suspended in the sea. Then a monster 60 foot wave rose, with 1000's of tonnes of weight, and slammed the side of the rig making the entire structure to quiver. In the ballast control room, the porthole glass was smashed, allowing water to rush in over the control panel and the electrical equipment. The porthole was covered, but now the rig was in great danger of sinking. Men cleaning up the water and glass, were getting shocks from the wet equipment, and lights were flashing telling the men, that the ballast system was out of control. That would have been a good time to call for help, but the men said everything was fine, even though they were not trained for this type of problem. The mess was cleaned up, but things were not working. The oil rig was listing on one side about 8 to 10 feet. After about 5 hours of steady toiling, with the storm still raging, they decided to call for assistance from a nearby ship. The ship was 7 miles away, and now it was obvious they had left it too late. Soon after they call search and rescue, with conditions getting worse, the rig tipping more and more. Finally realizing the awful danger, a mayday emergency call was made, and the men ran for the lifeboats. The relaxed condition of the men turned to fear, and now to terror. It was 3:15am, the day after Valentines day, the Ocean Ranger capsized.

This was a sad day, because so many men lost there lives in the wild stormy seas. Its even worse, to realize that they could have been saved, had they called for help a little earlier. Its reminds us of the many in our world, that plan to get Gods salvation, but are leaving it to a later date. To think that right now help is offered, a shelter for perishing sinners from the coming storm. The shelter is the Lord Jesus Christ himself, and all who come to him seeking salvation, will receive the forgiveness of sins. The storm thats awaiting sinners today is far worse, then the one in the story, for it is an eternal storm. Don't be late, or you'll miss it!!

BDJ

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