No Ball Games

Almost as soon as the man hit the water the patrol boat engines stirred into life and the rumble of the diesels echoed across the clear waters.
Archangel in midsummer at 01:00 hrs local time was hot humid and midges-ridden. At midnight the sun dipped down producing a kind of dusk then rose again to full brightness.
Sparks (the resident weirdo) was on the starboard wing of the bridge playing a hand of Cribbage with the Captain, Mate and Second Eng. The Captain was losing so he welcomed the diversion.
The swimmer was now striking out with an impressive doggy paddle towards a round pink basketball bobbing in the water ahead of him but he never reached it, instead the Russian patrol boat drew alongside scooped him out of the water and dropped him in the stern like a floundering fish. A Russian Officer came aft from the small wheelhouse and started shouting at his catch.
The Second murmured 'He's for it they'll have him shovelling salt this time tomorrow'. 'Can't be any worse than being stuck out here' said the weirdo, this was there 10th day at anchor, swinging round the pick in unison with a Panamanian, Greek and West German ship. The Captain said 'Those Russkie's told me any one attempting to go ashore would be for it.'
'Allo' 'Allo' said the mate what's happening' the Captain put his binoculars on the scene, 'Fritz is having a paddy, giving those blokes hell. Keeps pointing back, shouting his head off' he said.
There was a sudden change of sound from the patrol boat as it heeled over to starboard and her engines opened up with a roar. She made an impressive sight speeding back towards the anchored ships. As she neared the German vessel she slowed down to idle and began drifting. 'What they doing' said the mate 'Dunno' said the weirdo 'but there's four ships crews watching em'. He was right. All the ships now showed their crews on deck looking on in silence.
Suddenly one of the patrol boat crew bent over the side and lifted a pink basketball out of the water, he looked at it for a second then with both hands threw it like a true basketball player. The German sailor rose, caught it deftly and sat down in one swift graceful movement, the patrol boat crew grinned at him and four ships crews cheered….