June 2011
Tuesday 14 th
of June 2011
and we had left Go:teborg and anchorage “C” behind when I came
on my morning watch. We were north bound and we expected to be at Brofjorden Pilot at 10 o'clock.
So I had plenty time for my “ TUNA & ONION SURPRISE ” ®
and GOOD MORNING tea before it was time for the pilot. And while I enjoyed my self on the bridge the AB was doing all the pre arrival tests on deck. High level alarms and stuff needs to be tested before we start to load.
The wind had picked up during the night, not very much, but we had moderate sea coming in from our Port side while steaming towards Brofjorden. Not enough to make us roll, and never mind, I
didn't do my
push ups and squat down exercises this morning.
I'm still a wee bit soar after
yesterday's evening exercises on the bridge. I have not done my exercises for quite som time, even though my intentions were to exercise every day at the ship yard. Well, that plan went down the drain. But now we're back to our normal routines and I will
hopefully be able to do my daily exercises. I have to look good and it is soon time to go home.
Pilot boarded us at 10 o'clock and the Pilot recognised me and he shouted “Aladdin” while climbing up the ladder. Always nice to come to Brofjorden to meet the Pilots I haven't meet for a long time. But many of the guys have retired and there are new pilots. So it is nice to meet some of the old pilots. We can kill the time talking about the good ol' times.
We had all fast at jetty #5 at 11:30 and I did the paper work with the Loading Master and Surveyor. Our Agent was onboard and I asked if there was any other means than by taxi to get to
town. No there was only taxi and to go to Lysekil, return trip with taxi for an ice cream would make the ice cream very expensive.
The Agent told me that they had a car and the crew could borrow a car from Leffler Agencies. But she added:
- If they are nice. - Well, I'm nice, right? I tried.
- OH! YES!
So I had a shower and I walked to the Agent's office just outside Preemraff's gate. One of the staff was in Lysekil to pick up their lunch so I had to wait for almost one hour before I could take off to Lysekil. But the staff at the Agent's office were nice so we talked about the good ol' times while waiting. Our Agent was very hungry and she was wondering where the guy, the car and her food were. Hell, I was just about to leave and go back to the ship when the car arrived.
I hopped in to the car and, well, I hopped out again a few seconds later. Back in to the office.
- How do I lock the doors?
- How do I chang from P to D on the automatic?
I had to push the brake pedal in order to move from P to D. There was no key to the car, only a remote. And the remote was used to lock the door with as well. When the girl was finished with the driving lesson I took off to Lysekil for soft ice and I was hopingto find salmon and new potatoes.
I had asked about restaurants at the Agent's office.
They didn't knew a place with salmon and they didn't believed that I would have any luck finding any either.
- How do I lock the doors?
- Day time and lunch menu only.
When I came in to Lysekil I passed a few restaurants and nothing looked like a place where they served salmon. And I was for sure not going to try the hotel. I remember Lysekils
Hotel from 2 years ago and I will never set foot there again. The barge, but there were no parking spaces outside so I turned around and drove back. I found parking spaces and there was a place called Bengt's Fisk (Bengt's fish)
Bengt's fisk, a coffee shop and fish shop and I asked if they had salmon and new potatoes.
- Yes, we have
I got a plate of new potatoes and salmon with two glasses of tea.
Delicious, now I only need some soft ice before going back onboard. I drove up to town and I parked my car
on a street (I found out later that it was a one way street, but no police nearby) close to the small square where I suspected that they
were selling soft ice. I walked to the small square 200 meters away. I had to walk because the road was blocked by some construction work.
I walked around in the sunshine enjoying my ice cream, damn, it was some tasty ice cream! I decided to have a second soft ice. Yes, I don't know when I run in
to my next opportunity to have a soft ice. So I decided to take this opportunity.
- YOU WANT ONE MORE ICE CREAM??!!
- Yes, I'm sorry, I dropped the other one on the street.
I bought 4 lottery scratchers as well, no, I they didn't turned me in to a millionaire. But I got a few seconds of fun out of them.
I finished my second icecream before hopping in to the car for my return trip to Preemraff. It had been a nice trip to Lysekil, lucky with the weather and the salmon was excellent. To top it off with the soft ice was just the bonus I deserved after the 4 hours drama in Kerteminde, Denmark.
When I returned to Agent's office with the car the Agent asked if I found any ice cream in
Lysekil.
- I had 2, but don't tell anyone onboard!
We were loading with a rate of 1200m³/H when I came on my night watch and we expect to be ready around 5 o'clock in the morning. And I got good news in the evening.
They called from Broström. Hamburg was cancelled and we will discharge in the River Thames instead. Good, going up River Elbe with a pilot is a killer.
River Thames and it is just a few hours to Coryton. So I was in a good mood while enjoying my evening tea. And of course, it helped a lot that a gloomy and grey morning had turned in to a beautiful evening.
I finished the ballast just in time for midnight when I was relieved by our 2nd Officer.
behind. But will we have left the Pilot before 8 o'clock when I'm coming to the bridge? I could see that we had strong winds outside and rough sea so it might be that the Pilot will leave us earlier than normal.
And yes, 2nd Officer was on deck when the Pilot disembarked when I came on the bridge 5 minutes before 8. Bad weather so our Pilot was leaving us early, or I would have to be with the pilot on deck 30 minutes later. 
We had a wind blowing force 7 from WSW so it was rough sea at the Pilot boarding/ disembarking
area so we were escorted by the Pilot boat that followed behind us.
Can't say that I'm surprised, there has been a local storm
following us the last month. And painting of the ship. Just to forget about it. We had 2 weeks of painting back in April. But we have not been painting since we got our paint delivered to us last time in Brofjorden.
Second Officer came to the bridge for some paper work and
Bara hon nu inte tror att vi bor ihop.
he told me that his girl friend had been on my web page.
- She thinks that you miss the other 2nd Officer.
- What??!!
- Yes, to have someone to eat with.
- I hope she doesn't think we live together!
I always have my camera in my back pocket. And thinking about it, my camera, a CANON IXUS 860IS. I bought it in France when I was onboard M/T Barcarolle back in 2008 and it is still going strong. And believe me, the camera has to take a heavy beating daily with my HEAVY DUTY use of it. But I have a new Canon STAND-BY in my cabin. I expect my CANON IXUS 860IS to give up any day. But it continues to work.
Well, anyway, I took a picture of our 2nd Officer so his girl friend has something to watch. And she can see that it is not only previous 2nd Officer on my web page.
Most of the BRAVO disappeared from our lunch “MYS” on the bridge since our previous 2nd Officer
signed off. So I bring my tea mug and salmon to the mess room and I enjoy my health food with the rest of the guys.
I felt a sleep after my lunch and I woke up to a beautiful afternoon. When I came on my evening watch the sea was like a windmill pond so I had the AB on my watch to put the last layer of coating on the funnel. All this while I was enjoying my tea and music on the bridge.
Sunshine and the North Sea were flat like a pancake. Nice, now it is just to wait for the sun to
disappear so we can see the total eclipse of the moon. Yes, a suspenseful evening.
I had plans to wrap myself in a curtain and to call the crew on the bridge. I would throw a few hokus
pokus in the direction of the moon and viola, the moon would turn black. Yes, the crew would
have crapped their pants.
I was waiting and waiting but no sign of the moon and I lost interest by the second.
- The worst moon eclipse ever!
- Have you ever seen a moon eclipse before?
- No, but that doesn't make this one better!
I was in my chair
drinking tea and I was pretty disappointed with the whole “ECLIPSE” hullabaloo. It must have been around quarter to 11 when I discovered the moon and now it was starting to go from black to full. I called Captain and the 2nd Officer on the
12 to 4 watch.
Even though they were on the bridge in 2 steps and in as many seconds I had managed to get hundreds of crappy pictures of the moon eclipse. I had to use the binocular to get my pictures and as it was tricky to hold both the camera and binocular steady most of the pictures went to the trash bin.
I managed to get one picture that was OK, but I'm sure you will be able to find millions of good pictures on the internet.
When I woke up after my afternoon nap it was all gloomy and grey again. When I came on the
bridge for my evening watch 5 minutes before 8 it was raining, sunshine and windy. I prepared my tea while our 2nd Officer was drinking milk straight from the package. I could not help myself, I just had to get a picture.
I was lounging and relaxing on the bridge drinking my tea between my exercises. Quarter past 8 and I were ready for my first set of squat downs. I did 4 before I gave up and returned to my tea cup. I'm still a bit sore after my
exercises yesterday. Quite painful to do the squat downs.
At 8 thirty it was time for my push upsand I didn't bother trying. Well, 3 minutes later (Full of agony) I thought:
- F@ck it. This is not the way to obtain a V-shaped torso!
I did my push ups and squat downs, should be painful to look good. I was in a good mood doing my exercises every
quarter of the hour and
I had time to attend to my tea cup between the exercises.
It started to blow a full force 6 or 7 from the South and the wind disappeared a little while later. It was almost like we got blue sky again, 
med kättingen istället för vajern att surra ankarna med på Tärnvåg sommaren 2009.
Nu fick vi banka o slå för att få loss vajern som hadde kilat fast sig i ankaret.
but then the wind started again and it was pretty rough when I went forward to the fo'c's'le at 23:30 to drop our anchor. The AB on watch was busy preparing starboard side anchor when I came to the fo'c's'le. The
wire was stuck in the anchor.
I asked him to prepare port side anchor instead. Then I asked him to get a sledge hammer and we managed to get off the wire. Well, we should have a chain instead for the wire as the AB on M/T Tärnvåg suggested. I ordered the chain and it worked just beautiful.
Well, I'm soon signing off and I can't say that I'm losing any sleep over what they are using to lash their anchors with onboard M/T Ternvik.
Problem with the weather, well, just a slight problem and
we were a little delayed to drop our anchor so the AB on the 12 to 4 watch came to relieve the AB on the 8 to 12 watch on the fo'c's'le.
We had a look at the wire lashing and the AB on the 8 to 12 watch took the sledge hammer
and he went for some sleep leaving me and the other AB behind in the strong wind on the fo'c's'le. For sure, we were lucky that it is summer, at least it is supposed to be summer. In a few months time it will be very cold in the autumn winds.
We dropped the anchor 5 minutes after midnight and it worked like a dream to see the shackles when we dropped the anchor, time well spent by the AB in the dry dock marking the shackles.
Well, that's how we operate onboard M/T Ternvik and only the best results are expected.
was still gloomy and grey. And when the pilot came onboard at 09:30 he told me that it would start to blow again.
I looked out my window when I woke up from my afternoon nap. And seriously, I must give up my
afternoon POWER NAPS. I find it hard to fall asleep in the night and I also lose
valuable time that I could have spent reading Thai. DARN! It was a long time ago I had
my Thai books open last time. And last time I gave it a try I felt a sleep.
And the punch bag, maybe I should be glad for our weather because if it had been nice weather I would for sure have felt guilty for not being on deck with the punch bag.
Well, anyway, looking out my window after my POWER NAP and I discovered that we were alongside, but no cargo arm was connected. Well, they had no people available until tomorrow so no cargo operation during the night. Friday night in London, well, would have been nice
to get ashore. But as Chief Officer I can't stink from booze if something happens and they need to call me. So I will stay onboard, but I might take the train to London tomorrow afternoon.
I wanted to take a taxi, but the Pilot told me that it would be a waste of time.
- Pretty quick to get to London, but as soon as you reach London it will take you ages to reach the city centre. Much quicker by the train and your smack in the city centre.
Well, sitting here writing this and I was stroke
by guilt so I got changed and I went on deck for a punch bag session. Raining or not! Soon time to sign off and I will got o Bangkok Fight Club my first day back home so it won't impress anyone coming back as a sack of potatoes.
Wet on deck and a cooling drizzle during my punch bag session, so no kickin' on the slippery deck. Only knee and punches and it was nice to get started again.
minutes after 8 o'clock. We had to stop 5 minutes later due to a leaking cargo arm.
We resumed discharging 30 minutes later and the Loading Master came onboard just before 10. He told us that we would have to stop discharging around 9 o'clock tonight.
- They are using the pipeline for jet fuel to Heathrow Airport.
- For how long will the stop last?
- Until tomorrow morning, 6 or 7 o'clock
(7 or 8 o'clock ship's time) And believe me, I'm in no hurry anywhere, it is blowing full storm outside. We were supposed to
leave today but due to the stops we will not leave until tomorrow afternoon and the storm willhopefully be somewhere else by then.
No cargo operation during the night so 2nd Officer on the 4 to 8 watch had been able to sleep until 6 in the morning and he was full of vim. He was busy with his safety equipment and I don't know how, but he found the time to pester me with a bun covered with orange marmalade.
Well, we willhopefully dodge the storm and I have an opportunity to go to London. Just to walk
along the River Thames for about 10 to 15 minutes and I'm at Purfleet railway station.
I had a salad and some meatballs before leaving the ship, of course it was raining. Very strange weather, a few minutes of rain and then sunshine again. I was lucky and the rain stopped when I had passed the gangway and I could walk all
the way to Purfleet train station. It took e 10 to 15 minutes and I had just missed a train. Next train at 1222 L/T so that would be 1322 on my watch. I stepped up to the ticket counter.
I asked for a two way ticket to London and the lady at the ticket counter just gaped at me.
- Two way? You mean a return? That will be £12,40
I don't have any British money so I asked if I could pay with my VISA card. This was no problem
and I got my ticket and I had 15 minutes to spend before the train would leave. Would be nice with a Diet MAX
and I walked around looking for a shop. Luckily enough there was a shop across the road and I got my Diet MAX
.
I had a guy in front of me in the shop, he had bought 2 cans of beer and he didn't have enough money.
- You are 12 pence short.
- Are you sure? How much do I have? Pointing at a heap of coins on the desk.
- You are 12 pence short.
The shop assistant counted the coins for the fifth time while I was jumping up and down. I don't know if it was due to my Diet MAX abstinence or due to the fact that my train to London was
leaving in 10 minutes.
- You are 12 pence short.
Now the guy
started to count the coins and luckily enough there was a second shop assistant showing up.
- 1£ 25
- I want to pay with VISA.
- That will be a surcharge.
- Never mind, just give me my darn Diet MAX !
The guy with the beers disappeared outside, obviously to ask someone for 12 pence because he came
back with 12 pence. Embarrassing, if you don't have money at least you should make sure you have enough before it is time to pay. Of course, it has happened to me, when it is time to pay I realise that I have forgotten my valet. And that is also embarrassing.
The c2c train that was going to take me to Fenchurch Street in London arrived on time and I
stepped off the train about 30 minutes later. Fenchurch Street is located on the Hill or something like that and as it turned out it
was just next to the London Bridge or the Tower bridge, I don't know the name.
Very convenient to get in to London, the train was quick and comfortable and I arrived in themiddle of London. The only thing was the weather. It was blowing so my baseball cap blow away and I had to chase my cap down the street. But I was not the only one that got my baseball cap blown off. A Swedish girl and her mother were walking in front of me and the mother got her cap blown off as well.
I took 2 pictures of the London/ Tower Bridge before I continued my walk and I passed a fort and I think the name of the fort is The Tower Fort, just next to the bridge. The fort was nothing close
as impressive as the fort in Pembroke.
I was almost back at the train station when it started to rain cats and dogs. The rain
poured down and it was darn cold again. When I watched the bridge it wassunshine and it was getting hot and nice.
I had to seek cover during the shower and when I saw a taxi I stopped the car. I didn't had any
British money and I didn't know if the taxi accepted cards. But I had seen a taxi passing with all the cards on a sticker so I guess they accept credit cards.
- Do you take cards?
- No problem
- Oxford Street!
He asked what I was looking for and I told him that I was looking for a mouse to my computer. Maybe a camera and stuff in general.
-OK, I will take you to the high end of Oxford
Street. You should avoid the tourist end, they only sell rubbish. T-Shirts and souvenirs and stuff like that.
- KNICK-KNACKS??!!
- Yes, exactly! But we call it rubbish
I asked the driver to let me off in the KNICK-KNACK area and I would walk up Oxford Street. I pulled over and he pointed to the shops.
- You see, just rubbish!
I paid him and I started to walk up Oxford Street. I'm running low on black bread onboard and
when I passed a health food shop I made a mental note to stop there on my way back to see if they had any black bread.
I continued up Oxford Street and by now I could have killed for a
bathroom. So I started to look for a restaurant.
Darn, millions of people on town and all the restaurants looked pretty crowded. I looked at some Korean, Italian and sushi places before I found a place. YO Sushi and it looked pretty fresh. I asked for a table for 1
- OK, come with me.
There were no table at the restaurant, only seating at a counter and a
conveyor belt with passing plates in different colours passing. Different colour different price and when I'm ready they will just count my plates.
I took a seat at the counter, I was ready to accept anything just to get the bath room.
When I got back to my place I checked the menu and there were plenty salmon and avocado stuff so I expected all the salmon and avocado stuff to pass in front of me. Well, I got 3 plates of salmon and no avocado. Didn't take
long for me to grow tired of waiting. It must have been obvious that I was looking for something because the cashier came and asked me if I was looking for something.
- According to you menu you should have salmon and avocado! Here is nothing but ......
- You can order, no problem.
- Well, I'm running out of time. Can a please pay my bill?
I will look for a place with smoked salmon and avocado before returning to the ship. I left YO
sushi and I stopped at a department store to look for a mouse. They didn't have the model I was looking for, and the Canon D60. Only a show room camera and nothing in stock.
I went to the next department store and I bought new towels for my bathroom. They called the colour for Charcoal and I bought 2 in black and 2 in charcoal, will go nice with my new tiles and the old towels will come
in handy when I'm
cleaning my apartment.
OK, time to return to Purfleet and M/T Ternvik. I will stop at the health food shop and at a computer shop I passed on my way here to buy a mouse.
I got my mouse and when I entered the health food place I suspected that I wouldn't find anything I needed. And I was right, no black bread, only vitamins and water and stuff like that. So I was disappointed when I stepped back out on Oxford Street.
OK, some food before returning to the ship and I stopped at an Italian restaurant. I was reading the menu and they didn't have smoked salmon or avocado.
- Hmm, maybe a pizza, or pasta?
No, I decided to leave and I will have my salad when I'm back onboard. As I told Captain before
going ashore.
- Hey, I'm on uncharted territory here.
- What?
- I'm on never before used holes in my belt!
So no pizza to destroy my diet and I was looking for a taxi and I went back to Fenchurch Street and the train station. 15 minutes until the next train and I bought all the Diet MAX
I could found at the station.
I was back in Purfleet around 18 thirty (Swedish time) and I just had to have a picture of the Fish - Chips & Pizza Restaurant next to the train station. And on top of that it was also FINEST INDIAN TAKE AWAY. Beat that if you can. Well, unnecessary to say, I didn't stop for a snack.
I was back onboard at 7 and I had time to prepare my “ TUNA & ONION SURPRISE
”
® for tomorrow morning and a plate of ham & salad sandwiches for my dinner/ evening tea before going on
the bridge at 8 o'clock. And yes, it had been nice in London but it is always nice to be back onboard again.
We stopped discharging at 8 thirty and we expect them to resume discharging at 8 o'clock tomorrow morning.
No cargo operation and we had time to make it to the history books. Captain had his first ever Diet MAX . I invited him for a Diet MAX and he liked it.
- Well, then I could have brought a big one, I said.
I had brought a can because I didn't know if he was ready for the BIGGER BOTTLE BETTER VALUE size. This size is nothing for a novice to the Diet MAX .
with the discharging when I came on watch at 8. We completed discharging just after 12 and Pilot is ordered for 14:00 ST and it will be nice to get out of here by now.
I found out that the fort was The Tower and the
bridge is The Tower Bridge. London Bridge, well, I guess that's the song: London Bridge is falling down falling down. Or at least something like that.
We were on our way when I woke up after my POWER NAP. And no sign of any storm, there were
even sunshine so I was i n a good mood when I started to prepare my luggage and cabin for me signing off.
I was obviously not spending any time at the punch bag yesterday when I was in London, but it was time today. 18
thirty and I had time for 40 sit ups before going
on deck to meet our 2nd Officer.
Our 2nd Officer was surprised, and not necessary pleasantly, when I had increased our exercises to 6 from 5.
So now we do 6x60 punches, 6x50 knees and 6x10 kicks. So we're increasing the amount of exercises pari passu with our improved physical fitness.
I did my first kicking session and it was a wee bit wet on deck and slippery. So we came up with the idea to use a doormat as anti slip and it worked beautiful. Of course, it is hard to kick on a moving ship. As I said to 2nd Officer:
- Try to stand on one foot
Standing with both foot on deck and you won't notice the rolling. But as soon as you stand on one foot you notice every movement of the ship. Even the slightest movement make it hard to kick.
Well, back in my cabin and I did 20 sit ups
before taking my shower preparing myself
for my night watch.
Yes, no storm and I will have plenty tea between my push up and squat down exercises. And I won't be surprised if we will have some good music blasting high on the Richter scale.
Yes, I was in a good mood coming on my evening watch. It was a gorgeous evening and we had some very slight swell, but no wind at all. I had our 2nd Officer to fill up our Oil Record Book, good training for him
so he knows what to do when he becomes a Chief Officer. I played a song for him by Kenta Gustafsson, Bajen.
Bajen, or better known as Söder Bönor. Söder (South) Bönor (Beans, also girl in Stockholm) so Söder Bönor will translate to Girls from the
South, yeah,
fun.
Well, anyway Söder Bönor is his favourite
soccer team so he was beaming of joy when I played Kenta Gustafsson for him when I came on the bridge.
Well, if you ask me it is a damn good song, but why a song about Bajen, or Söder Bönor as our 2nd Officer (From Stockholm) likes to call his favourite team.
Well, anyway, it was a gorgeous evening and I was very happy that we didn't run in to any storm. The AB did some paint work on deck during the evening and as I said to Captain:
- Maybe this is the start of the painting season.
But the planned morning painting was down the drain, well, maybe we can do some painting
in the evening. When 2nd Officer was ready on deck he turned himself in to Chief Officer Jr
and he was on the bridge at 11 o'clock.
Our 2nd officer is eager to learn stuff and he is always asking me things. And he had asked if he could do a cargo plan for the loading in Mongstad.
- No problem!
He took my seat in front of the computer and I gave him an empty screen so he had to start from
scratch. And of course, I showed him my colour markers. As I told him:
- These colour markers are your best friend.
You will always look busy if you walk around with a colour marker and they will not dare to disturb you.
- Oh, look! Chief Officer coming with a colour marker. He is always busy. I will talk to him later, when he has the time.
So there I am drinking tea, lounging and listening to music with my colour marker and everyone thinks that I'm very busy.
Most important was the stress test. Not only to do the loading plan, you must also
be able to withstand stress. Millions of questions from the company coming your way while doing the cargo plan. So I tested Chief Officer Jr by hovering above him taking pictures all the time.
He finished the cargo plan just in time for lunch and we left the bridge. I stopped in my cabin for
a few slices of black bread.
Halfway down the stairs and I realised that I had forgot my salmon in the cabin. Well, I didn't bother to go back up again and I had to make my lunch sandwiches with liver pate.
I topped my sandwiches with tomatoes, red and yellow pepper and it didn't take long before I
realised that I had made me a lunch coloured like the flag of Skåne.Very beautiful and I brought out my camera from my back pocket to get a picture for the internet.
We were going to have drills at 1 o'clock so I had to
skip my afternoon nap and I killed the time until 1 o'clock in front of my computer.
I went to the bridge a few minutes before 1 and when the whole crew were on the bridge they
started with the lifeboat muster. Of course, I interrupted.
- Hey, I need a picture.....
I got my picture and we could continue with the lifeboat drill.
When we were ready with the lifeboat muster we held an
fire drill. The fire alarm went off and we were soon having two smoke diving teams stand-by for action.
First team fought the fire in the sauna and when they were ready team #2 went inside to rescue our missing 3rd Engineer.
We finished the fire drill around 2 o'clock, but we had more drills to do. An power failure drill and we operated our
emergency generator manually. The emergency generator should start when we have black outs, but if the generator doesn't start automatically we have a crank starter as well. And all crew need to know how to operate the crank starter.
This is what they should have done at the Fukoshima nuclear power plant. If I remember it right they had 14 different backup systems and all of them failed to supply power to the cooling system.
I was alone at the punch bag today. Darn, it was cold. I have already packed my big suitcase and
my knitted hat is at the bottom so I didn't bother trying to find it. Yes, this summer has failed in trying to impress me.
I did 40 sit ups in my cabin before going on deck and I had to work myself warm on the punch bag and I did my punches and knees. 6 of each and when I was ready I brought out the doormat for the kicking. Darn, rolling and I was alone
so the punch bag was swinging back and forth so I was almost falling on deck when I missed the doormat putting back my right foot. Well, I gave up the kicking and I returned to my cabin for 20 more of the sit upsbefore going for my shower.
I passed Captain's office on my way to the bridge.
- What the
?!
He had not finished his Sprøde Flæskesvære that I bought when we were at the ship yard.
- Take the bag, he said.
- Well, I can bring it to the 2nd officer.
Of course, 2nd Officer was playing hard to get when
I came to relieve him so I had to call the AB on the radio. I asked him to come to the bridge and when he arrived I gave him the bag of Sprøde Flæskesvære before he disappeared down on deck. The weather doesn't permit painting, but there are some washing that needs to be done on deck.
Yes, midsummer and gloom as long as I can see. Overcast with black clouds, luckily enough there is no wind. But the mercury is only reaching 11°C and that is something we had back in March when I joined the ship in Belfast. Yes, I have more or less giving up the idea to get the ship painted. Well, anyway, I will be home in 2 weeks so never mind.
Well, I don't mind, I'm in no hurry anywhere. And dropping the anchor would suit me fine. The ABs can wash our deck in the evening. It was a gloomy and grey morning, but it didn't looked like that
there would be any rain so I had the AB on my watch to paint on deck during the morning.
A little bit later on we increased to full speed in order to be in position to tender our notice of readiness as early as possible. Then the intention was to wait at the anchorage until tomorrow morning. Changed from 19:00 to tomorrow morning and then we would go alongside jetty #2 instead. No anchorage and we would wait for the Pilot outside Fedje.
When Captain came on the bridge I called the AB on the radio and I asked if he had thanked Captainfor the bag of Kim's Sprøde Flæskesvære I gave him yesterday.
I did it,hmm, mostly because I wanted him to know that I had not been eating the Sprøde Flæskesvære by myself.
- Say thanks from me!
- You can say thanks yourself, I said handing the radio to Captain.
Didn't take long for the Captain to discover my bottle of Diet MAX on the bridge.
- You still have Diet MAX ??!!
- Yes, I bought a few in London
- I thought you gave it up and that you didn't bought any
- Well, going ashore and not bringing back Diet MAX is against the f@cking law!
I reached Fedje VTS boundary 20 minutes past 11 and I tendered our Notice of Readiness and I reduced our pitch to 10% and I changed course from 020° to 350°. We will steaming towards the sea until it is time to take the pilot around 2 o'clock in the afternoon.
I had a power nap after lunch and when I woke up at 3 o'clock we were approaching our jetty. Good, we might leave Mongstad tomorrow morning again if everything works out as planned.
noticed that our main engine were running. I looked out my window when I came out from the shower and I discovered that we had left Mongstad and the Pilot behind.
I enjoyed my tea, no “ TUNA & ONION SURPRISE ” ® today, and a few apples when I spotted a whale. I don't know what kind of whale it was. But 
that has ever been moved to another position, relative to the surface of the Earth, and is among the
largest and most complex engineering projects in history. The platform was a televised sensation when it was towed into the North Sea in 1996, where it is now operated by Statoil.
The Troll A platform has an overall height of 472 metres,
weighs 683,600 tons (1,2 million tons with ballast) and has the distinction of being the tallest structure ever moved by mankind.
The platform stands on the sea floor 303 metres (994 feet) below the surface of the sea and each of the continuous-slip-formed concrete cylindrical legs has an elevator that takes over nine minutes to travel from the platform above the waves to the sea floor.
The walls of Troll A's legs are over 1 metre thick made of steel reinforced concrete formed in one continuous pour and each is a mathematically joined composite of several conical cylinders that flares out smoothly to greater diameters at both the top and bottom, so each support is somewhat wasp-waisted viewed in profile and circular in any cross-section.
The concrete legs must be able to withstand intense pressure so they are built using a continuous flow of concrete, a lengthy process that takes 20 minutes per 5 cm laid.
I didn't react quick enough to get the camera out of my back pocket.
We were approaching the Troll oil field just West of Mongstad and I passed the Troll A platform around 9 o'clock. I had to pass between a ship working over a well just South of The Troll A and the Troll A platform.
It was a nice morning, overcast and some swell so we did roll slightly on our way across the Troll oilfield. But no wind and according to the forecast there should be passing showers but it would be a nice afternoon.
The AB on the 4 to 8 watch was on deck painting some of our yellow markings with black stripes and it is nice to be finished with this job. Now it can start rain again, the guys can do cleaning and greasing.
It was a tedious watch, I was dead tired and nothing much happened. I have not been able to fall a
sleep until 4 or 5 o'clock in the morning the last few days. So I was on the verge of going crazy when our 2nd Officer on the 4 to 8 watch came to the bridge and saved my day.
It was time for him to fill up the Oil Record Book and Ship
Experience factor and other “IMPORTANT” documents. If he continues like this he will soon be a fully fledged Chief Officer.
Our Chief Engineer came on the bridge to work with the
fire pumps while we were filling up our documents. Yes another good experience for our 2nd officer, don't let anything distract you while busy with important stuff.
Our 2nd officer finished today's lesson with a cargo calculations, mix 3 different
grades to 1 new grade. And he was unlucky, we finished the exercise a few minutes too early and when he had left for lunch the water around us where full of jumping whales.
Our 2nd officer on the 12 to 4 watch had better luck, he came to relieve me and ended up in the
middle of this spectacular show. I managed to get a picture, but by then they were too far away, and as you can see it nothing to brag about. But,hmm, with a new Canon D60..... I showed the picture for the 2nd Mate.
- Not very good, I said disappointed.
- Put it on internet he suggested.
Well, I guess it is better than nothing and I will put it in
my scrapbook so I will always remember this day.
But I don't know what kind of whales it was, quite big and
black and white with a pointed triangular head.
And the description of the Fin whale: Have a sleek, streamlined body with a V-shaped head. Pretty much the same description as for the Minke whale.
- It is not a Killer whale, they look like a teddy bear, 2nd Officer said.
We checked the internet and it looked like a
Fin Whale. They can be up to 28 meters long. Hard to say how big the whales were, but they didn't look to be any 28 meters long. So it
might have been baby whales. But we discovered on the internet that the Minke whale and the Sei whale, a wee bit smaller, were all looking pretty much the same. At least for an amateur like me.
Some facts:
Fin Whale:
it is the second longest whale and the sixth largest living animal after the blue whale, bowhead whale, and right whales, growing to nearly 27 meters. A Fin Whale could weigh as much as 70,000 kilograms. Full physical maturity is attained between 25 and 30 years. Fin whales live to 94 years of age, although specimens have been found aged at an estimated 135–140 years. A newborn fin whale measures about 6.5 metres in length and weighs approximately 1,800 kilograms. The animal's large size aids in identification, and it is usually only confused with the blue whale, the Sei whale, or, in warmer waters, Bryde's whale.
Sei Whale:
is a baleen whale, the third-largest rorqual after the blue whale and the fin whale. Reaching 20 meters long and weighing as much as 28 tonnes, the Sei whale daily consumes an average of 900 kilograms of food
Minke Whale:
males measure an average of 6.9 meters and females 7.4 meters in length, respectively. Estimates of maximum length vary from 9.1 to 10.7 meters for females and 8.8 to 9.8 meters for males. Both sexes typically weigh 4–5 tonnes at maturity, and the maximum weight may be as much as 14 tonnes. Minke whales typically live for 30–50 years; in some cases they may live for up to 60 years.
Well, what did I get out of the whole “Lunch time whale drama”? Of course, I got a lousy picture. And I learnt a little about whales. And before I leave the whole whale ballyhoo I will put 2 more (pretty useless) pictures that I took when we had left Rio De Janeiro. Those whales were really
big and it looked like 18 wheelers jumping out of the water. And believe me it was an exciting view through the binocular even though it looks pretty pathetic through my camera lens. 
I was a wee bit late for lunch thanks' to the whales. But it didn't take me long to prepare my tea
and “Skåne” sandwich and I were soon seated at the table.
I had not managed to catch any sleep during the night so I went for a POWER NAP first thing after lunch. Well, I managed to get 45 minutes before they called. Broström wants to know how much gas oil we can load at different drafts at departure from Stanlow.
I finished the calculation and I returned to bed and I slept until 16 thirty. Just in time for a shower and dinner.
I “STOLE” one coffin nail at Captain's office on my way to the bridge for my night watch. I think this, if I remember it right, was my only coffin nail during
the day. It might have been 2, 3 tops.
I enjoyed my watch chewing nico gums and doing my push ups and squat down exercises.
I could see that he was in a predicament giving way for me. I really don't know what he was doing and when he called me on the VHF to straight things out I was even more confused.
- Starboard to starboard......
Was the only thing I understood, this poor Chinese guy on the bridge spoke f@ck all English, at least English that I could understand. Time passed by and now he had trouble with a ship on his port side as well. And as I'm a nice guy I called him on the radio. Yes, I felt sorry for the guy. And who knows when they got their salary last time in that company. Or even last time they had a hot meal onboard.
- HEY! As I'm a nice guy I will slow down and you can go back to your original course and get out of your trouble a lot quicker than you ran in to it!
When I came down to my cabin I ripped open a box of nico pads and I attached a pad before going to bed. And as I only had one cup of tea during my watch I felt asleep without too much trouble.
Good, no coffin nails and thus no tea and Diet MAX
drinking.
We were steaming on and SW'ly course in The North Minch when I came on my morning watch. Sunshine and raining and as I have mentioned before,
there will be no more painting before I go home. AB on watch spenthis watch washing deck
We had a SMS meeting on the bridge after lunch. And we had planned for a grounding/ collision drill/ exercise with the ECDIS after the SMS meeting. But Captain dashed off after the meeting and he returned with a coffin nail.
I could see that he was hiding one more cancer stick in his hand. He was looking at me but I din't said anything. But nico pad or not, I could kill for a drag.
I approached slowly, pretending to have important business to attend to at the water sink. He held out his second cigarette when I arrived to the scene..
- What themotherf@cker??!! SABOTAGE!
We finished our cigarette and the drill/ exercise and I
went to my cabin for a POWER NAP before dinner. I got one hour of sleep before I went to the mess room with my tea cup. In the mess room I discovered that we had gorgeous weather but now they guys have to finish their greasing. And I bet you a million, if we bring out the paint and brushes it will start to rain in a jiff.
o'clock in the morning. It was a gorgeous morning and maybe this is the start of the summer 2011.
Maximum allowed discharge rate 791m³/h and we expect to be ready early morning. We're on “SUBS” going to load gasoil components in Stanlow when we're ready in Belfast. Confirmation during the afternoon. Captain is going home today and he came to the bridge for coffee. He brought out a pack of fags, yeah, I could kill for a
drag. I discovered that he took out 2 coffin nails from the pack.
Well, if this is the way we're going to have it I can as well have a cup of tea. So I spitted out my NICO chew and I went to prepare a cup of tea. His reliever came onboard just after 9 o'clock and the off signing Captain was picked up by a taxi at 10 thirty for transportation to the airport.
A gorgeous morning was soon turning in to a gloomy and grey day. Well, can't really say that I was surprised. We got our Stanlow voyage confirmed andlater on in the afternoon I had to calculate maximum intake on a 7,3 meters draft in FW.
Two different parcels of LCO and Rotterdam for order.
Good my reliever can come onboard in Rotterdam.
We will not start loading until earliest on Monday and that will give us time at the anchorage. It is about 10 hours from here to Liverpool Pilot. We are discharging Gasoline so we need to do a bottomflush of our tanks before we can load the LCO in Stanlow. And excellent opportunity for our 2nd officer to yet again turn in to Chief Officer Jr. He will perform the tank cleaning with me looking over the shoulders. And he will also get a chance to familiarize himself with the paper work for the tank cleaning.
He did the tank cleaning plan the other day, but there are risk assessments, work meeting and a shitload of other paper work to do.
Officer told me that the weather had made a remarkable improvement the last few hours. It had been raining and blowing until almost a minute before I came on my watch.
Time for tank cleaning and the AB on my watch came to the bridge for a work meeting. This was a very good chance for our 2nd Officer to get some experience with risk assessment and other paper work. When we finished the paper work our AB went on deck to prepare for the tank cleaning.
2nd officer left the bridge and he returnedas Chief Officer Jr after his breakfast. By then our AB and I had prepared everything and Chief Officer Jr took the driver's seat.
Yes, the young generation is taking over and the old farts have to step aside. Well,
I'm better of keeping an eye on the progress but as soon as our Chief Officer Jr is confident in his role there is no doubt that it will be “F@CK OFF OLD TIMER!”
And believe me, I will no longer be the guy with capital G after the “F@CK OFF OLD TIMER!” and the
2 ton Superman will be back to
the ordinary Porky, The Human Balloon.
Well, Chief Officer Jr finished the tank cleaning and we will fill up Oil record Books and the other paper work tonight.
- Hmm, maybe I should keep some secrets so they will have to go on calling me until the day I die.
I went down to lunch in the mess room even though I had had some chicken on the bridge. Yes, I'm under a lot of pressure to keep the guys company in the mess room cracking jokes during the meals. But it was mostly salad and a small glass of tea. I didn't bring my own mug as I hadn't planned to have any lunch in the mess room.
I had a POWER NAP during the afternoon and I woke up just in time for dinner. I brought some smoked salmon and black bread to the mess room with my tea mug. Our Cook asked me why I didn't eat of the new black bread he got onboard in Belfast.
- I still have bread in my cabin. Did we get tuna in Belfast?
- Yes, it's in the store.
I went in to the kitchen store and I discovered a “HEALTH CORNER” in the store room. A case of tuna and rye bread, the very same bread that I bought in Liverpool last time.
I prepared my “ TUNA & ONION SURPRISE ” ® for
tomorrow morning before I returned to my cabin. I have a few words,mostly drivel to write on my web page, and ofcourse 40 sit ups before going to the punch bag on deck at 18 thirty to meet our 2nd Officer.
Soon time to sign off and I must get serious with thepunch bag, but it has been some terrible weather the last 6 or 7 weeks so it has been easy to skip the sessions on deck.
I did 20 sit ups coming back from the punch bag and I had a shower and that was pretty much what I had time for before going to relieve our 2nd Officer on the bridge. We were anchored at Bar L/F and Pilot will be on Monday morning at 07:30
and our bridge became like a green house. I had to call the engine department and ask them to start the AC. It looked like it would be a nice day even though there were black and grey clouds on the sky.
We had a MOB boat and oil spill drill after lunch. 2nd Officer and the MOB boat crew had a tour with the MOB boat and we tested the DEAD SHIP launch of the MOB boat and everything was working just fine. All drills completed for this month and I went for my afternoon POWER NAP.
I woke up just in time for my afternoon tea and black bread and I was reay for yet anothe anchor watch with my lap top.
One or two watches at the anchorage is OK, but I hope we're going inside tomorrow.
up when I came on deck 25 minutes later. A beautiful morning, the first real summer morning this year. Pilot was onboard 20 minutes past 8 and we continued our voyage up the River Mersey and the Manchester Ship Canal.
Still no loading instructions, but I made acargo plan for the first 8000 tonnes loaded and I will complete the cargo plan when we get the final loading order.
Captain called Broström but they knew as little as us. So we will load according to Loading Masters loading instruction so we will not know until we're alongside in Stanlow.
We passed the Eastham Inn or whatever the name is of the restaurant where I and the Captain on M/T Ek-Sky was having our dinner while waiting for M/T Ek-Sky to arrive back in May 2010.
Yes, we remember that we weren't very impressed by the service.
I was on the fo'c's'le when we approached the lock to the Manchester Ship Canal and when we
passed the Eastham Inn I discovered Gwil at the river front taking pictures of us approaching.
We were out from the lock at 11 thirty, it had taken us 15 minutes in the lock. We changed from river Pilot to 2 Canal Pilots in the lock and we had to use two tugboats during the transfer from the lock to Stanlow Jetty #1. 1 tug forward and 1 aft.
As soon as we were out from the lock I went for my lunch tea on the bridge, black bread with bananas and I felt really good after this health lunch. The clock turned 12 and still no loading instructions, so I had to come on the bridge when the Loading Master is coming onboard. So I spent some time in my cabin checking out my new pictures until 5 minutes before 1 o'clock when I went to the bridge.
They just had all fast when I came on the bridge and 15 minutes later our Loading Master came onboard. Loading MAXIMUM 8800 MT and I could start with my loading plan.
Well, coming back to the bridge to make a cup of tea at 7 and they had changed the loading
instructions to MAXIMUM 8000MT. As Captain said:
- Must be expensive to hire a ship to have it empty
Yes, and the rate, about 450m³/h and we expect to be ready around 11 o'clock tomorrow morning. Then we have to wait until 19:00 for the high water before we can leave. So we will have spent a lot of time here before it is time to leave with 8000MT only. Well, we're paid and I don't care how much cargo they put in the ship. But it will be nice when we're leaving, and no, not because I'm signing off. But our internet disappeared when we came alongside so obviously our satellite dish is in shadow from our funnel. So no internet until we're leaving and I'm waiting for Gwil's picture.
Well, I was drinking tea talking with the Captain when the jetty man came onboard to sign our check list, we do a recheck every 2 hours and he comes onboard to sign the check list.
He left and we could see him coming back onboard 15 minutes later.
- What now?
- I have no clue, I said.
5 minutes later and he stepped in on the bridge. I have noticed that the loading rate had gone down and the jetty man told us that one of their pumps had broke down.
- We don't know if we can repair it.
So we're expecting reduced loading rate and we see when we're leaving.
Quarter to 11 and I realised that I hadforgotten my squat down and push ups. DARN! I had to do 4 hours of exercises in 1 hour and I did my last 20 squat downs when 2nd Officer came on the bridge 10 minutes before midnight.
I left the bridge and I went to the mess room to prepare my breakfast and lunch for tomorrow. A “ TUNA & ONION SURPRISE ” ® for breakfast and I took a plate with tomatoes, red peppers and onion for my lunch. Of course, I need to add black bread and smoked salmon to my lunch vegetables.
I don't know what I have turned in to, a health food fascist?Maybe, or a health food Police going around like STASI
checking what people are eating giving stupid pointers on how to eat healthy. The AB on my watch was eating and I put my plates in front of him to compare our plates.
- YOU!! This is how it should look, I said.
Well, don't tell anyone, but I wish it looked like this even when no one is around to watch. It is known to have happened that our hero had added some “Not so healthy” items on his plates.
But this is of course nothing the AB needs to know.
morning with sunshine and blue sky. And same as yesterday, at lunch time the sky was covered with grey clouds.
I had prepare my “ TUNA & ONION SURPRISE ” ® for breakfast and the salad for my salmon sandwich before going to bed yesterday. So I never had to go to the mess room for lunch. I had 2 smoked salmon sandwiches on the bridge before I went to calibrate our gas detector for the ballast tanks.
I got e-mail from Norway and they suggested that I should ZERO calibrate with nitrogen in order to get the sensor to work. Well, the gas preset was only between 20,9 and 15% so I could never calibrate the darn sensor. Well, I will go exercisewith the punch bag instead.
And coming on deck for the punch bag session at 13 thirty was not a nice experience.It is blowing, strong winds! As we're in a Canal we don't notice the wind because there are no rough sea in the Canal. As long as we are inside, but as soon as I got out on
deck I was almost blowing overboard.
I did my punches and knees, I tried the kicking but the bag was swinging too much so Ireturned to my cabin for somesit
ups. 40 sit ups before going to the bridge to crack a few jokes with Captain while they were shifting the ship so we could connect the slop arm. Then 20 sit ups before taking my shower.
The refinery occupies nearly 1,900 acres (7.7 km2) near the River Mersey and dates back to 1924, when a small bitumen plant was established.
In the 1970s an oil pipeline was constructed from Amlwch, Anglesey to Stanlow. Crude oil was pumped ashore from tankers moored at deep-water pontoons. The pipeline closed in the early 1980s.
Crude oil is now received lower down river on the Mersey at the Tranmere Oil Terminal, operated by the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board from its Liverpool headquarters, and is transferred via a 24 km pipeline to storage at Stanlow. Output is delivered by pipeline via the UK oil pipeline network, road and the Manchester Ship Canal.
The Stanlow refinery was reported as being for sale by the Financial Times in August 2009, with possible purchasers including India's Essar Oil, USA's Valero and the Libyan Government. The reason for the proposed sale was cited as its size (272,000 bbd), although Shell executives indicated that if no sale could be agreed, it was their intention to continue to operate the refinery and not to close it.
Pilot ordered for 20:00 and they came onboard, well, 1 or 2 minutes after 8 o'clock and we took onboard our gangway. I went to the fo'c's'le with one AB and two ABs went to the poop deck.
We were reay to let go our mooring lines when they told us that we had to wait for about 20 minutes.
- There is a ship coming up the Manchester Ship Canal and we have to wait for him to pass.
It was a sunny evening so it was pretty nice on the fo'c's'le even though we had a shilling wind blowing in from River Mersey. I was watching baby rabbits looking out from the holes. I guess the sunshine brought them out, but they have to be careful.
Our 2nd Officer had seen a fox running around in the area. But as there were millions of rabbits running around I guess the fox won't have any trouble finding food. I was also looking for the fox while waiting, but I had no look seeing the fox.
The canal generally follows the original route of the rivers Mersey and Irwell, and along its course uses several sets of locks. The canal is able to accommodate a range of vessels, from coastal ships to inter-continental cargo liners, but it is not large enough for all modern vessels. A railway was built to transport goods to and from the docks located alongside the canal.
The canal is no longer considered to be an important shipping route, but it still carries about 6 million tons of freight each year. It is now operated under private ownership.
The idea that the rivers Mersey and Irwell should be made navigable from the Mersey Estuary in the west to Manchester in the east was first proposed in 1660, and revived in 1712 by Thomas Steers. However it was not until 1720 that the necessary bills were proposed. The Act of Parliament for the navigation was received in 1721. Construction work was undertaken by the Mersey & Irwell Navigation Company. Work began in 1724, and by 1734 boats "of moderate size" could make the journey from quays near Water Street in Manchester, to the Irish Sea.
The Manchester Ship Canal is the eighth-longest ship canal in the world, only slightly shorter than the Panama Canal in Central America. It enabled the Port of Manchester to become Britain's third busiest port, despite being about 64 km inland.
As soon as we had left the jetty in Stanlow our internet kicked in and I checked my e-mail on myway to the bridge. There was e-mail from Gwil and he sent me the pictures he took when we arrived yesterday. And of course, I put them on my web page for all of you to see. Nice pictures, especially the picture of “Our hero on the fo'c's'le”
We had about one hour from Stanlow Refinery to Eastham lock and I spent the time on the bridge drinking tea, doing paper work (at least 2 papers) and taking pictures. Yes, we're having a lot of pictures by now. Luckily enough we're at the end of the month. Tomorow is the last day of June 2011 and we will change to the month of July.
And I realise that the visitors to my web page care more about the pictures than my drivel. Yes, I'm a wee bit disappointed, but I'm putting more pictures and they are also getting bigger by the
year. Now the small picture is about 350px by 350px.
I'm spending quite some time rewriting my old pages. And a big picture was 200px by 200px when
I started 10 years ago. I uploaded my web page by mobile phone and I remember having 1000US$ telephone bill per month. But I must give it to Telia, they gave me my money back. When I came home from my ship I got a shock opening my bill.
- I got my bill. What theis that?
- You have used the internet very much.
- So what?
- It is very expensive when you're abroad!
- You told me it was the same price as in Sweden!
- Did we? Then we have to refund you.
Well, anyway, so I'm busy redoing all my old pages and I renew the pictures. Some ships and I have lost the pictures so I will have to use the old and small pictures. But I still have the pictures from most of my ships.
We had the sun shining straight in on the bridge on our way tothe Eastham lock, but this is the price we have to pay for the beautiful weather.
We approached Eastham Lock and I went forward to join our AB on the fo'c's'le. We had to let
go of the tug before entering the lock. Same as when we arrived, we had one tug connected forward and one tug connected aft.
There is just enough space for us in the lock so we have to let go of him. The tug boat aft is connected until we have all fast in the lock.
A beautiful afternoon
and evening, but it was cold in the wind. I was freezing and I was really considering going to get a pair of winter gloves. I was only wearing shorts and t-shirt but it was the hands that was the problem.
We were in the lock 10 minutes after we had let go the tugboat and we had all fast in a
few minutes. Only two lines forward and aft so it was pretty quick.
They pumped out the water pretty quick, we were going down 1 to 2 meters to get down to the same level as River Mersey.
I was freezing and I couldn't wait to get inside to a hot cup of tea on the bridge. A hot cup of tea.
I was jumping up and down on the
fo'c's'le waiting for them to start open the gate.
- YEAH!! FINALLY!!!
The gate started to open and I was half way to the bridge.
- What the
The opened the gate a few centimetres and then they closed it again. I could not believe my eyes. And when they had finally opened the gate and I was stand-by to dash off
to the bridge. We just had to let go of our mooring lines and I could be out of there.
- Let's leave already!!
Another ship was entering the lock next to us and we were informed that the boat men would attend our mooring lines when they were ready with this ship.
It was almost 11 o'clock in the evening when I could leave to fo'c's'le, by then my fingers were
numb. When I came on the bridge I poured myself a big bucket of tea and I complained to the Pilot.
- A gorgeous evening, but darn cold! - Cold is not the right word!
- No! FREEZING is more like it. I was almost leaving the fo'c's'le to go ask Chief Officer for a pair of winter gloves.
I enjoyed the last hour of my watch drinking tea cracking jokes with the Pilot and Captain while steaming down the river Mersey. We had just passed Liverpool when I was relieved and I could go to bed.
- What about the list?
- Ah! You can't shower
- What about our “SECRET”?
- I will put her to starboards list. Shall I use DB 4 or 5?
- Use 5
When we have a list to port the water doesn't drain properly from my shower and I'm almost drowning in there. A list just a notch to starboard and it works fine. I can't understand why they don't have sloping floors in the shower. I have it at home, and for sure, should be on board a ship. Well, I had an agreement with the 2nd Officer a few weeks ago.
- Don't tell anyone, but we always keep a slight list to starboard so our showers drains well.
- OK. My drain is on starboard side as well.
- Shh, don't tell anyone
2nd Officer leaves the bridge and he is back in a jiff, turns out that his drain is on the port side.
- I need port list in my shower.
- Who is the boss?
Well, anyway, our 2nd Officer arranged a list to starboard. I came on the bridge to discover a
nice morning. I brought my “ TUNA & ONION SURPRISE
”
® and two slices of black breed with tomatoes, onion and red pepper for lunch.
I was enjoying my tea and “ TUNA & ONION SURPRISE ” ® and when Captain came on the bridge he told me that they had found a reliever for me.
- He will come in Amsterdam
My original reliever has got chicken pox and they asked if I could stay longer. For the second
time in a month and I said no the first time and I said no the second time. So no doubt, Aladdin is considered the “TROUBLE MAKER” at the office.
Captain asked about my black bread and vegetables.
- No smoke salmon?
I showed him my pack of smoked salmon.
- I will eat my lunch on the bridge.
- So you won't come to the mess room for lunch
- No
Well, can't say that he was surprisedwhen I came to the mess room just after 12. But he was wondering what happened with my Smoked Salmon Surprise.
- Well, need to be social as well.
I spent a few hours with my web page after lunch, plenty pictures to
“PHOTOSHOP” and at 15 thirty I made my 40 sit ups before going on
deck for my punch bag session. Half way to the punch bag I decided to go see our Chief Engineer in the engine room. I have plans to change the temp sensor in CT 7 port tomorrow so I need the new sensor.
I finished my punch bag session and I returned to mycabin for 20 more sit ups before going for my shower before dinner.
I had written a few e-mails, when the internet kicked in after Stanlow I had a few e-mails to attend to. Among them and e-mail from our 3rd Engineer on Argo Pallas and Argo Athena. He was impressed by my diet and he reminded me of when they were hiding outside the mess room with a video camera onboard M/T Argo Athena. Every morning at 03 thirty and in vain, they never catch me eating, of course, at 03:30 I just took a shower and went for my watch on the bridge. But, well, finally they managed to get a video of me having a snack.
And as we had a bet running I called Captain first thing.
- Can you please give the guys 4000 SEK?
Oh yes, I really want the video on my web page. But it seems like it is gone. everyone have heard about it, but no one have seen the video. Except one time
onboard M/T Argo Athena.
I felt asleep for half an hour or one hour before my night watch, nice with a quick power nap. And coming on the bridge I prepared my tea and our entertainment centre. I set it up for a P3 Hip Hop evening. I
have 2,1 days of P3 Hip Hop. Dated back from 2002 and up to their last show in January 2011.
When 2nd Officer came to relieve me at midnight I told him that I had set up a playlist on the computer for a P3 Hip Hop extravaganza night for him.
- You have more than 2 days of non-stop of P3 Hip Hop
- YIPPEE!
He was looking forward to his night watch like never before. Well, that's how we operate onboard M/T Ternvik. Good music is important for your well being
breakfast business. Today I skipped (Forgot to prepare yesterday) my “ TUNA & ONION SURPRISE
”
®. I
brought 3 slices of black bread and 3 bananas for breakfast and it was delicious. AND HEALTHY!! I felt like a million after my breakfast.
At 12 I went to the mess room for my lunch and to meet our 2nd Officer on the 4 to 8 watch. We were going to change the temperature sensor in CT 7 and to check the SAAB radar on the
slop tank after lunch. And yet again I was lucky to see the transformation from 2nd Officer to Chief Officer Jr. He left the mess room as 2nd Officer and he came back as Chief Officer Jr and we left for deck.
We brought the new temperature sensor and we went down the pipe trunk. We found the temperature sensors for CT 7 port, under the last step on the ladder down to the pipe trunk! Yes, they had really found the perfect place to place the equipment.
We went forward to get tools. We found a few spanners and we returned to CT 7 port and we
removed the cover from the temperature sensors. I discovered that the bottom sensor was disconnected. I asked Chief Officer Jr how long this temperature sensor had been out of order.
- Since I joined the ship
- Hmm, it can't be that the temp sensor had never been connected.
I called 2nd Officer on the bridge.
- How long have you been onboard?
- For about a year
- Have you ever seen the temp sensor in 7 port work
- No
- Well, the sensor is disconnected.
- Yes, we had a service man from SAAB onboard last December and he disconnected the sensor.
SAAB, what happened to this once so great company. The best equipment in the world and they had an OUTSTANDING service. They were well known for their service and if you sent them an e-mail you had an answer with in very soon and most of the time a solution to your problem. Not that it happened very often, SAAB was very reliable.
Now they have changed name to EMERSON ROSENBURG or something like that. The service, well, I have sent several e-mails and no reply.Sending onboard a service guy, most likely charging a fortune, to repair a temp sensor. He didn't bring a new sensor, only disconnecting the old one and I have NO F@CKING CLUE where to connect the 3 wire on the new sensor. Impressive!
We had to remove the cover off CT 6 starboard to see how it was connected. The wires on CT 6 starboard are numbered, but on 7 port there are some Chinese signs from the ship yard. Well, we chance that it will be as on 6 starboard, start with the white wire followed by the 2 red wires.
It was a little drama getting the new sensor in to the hole, it came to a full stop after 30 centimetres. But we didn't give up and we managed to finish the work. Now we have to see if the
new sensor is working. We put back the cover and we went on deck to check the tank radar on slop tank port.
We have problem with the IG sensors so I want to check slop tank port. And Chief Officer Jr wants to see the radar so this is an excellent opportunity for him.
It was an gorgeous afternoon so it was pure pleasure to be on deck. We removed the cover to the radar and we removed the IG pressure sensor. I had not worked with the IG pressure sensors for a long time. When we loaded
caustic soda we had to clean them. But even though it was a long time a go I felt
that something wasn't like it used to be when I removed the IG sensor.
No hose to the atmospheric pressure and this model looks exactly as the others did. So I don't know, but I don't think it's a different model.
Well, I took a picture and returned to my cabin with Chief Officer Jr. I was almost sure that I had some pictures
from last time working with the SAAB radar in my PHOTO TREASURE. And yes, we found the pictures and there was the hose to the atmospheric pressure.
All our IG pressure sensors are off-set by
1020 mBar so it might be the problem. Can't get the atmospheric pressure. One thing is for sure, now I have done enough with this and my competence is not enough so I dump this problem on more competence people's table.
Well, a beautiful day and we could hear the crew chipping while we were working with the radar. I haven't heard the chipping machines since April.
Hmm, maybe we had them running for a day or two in the beginning of May.
We passed Dover at dinner time and latest news is berthing on arrival, good, my reliever will come onboard tomorrow and I'm soon out of here.
Well, this is of June in the year of our Lord 2011 ends, with the sound of chipping machines. Will there be more of it in July 2011 ?
OK, it has come to my knowledge that we have senior citizens visiting my web page. How hard can it
be? So it's not very easy for them to see the blue coloured links to the next page.
noun [in SING.] informal a moment: we'll be back in a jiffy.
ORIGIN late 18th cent.: of unknown origin.
So as you understand, in a jiff pretty much depends on your internet.
So I put a “Next” button here and I hope that there isn't any problem to understand how to use that one. So just CLICK the “Next” button on your left hand side and you will be on the next page in a jiff!
Marunong ka mag-tagalog? Walang problema! Magpunta sa kabilang pahina pindutin ang “NEXT” button sa itaas
Faites vous parlez le français? Pour arriver à la page suivante faites s'il vous plaît un déclic le bouton “Next” ci-dessus!
Haga usted dice el español? Ver la siguiente página sólo hacer clic el botón “Next” encima!
Farla parla l'italiano? Per vedere la prossima pagina lo scatto per favore giusto Il bottone “Next” sopra
Sprechen sie Deutsch! Kein problem! Wenn Sie die folgende Seite sehen wollen gerade klicken der Knopf “Next” oben!
คุณพูดภาษาไทยได้ไหม ไม่มีปัญหา ถ้าคุณต้องการไปหน้าถัดไป ให้กดปุ่ม “Next”
ข้างบนนี้
Вы говорите по-русски? NJET PROBLEMA! Просто нажмите синюю кнопку "Next" с левой стороны и Вы моментально переместитесь на следующую страницу!
E ni Svenskar och inte förstår Engelska så ska ni skämmas. J och Björn, med det menar jag inte att alla mina stavfel ska ältas varje gång vi träffas.
Well, the flag of Skåne, just a BONUS flag.
on my morning watch. We were north bound and we expected to be at Brofjorden Pilot at 10 o'clock.So I had plenty time for my “ TUNA & ONION SURPRISE ” ®
and GOOD MORNING tea before it was time for the pilot. And while I enjoyed my self on the bridge the AB was doing all the pre arrival tests on deck. High level alarms and stuff needs to be tested before we start to load.didn't do mypush ups and squat down exercises this morning.I'm still a wee bit soar after
yesterday's evening exercises on the bridge. I have not done my exercises for quite som time, even though my intentions were to exercise every day at the ship yard. Well, that plan went down the drain. But now we're back to our normal routines and I willhopefully be able to do my daily exercises. I have to look good and it is soon time to go home.town. No there was only taxi and to go to Lysekil, return trip with taxi for an ice cream would make the ice cream very expensive.The Agent told me that they had a car and the crew could borrow a car from Leffler Agencies. But she added:
- If they are nice. - Well, I'm nice, right? I tried.
- OH! YES!So I had a shower and I walked to the Agent's office just outside Preemraff's gate. One of the staff was in Lysekil to pick up their lunch so I had to wait for almost one hour before I could take off to Lysekil. But the staff at the Agent's office were nice so we talked about the good ol' times while waiting. Our Agent was very hungry and she was wondering where the guy, the car and her food were. Hell, I was just about to leave and go back to the ship when the car arrived.
I hopped in to the car and, well, I hopped out again a few seconds later. Back in to the office.
- How do I lock the doors?- How do I chang from P to D on the automatic?
I had to push the brake pedal in order to move from P to D. There was no key to the car, only a remote. And the remote was used to lock the door with as well. When the girl was finished with the driving lesson I took off to Lysekil for soft ice and I was hoping
to find salmon and new potatoes.I had asked about restaurants at the Agent's office.
They didn't knew a place with salmon and they didn't believed that I would have any luck finding any either.- How do I lock the doors?
- Day time and lunch menu only.
When I came in to Lysekil I passed a few restaurants and nothing looked like a place where they served salmon. And I was for sure not going to try the hotel. I remember Lysekils
Hotel from 2 years ago and I will never set foot there again. The barge, but there were no parking spaces outside so I turned around and drove back. I found parking spaces and there was a place called Bengt's Fisk (Bengt's fish)Bengt's fisk, a coffee shop and fish shop and I asked if they had salmon and new potatoes.
- Yes, we have
I got a plate of new potatoes and salmon with two glasses of tea.
Delicious, now I only need some soft ice before going back onboard. I drove up to town and I parked my caron a street (I found out later that it was a one way street, but no police nearby) close to the small square where I suspected that theywere selling soft ice. I walked to the small square 200 meters away. I had to walk because the road was blocked by some construction work.I walked around in the sunshine enjoying my ice cream, damn, it was some tasty ice cream! I decided to have a second soft ice. Yes, I don't know when I run in
to my next opportunity to have a soft ice. So I decided to take this opportunity.- YOU WANT ONE MORE ICE CREAM??!!- Yes, I'm sorry, I dropped the other one on the street.
I bought 4 lottery scratchers as well, no, I they didn't turned me in to a millionaire. But I got a few seconds of fun out of them.I finished my second ice
cream before hopping in to the car for my return trip to Preemraff. It had been a nice trip to Lysekil, lucky with the weather and the salmon was excellent. To top it off with the soft ice was just the bonus I deserved after the 4 hours drama in Kerteminde, Denmark.When I returned to Agent's office with the car the Agent asked if I found any ice cream in
Lysekil.- I had 2, but don't tell anyone onboard!
We were loading with a rate of 1200m³/H when I came on my night watch and we expect to be ready around 5 o'clock in the morning. And I got good news in the evening.
They called from Broström. Hamburg was cancelled and we will discharge in the River Thames instead. Good, going up River Elbe with a pilot is a killer.
River Thames and it is just a few hours to Coryton. So I was in a good mood while enjoying my evening tea. And of course, it helped a lot that a gloomy and grey morning had turned in to a beautiful evening.I finished the ballast just in time for midnight when I was relieved by our 2nd Officer.
+++++++++++++++
Wednesday 15 th
of June 2011
and I could hear the main engine when I woke up at 7 thirty. I looked out my window before going to the shower and YES, we had left jetty #5 in Brofjordenbehind. But will we have left the Pilot before 8 o'clock when I'm coming to the bridge? I could see that we had strong winds outside and rough sea so it might be that the Pilot will leave us earlier than normal.And yes, 2nd Officer was on deck when the Pilot disembarked when I came on the bridge 5 minutes before 8. Bad weather so our Pilot was leaving us early, or I would have to be with the pilot on deck 30 minutes later. area so we were escorted by the Pilot boat that followed behind us.Can't say that I'm surprised, there has been a local storm
following us the last month. And painting of the ship. Just to forget about it. We had 2 weeks of painting back in April. But we have not been painting since we got our paint delivered to us last time in Brofjorden.Second Officer came to the bridge for some paper work and
Johan,
ja du ser ju. Ett helt annat intresse från det hållet. Kul!Bara hon nu inte tror att vi bor ihop.
- She thinks that you miss the other 2nd Officer.
- What??!!
- Yes, to have someone to eat with.
- I hope she doesn't think we live together!
I always have my camera in my back pocket. And thinking about it, my camera, a CANON IXUS 860IS. I bought it in France when I was onboard M/T Barcarolle back in 2008 and it is still going strong. And believe me, the camera has to take a heavy beating daily with my HEAVY DUTY use of it. But I have a new Canon STAND-BY in my cabin. I expect my CANON IXUS 860IS to give up any day. But it continues to work.
Well, anyway, I took a picture of our 2nd Officer so his girl friend has something to watch. And she can see that it is not only previous 2nd Officer on my web page.
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signed off. So I bring my tea mug and salmon to the mess room and I enjoy my health food with the rest of the guys.I felt a sleep after my lunch and I woke up to a beautiful afternoon. When I came on my evening watch the sea was like a windmill pond so I had the AB on my watch to put the last layer of coating on the funnel. All this while I was enjoying my tea and music on the bridge.
disappear so we can see the total eclipse of the moon. Yes, a suspenseful evening.I had plans to wrap myself in a curtain and to call the crew on the bridge. I would throw a few hokus
pokus in the direction of the moon and viola, the moon would turn black. Yes, the crew wouldhave crapped their pants.I was waiting and waiting but no sign of the moon and I lost interest by the second.
- The worst moon eclipse ever!
- Have you ever seen a moon eclipse before?
- No, but that doesn't make this one better!
I was in my chair
drinking tea and I was pretty disappointed with the whole “ECLIPSE” hullabaloo. It must have been around quarter to 11 when I discovered the moon and now it was starting to go from black to full. I called Captain and the 2nd Officer on the12 to 4 watch.Even though they were on the bridge in 2 steps and in as many seconds I had managed to get hundreds of crappy pictures of the moon eclipse. I had to use the binocular to get my pictures and as it was tricky to hold both the camera and binocular steady most of the pictures went to the trash bin.
I managed to get one picture that was OK, but I'm sure you will be able to find millions of good pictures on the internet.
+++++++++++++++
Thursday 16 th
of June 2011
and the weather left a lot to wish for. Fog, wind and gloom as long as I could see when I came on my morning watch. No painting today either and I had the ABs to grease on deck. When I went off my watch at 12 it was sunshine and the wind was gone.When I woke up after my afternoon nap it was all gloomy and grey again. When I came on the
bridge for my evening watch 5 minutes before 8 it was raining, sunshine and windy. I prepared my tea while our 2nd Officer was drinking milk straight from the package. I could not help myself, I just had to get a picture.I was lounging and relaxing on the bridge drinking my tea between my exercises. Quarter past 8 and I were ready for my first set of squat downs. I did 4 before I gave up and returned to my tea cup. I'm still a bit sore after my
exercises yesterday. Quite painful to do the squat downs.At 8 thirty it was time for my push ups
and I didn't bother trying. Well, 3 minutes later (Full of agony) I thought:- F@ck it. This is not the way to obtain a V-shaped torso!
I did my push ups and squat downs, should be painful to look good. I was in a good mood doing my exercises everyquarter of the hour andI had time to attend to my tea cup between the exercises.It started to blow a full force 6 or 7 from the South and the wind disappeared a little while later. It was almost like we got blue sky again,
Tommy,
ja du ser ju själ vilken bra ide du haddemed kättingen istället för vajern att surra ankarna med på Tärnvåg sommaren 2009.Nu fick vi banka o slå för att få loss vajern som hadde kilat fast sig i ankaret.
wire was stuck in the anchor.I asked him to prepare port side anchor instead. Then I asked him to get a sledge hammer and we managed to get off the wire. Well, we should have a chain instead for the wire as the AB on M/T Tärnvåg suggested. I ordered the chain and it worked just beautiful.
Well, I'm soon signing off and I can't say that I'm losing any sleep over what they are using to lash their anchors with onboard M/T Ternvik.
Problem with the weather, well, just a slight problem and
we were a little delayed to drop our anchor so the AB on the 12 to 4 watch came to relieve the AB on the 8 to 12 watch on the fo'c's'le.We had a look at the wire lashing and the AB on the 8 to 12 watch took the sledge hammer
and he went for some sleep leaving me and the other AB behind in the strong wind on the fo'c's'le. For sure, we were lucky that it is summer, at least it is supposed to be summer. In a few months time it will be very cold in the autumn winds.Well, that's how we operate onboard M/T Ternvik and only the best results are expected.
+++++++++++++++
Friday 17 th
of June 2011
and I had time to drink my morning tea and to eat my “ TUNA & ONION SURPRISE
”
® before we started to heave up our anchor at 08:45. The wind had decreased but itwas still gloomy and grey. And when the pilot came onboard at 09:30 he told me that it would start to blow again.I looked out my window when I woke up from my afternoon nap. And seriously, I must give up my
afternoon POWER NAPS. I find it hard to fall asleep in the night and I also losevaluable time that I could have spent reading Thai. DARN! It was a long time ago I hadmy Thai books open last time. And last time I gave it a try I felt a sleep.And the punch bag, maybe I should be glad for our weather because if it had been nice weather I would for sure have felt guilty for not being on deck with the punch bag.
Well, anyway, looking out my window after my POWER NAP and I discovered that we were alongside, but no cargo arm was connected. Well, they had no people available until tomorrow so no cargo operation during the night. Friday night in London, well, would have been nice
to get ashore. But as Chief Officer I can't stink from booze if something happens and they need to call me. So I will stay onboard, but I might take the train to London tomorrow afternoon.I wanted to take a taxi, but the Pilot told me that it would be a waste of time.
- Pretty quick to get to London, but as soon as you reach London it will take you ages to reach the city centre. Much quicker by the train and your smack in the city centre.
Well, sitting here writing this and I was stroke
by guilt so I got changed and I went on deck for a punch bag session. Raining or not! Soon time to sign off and I will got o Bangkok Fight Club my first day back home so it won't impress anyone coming back as a sack of potatoes.Wet on deck and a cooling drizzle during my punch bag session, so no kickin' on the slippery deck. Only knee and punches and it was nice to get started again.
+++++++++++++++
Saturday 18 th
of June 2011
and we had just started discharging when I came on the bridge 20minutes after 8 o'clock. We had to stop 5 minutes later due to a leaking cargo arm.We resumed discharging 30 minutes later and the Loading Master came onboard just before 10. He told us that we would have to stop discharging around 9 o'clock tonight.
- They are using the pipeline for jet fuel to Heathrow Airport.
- For how long will the stop last?
- Until tomorrow morning, 6 or 7 o'clock
(7 or 8 o'clock ship's time) And believe me, I'm in no hurry anywhere, it is blowing full storm outside. We were supposed to
leave today but due to the stops we will not leave until tomorrow afternoon and the storm willhopefully be somewhere else by then.No cargo operation during the night so 2nd Officer on the 4 to 8 watch had been able to sleep until 6 in the morning and he was full of vim. He was busy with his safety equipment and I don't know how, but he found the time to pester me with a bun covered with orange marmalade.
hopefully dodge the storm and I have an opportunity to go to London. Just to walkalong the River Thames for about 10 to 15 minutes and I'm at Purfleet railway station.I had a salad and some meatballs before leaving the ship, of course it was raining. Very strange weather, a few minutes of rain and then sunshine again. I was lucky and the rain stopped when I had passed the gangway and I could walk all
the way to Purfleet train station. It took e 10 to 15 minutes and I had just missed a train. Next train at 1222 L/T so that would be 1322 on my watch. I stepped up to the ticket counter.I asked for a two way ticket to London and the lady at the ticket counter just gaped at me.
- Two way? You mean a return? That will be £12,40
I don't have any British money so I asked if I could pay with my VISA card. This was no problem
and I got my ticket and I had 15 minutes to spend before the train would leave. Would be nice with a Diet MAX
and I walked around looking for a shop. Luckily enough there was a shop across the road and I got my Diet MAX
.I had a guy in front of me in the shop, he had bought 2 cans of beer and he didn't have enough money.
- You are 12 pence short.
- Are you sure? How much do I have? Pointing at a heap of coins on the desk.
- You are 12 pence short.
The shop assistant counted the coins for the fifth time while I was jumping up and down. I don't know if it was due to my Diet MAX abstinence or due to the fact that my train to London was
leaving in 10 minutes.- You are 12 pence short.
Now the guy
started to count the coins and luckily enough there was a second shop assistant showing up.- 1£ 25
- I want to pay with VISA.
- That will be a surcharge.
- Never mind, just give me my darn Diet MAX !
The guy with the beers disappeared outside, obviously to ask someone for 12 pence because he came
back with 12 pence. Embarrassing, if you don't have money at least you should make sure you have enough before it is time to pay. Of course, it has happened to me, when it is time to pay I realise that I have forgotten my valet. And that is also embarrassing.stepped off the train about 30 minutes later. Fenchurch Street is located on the Hill or something like that and as it turned out itwas just next to the London Bridge or the Tower bridge, I don't know the name.Very convenient to get in to London, the train was quick and comfortable and I arrived in the
middle of London. The only thing was the weather. It was blowing so my baseball cap blow away and I had to chase my cap down the street. But I was not the only one that got my baseball cap blown off. A Swedish girl and her mother were walking in front of me and the mother got her cap blown off as well.as impressive as the fort in Pembroke.I was almost back at the train station when it started to rain cats and dogs. The rain
poured down and it was darn cold again. When I watched the bridge it wassunshine and it was getting hot and nice.British money and I didn't know if the taxi accepted cards. But I had seen a taxi passing with all the cards on a sticker so I guess they accept credit cards.- Do you take cards?- No problem
- Oxford Street!
He asked what I was looking for and I told him that I was looking for a mouse to my computer. Maybe a camera and stuff in general.
-OK, I will take you to the high end of Oxford
Street. You should avoid the tourist end, they only sell rubbish. T-Shirts and souvenirs and stuff like that.- KNICK-KNACKS??!!
- Yes, exactly! But we call it rubbishI asked the driver to let me off in the KNICK-KNACK area and I would walk up Oxford Street. I pulled over and he pointed to the shops.
- You see, just rubbish!
I paid him and I started to walk up Oxford Street. I'm running low on black bread onboard and
when I passed a health food shop I made a mental note to stop there on my way back to see if they had any black bread.I continued up Oxford Street and by now I could have killed for a
bathroom. So I started to look for a restaurant.Darn, millions of people on town and all the restaurants looked pretty crowded. I looked at some Korean, Italian and sushi places before I found a place. YO Sushi and it looked pretty fresh. I asked for a table for 1
- OK, come with me.There were no table at the restaurant, only seating at a counter and a
conveyor belt with passing plates in different colours passing. Different colour different price and when I'm ready they will just count my plates.I took a seat at the counter, I was ready to accept anything just to get the bath room.
When I got back to my place I checked the menu and there were plenty salmon and avocado stuff so I expected all the salmon and avocado stuff to pass in front of me. Well, I got 3 plates of salmon and no avocado. Didn't take
long for me to grow tired of waiting. It must have been obvious that I was looking for something because the cashier came and asked me if I was looking for something.- According to you menu you should have salmon and avocado! Here is nothing but ......
- You can order, no problem.
- Well, I'm running out of time. Can a please pay my bill?
I will look for a place with smoked salmon and avocado before returning to the ship. I left YO
sushi and I stopped at a department store to look for a mouse. They didn't have the model I was looking for, and the Canon D60. Only a show room camera and nothing in stock.I went to the next department store and I bought new towels for my bathroom. They called the colour for Charcoal and I bought 2 in black and 2 in charcoal, will go nice with my new tiles and the old towels will come
in handy when I'mcleaning my apartment.OK, time to return to Purfleet and M/T Ternvik. I will stop at the health food shop and at a computer shop I passed on my way here to buy a mouse.
I got my mouse and when I entered the health food place I suspected that I wouldn't find anything I needed. And I was right, no black bread, only vitamins and water and stuff like that. So I was disappointed when I stepped back out on Oxford Street.
OK, some food before returning to the ship and I stopped at an Italian restaurant. I was reading the menu and they didn't have smoked salmon or avocado.
- Hmm, maybe a pizza, or pasta?
No, I decided to leave and I will have my salad when I'm back onboard. As I told Captain before
going ashore.- Hey, I'm on uncharted territory here.
- What?
- I'm on never before used holes in my belt!
Before
After
I was back in Purfleet around 18 thirty (Swedish time) and I just had to have a picture of the Fish - Chips & Pizza Restaurant next to the train station. And on top of that it was also FINEST INDIAN TAKE AWAY. Beat that if you can. Well, unnecessary to say, I didn't stop for a snack.
the bridge at 8 o'clock. And yes, it had been nice in London but it is always nice to be back onboard again.We stopped discharging at 8 thirty and we expect them to resume discharging at 8 o'clock tomorrow morning.
No cargo operation and we had time to make it to the history books. Captain had his first ever Diet MAX . I invited him for a Diet MAX and he liked it.
- Well, then I could have brought a big one, I said.
I had brought a can because I didn't know if he was ready for the BIGGER BOTTLE BETTER VALUE size. This size is nothing for a novice to the Diet MAX .
+++++++++++++++
Sunday 19 th
of June 2011
and we had resumed discharging at 7 thirty so we were up and runningwith the discharging when I came on watch at 8. We completed discharging just after 12 and Pilot is ordered for 14:00 ST and it will be nice to get out of here by now.I found out that the fort was The Tower and the
bridge is The Tower Bridge. London Bridge, well, I guess that's the song: London Bridge is falling down falling down. Or at least something like that.We were on our way when I woke up after my POWER NAP. And no sign of any storm, there were
even sunshine so I was i n a good mood when I started to prepare my luggage and cabin for me signing off.I was obviously not spending any time at the punch bag yesterday when I was in London, but it was time today. 18
thirty and I had time for 40 sit ups before goingon deck to meet our 2nd Officer.Our 2nd Officer was surprised, and not necessary pleasantly, when I had increased our exercises to 6 from 5.
So now we do 6x60 punches, 6x50 knees and 6x10 kicks. So we're increasing the amount of exercises pari passu with our improved physical fitness.I did my first kicking session and it was a wee bit wet on deck and slippery. So we came up with the idea to use a doormat as anti slip and it worked beautiful. Of course, it is hard to kick on a moving ship. As I said to 2nd Officer:
- Try to stand on one foot
Standing with both foot on deck and you won't notice the rolling. But as soon as you stand on one foot you notice every movement of the ship. Even the slightest movement make it hard to kick.
Well, back in my cabin and I did 20 sit upsbefore taking my shower preparing myselffor my night watch.Yes, no storm and I will have plenty tea between my push up and squat down exercises. And I won't be surprised if we will have some good music blasting high on the Richter scale.
Yes, I was in a good mood coming on my evening watch. It was a gorgeous evening and we had some very slight swell, but no wind at all. I had our 2nd Officer to fill up our Oil Record Book, good training for him
so he knows what to do when he becomes a Chief Officer. I played a song for him by Kenta Gustafsson, Bajen.Bajen, or better known as Söder Bönor. Söder (South) Bönor (Beans, also girl in Stockholm) so Söder Bönor will translate to Girls from the
South, yeah,fun.Well, anyway Söder Bönor is his favourite
soccer team so he was beaming of joy when I played Kenta Gustafsson for him when I came on the bridge.Well, if you ask me it is a damn good song, but why a song about Bajen, or Söder Bönor as our 2nd Officer (From Stockholm) likes to call his favourite team.
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Yes, enjoy the song. But seriously, I can't understand all the fuzz. Bajen won a jackstraw tournament back in 1957 or 58. And if I understood our 2nd Officer right (I'm not good with all these sport terms) they got a honourable mention at a spoon race back in 1982. Since then, nothing! |
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- Maybe this is the start of the painting season.
+++++++++++++++
Monday 20 th
of June 2011
and I came up to an gorgeous morning. Our 2nd Officer went on deck to pressure test our fire hoses when I had relieved him. And the weather turned bad almost instantly when 2nd Officer set foot on deck. Strong wind and rain, but as soon as they were ready on deck we had sunshine again.But the planned morning painting was down the drain, well, maybe we can do some paintingin the evening. When 2nd Officer was ready on deck he turned himself in to Chief Officer Jrand he was on the bridge at 11 o'clock.Our 2nd officer is eager to learn stuff and he is always asking me things. And he had asked if he could do a cargo plan for the loading in Mongstad.
- No problem!
scratch. And of course, I showed him my colour markers. As I told him:- These colour markers are your best friend.
You will always look busy if you walk around with a colour marker and they will not dare to disturb you.
- Oh, look! Chief Officer coming with a colour marker. He is always busy. I will talk to him later, when he has the time.
So there I am drinking tea, lounging and listening to music with my colour marker and everyone thinks that I'm very busy.
Most important was the stress test. Not only to do the loading plan, you must also
be able to withstand stress. Millions of questions from the company coming your way while doing the cargo plan. So I tested Chief Officer Jr by hovering above him taking pictures all the time.a few slices of black bread.Halfway down the stairs and I realised that I had forgot my salmon in the cabin. Well, I didn't bother to go back up again and I had to make my lunch sandwiches with liver pate.
I topped my sandwiches with tomatoes, red and yellow pepper and it didn't take long before I
realised that I had made me a lunch coloured like the flag of Skåne.Very beautiful and I brought out my camera from my back pocket to get a picture for the internet.We were going to have drills at 1 o'clock so I had to
skip my afternoon nap and I killed the time until 1 o'clock in front of my computer.started with the lifeboat muster. Of course, I interrupted.- Hey, I need a picture.....
I got my picture and we could continue with the lifeboat drill.
When we were ready with the lifeboat muster we held an
fire drill. The fire alarm went off and we were soon having two smoke diving teams stand-by for action.First team fought the fire in the sauna and when they were ready team #2 went inside to rescue our missing 3rd Engineer.
We finished the fire drill around 2 o'clock, but we had more drills to do. An power failure drill and we operated our
emergency generator manually. The emergency generator should start when we have black outs, but if the generator doesn't start automatically we have a crank starter as well. And all crew need to know how to operate the crank starter.This is what they should have done at the Fukoshima nuclear power plant. If I remember it right they had 14 different backup systems and all of them failed to supply power to the cooling system.
I was alone at the punch bag today. Darn, it was cold. I have already packed my big suitcase and
my knitted hat is at the bottom so I didn't bother trying to find it. Yes, this summer has failed in trying to impress me.I did 40 sit ups in my cabin before going on deck and I had to work myself warm on the punch bag and I did my punches and knees. 6 of each and when I was ready I brought out the doormat for the kicking. Darn, rolling and I was aloneso the punch bag was swinging back and forth so I was almost falling on deck when I missed the doormat putting back my right foot. Well, I gave up the kicking and I returned to my cabin for 20 more of the sit upsbefore going for my shower.I passed Captain's office on my way to the bridge.
- What the
?!He had not finished his Sprøde Flæskesvære that I bought when we were at the ship yard.
- Take the bag, he said.
- Well, I can bring it to the 2nd officer.
Of course, 2nd Officer was playing hard to get when
I came to relieve him so I had to call the AB on the radio. I asked him to come to the bridge and when he arrived I gave him the bag of Sprøde Flæskesvære before he disappeared down on deck. The weather doesn't permit painting, but there are some washing that needs to be done on deck.Yes, midsummer and gloom as long as I can see. Overcast with black clouds, luckily enough there is no wind. But the mercury is only reaching 11°C and that is something we had back in March when I joined the ship in Belfast. Yes, I have more or less giving up the idea to get the ship painted. Well, anyway, I will be home in 2 weeks so never mind.
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Tuesday 21 st
of June 2011
and we were steaming on slow speed towards Fedje Pilot station. We would not get our Pilot until between 2 or 3 o'clock in the afternoon. Then we would go drop our anchor waiting for Bro Galaxy to be ready. And as we were not going alongside they would not send an extra Pilot to take us in. So we had to wait for a pilot from a departing ship and that was a ship going from Sture Terminal in the afternoon.Well, I don't mind, I'm in no hurry anywhere. And dropping the anchor would suit me fine. The ABs can wash our deck in the evening. It was a gloomy and grey morning, but it didn't looked like that
there would be any rain so I had the AB on my watch to paint on deck during the morning.A little bit later on we increased to full speed in order to be in position to tender our notice of readiness as early as possible. Then the intention was to wait at the anchorage until tomorrow morning. Changed from 19:00 to tomorrow morning and then we would go alongside jetty #2 instead. No anchorage and we would wait for the Pilot outside Fedje.
When Captain came on the bridge I called the AB on the radio and I asked if he had thanked Captain
for the bag of Kim's Sprøde Flæskesvære I gave him yesterday.I did it,hmm, mostly because I wanted him to know that I had not been eating the Sprøde Flæskesvære by myself.
- Say thanks from me!
- You can say thanks yourself, I said handing the radio to Captain.
Didn't take long for the Captain to discover my bottle of Diet MAX on the bridge.
- You still have Diet MAX ??!!
- Yes, I bought a few in London
- I thought you gave it up and that you didn't bought any
- Well, going ashore and not bringing back Diet MAX is against the f@cking law!
I reached Fedje VTS boundary 20 minutes past 11 and I tendered our Notice of Readiness and I reduced our pitch to 10% and I changed course from 020° to 350°. We will steaming towards the sea until it is time to take the pilot around 2 o'clock in the afternoon.
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Wednesday 22 nd
of June 2011
and even though I was dead tired when they called me at 7 thirty Inoticed that our main engine were running. I looked out my window when I came out from the shower and I discovered that we had left Mongstad and the Pilot behind.I enjoyed my tea, no “ TUNA & ONION SURPRISE ” ® today, and a few apples when I spotted a whale. I don't know what kind of whale it was. But
The Troll A platform
is a condeep offshore natural gas platform in the Troll gas field. It is the tallest constructionthat has ever been moved to another position, relative to the surface of the Earth, and is among thelargest and most complex engineering projects in history. The platform was a televised sensation when it was towed into the North Sea in 1996, where it is now operated by Statoil.The Troll A platform has an overall height of 472 metres,
weighs 683,600 tons (1,2 million tons with ballast) and has the distinction of being the tallest structure ever moved by mankind.The platform stands on the sea floor 303 metres (994 feet) below the surface of the sea and each of the continuous-slip-formed concrete cylindrical legs has an elevator that takes over nine minutes to travel from the platform above the waves to the sea floor.
The walls of Troll A's legs are over 1 metre thick made of steel reinforced concrete formed in one continuous pour and each is a mathematically joined composite of several conical cylinders that flares out smoothly to greater diameters at both the top and bottom, so each support is somewhat wasp-waisted viewed in profile and circular in any cross-section.
The concrete legs must be able to withstand intense pressure so they are built using a continuous flow of concrete, a lengthy process that takes 20 minutes per 5 cm laid.
We were approaching the Troll oil field just West of Mongstad and I passed the Troll A platform around 9 o'clock. I had to pass between a ship working over a well just South of The Troll A and the Troll A platform.
It was a nice morning, overcast and some swell so we did roll slightly on our way across the Troll oilfield. But no wind and according to the forecast there should be passing showers but it would be a nice afternoon.
The AB on the 4 to 8 watch was on deck painting some of our yellow markings with black stripes and it is nice to be finished with this job. Now it can start rain again, the guys can do cleaning and greasing.
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sleep until 4 or 5 o'clock in the morning the last few days. So I was on the verge of going crazy when our 2nd Officer on the 4 to 8 watch came to the bridge and saved my day.It was time for him to fill up the Oil Record Book and Ship
Experience factor and other “IMPORTANT” documents. If he continues like this he will soon be a fully fledged Chief Officer.Our Chief Engineer came on the bridge to work with the
fire pumps while we were filling up our documents. Yes another good experience for our 2nd officer, don't let anything distract you while busy with important stuff.Our 2nd officer finished today's lesson with a cargo calculations, mix 3 different
grades to 1 new grade. And he was unlucky, we finished the exercise a few minutes too early and when he had left for lunch the water around us where full of jumping whales.Our 2nd officer on the 12 to 4 watch had better luck, he came to relieve me and ended up in the
middle of this spectacular show. I managed to get a picture, but by then they were too far away, and as you can see it nothing to brag about. But,hmm, with a new Canon D60..... I showed the picture for the 2nd Mate.- Not very good, I said disappointed.- Put it on internet he suggested.
Well, I guess it is better than nothing and I will put it in
my scrapbook so I will always remember this day.But I don't know what kind of whales it was, quite big and
black and white with a pointed triangular head.And the description of the Fin whale: Have a sleek, streamlined body with a V-shaped head. Pretty much the same description as for the Minke whale.
- It is not a Killer whale, they look like a teddy bear, 2nd Officer said.We checked the internet and it looked like a
Fin Whale. They can be up to 28 meters long. Hard to say how big the whales were, but they didn't look to be any 28 meters long. So itmight have been baby whales. But we discovered on the internet that the Minke whale and the Sei whale, a wee bit smaller, were all looking pretty much the same. At least for an amateur like me.Some facts:
Fin Whale:
it is the second longest whale and the sixth largest living animal after the blue whale, bowhead whale, and right whales, growing to nearly 27 meters. A Fin Whale could weigh as much as 70,000 kilograms. Full physical maturity is attained between 25 and 30 years. Fin whales live to 94 years of age, although specimens have been found aged at an estimated 135–140 years. A newborn fin whale measures about 6.5 metres in length and weighs approximately 1,800 kilograms. The animal's large size aids in identification, and it is usually only confused with the blue whale, the Sei whale, or, in warmer waters, Bryde's whale.
Sei Whale:
is a baleen whale, the third-largest rorqual after the blue whale and the fin whale. Reaching 20 meters long and weighing as much as 28 tonnes, the Sei whale daily consumes an average of 900 kilograms of food
Minke Whale:
males measure an average of 6.9 meters and females 7.4 meters in length, respectively. Estimates of maximum length vary from 9.1 to 10.7 meters for females and 8.8 to 9.8 meters for males. Both sexes typically weigh 4–5 tonnes at maturity, and the maximum weight may be as much as 14 tonnes. Minke whales typically live for 30–50 years; in some cases they may live for up to 60 years.
big and it looked like 18 wheelers jumping out of the water. And believe me it was an exciting view through the binocular even though it looks pretty pathetic through my camera lens. and “Skåne” sandwich and I were soon seated at the table.I had not managed to catch any sleep during the night so I went for a POWER NAP first thing after lunch. Well, I managed to get 45 minutes before they called. Broström wants to know how much gas oil we can load at different drafts at departure from Stanlow.
I finished the calculation and I returned to bed and I slept until 16 thirty. Just in time for a shower and dinner.
I “STOLE” one coffin nail at Captain's office on my way to the bridge for my night watch. I think this, if I remember it right, was my only coffin nail during
the day. It might have been 2, 3 tops.I enjoyed my watch chewing nico gums and doing my push ups and squat down exercises.
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Thursday 23 rd
of June 2011
and I was back in my cabin quarter past midnight. I was delayed on the bridge because I'm such a nice guy. I had a give way ship on my port side during my watch. He was on a steady course and he had a CPA of 0, 5 miles, passing ahead of me bound for Baltimore, USA.I could see that he was in a predicament giving way for me. I really don't know what he was doing and when he called me on the VHF to straight things out I was even more confused.
- Starboard to starboard......
Was the only thing I understood, this poor Chinese guy on the bridge spoke f@ck all English, at least English that I could understand. Time passed by and now he had trouble with a ship on his port side as well. And as I'm a nice guy I called him on the radio. Yes, I felt sorry for the guy. And who knows when they got their salary last time in that company. Or even last time they had a hot meal onboard.
- HEY! As I'm a nice guy I will slow down and you can go back to your original course and get out of your trouble a lot quicker than you ran in to it!
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Good, no coffin nails and thus no tea and Diet MAX
drinking.We were steaming on and SW'ly course in The North Minch when I came on my morning watch. Sunshine and raining and as I have mentioned before,
there will be no more painting before I go home. AB on watch spenthis watch washing deckWe had a SMS meeting on the bridge after lunch. And we had planned for a grounding/ collision drill/ exercise with the ECDIS after the SMS meeting. But Captain dashed off after the meeting and he returned with a coffin nail.
I could see that he was hiding one more cancer stick in his hand. He was looking at me but I din't said anything. But nico pad or not, I could kill for a drag.
I approached slowly, pretending to have important business to attend to at the water sink. He held out his second cigarette when I arrived to the scene..
- What themotherf@cker??!! SABOTAGE!We finished our cigarette and the drill/ exercise and I
went to my cabin for a POWER NAP before dinner. I got one hour of sleep before I went to the mess room with my tea cup. In the mess room I discovered that we had gorgeous weather but now they guys have to finish their greasing. And I bet you a million, if we bring out the paint and brushes it will start to rain in a jiff.+++++++++++++++
Friday 24 th
of June 2011
and we were discharging when I came on my watch 10 minutes before 8o'clock in the morning. It was a gorgeous morning and maybe this is the start of the summer 2011.Maximum allowed discharge rate 791m³/h and we expect to be ready early morning. We're on “SUBS” going to load gasoil components in Stanlow when we're ready in Belfast. Confirmation during the afternoon. Captain is going home today and he came to the bridge for coffee. He brought out a pack of fags, yeah, I could kill for a
drag. I discovered that he took out 2 coffin nails from the pack.Well, if this is the way we're going to have it I can as well have a cup of tea. So I spitted out my NICO chew and I went to prepare a cup of tea. His reliever came onboard just after 9 o'clock and the off signing Captain was picked up by a taxi at 10 thirty for transportation to the airport.
A gorgeous morning was soon turning in to a gloomy and grey day. Well, can't really say that I was surprised. We got our Stanlow voyage confirmed and
later on in the afternoon I had to calculate maximum intake on a 7,3 meters draft in FW.Two different parcels of LCO and Rotterdam for order.
Good my reliever can come onboard in Rotterdam.
We will not start loading until earliest on Monday and that will give us time at the anchorage. It is about 10 hours from here to Liverpool Pilot. We are discharging Gasoline so we need to do a bottom
flush of our tanks before we can load the LCO in Stanlow. And excellent opportunity for our 2nd officer to yet again turn in to Chief Officer Jr. He will perform the tank cleaning with me looking over the shoulders. And he will also get a chance to familiarize himself with the paper work for the tank cleaning.He did the tank cleaning plan the other day, but there are risk assessments, work meeting and a shitload of other paper work to do.+++++++++++++++
Saturday 25 th
of June 2011
and we had left Belfast and the Pilot behind when I came on my morning watch, very nice. It was gloomy and grey, but no wind so never mind the greyness. Our 2ndOfficer told me that the weather had made a remarkable improvement the last few hours. It had been raining and blowing until almost a minute before I came on my watch.Time for tank cleaning and the AB on my watch came to the bridge for a work meeting. This was a very good chance for our 2nd Officer to get some experience with risk assessment and other paper work. When we finished the paper work our AB went on deck to prepare for the tank cleaning.
2nd officer left the bridge and he returned
as Chief Officer Jr after his breakfast. By then our AB and I had prepared everything and Chief Officer Jr took the driver's seat.Yes, the young generation is taking over and the old farts have to step aside. Well,
I'm better of keeping an eye on the progress but as soon as our Chief Officer Jr is confident in his role there is no doubt that it will be “F@CK OFF OLD TIMER!”And believe me, I will no longer be the guy with capital G after the “F@CK OFF OLD TIMER!” and the
2 ton Superman will be back tothe ordinary Porky, The Human Balloon.Well, Chief Officer Jr finished the tank cleaning and we will fill up Oil record Books and the other paper work tonight.
- Hmm, maybe I should keep some secrets so they will have to go on calling me until the day I die.
I went down to lunch in the mess room even though I had had some chicken on the bridge. Yes, I'm under a lot of pressure to keep the guys company in the mess room cracking jokes during the meals. But it was mostly salad and a small glass of tea. I didn't bring my own mug as I hadn't planned to have any lunch in the mess room.
I had a POWER NAP during the afternoon and I woke up just in time for dinner. I brought some smoked salmon and black bread to the mess room with my tea mug. Our Cook asked me why I didn't eat of the new black bread he got onboard in Belfast.
- I still have bread in my cabin. Did we get tuna in Belfast?
- Yes, it's in the store.I went in to the kitchen store and I discovered a “HEALTH CORNER” in the store room. A case of tuna and rye bread, the very same bread that I bought in Liverpool last time.
I prepared my “ TUNA & ONION SURPRISE ” ® for
tomorrow morning before I returned to my cabin. I have a few words,mostly drivel to write on my web page, and ofcourse 40 sit ups before going to the punch bag on deck at 18 thirty to meet our 2nd Officer.Soon time to sign off and I must get serious with the
punch bag, but it has been some terrible weather the last 6 or 7 weeks so it has been easy to skip the sessions on deck.  |
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Sunday 26 th
of June 2011
and we were still anchored when I came on my morning watch. Sunshineand our bridge became like a green house. I had to call the engine department and ask them to start the AC. It looked like it would be a nice day even though there were black and grey clouds on the sky.We had a MOB boat and oil spill drill after lunch. 2nd Officer and the MOB boat crew had a tour with the MOB boat and we tested the DEAD SHIP launch of the MOB boat and everything was working just fine. All drills completed for this month and I went for my afternoon POWER NAP.
One or two watches at the anchorage is OK, but I hope we're going inside tomorrow.
+++++++++++++++
Monday 27 th
of June 2011
and I could hear them start the engine at 7 thirty and the anchor wasup when I came on deck 25 minutes later. A beautiful morning, the first real summer morning this year. Pilot was onboard 20 minutes past 8 and we continued our voyage up the River Mersey and the Manchester Ship Canal.Still no loading instructions, but I made a
cargo plan for the first 8000 tonnes loaded and I will complete the cargo plan when we get the final loading order.Captain called Broström but they knew as little as us. So we will load according to Loading Masters loading instruction so we will not know until we're alongside in Stanlow.
We passed the Eastham Inn or whatever the name is of the restaurant where I and the Captain on M/T Ek-Sky was having our dinner while waiting for M/T Ek-Sky to arrive back in May 2010.
Yes, we remember that we weren't very impressed by the service.
passed the Eastham Inn I discovered Gwil at the river front taking pictures of us approaching.We were out from the lock at 11 thirty, it had taken us 15 minutes in the lock. We changed from river Pilot to 2 Canal Pilots in the lock and we had to use two tugboats during the transfer from the lock to Stanlow Jetty #1. 1 tug forward and 1 aft.
As soon as we were out from the lock I went for my lunch tea on the bridge, black bread with bananas and I felt really good after this health lunch. The clock turned 12 and still no loading instructions, so I had to come on the bridge when the Loading Master is coming onboard. So I spent some time in my cabin checking out my new pictures until 5 minutes before 1 o'clock when I went to the bridge.
They just had all fast when I came on the bridge and 15 minutes later our Loading Master came onboard. Loading MAXIMUM 8800 MT and I could start with my loading plan.
instructions to MAXIMUM 8000MT. As Captain said:- Must be expensive to hire a ship to have it empty
Yes, and the rate, about 450m³/h and we expect to be ready around 11 o'clock tomorrow morning. Then we have to wait until 19:00 for the high water before we can leave. So we will have spent a lot of time here before it is time to leave with 8000MT only. Well, we're paid and I don't care how much cargo they put in the ship. But it will be nice when we're leaving, and no, not because I'm signing off. But our internet disappeared when we came alongside so obviously our satellite dish is in shadow from our funnel. So no internet until we're leaving and I'm waiting for Gwil's picture.
Well, I was drinking tea talking with the Captain when the jetty man came onboard to sign our check list, we do a recheck every 2 hours and he comes onboard to sign the check list.
He left and we could see him coming back onboard 15 minutes later.
- What now?- I have no clue, I said.
5 minutes later and he stepped in on the bridge. I have noticed that the loading rate had gone down and the jetty man told us that one of their pumps had broke down.
- We don't know if we can repair it.
So we're expecting reduced loading rate and we see when we're leaving.
Quarter to 11 and I realised that I had
forgotten my squat down and push ups. DARN! I had to do 4 hours of exercises in 1 hour and I did my last 20 squat downs when 2nd Officer came on the bridge 10 minutes before midnight.I left the bridge and I went to the mess room to prepare my breakfast and lunch for tomorrow. A “ TUNA & ONION SURPRISE ” ® for breakfast and I took a plate with tomatoes, red peppers and onion for my lunch. Of course, I need to add black bread and smoked salmon to my lunch vegetables.
I don't know what I have turned in to, a health food fascist?Maybe, or a health food Police going around like STASI
checking what people are eating giving stupid pointers on how to eat healthy. The AB on my watch was eating and I put my plates in front of him to compare our plates.- YOU!! This is how it should look, I said.Well, don't tell anyone, but I wish it looked like this even when no one is around to watch. It is known to have happened that our hero had added some “Not so healthy” items on his plates.
But this is of course nothing the AB needs to know.
+++++++++++++++
Tuesday 28 th
of June 2011
and we were still loading when I came on my watch. It was a gorgeousmorning with sunshine and blue sky. And same as yesterday, at lunch time the sky was covered with grey clouds.I had prepare my “ TUNA & ONION SURPRISE ” ® for breakfast and the salad for my salmon sandwich before going to bed yesterday. So I never had to go to the mess room for lunch. I had 2 smoked salmon sandwiches on the bridge before I went to calibrate our gas detector for the ballast tanks.
I got e-mail from Norway and they suggested that I should ZERO calibrate with nitrogen in order to get the sensor to work. Well, the gas preset was only between 20,9 and 15% so I could never calibrate the darn sensor. Well, I will go exercise
with the punch bag instead.And coming on deck for the punch bag session at 13 thirty was not a nice experience.
It is blowing, strong winds! As we're in a Canal we don't notice the wind because there are no rough sea in the Canal. As long as we are inside, but as soon as I got out ondeck I was almost blowing overboard.I did my punches and knees, I tried the kicking but the bag was swinging too much so I
returned to my cabin for somesitups. 40 sit ups before going to the bridge to crack a few jokes with Captain while they were shifting the ship so we could connect the slop arm. Then 20 sit ups before taking my shower. Stanlow Refinery
Stanlow Refinery is an oil refinery owned by Essar Energy in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, England. It was previously owned by Royal Dutch Shell and is part of the Shell Stanlow Manufacturing Complex.The refinery occupies nearly 1,900 acres (7.7 km2) near the River Mersey and dates back to 1924, when a small bitumen plant was established.
In the 1970s an oil pipeline was constructed from Amlwch, Anglesey to Stanlow. Crude oil was pumped ashore from tankers moored at deep-water pontoons. The pipeline closed in the early 1980s.
Crude oil is now received lower down river on the Mersey at the Tranmere Oil Terminal, operated by the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board from its Liverpool headquarters, and is transferred via a 24 km pipeline to storage at Stanlow. Output is delivered by pipeline via the UK oil pipeline network, road and the Manchester Ship Canal.
The Stanlow refinery was reported as being for sale by the Financial Times in August 2009, with possible purchasers including India's Essar Oil, USA's Valero and the Libyan Government. The reason for the proposed sale was cited as its size (272,000 bbd), although Shell executives indicated that if no sale could be agreed, it was their intention to continue to operate the refinery and not to close it.
From Wikipedia
Pilot ordered for 20:00 and they came onboard, well, 1 or 2 minutes after 8 o'clock and we took onboard our gangway. I went to the fo'c's'le with one AB and two ABs went to the poop deck.
We were reay to let go our mooring lines when they told us that we had to wait for about 20 minutes.
- There is a ship coming up the Manchester Ship Canal and we have to wait for him to pass.
It was a sunny evening so it was pretty nice on the fo'c's'le even though we had a shilling wind blowing in from River Mersey. I was watching baby rabbits looking out from the holes. I guess the sunshine brought them out, but they have to be careful.
Our 2nd Officer had seen a fox running around in the area. But as there were millions of rabbits running around I guess the fox won't have any trouble finding food. I was also looking for the fox while waiting, but I had no look seeing the fox.
The Manchester Ship Canal
is a 58km long river navigation in North West England. Designed to give the city of Manchester direct access to the sea, it was built between 1887 and 1894 at a cost of about £15 million (£1.27 billion as of 2011), and in its day was the largest navigation canal in the world.The canal generally follows the original route of the rivers Mersey and Irwell, and along its course uses several sets of locks. The canal is able to accommodate a range of vessels, from coastal ships to inter-continental cargo liners, but it is not large enough for all modern vessels. A railway was built to transport goods to and from the docks located alongside the canal.
The canal is no longer considered to be an important shipping route, but it still carries about 6 million tons of freight each year. It is now operated under private ownership.
The idea that the rivers Mersey and Irwell should be made navigable from the Mersey Estuary in the west to Manchester in the east was first proposed in 1660, and revived in 1712 by Thomas Steers. However it was not until 1720 that the necessary bills were proposed. The Act of Parliament for the navigation was received in 1721. Construction work was undertaken by the Mersey & Irwell Navigation Company. Work began in 1724, and by 1734 boats "of moderate size" could make the journey from quays near Water Street in Manchester, to the Irish Sea.
The Manchester Ship Canal is the eighth-longest ship canal in the world, only slightly shorter than the Panama Canal in Central America. It enabled the Port of Manchester to become Britain's third busiest port, despite being about 64 km inland.
From Wikipedia
Queen Elizabeth II Dock at Eastham and the entrance to the Manchester Ship Canal trough the Eastham locks. Picture from www.shipcanal.co.uk
As soon as we had left the jetty in Stanlow our internet kicked in and I checked my e-mail on my
way to the bridge. There was e-mail from Gwil and he sent me the pictures he took when we arrived yesterday. And of course, I put them on my web page for all of you to see. Nice pictures, especially the picture of “Our hero on the fo'c's'le” Gwil has an artistic quality as well
Gwil's own capitations says it all: Our hero on the fo'c's'le
Green peas from Gwil's garden. To inspire me in my diet
Thanks' to Gwil for pictures!
We had about one hour from Stanlow Refinery to Eastham lock and I spent the time on the bridge drinking tea, doing paper work (at least 2 papers) and taking pictures. Yes, we're having a lot of pictures by now. Luckily enough we're at the end of the month. Tomorow is the last day of June 2011 and we will change to the month of July.
Leaving Stanlow refinery behind and Captain is taking my picture
Leaving Stanlow refinery behind and Captain is taking my picture
And I realise that the visitors to my web page care more about the pictures than my drivel. Yes, I'm a wee bit disappointed, but I'm putting more pictures and they are also getting bigger by the
year. Now the small picture is about 350px by 350px.I'm spending quite some time rewriting my old pages. And a big picture was 200px by 200px when
I started 10 years ago. I uploaded my web page by mobile phone and I remember having 1000US$ telephone bill per month. But I must give it to Telia, they gave me my money back. When I came home from my ship I got a shock opening my bill.- I got my bill. What theis that?- You have used the internet very much.- So what?- It is very expensive when you're abroad!- You told me it was the same price as in Sweden!- Did we? Then we have to refund you.Well, anyway, so I'm busy redoing all my old pages and I renew the pictures. Some ships and I have lost the pictures so I will have to use the old and small pictures. But I still have the pictures from most of my ships.
We had the sun shining straight in on the bridge on our way to
the Eastham lock, but this is the price we have to pay for the beautiful weather.go of the tug before entering the lock. Same as when we arrived, we had one tug connected forward and one tug connected aft.There is just enough space for us in the lock so we have to let go of him. The tug boat aft is connected until we have all fast in the lock.
A beautiful afternoon
and evening, but it was cold in the wind. I was freezing and I was really considering going to get a pair of winter gloves. I was only wearing shorts and t-shirt but it was the hands that was the problem.few minutes. Only two lines forward and aft so it was pretty quick.They pumped out the water pretty quick, we were going down 1 to 2 meters to get down to the same level as River Mersey.
I was freezing and I couldn't wait to get inside to a hot cup of tea on the bridge. A hot cup of tea.I was jumping up and down on the
fo'c's'le waiting for them to start open the gate. - YEAH!! FINALLY!!!
The gate started to open and I was half way to the bridge.
- What the
The opened the gate a few centimetres and then they closed it again. I could not believe my eyes. And when they had finally opened the gate and I was stand-by to dash off
to the bridge. We just had to let go of our mooring lines and I could be out of there.- Let's leave already!!
Another ship was entering the lock next to us and we were informed that the boat men would attend our mooring lines when they were ready with this ship.
numb. When I came on the bridge I poured myself a big bucket of tea and I complained to the Pilot.- A gorgeous evening, but darn cold! - Cold is not the right word!
- No! FREEZING is more like it. I was almost leaving the fo'c's'le to go ask Chief Officer for a pair of winter gloves.I enjoyed the last hour of my watch drinking tea cracking jokes with the Pilot and Captain while steaming down the river Mersey. We had just passed Liverpool when I was relieved and I could go to bed.
+++++++++++++++
Wednesday 29 th
of June 2011
and I had to call the bridge first thing coming out from the shower.- What about the list?- Ah! You can't shower- What about our “SECRET”?- I will put her to starboards list. Shall I use DB 4 or 5?- Use 5When we have a list to port the water doesn't drain properly from my shower and I'm almost drowning in there. A list just a notch to starboard and it works fine. I can't understand why they don't have sloping floors in the shower. I have it at home, and for sure, should be on board a ship. Well, I had an agreement with the 2nd Officer a few weeks ago.
- Don't tell anyone, but we always keep a slight list to starboard so our showers drains well.
- OK. My drain is on starboard side as well.
- Shh, don't tell anyone
2nd Officer leaves the bridge and he is back in a jiff, turns out that his drain is on the port side.
- I need port list in my shower.
- Who is the boss?
Well, anyway, our 2nd Officer arranged a list to starboard. I came on the bridge to discover a
nice morning. I brought my “ TUNA & ONION SURPRISE
”
® and two slices of black breed with tomatoes, onion and red pepper for lunch.I was enjoying my tea and “ TUNA & ONION SURPRISE ” ® and when Captain came on the bridge he told me that they had found a reliever for me.
- He will come in Amsterdam
My original reliever has got chicken pox and they asked if I could stay longer. For the second
time in a month and I said no the first time and I said no the second time. So no doubt, Aladdin is considered the “TROUBLE MAKER” at the office.Captain asked about my black bread and vegetables.
- No smoke salmon?
I showed him my pack of smoked salmon.
- I will eat my lunch on the bridge.
- So you won't come to the mess room for lunch
- No
Well, can't say that he was surprisedwhen I came to the mess room just after 12. But he was wondering what happened with my Smoked Salmon Surprise.
- Well, need to be social as well.
I spent a few hours with my web page after lunch, plenty pictures to
“PHOTOSHOP” and at 15 thirty I made my 40 sit ups before going ondeck for my punch bag session. Half way to the punch bag I decided to go see our Chief Engineer in the engine room. I have plans to change the temp sensor in CT 7 port tomorrow so I need the new sensor.I finished my punch bag session and I returned to my
cabin for 20 more sit ups before going for my shower before dinner.I had written a few e-mails, when the internet kicked in after Stanlow I had a few e-mails to attend to. Among them and e-mail from our 3rd Engineer on Argo Pallas and Argo Athena. He was impressed by my diet and he reminded me of when they were hiding outside the mess room with a video camera onboard M/T Argo Athena. Every morning at 03 thirty and in vain, they never catch me eating, of course, at 03:30 I just took a shower and went for my watch on the bridge. But, well, finally they managed to get a video of me having a snack.
And as we had a bet running I called Captain first thing.- Can you please give the guys 4000 SEK?
Oh yes, I really want the video on my web page. But it seems like it is gone. everyone have heard about it, but no one have seen the video. Except one time
onboard M/T Argo Athena.I felt asleep for half an hour or one hour before my night watch, nice with a quick power nap. And coming on the bridge I prepared my tea and our entertainment centre. I set it up for a P3 Hip Hop evening. I
have 2,1 days of P3 Hip Hop. Dated back from 2002 and up to their last show in January 2011.When 2nd Officer came to relieve me at midnight I told him that I had set up a playlist on the computer for a P3 Hip Hop extravaganza night for him.
- You have more than 2 days of non-stop of P3 Hip Hop
- YIPPEE!
He was looking forward to his night watch like never before. Well, that's how we operate onboard M/T Ternvik. Good music is important for your well being
+++++++++++++++
Thursday 30 th
of June 2011
and we were steaming on a course of 075° (T) towards Greenwich L/F when I came on my morning watch. A glorious morning I was in a good mood when I got on with mybreakfast business. Today I skipped (Forgot to prepare yesterday) my “ TUNA & ONION SURPRISE
”
®. Ibrought 3 slices of black bread and 3 bananas for breakfast and it was delicious. AND HEALTHY!! I felt like a million after my breakfast.At 12 I went to the mess room for my lunch and to meet our 2nd Officer on the 4 to 8 watch. We were going to change the temperature sensor in CT 7 and to check the SAAB radar on the
slop tank after lunch. And yet again I was lucky to see the transformation from 2nd Officer to Chief Officer Jr. He left the mess room as 2nd Officer and he came back as Chief Officer Jr and we left for deck.We brought the new temperature sensor and we went down the pipe trunk. We found the temperature sensors for CT 7 port, under the last step on the ladder down to the pipe trunk! Yes, they had really found the perfect place to place the equipment.
removed the cover from the temperature sensors. I discovered that the bottom sensor was disconnected. I asked Chief Officer Jr how long this temperature sensor had been out of order.- Since I joined the ship
- Hmm, it can't be that the temp sensor had never been connected.
I called 2nd Officer on the bridge.
- How long have you been onboard?
- For about a year
- Have you ever seen the temp sensor in 7 port work
- No- Well, the sensor is disconnected.
- Yes, we had a service man from SAAB onboard last December and he disconnected the sensor.
SAAB, what happened to this once so great company. The best equipment in the world and they had an OUTSTANDING service. They were well known for their service and if you sent them an e-mail you had an answer with in very soon and most of the time a solution to your problem. Not that it happened very often, SAAB was very reliable.
Now they have changed name to EMERSON ROSENBURG or something like that. The service, well, I have sent several e-mails and no reply.
Sending onboard a service guy, most likely charging a fortune, to repair a temp sensor. He didn't bring a new sensor, only disconnecting the old one and I have NO F@CKING CLUE where to connect the 3 wire on the new sensor. Impressive!We had to remove the cover off CT 6 starboard to see how it was connected. The wires on CT 6 starboard are numbered, but on 7 port there are some Chinese signs from the ship yard. Well, we chance that it will be as on 6 starboard, start with the white wire followed by the 2 red wires.
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new sensor is working. We put back the cover and we went on deck to check the tank radar on slop tank port.We have problem with the IG sensors so I want to check slop tank port. And Chief Officer Jr wants to see the radar so this is an excellent opportunity for him.
It was an gorgeous afternoon so it was pure pleasure to be on deck. We removed the cover to the radar and we removed the IG pressure sensor. I had not worked with the IG pressure sensors for a long time. When we loaded
caustic soda we had to clean them. But even though it was a long time a go I feltthat something wasn't like it used to be when I removed the IG sensor.No hose to the atmospheric pressure and this model looks exactly as the others did. So I don't know, but I don't think it's a different model.
Well, I took a picture and returned to my cabin with Chief Officer Jr. I was almost sure that I had some pictures
from last time working with the SAAB radar in my PHOTO TREASURE. And yes, we found the pictures and there was the hose to the atmospheric pressure.All our IG pressure sensors are off-set by
1020 mBar so it might be the problem. Can't get the atmospheric pressure. One thing is for sure, now I have done enough with this and my competence is not enough so I dump this problem on more competence people's table.
Well, a beautiful day and we could hear the crew chipping while we were working with the radar. I haven't heard the chipping machines since April.
Hmm, maybe we had them running for a day or two in the beginning of May.
We passed Dover at dinner time and latest news is berthing on arrival, good, my reliever will come onboard tomorrow and I'm soon out of here.Well, this is of June in the year of our Lord 2011 ends, with the sound of chipping machines. Will there be more of it in July 2011 ?
OK, it has come to my knowledge that we have senior citizens visiting my web page. How hard can it
be? So it's not very easy for them to see the blue coloured links to the next page. Jiffy (also jiff)
noun [in SING.] informal a moment: we'll be back in a jiffy.
ORIGIN late 18th cent.: of unknown origin.
So as you understand, in a jiff pretty much depends on your internet.
Marunong ka mag-tagalog? Walang problema! Magpunta sa kabilang pahina pindutin ang “NEXT” button sa itaasFaites vous parlez le français? Pour arriver à la page suivante faites s'il vous plaît un déclic le bouton “Next” ci-dessus!Haga usted dice el español? Ver la siguiente página sólo hacer clic el botón “Next” encima!Farla parla l'italiano? Per vedere la prossima pagina lo scatto per favore giusto Il bottone “Next” sopraSprechen sie Deutsch! Kein problem! Wenn Sie die folgende Seite sehen wollen gerade klicken der Knopf “Next” oben! คุณพูดภาษาไทยได้ไหม ไม่มีปัญหา ถ้าคุณต้องการไปหน้าถัดไป ให้กดปุ่ม “Next”
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E ni Svenskar och inte förstår Engelska så ska ni skämmas. J och Björn, med det menar jag inte att alla mina stavfel ska ältas varje gång vi träffas.Well, the flag of Skåne, just a BONUS flag.
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