Engineer had been in the Engine room to start the engine so we could
February 2008
Friday 1 st of February 2008 and this month was supposed to be a short one. But it's leap year and we have to survive 29 days in February
I woke up 10 minutes before my alarm clock went off so I was early for breakfast. Our Captain
and Chief Engineer was eating breakfast when I came so I jumped right to the grapefruit hoping to avoid further discussions about the grapefruit's potential to make you live a long and happy life.I started right of with some paper work and then I transferred SLOP
from port slop tank to stb slop tank. The only thing I achieved when I tried to discharge the slop two days ago was to get it from stb to port side. When the slop passes through the ODME there must be less than 999 ppm of oil in the water or the overboard valve stays closed and the slop ends up in port slop tank.We were ready with the slop just in time for the coffee break and after the coffee break it was time to make Porky's Special Salad Dressing. I spent some time after breakfast searching the galley for an empty bottle for my dressing. I came up with ZIP, but our Cook had found a bottle and he brought it to my office after the coffee break.
We were soon ready with the dressing and our Cook had our lunch ready after few minutes, FLAT
meatballs.- What the BIP is this??!! I asked.
Before soon the Mess Man had filled up a plate with tasters.
- HEY! MY DIET!
I took the plate and I tiptoed back to my office. I
don't want to run in to Captain or the Chief Engineer with my hands full of forbidden calories.Well, the morning disappeared quickly and it was time for lunch, Porky's Special was an instant success. OK, I was the only one trying the new dressing. But that's good, it will last longer.
- OH! I didn't see the bottle. I already take dressing, maybe next time, Captain said.
But I'm on to something here. This can be as successful as the “Oatmeal Surprise”® . We have Pegasus and our plan for the “Oatmeal Surprise”® fresh in mind.
Saturday 2 nd of February 2008 and it's time for the CREW MEMBER OF THE MONTH award. Well, it should have been yesterday. But as with all big events, we're delayed. There is a lot of things that have to be arranged, cold drinks. I have to go see the Captain about that. Gala performances without something to drink is, well, pretty much noting.
But first I have to get my shower and morning tea.
The drinks, I got a case of Fanta of Captain and I put it in our Cook's fridge so the drinks will be
cold when the gala performance starts. I finished the diploma
and the “Golden Silver Brush”
statuette . Things were falling to place and I was pretty much ready for the event to take off. But I like to keep the crew in suspense.It's next to impossible to pick the crew member of the month. The competition is fierce so the DECK CREW MEMBER OF THE MONTH award turned in to DECK CREW OF THE MONTH:
the crew representative, our Bosun. 1st prize was a hug, but since I ran in to difficulties appointing one deck crew member as the winner it had to be a group hug.
Group hug
And the winner is Barcarolle and Laurin can congratulate themselves to an award winning crew.Looks good on the tanker market. I mean, next time competeing with another company for a cargo they can say that they have a ship with an award winning crew. The choice is easy to make, or what do you think?The oil company “ Clean Ocean & fresh Air ” want to move gasoline from A to B.
- Hmm, we have 2 ships to choose from. A Panama ship with a hungry crew and
Barcarolle with an awarded crew and a good looking Chief Officer.I handed the diploma and the “Golden Silver Brush” statuette to our Bosun. I had told them that the prize was a hug so we were delirious with anticipation when it finally was time for the group hug.
I had my best man to take pictures, and he fired of the camera. Thousands of pictures but none that I could use. He must have got confused with my “ Shoulder up ” only instructions so we had to do it all over again.
The crew had already started with the champagne ( Fanta, yeah-yeah blah-blah, I knew it was better
back in the days when the ship's crew were drunk and stupid. But here we drink Fanta and kick behinds
) to celebrate the occasion
when I called for a second photo session.Well, we managed to arrange for a new picture and this time I was on my knees.
I was satisfied with the picture, well, it is as good as it can get without wearing ski mask. But I decided that it was good enough for the internet. Never mind the V-shaped torso.
The spirit was high in the mess room and the Fanta flowed like water. but everything has to come to an end, the ship is red like a fox and needs attention from the deck crew, but now it's an awarded crew so I expect them to really whup behinds out there.
- BACK TO WORK MOTHERF@CKERS!!
A-Team
I don't know what went wrong at the dinner. I had finished my salad (soaked with Porky's Special) and when I went out to the galley with my empty bowl I ended up in the crew's mess room. EATING ICE CREAM! What a set back! I felt so bad that I skipped my constitutional, even though it was a beautiful evening. And that just made me feel worse.Sunday 3 rd of February 2008 and it was a beautiful morning. Sunshine and the sea looked like a birdbath. After my morning tea I went to my office to see if I could find some paper work to do. 10 minutes after 9 the Surveyor stepped in to my office.
- Comendante!
- Where the BIP did you come from?
Last time in TUXPAN the PEMEX Representative asked for American calendars.
- You should have asked 1 week ago. Then we had tonnes of them, I said.
Just after New Year's Eve and every visitor, Ship Chandler and Agent that had been onboard had left a small rain forest behind in calendars. We threw them all, but we found 1 on the bridge with
the American Flag on every page on the bridge.Captain found a diary with the American flag a few days ago that he gave me, the whole ship involved in getting calendars to the PEMEX guy.
Well, anyway, I handed over the stuff to the PEMEX guy and he turned bananas.
- Barcarolle, el barco numero uno, I said.
- Chief Officer nombre uno, he said doing the thumb up.
- Chief Officer picolo, I said
Yeah, this is how it works. I had involved all crew in the search for calendars and I took all the credit! A few more phrases in my home made Spanish and we were soon in each other's arms crying in understanding.
Well, we took the ullage, samples and finish the calculation before 11 and now we are ready to go
to the buoy and discharge our cargo.But, no one knows when we will go to the buoy. Agent says 6 o'clock tomorrow morning and the Surveyor say maybe tonight. Well, no news from TUXPAN, everything is normal.
It was time for drills during the afternoon. Fire in the steering
engine room and we pretty much followed the routine from the last drill and the fire was soon extinguished.We're getting pretty good at this now and we're ready for the Coast Guard inspection any time.
One of our Motormen was outside my cabin when I came back to my cabin. He was admiring my
flowers and when I came he asked for a diet drink. I gave him two, one for the 2nd Engineer and one for him.We ended up in the 2nd Engineers' cabin talking about Manila. I told them that I was going to spend a month there in May, taking a DP and Gas tanker course. 2nd Engineer lives in Manila so he said that he would show me all the sights.
- I live close to the school, he said.
- Good, then I know where to live, I said.
We also have 2 ABs onboard being at school in May to get their Deck Officers license and they had told me that they would show me all the “Student Pubs” in town.
- I will show up with a V-shaped torso and my bag full of B-12s!
Monday 4 th of February 2008 and we were on the way to the buoy when I woke up at 0730. (My alarm clock got off in time) I discovered a tug boat outside my window when I had my GOOD
MORNING look out the window. We were approaching the buoy.We had all fast at the buoy at 0740, the same time I
stepped in on the bridge. I did not even have time to taste my diet drink before it was time to go to the CCR.No Loading Master onboard and the crew had started to put 12" reducers on manifold 1 and 3.
- Whoa Whoa, we don't know where to connect before I have talked to the Loading Master, I told the crew on the walkie talkie.
We never saw the Loading Master onboard and after talking with the mooring crew we decided to
connect on manifold 1 and 3. We take a chance, no one speaks a word English so it's pointing and home made Spanish.The same story every time and as long as there is no problem we can laugh, slap each other on the back and eat cake. But if there is a misunderstanding the laughs are far away and don't even think about eating
any cake.- Oh! We don't know, it was the Chief Officer.
And suddenly our Chief Officer is in more (four letter word) than he is
paid for. Well, we hope that it will never happen.We started discharging the PUG-B at 1105 and the MTBE at 1300. A very good time, if we are lucky we will be ready to start the big parcel at 2200 and we can sleep all night long.
It was a beautiful day and I spent the afternoon watching the crew work
on deck. Our Fitter is making new platforms to our mooring winches on the fo'c's'le and he is busy taking measurements. But he was happy when I popped up with my camera.- Internet again?
Well, Porky's Special, what to say? The bottle is empty and obviously it was a great hit. Captain is drinking it straight from the bottle
and there is no doubt that our Cook will blame me for a totally unexpected consumption, at least to say excessive.When I made my first bottle I told our Cook that the bottle will last for a few weeks and now I had to come and mix a new Porky's Special after 3 days.
I went on deck just before dinner and the PEMEX boat arrived with the relievers for the mooring gang.Mr Zip it was the first one I saw. When he spotted me on the catwalk he instantly made a zipping move along his lips with his right
hand while whistle. I could hear his whistle even though we were running our cargo pumps and he was some 50 meters away and I thought.“He have made some serious training. Most likely he had driven his children crazy at the same time”
Well, I will live on for generations. His children, grand children and grand grand children will continue with the ZIP IT WHISTLE®remembering something about that their ancestors had said something about a guy named Aladdin.
Well, it was time for me to go to the CCR at 2020 something. We're about to complete the MTBE parcel and they need me in the CCR running around givin' stupid pointers pretending that I'm on top of things. I had been there for less than a few minutes when I heard Mr. ZIP's whistling from
somewhere in the accommodation.- DARN! People are sleeping, I thought.
It didn't take long before he was in the CCR.
- �Hola! amigo! He said.
- YOO! Mr. ZIP! �c�mo est� usted?
He had some fruit and he offered me some. I was saved
by my snus. I had just wedged a fresh one and the load was just about to end up under my lip.- I'm on diet, I said with my mouth full of snus.
- Ah! NO NO! Vitaminico, he said.
- NO! I will look like a baloonico, I said.20 minutes after finished with the MTBE they wanted us
to start discharging PUG-D. PUG-B was ready at the same time so there was a little Monday night action in the CCR, for a few minutes. Then it was waiting again.Mr. ZIP took the opportunity to interrogate me.
- Amigo! What's your name?
- Call me Aladdin or Porky!
- Porky Aladdin??!!
- Well, yeah. Hmm, either or, I said.
At 2340 we opened to both manifolds for the D-grade and I was soon of to my cabin. A few words on my web page and then off to bed.
Tomorrow will be yet another interesting and eventful day.
Tuesday 5 th of February 2008 and my alarm went off at 0730. I was dead tired because I had been rolling around my bed all night trying to fall asleep.
We left the buoy at 1056 and it was nice, really nice to leave the darn thing behind. Foggy, the only set back. I took a quick decision, no grit blasting today. Deck is wet and by the time the machine is ready it's time to pack up again. Chipping, the crew continued with the chipping hammers and Bosun changed 2 leaking manometers on the cargo pump in 4CT.
Wednesday 6 th of February 2008 and my GOOD MORNING look out of the window didn't make me
happy. Full storm!But I could see that the “Awarded” never give up, they we busy preparing the
grit blaster. They started on the starboard side. The sea came in from port side and they were sheltered from most of the spray on the starboard side.Spray on deck is not the best condition for blasting, but I think you understand that there would have been (four letter word) all done on a ship if we just waited for perfect conditions.
- It's not like we can take her to a garage.
There is always salt in the air on a ship, but after lunch we
gave up the blasting idea.I was not in the best of moods, but what to do? Well, the crew started to chip and 2 of the ABs painted the blasted spots with
help of fresh water, a rag, compressed air and a lot of spirit and determination.- Yeah, this is also pretty much what it takes to get the “Golden Silver Brush” award.
Good to see that the crew is full of vim and vigour so I can go have a diet drink.
I hope we get some heavy rain before arrival to Beaumont so we get the last salt of the ship. Then we can paint cargo pipes during port stay. So far we had bad luck with the blaster. I had planned for 2 full days blasting on the way to Beaumont, but 2 days were reduced to a few hours. Well, we got good news, we will spend the whole day tomorrow at the anchor so we can get at least 1 day of blasting. Weather permitted. Well, we had planned for a fire drill in the afternoon.
Just when you think it's impossible for thing to get more EXCITING
the fire alarm goes off.
Fire in the steering engine room, ALL MAN TO THEIR STATIONS!As Squad leader for TEAM #2 I went to the bridge where the
guys in TEAM #2 donned their smoke diving equipment.We were stand- by on the poop deck in a jiff. 2 smoke divers ready to enter the steering engine room from the poop deck while TEAM #1 was ready to enter from the engine room.
Fire was soon under control and we are ready for the Coast Guard inspection, if they bother coming onboard this time in Beaumont. We don't know if they are coming, but the Coast Guard certificate is expiring any day.
Strong wind made me skip my constitutional and I spent the time drinking diet drinks writing on my web page. The ship is still rolling, but the wind had decreased a little so I hope for a full day of grit blasting tomorrow.
Thursday 7 th
of February 2008
and we were anchored when I woke up. I found a shinning sun and beautiful weather when I had my GOOD MORNING look out my window. The crew were busy with the grit blaster and I was in a good mood.Well, this day came to an end as well and I'm pretty pleased with the day. A whole lot of stuff had been done. I hope we stay anchored tomorrow as well. We are waiting for Iver Experience, she is loading at EXXON and maybe they will load some barges after her. We see what happens.
Friday 8 th of February 2008 and we were still anchored when I woke up. The weather looked good
and I saw the crew getting the grit blaster ready for some heavy duty action on deck. I'm looking forward to a day full of action on deck.I was in a good mood when I went for my morning tea even though I hardly made it out of bed due to back pain.
Someone at the Korean ship yard must have come up with the brilliant idea to have a book shelf in the bed and I woke up on the darn thing. Well, obviously it is a very stupid idea, how do I know?
- I never seen it before and if it was the greatest flash of genius during the century I'm sure others would have caught on.Well, we had our breakfast, grapefruit and Oatmeal Surprise® and I went for my office. It didn't take long before I saw Captain pottering about in the cleaning locker outside my office.
- What on earth are you on about?
- I'm looking for polish for our compasses on the bridge wings!
- You just come to papa and I get it.
I got him a can of stainless steel polish, good for brass, copper and
a whole lot of other metals. He took the can and whisked off up the stairs.I thought that this would be a good opportunity to get a good picture. I went to my cabin and I grabbed my camera and then I got out and the plan was to sneak up on the
bridge wing. SPY CAM!But I was in for a disappointment, 2nd Officer was polishing the compasses when I came.
- What the..??!! Where is Captain? Did he give you the polish?
I left the bridge with my camera and I stomped in at Captain's office.
- What the...??!! I was up there to take pictures of you
and the compass.I returned the camera to my cabin and I heard Captain take off for the bridge. I was quick to follow with my camera. When I stepped in on the bridge our 2nd Officer and Captain were busy polishing the compass.
We will have a guy coming out tomorrow morning to adjust the magnetic compass. The Pilot boat will drop him here at 0730 and we want it to look nice. We will go for a tour while adjusting the compass and then return to drop anchor again. Latest news is that EXXON is ready for us the 10th of February.
Well, the day slowly turned to evening and I had a 40 minutes constitutional while giving pointers to the crew. But it's too cold to stay on deck in shorts so I went indoors to a waiting diet drink.
Saturday 9 th of February 2008 and I woke up by myself, maybe because of the ship movement. I
was drowsy with sleep and I peered at the alarm, 0745.
- What the BIPPING BIP
is wrong with the DARN alarm clock? 0730, my a...! I thought.
I stepped out of bed and I wedged a GOOD MORNING snus and I stepped in to the shower.At least I had managed to steer clear from the bookshelf during the night so no back pain. I had been in the shower for a few minutes when my darn alarm went off.
- What the BIPPING BIP
is wrong with this alarm clock? Cheap shit!First thing I will buy when I'm coming home, a good
quality alarm clock. Find a good quality alarm clock at Wal-Mart??!!- Yeah, good luck!
I arrived late for breakfast, but I was lucky. Chief
Engineer had been in the Engine room to start the engine so we could
so he relieves the tediumPaper work and I was off to the bridge to check out on the compass adjustment progress. But when I came to the bridge the compass adjuster was on the pilot ladder just about to jump in to the boat that should take him ashore.
The finished grit blasting starboard side of tank deck today. It took them 3 days.
- WHAT THE (FOUR LETTER WORD)
ARE YOU ON ABOUT? FOR THE LAST FEW MONTHS YOU HAVE DONE NOTIN' BUT TELLING US THAT TANK DECK IS READY!
- It's ready, but it's a year since we started on starboard side and now we need to do the spots.
The deck looks very good after 1 year, and back then we only chipped starboard side. And there are always damages to the deck, dropped tools and heavy stuff dragged over the deck. So I'm very satisfied with how the deck looks after 1 year.
If they take a few days every 3rd month to chip and blaster the spots on deck she will be in a delivered-from-the-shipyard-yesterday-state when they go to dry dock next time. Well, that's not my problem, I will not be here then.
I came up with a great idea when I was pestering the crew on deck. We have a hose rail and this is rusty like .... and there is nothing you can do about it. We chip and paint but when we load or discharge the hose is resting on the hose rail scratching the paint.
- A contest! I thought for myself.I spotted Bosun and I called him.
- HEY! Bosun come here!
He came to the hose rail and I told him that we would have a little contest. The one who came up with the best idea for a protection to put under the hoses win a case of beer.
Captain and Chief Engineer came on deck just when I discussed the contest with Bosun. When they heard about the prize there was a barrage of ideas coming my way.
- We can use old tyres! (No winner)
- Yeah, we can also have a few bags of empty cans, some empty drums and some other debris lying around. We will look exactly like a Panama ship, I said.
- We can wrap the hose rail with old mooring lines!! (No winner)
- Yeah, we will look exactly like a Panama ship, I said.
- We can use the old rubber lamina on the bridge wing !! (No winner)
This shit I had tried to get rid of since day 1 onboard. Looks like shit and you make a whole lot of black footprints when stepping in on the bridge.
Well, I had been writing on my web site for a few minutes. It was time for dinner and I went to
deck to see the progress. I had only been away for a short while but Bosun already came up with a ( what it looks now) winning idea. We will check out his idea and then we will have the ceremony with a solemn atmosphere. Pomp and splendour!You don't have to worry. There will be a representative from www.aladdin.st to perpetuate the moment and you will be able to see the adventure.
Sunday 10 th of February 2008 and we were still anchored when I woke up. By my alarm?
- Well, guess again!
But there were two weak clicks at 0730 though.
We were supposed to get the pilot between 1200 and 1300, well, which was what they told us during the morning. At 10 there was no confirmation and at 11 o'clock it was changed to 1800.
I was in my bed reading when I heard us leaving the anchorage just after 7 for the pilot station. Arrival in the middle of the night and I was happy that I had my afternoon nap.
Monday 11 th of February 2008 and I was on the bridge just after midnight as we were approaching EXXON, Beaumont. We have to pass EXXON and continue for a few hundred meters to the military port where we turn around and go back down the river to EXXON. I learned from the news that the Sabine waterway is the biggest military port in US.
I don't know if it Beaumont, but my guess it's all the way from Port Arthur to Beaumont. Just before coming to Beaumont we pass a small gulf with plenty military cargo vessels. The looks like they are from the WWII. The whole place makes me think of a grave yard for ships.
We started to load the first parcel at 0410 and I was asleep after 5 o'clock something. Not much sleep, at 8 they called, now the Immigration is onboard.
Well, the crew went ashore in the afternoon and before leaving I had an eye to eye talk with them.
- OK! In order to get shore permission you must bring back a case of diet drinks. Plastic bottles.
NO CANS!We put the plastic bottles in the incinerator and we don't have to have our garbage STATION full of empty cans. Amazing, we have cubic meters of empty cans.
- WHO IS DRINKING ALL THE DIET DRINKS??!!
But from now on it will be order at the garbage station. No more cans lying around.
I was in my cabin waiting for the first parcel to be ready. It
was around 8 o'clock in the evening when the first AB came to my cabin.- Here are some SNICKERS for you.
- WHAT THE BIP IS WRONG WITH YOU??!!
He took his SNICKERS and left. I can't believe this, I just had a serious talk with the crew about my diet. And now this!
A few minutes later the OS on watch came by with a case of diet drinks
and he returned a few minutes later with yet another case.- That's the spirit! I said.
He just left when our Deck Boy came with diet drinks. Now I soon have to last me for a few days more.
They called from the CCR in the middle of the action.- We're ready in 1 hour!
- OK!
I went down to the CCR at 2040 to complete the first parcel. We completed the first parcel at 2100 and I had expected us to start the second parcel right off. But no one knows when we're going to start.
I was in my cabin writing on my web page when 3rd Officer called me at 2120.
-They are ready to start loading!
I had just hanged up when he called again.
- Now they changed their mind, I will call you when they want to start!When 3rd Officer called again after 73 seconds to say that they would start I was sitting at my desk with a freshly opened diet drink.
- Well, seems to be hard to make up their minds.
Tuesday 12 th of February 2008 and I woke up at 0730 when my alarm went off. I just turned off
the sucker and I felt a sleep again. I had been trashing around my bed all night unable to fall asleep.Darn, I was dead tired when I went to bed at 11 yesterday. We had started the 2nd parcel and I was off to bed and at 5 o'clock I was still awake. So I was not in the best mood when I got out of bed 10 minutes before 8.
I was in the CCR after lunch to complete the second parcel. Our 2nd Officer was on watch and I asked him if he had some 'Kick Ass' pain killers. I relieved him in the CCR and he took off to the
ship's hospital. He came back after 10 minutes with 3 different kinds of pain killers.
Paracetamol, no I don't think so. But he found me some 'Kick Ass' pain killers, the very same I bought in Dubai and Brazil. (
UPS! Brazil Jimmy)I dropped a fist full
and when the pain killers kicked in I was in a good mood after being grumpy for 3 days. I had had a terrible back pain since waking up on the book shelf in my bed. Not been sleeping for the last two days so it was a great relieve with the pain killers. Yeah, Aladdin is back!We don't know when the Pilot is coming so I went to bed after dinner. I sat my alarm to 2030, but I had not managed to fall asleep until then so I changed it to 2100. I was still awake when the alarm went off and I didn't bother changing it again. I just left it off and
I must have felt asleep because I woke up at 2300 when my phone rang.- Pilot will come in 30 minutes!
I had time for a diet drink and a shower before going to the bridge. I have a full stock of diet drinks again. This time I also have JUMBO bottles that Captain and Chief Engineer bought me when they were ashore.
JUMBO bottles and now I have to use glasses when drinking my diet drinks. I have the bottles in the fridge
downstairs so they are easy to reach when working in my office. We have some nice wine glasses onboard, well, not as nice as the one I bought in Istanbul when we were there with Rainbow Warrior.We arrived to Istanbul and the spirit was high at arrival to Istanbul and I just knew that there would be party. Hell, we had been there for 2 minutes when our Cook and I walked over the gangway right in to the first restaurant
for a beer. We only had cheap beer onboard that they bought in Greece. I opened a can and I threw it after the first pull. I went ashore for wine and some glasses.Well, needless to say, we got tipsy in a jiff and I also managed to get all the Italians to drink wine with ice. They were all reacting repulsive the first time they saw me putting ice in my wine. But as I said:
- White wine. Never mind how bad it is, just add a few ice cubes and you can drink it.
Well well, it ended up with the Italians carrying me back
onboard. They had me sleeping on deck in Genoa fresh in mind, so it wasn't like they had new ground to break.Well, it's 2330 and our Pilot just came onboard and I'm off to the bridge. Nice to leave EXXON behind for new adventures at CHEVRON 90 minutes or so down the SABINE river or whatever it is the darn thing is named.
Wednesday 13 th of February 2008 and we left EXXON, Beaumont 10 minutes after midnight.
After departure I was back in my cabin listening to P3 Hip Hop.At 0140 we had the first line ashore at CHEVRON and I was in bed between 0530 and 6 o'clock. I woke up just after 12 and I was lucky to catch Captain and Chief Engineer for lunch.
It was a beautiful day with sunshine so the watches were busy painting on deck. We expect to be
ready around 1530 with the loading.We completed loading at 1540 and after 1 hour they found out that they had short loaded us. Connecting cargo hose and start loading again. At 1725 we had got the missing 500 Bbls and at 1900 the paper work was ready. Just to wait for the pilot, inbound ship in the Sabine waterway so we might have to wait until midnight before we can leave.
We have to wait and I'm off to my cabin and a book. Our Agent told us that there was a possibility to get the pilot at 2130 and I really hope so. I can't wait to leave Beaumont behind and I'm in no hurry to come back. But most likely we will be back here loading soon again.
Thursday 14 th of February 2008 and I discovered a pip of a morning when I had my GOOD MORNING look out of my window. It didn't take long for the wind to pick up and we had spray over deck.
No blasting today, well, the crew need to rest after a few days of heavy duty action in port.
Friday 15 th of February 2008 and my GOOD MORNING look didn't make anything to improve my
mood. Gloomy and grey and it looked like it would start to
rain any second.I was soon in a better mood. I popped 2 pain killers first thing after my GOOD MORNING look out of my window. And when they kicked in I was feeling better. 2nd day now it had been taking me 15 minutes to get out of bed due to the back pain. Well, it's more like it's in my leg so I guess I can't blame the book shelf any more. I don't know what it is, but
getting out of bed is no joke and I have to make it step by step.It took me 15 minutes to get out of bed and then I had to roll myself to the window with a quick
stop for some snus at my desk.Bad weather or not, the crew had the grit blaster up and running on the fo'c's'le and we were lucky. Not a drop of rain during the whole day. There was even some sun shine in the afternoon.
But we had water spray on deck all day long, coming in from the port side. So deck was full of water and thus no painting today.
Now it looks like we will load Jet fuel in Port Arthur for Pajaritos, a change from yesterdays Naphtha from Pajaritos. Well, it changes every day and we will see if they have changed plans on Monday.
I hope we get the weekend at the anchorage in TUXPAN. We have plenty to paint and we need all the time we can get, but we never know what's happening here in TUXPAN. I'm not sure there is anyone knowing anything. All seem so be one big guess work.
Before going for dinner I went to the crew's mess room. Always nice to disturb them in the middle
of their dinner. But now I just had to tell them what a good crew they are. (Award winning) We remember our
paint inspector that was onboard in Beaumont to check the paint in the ballast tanks. Yeah, it was way back in December, and now his report was finished.Well, the ballast tanks were nothing to be happy about. Rust and plenty work to be done and I'm happy to leave. So I really don't care about the ballast tanks. But the Paint Inspector mentioned the upgrade of tank deck in his report. (In a ballast tank report!!??)
There were picture and he wrote that the deck looked good. He had been onboard one year ago to inspect the ballast tanks and he remembered how deck had been looking back then. When he was onboard he was impressed by the white ladders and stuff. Well, anyway, I told the crew about the report and hopefully the dinner tasted a wee bit better after that.
Saturday 16 th of February 2008 and I woke up just after 7, who needs an alarm clock? I swung myself out of the bed. Yeah, swung myself. First day in a long time that I don't need pain killers
to get out of bed.I stopped at my desk for some snus on the way to my window. I need a snus to kick start my day. Well, I peered out my window, the window was covered in salt.
- No rain during the night, DARN!, I said to myself.
Well, at my window I discovered several things. We were anchored, it was foggy and wet and I also saw out Bosun spraying fresh water on deck preparing deck for painting.
- What a waste of time, I thought.
I was in a very good mood even though the weather was not exactly what I had hoped for. I didn't have to take my pain killer to be able to get out of bed and that's more important than the weather.
One OS had a toothache and I really feel for him. His right chin looks like a football. I had
given him some of my 'Kick Ass' pain killers yesterday and it helped a little.Well, lo and behold. After the lunch we had sunshine and the crew could paint on deck. They had grit blasted the fo'c's'le until lunch and now they could paint. They also painted second layer on the spots they blasted yesterday. We decided not to use the blaster tomorrow. It will be painting only.
Our dinner turned in to an all time low . I knew that I should have left
the table when I had finished my salad. But no, I had to eat steak. OK, without potato, only meat so it was OK. But after that thing got out of hand.I stayed at the table to be sociable and I eyed the bread left from lunch. I took a slice and suddenly the whole bread was gone.
MOTHERF@NKER! I WAS SO DISAPPOINTED WITH MYSELF
Hi Darling,
I really, really hope that you will achieve your goal of being on diet. Fish has plenty Omega, and when you went down to the mess room, you had to take some snacks... You said 'let the result speaks for itself', I don't think you can stand yourself eating your own words!!! And if you cannot achieve your diet goal, you stamp yourself as a LOSER. I will REPEAT 'THIS IS ANOTHER THING YOU CAN NEVER SUCCEED IN'....
You will never win darling, you hear me?
Sue
I really, really hope that you will achieve your goal of being on diet. Fish has plenty Omega, and when you went down to the mess room, you had to take some snacks... You said 'let the result speaks for itself', I don't think you can stand yourself eating your own words!!! And if you cannot achieve your diet goal, you stamp yourself as a LOSER. I will REPEAT 'THIS IS ANOTHER THING YOU CAN NEVER SUCCEED IN'....
You will never win darling, you hear me?
Sue
I could not believe it, but suddenly I found myself in the galley with a new loaf of bread. I'm going to have to kick someone's behind tomorrow.
But our Cook is making very good
bread, and that's an excuse as good as any. But I have to cry myself to sleep tonight again. I'M A FAILURE!Well, that makes me think of Sue's e-mail to me back in 2004 and I can establish that she didn't have any faith in me.
After dinner I was in search for SNICKERS and I found the crew playing basket ball.
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Night action
Careful with the fresh paint!
Well, I found SNICKERS and I'm proud to say that I turned down the offer. I do this test every day and so far I have managed to turn down the offers. OK, I'm off to bed and I haven't decide if I should cry myself to sleep or if I should done my concrete boats and take a dive in to the deep blue. But I think I will give to good ol' diet a new go tomorrow.Sunday 17 th of February 2008 and we were still anchored when my alarm went off at 0720. It looked like it would be a nice day and I expected some heavy duty painting to be done on deck
during the day.But we have to wait for a few hours before we can start thepainting. It usually takes until after the coffee break for the sun to dry deck for painting. The crew is taking this opportunity to chip on deck and when the deck is dry they start to paint.
I was in for lunch 10 minutes early, I want to eat my salad before they bring out the food. My plan was a great success, but I was hungry like .... in the
afternoon. I had two apples but it didn't help me very
much. I will try to survive until dinner and the trick is to stick to the salad only.Well, after lunch I had the Engineers in my cabin drinking my diet drinks talking about the good old times. I went on deck when the Engineers had left. I
was in search for Bosun so we could do some work planning.Looks like we will spend yet another night at the anchorage so the watches can paint the new platform for STB winch on the fo'c's'le. Our Fitter finished the platform during the day and it's in the steering gear room. So we want to paint it before we bring it out on deck.
I'm happy to tell you that I managed to leave the dinner table when I had finished my salad. I'm proud of myself and I felt so good that I was very close to join the crew for some Sunday afternoon basket ball.
- Hmm, me flying through the air with a basket ball!!??
Well, for sure a few of those Tsunami alertswould go off when I'm
Before
After
Hmm, well discretion is the better part of valour so I returned to my cabin.
Salad, 20 minutes after dinner and I was hungry again. But I have my emergency ration in my cabin, an apple and an orange. I hope this is enough to keep 
Refrigerator on Pegasus
mess room to check out the fridge for food in the wee hours. Hell, I even wish I was back on Pegasus.There was nothing in the fridge so unless you had provided your ownprovision there was zip to eat.
Yeah, the very same ship where I saw the AB crying because he was hungry. I will never forget how one of the Engineers described the situation.
At dinner they drop a plate with a doggy chew on it in front of you. I just sent it out again, cant chew on a f@cking bone for dinner.
- A f@cking bone. At home we use bones like that to throw out to the garden when we want the dog to get the f@ck out of the house.
Then we have to work a full night in the engine room in 50°C, no food in the fridge and at 0730 we get a plate with 1 (ONE) fried egg.
- It looks like they coughed up the motherf@cker on the plate!
A lot of foul language, but this is how he told it to me, word by word. But I skipped some of the bad language, we don't want to take the Lord's name in vain any more than necessary.
We get the picture anyhow. Well, anyway, did I mention that this company was always complaining about how hard it was to get crew to their ships.
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Sunday afternoon excitement
Careful with the fresh paint!
Monday 18 th of February 2008 and we were still anchored when I woke up. Gloomy and grey morning and it looked like it could start to rain any second.
I wedged a fresh and I went to the shower. I was not hungry and I was a wee bit surprised. When I went to bed I was delirious with hunger, after a day with only salad and the smallest Oatmeal Surprise® in the morning. I was in an upbeat mood when I went for my tea and the GOOD MORNING Oatmeal Surprise® .
The crew was busy painting and grit blasting and the morning turned slowly to lunch. A quick bowl of salad and I was out of the mess room
before I had a chance to get tempted for something unhealthy and bloating. I had an orange on deck in the afternoon and I could see one of the ships coming back to drop her anchor. I saw her leaving the anchorage going to the SPM after lunch. But PEMEX called it bad weather and she had to return to the anchorageTime for dinner, a quick bowl of salad and I was out of the mess room
before I had a
chance to get tempted for something unhealthy and bloating. I managed to get an orange with me so I have something to munch on during the nightIn the evening I was off to see Captain in his cabin.
- Now it's getting boring at the anchorage, he said.
- Yeah, feels like it's time for some action. I also have a case of beer that I need to get rid of. So it's about time we can test Bosun's idea and I hope it's a winner, I said.
Hunger, I'm working on an idea I have. If I just can convince my subconscious that hunger is a good state. You know, some mornings when you wake up you're just in a good mood and you don't know
why. But you're full of vim and vigour swinging yourself out of the bed. Imagine waking up like this every day just because you skip the night snack, good!
Maybe I should try hypnosis or acupuncture, could turn out to be a real winner.Our 3rd Officer called from the bridge. He wanted me to come to the bridge for a picture.
- Laurin want a picture with a white background for their data base!- OK, I'm coming!
What the hell is this. I have been here for more than a year and when I'm call it quits they want my picture.
Well, I'm off to bed and my book and maybe I will watch a DVD. Yesterday I watched the Pirates
of Caribbean, what a waste of time. How many of those pirates are there? I was feed up with them after my first encounter a few years back. But while watching the movie I understood that this will be the last one. They are out of all ideas and there is only crap left to come up with.Well, anyway, for sure I will be busy avoiding the fridge and the night snack 'til tomorrow morning when it's time for my GOOD MORNING Oatmeal Surprise® and tea.
Almost as fun as the Friday afternoon boredom killer
While I try my best to avoid the refrigerator you can enjoy the mug shots of the crew. If you find someone especially handsome, just point you courser to the picture and it's yours to admire for as long as you want.Tuesday 19 th of February 2008 and we were still anchored when I woke up. The weather didn't look too promising. Overcast and rain all around the horizon. But Barcarolle was dry and the crew were painting and blasting.
It didn't took long before the drizzle started. This is the kind of weather we have had the last months and it's not possible to spray paint the deck. But the sun came up for a short time during the afternoon and it turned out to be a pretty good day, considering the progress on deck. At 5 o'clock the Agent and Immigration came onboard. Looks like we will go to SPM#2 in the middle of the night.
At 1825 the Surveyors came onboard and we could do the calculation so I hope it's just to connect the hose at the buoy and start discharging. But it's PEMEX and you never know.
Wednesday 20 th of February 2008 and I went to bed at 10 dead tired. They called me at 2330 yesterday.
- Pilot will be onboard in 30 minutes!
We were still anchored when I came to the bridge with a diet drink in my hand. Pilot in 30 minutes, well, 1 hour later they threw some more “ Pilot will be onboard in 30 minutes” bullshit our way. Well, the pilot was only 2 hours late and we almost lost our temper on the bridge. I told Captain that I thought it didn't take much working around here.
- Must be nice working in an environment where no one has any expectations on your performance, I said.
You say 5 minutes and it means (four letter word) all . You can be roaring drunk
as long as you mange to say something. Never mind if its 30 minutes or 3 hours, you can show up one week later and no one is surprised.As I said to Captain:
- What the (four letter word) is wrong with us. We try to do our best and when something isn't as good as we wanted it to be we feel bad about it.
Like MISCO, I ordered a computer and I had heard nothing for a month after the order was confirmed. I sent an e-mail asking for my computer and the invoice.
The answer to my e-mail was “We estimate that the computer is leaving our warehouse next week”
Well, I heard noting when the week passed and I sent another e-mail. I told our contact at MISCO. Yeah, it's fancy, we have our own contact man at MISCO to ensure 'QUICK AND SWIFT PROCESS OF YOUR ORDERS' and 'YOUR ORDERS LEAVES OUR WAREHOUSE SAME DAY' and other similar bullshit that our Contact man sent to me when I enquired about the computer.
Well, I wrote to him that I had for sure didn't expected to end up in an Soviet styled queue to the bakery when I ordered my computer and that I cancelled my order. I also asked why they spent time estimating (for 1 month) when my computer could leave the warehouse instead of just picking up the darn thing in the warehouse. Unnecessary to say, there have not been any answers for the last 3 days and it's no f@cking holiday in Sweden this week.
I can't help wondering what they do at MISCO whiling away the working day. Scratching behinds and
picking boggers while surfing the net for cyber porn. I give up my futile effort to get any answers from our infuriatingly unhelpful Contact Man
at MISCO. Motherf@cker! Who the hell hired this guy?Well, I buy my computer elsewhere even if it will cost me 1000 US more. Same with the twat we have to drive us in Beaumont. You agreed on a pick up time and she is 2 hours late. Our former 1st Engineer (Now making miljjjarrrrrrderrr in another company) and I was waiting for her in Beaumont and as you can imagine we were upset when she finally came. Not many nice words were said. Same story every time and now I refuse to use her service. A 15 dollar service, well, seem like you just get shit for 15 dollars and now I use a 75 dollar service. Works like a wonder.
Ok, we had all fast at SPM #2 at 0240 and I was in my office doing some “Discharge planning” extraordinary when the 2nd Officer came in from deck.
- We have problem with the crane!
4 o'clock in the morning and I was not happy when I came on deck to discover that the wire had jumped over the roller. There must have been some heavy force on the wire to make it bounce of the roller. The wire is 25mm thick and there is a guard outside the roller with a 3 mm gap in order to prevent the wire from bouncing of the roller. Well, the wire was stuck between the roller and the frame holding the roller. I had not been sleeping for almost 24 hours and I had expected to be off to bed at 5 when the discharging was commenced.
- (four letter word) nice! My sleep down the drain, I thought when I was inspecting the crane.
HEY! Did I ever mention our award winning crew? Yes, they won the “Golden Silver Brush” award not long ago and my two best guys were soon working on the problem. After about 1 and a half to 2 hours they had managed to get the wire lose. Now it was only the problem to get it back on the roller.
No problem, we just take of the guard and we're ready to roll. Well, the guard was at least to say busted. The only thing left was to cut it with a hack saw and when they were ready with this
at 0730 our fitter made a new guard and Bosun had it back in place just after 8. The good thing:We did not have to wake up any extra personnel. Our Fitter was up at 0730 so no lost sleep. Well, I don't know. Maybe and I say maybe, the best thing was that I was up all night without eating anything. I was hungry but I resisted our fridge. I'M A REAL FATBUSTER!
At 0845 the hose was connected and we started discharging 0940 and I was in bed at 10.
2nd Officer called me just after 3 o'clock in the afternoon. We were about to finish the first parcel and I took a quick shower before going to the CCR.
Thursday 21 st of February 2008 and I woke up at 11. I was tired after just 6 hours sleep. But can't loll around in bed all day long. We started our last parcel in the middle of the night and I
was in bed around 5 in the morning.It was gorgeous weather and the crew were painting when I came on deck. I was in a good mood even though I had skipped my morning tea. Well, soon lunch so no use drinking the tea.
Talking about my good mood. I think it's thanks to the diet. No more agony and for sure no need to cry myself to sleep. OK, I had a mishap during the night. But it was nothing to get worried
about. So stay cool and you will soon meet the handsome Aladdin and not Porky Aladdin as I'm known as in TUXPAN.Next cargo: First it was Naphtha from Pajaritos. Then it was changed to Jet fuel from Port Arthur and now its full cargo of Gasoil from Mississippi. We see what happens, but I doubt that it will be something exciting.
We completed discharging at 1445 and we did the tank cleaning after departure. They will drain the hydraulic system during the night and tomorrow the crew will repair leaks on the pipes. Coastguard Inspection is
confirmed for next call in USA and we don't want to look like a Panama ship with buckets hanging under the hydraulic pipes.Well, it was nice to leave TUXPAN behind. PEMEX wrote us a Letter of Protest . Our crane had not been in good condition!! What!!?? I wrote a Letter of Protest , actually 2. At arrival we were delayed due to that half the PEMEX fleet were stuck in the cargo hoses with the propellers. Then I wrote one protest for the crane, our crane was in excellent condition at arrival. But when heaving up the hose, following PEMEX crew's direction the crane was busted. Of course, try to drag cargo hoses and all working boats stuck in the hose cant end up well.
Well, the word was out and the “Golden Silver Brush” award committee gave me a call. They had heard about the rapid and deft action from the crew with the crane incident. They were especially impressed with the crew's ability to stay calm and focused on the task while Chief Officer was
running around screaming paralyzed with irresolution.- Of course, this is the A-TEAM, I said.
Well, anyway, Barcarolle is steaming north bound for Mississippi, leaving TUXPAN behind in the night and I'm in my cabin listening to Turkish Hip Hop that I bought in Istanbul. I also listening to the music I got from the Turkish girl on Rainbow Warrior. The very same that was very upset when I asked what she wanted with my e-mail address. Needless to say, so far I have received exactly 0 e-mails and this is exactly what I told her. But did she listen? No, she dashed of angry and she never said a word to me again.
I'm soon of to bed and my book. Not very much reading the last few days. Up all nights and when there is finally time for reading I'm dead tired and I prefer some sleep.
Friday 22 nd of February 2008 and it was a beautiful day when I woke up. The crew was blasting
on the fo'c's'le and they had started with the hydraulic lines.We pressure tested the hydraulic lines after lunch and it looked good. At 2 they stopped the grit
blasting so we were ready for the drills at 1515.Oil spill drill, fire drill and our 2nd Officer showed a film on how our CPR machine is working. This is a machine and according to the video (Made by the maker) this machine is one of the seven wonders of the world. Saving life straight out of the box.
After dinner our crew started to hose down deck to get rid of the most of the dust from the grit blaster. Now it's confirmed, on Monday Coast Guard will come onboard for Inspection and it has to look nice.
Saturday 23 rd of February 2008 and I threw myself out of bed 10 minutes before 7. When I woke up I peered
at the clock on the wall in my day room and, 10 to 8. I was very tired and I
took a hot shower and after 10 minutes I discovered that the clock was just about to
turn 7. DARN! I returned to my bed.I adjusted my alarm clock to 0740 and I woke up at 0820. Good luck that I already had got my GOOD MORNING shower and I was on deck measuring gas in a jiff.
We have purged our tanks with IG during the night. Yeah, we have to do our part for the global warming.
No more gas in the tanks, only IG and the gasoline vapours are now in the air for us all to breathe.
I did some paper work while drinking my by now very late GOOD MORNING tea.At 1030 our Pilot was onboard and I wanted to go on the bridge playing mischiefs with Captain and the Pilot. But I will look stupid if I go to the bridge without any errands up there. So I grabbed my loading plans and I went to the bridge for Captain's signature.
Well, on the picture on your left hand side you can see Captain signing my loading plans and a lot of other stuff. And if you are really
observant you can see that the loading plan is quite colourful. Yeah, we remember when our by then 2nd Officer (My reliever in May) was training with me. He did cargo planning and when he was ready I told him to colour the different stages in the operation.- Is it important with the different colours?
- No, but it relieves the tedium when you don't have anything to do!You can spend hours in the office putting colours on your cargo plans and when people are passing your office they will think “I'm lucky not to be Chief Officer! Always busy!”
So treat the crew and your marker pens like your best friends and you will have a good time as
Chief Officer, but don't tell anyone.Well, anyway, when on the bridge we were lucky. One OS relieved the other OS on the wheel and I was there with my camera. So now we know how it looks when we change crew at the wheel. Exciting!
I was soon down for lunch and after lunch I will take a walk on deck with Bosun to check everything before arrival and the upcoming inspection. Well, it's a nice day even though it's a wee bit cold in the wind. But I have a parka that I got of our Fitter, but I still wear shorts. I don't want to overdo the winter stuff.
It was a beautiful evening and the wind was gone so it was t-shirt and shorts on deck. When I went to see the Captain on the bridge he dropped the good news.
- We will drop anchor around 7 and we will go alongside tomorrow at 10.
Perfect, the crew can sleep during the night and they are ready to kick behinds tomorrow when we go alongside. A full day of painting and she will look good when the Coast Guard comes onboard on Monday morning at 8 o'clock.Sunday 24 th of February 2008 and we were still anchored when I woke up. At breakfast there was no news about the pilot. Changed from 8 o'clock until no one knows and then it was changed to 1330 and when we went for lunch it was 1500.
It was a beautiful day on Mississippi and I was in a good mood. I called the Chief Engineer on holiday and I asked if I could send a computer to him so he could bring it onboard when he signs on
around 20th of March.- No problem!
I ordered the computer at HP and it was cheaper than at MISCO (Motherf@ckers) and I hope I will have the computer in March.
Our Captain is signing off and his reliever came onboard yesterday. I saw him at breakfast.
- HEY! Do you recognize me?
- Oh, you're very small!
- Yeah, self discipline and a little help from Captain and Chief Engineer, I said.
We also got a new Mess Man and I gave him new safety shoes and a new boiler suit.
- So you look nice when the Coast Guard visit us tomorrow.Well, I could hear the engine start just before 3 so I guess the Pilot is on the way. I was in my cabin and I grabbed a diet drink in my fridge and I left for the bridge.
Our new Captain and old Captain were on the bridge enjoying the weather. The first thing they did when I came on the bridge was to pester me for the lunch. OK, things got
out of hand but it's really nothing to write home about. But there was nothing stopping them making me feel bad.- We thought you were serious with your diet!
- Yeah, I'm kickin' ass, I said.- All the sausages you had!
- You had too much bread!
- You look like a balloon!
- We are so disappointed with you, again!
- Yeah yeah, blah blah, I said and left for my diet drink on
the bridge.It was a beautiful day with perfect temperature. We were watching the traffic on Mississippi when we could hear the pilot boat coming. The boat sounded like a fighter plane but it only did 3 knots. AT 1505 the Pilot was on the bridge and we left 12 Mile anchorage at 1528.
We were slowly gaining momentum against the river. The water was high in Mississippi and the trees along the river were in the water. Rapid-flowing water and there was plenty logs and debris coming down the river in the muddy water. But we didn't see any
alligators.Mississippi is a darn big river, even when you're from Skåne and have seen Rönne å. We had
about 1 hour to go to Murphy Oil Terminal and we passed big ships all the time. Pushers with 40 barges and bulk carriers discharging to barges along the river.We had the first line ashore at 1630 and it took very long time to moor the ship. Must be the same line men as we had in Port Arthur. But the Pilot told us that this was just extra people they called when they needed people down the dock. They just call people where ever they can find them.
- Today might as well be the first time they see a mooring line, he said.
At 1745 we had all fast at Murphy Terminal and I could go for dinner. Brussels sprouts with Porky Special.
- Mmmm, Brussels sprouts!We're out of salad and I will ask our Cook to have Brussels sprouts for me instead of my salad.
I had finished my Brussels sprouts at 1805 when the Loading Master came onboard. He had left when the Surveyor came and we started paper work. We commenced loading at 2015 and we stopped for foot sample and line displacement at 2055. Taking samples and lab analyse before we could continue the loading. I was off to my cabin while waiting for them to start again.
At 2155 we resumed loading and I returned to my cabin and a .......
- Diet drink?
No, a glass of water. I will give up the diet drinks.
Monday 25 th of February 2008 and it was foggy over Mississippi when I woke up. But by the
time the Coast Guard came onboard it was sunny. The Coast Guard
was onboard just after 9 and the inspection started right off.They started in Captains office to check all the documents and certificates. Then I had 2 guys coming down to me and the CCR. 1 of them was a trainee and I and the other Inspector had to answer a whole lot of question. We were soon on deck going for a tour to check it out. I and the veteran Inspector explained everything for the trainee.
Well, we finished the tour on the poop deck and I told the Inspectors that less than a year ago the whole tank deck looked like this.
The Inspector told me that the first thing they saw when walking down the jetty was the stern.
- She looked terrible and I thought it was just another rust bucket, he told me.
But he continued:
- She looked better and better the further we came forward and tank deck looks very good!
- Yeah, the crew won the “Golden Silver Brush” not long ago, I said.
We finished the tour just in time for lunch and after lunch we had the fire drill and at 1430 the Coast Guard left the ship. They were very satisfied with the ship and we got no remarks at all. Well, one, the fire drill had been very good.Tuesday 26 th of February 2008 and I woke up at 0615. I had expected a wakeup call from the
CCR around 6 for the 1 hour notice. I called CCR first thing and asked when we expected to be ready with the loading.- Between 10 and 11, 3rd Officer said.
I called HP in Sweden, my order had been cancelled due to some problem.
- There are so many facts that don't pass our check in the order, he said to me on the phone.
He could not say what. But I had to give him my old address in Sweden. I don't even remember the address, I have not been in Sweden for a very long time and I'm not sure of my address. I had to give him my credit card number again.
- Your card doesn't pass!
What the...!!?? I called my bank and all the information I had given to HP had been correct.
When I should call back to HP I could not connect. No more money on the phone and I had to get on internet to refill my phone. When I was connected to HP I had spent 100 dollars on the phone. This time my card passed at HP.
- What the...!!?? This is exactly the same information I gave you on the internet when I ordered the lap top.
Well, now I hope I can get my computer. HP asked if I could use another credit card. I have VISA and AMEX as well, but I can imagine using them that the whole thing would have ended up with me receiving 3 lap tops.
- NO! I want to use my MasterCard and according to EuroCard the card is good, I told HP.
I'm off to my GOOD MORNING tea and I hope we will be leaving in the afternoon.
We completed loading at 1025 and that was in the nick of time. There were 2 SNICKERS left in
the CCR and I had been watching them all morning.Home going Captain had been hovering over the by then 4 SNICKERS on the desk in the CCR. He gave 3rd Officer a quick order.
- Make sure Aladdin stays away from the SNICKERS!
- AYE AYE! SIR!
When I was back in the CCR there was only 2 SNICKERS left on the desk and when I went to bed yesterday there was a bag full of SNICKERS.
I went for lunch while the Surveyor finished his stuff in my office and it was the last lunch for
home going Captain. He will leave with a boat after departure because we're not allowed to go ashore at this terminal.Well, Pilot is ordered for 1430 and it will be nice to leave this place behind and I have no wish to be back soon. It will take us 7 hours or something like that before we will leave the Pilot and Mississippi behind.
I spent the afternoon in my cabin listening to internet
radio while waiting for the Pilot. Our Agent was onboard at 1330 and I went down to finish the paper work. Finish the paper work, back to my cabin to finish my almost empty diet drink. Grabbing a new diet drink in my fridge and we're pretty much ready to leave for Mexico.
We left at 1502 without the home going Captain. He went ashore with the Agent. He had been onboard waiting for 3 days all for noting. He was allowed to leave when we arrived, but the Agent didn't f@cking bother telling us that. Gulf Inland, New Orleans has so far been the worst I have experienced. No information they had provided us with had been correct. The company losing money, but if someone onboard spend 5 cent extra it don't take long before we receiving complaints. Expensive Agent walking around with his thumb up his arse doing noting and I really hope they don't use this Agent again.
Steaming down Mississippi
Wednesday 27 th
of February 2008
and it was a sunny but windy morning. But it was tail wind so it was very pleasant on deck. My GOOD MORNING tea and my “Oatmeal Surprise”®
was even more pleasant and I was in a good mood when I went to my officer to do the cargo planning.When I was finished with the cargo planning I started with the CDI questionary. It looks like we will have a CDI inspection next time in US and I spent the rest of the day with the questionary. Don't worry, there is enough to last me a full day tomorrow as well. We remember when I handed
the questionary to our trainee Chief Officer.- Work with this for a week before asking me any questions!
- YES SIR!
- This will be good training for you before relieving me!
- YES SIR!
- You will learn how to find a whole lot of stuff!
- YES SIR!
- Come to me in a week if you have any questions!
- YES SIR!
After dinner I was off to deck for a constitutional. Nice to be back in the track after a few days
with cold weather and reading books, watching movies and stuff instead of power walking on deck. Soon time to go home and we have to look good.I felt good after my constitutional, well, almost so good I was ready to bring out the TRUCK SCALE. But again, maybe worth wait a while. I don't want to push it. But my once so small T-shirt looks like a night gown on me.
Thursday 28 st of February 2008 and this was supposed to be the last day in February. Well, never mind, I was in a good mood when I swung myself out of the bed just after 7. A snus and a
shower and I was ready for the day's first diet drink.I was in a good mood because I knew I had a full day with the
CDI questionary so the time will turn quick. Not like the days when you don't have much to do and the tedium stretches time like rubber band. OK, there is always time to
check on our Cook and usually there is tasters, but now I cranked up my diet to full force so I turn down the tasters. Our Cook is impressed every time I turn down food.After lunch I spent time doing a new sample log. The old one doesn't have entries when we disposed the samples. I also threw away our sample labels and from now on I will only mark the bottles with a number using a marker pen. The labels tend to fall off after a while and you have no clue what's in the bottles.
Fresh bread, Captain and Chief Engineer is measuring the bread when they leave the mess room
and you don't need too much imagination to understand who got the blame when there is a mm or two missing. But today I caught our Cook.We were drinking tea in the day room and I went to the crew's mess room to inform them that it will be Pilot at arrival to Pajaritos. When I came back I saw our Cook in our mess room with a knife slicing bread.
- WHAT THE ....!!??
I grabbed our Cook in the neck and the waist and I threw him in to the dayroom.
- Here's the guy eating the bread and not me! I screamed to Captain and Chief Engineer.
But our Chief Engineer told me that he didn't believe me.
- You left the day room just to tell our Cook to take some bread. And then you should catch him!
- I can't believe this! I said rolling my eyes.Well, Pilot at 2100 and I'm off to my shower. Been busy with cargo calculation, we got inquiries about Caustic from US to Brazil. I hope they cancel that cargo and we go to Beaumont for a full cargo of Gasoline.
Friday 29 th of February 2008 and we were ready with paper work and calculation just before 1 o'clock and I went to bed for a power nap. They expect it to take 2 hours for the analyze of the cargo before we can start discharging.
I woke up at 0830 when 3rd Officer called me.
- The garbage man is onboard! Do we have any more mooring ropes to throw away?
- Ugh, what? I asked peering at my alarm clock.0830, what I'm I doing in my bed at 0830 dead tired? Then I remembered, we're waiting for lab analyzes and I didn't turn on my alarm clock. Expecting to be up at 0300. Yeah, at 1235 we commenced discharging and I could spend the rest of the afternoon calculating Caustic cargoes.
Finally, February has come to an end and we swing right over to March 2008
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 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.
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คุณพูดภาษาไทยได้ไหม ไม่มีปัญหา ถ้าคุณต้องการไปหน้าถัดไป ให้กดปุ่ม “Next”
ข้างบนนี้
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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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