Maritime Resource Management course, IMO Model 1.22 + IMO Model 1.39 at Reval Safety Training, Tallinn

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.

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? Pas de problème! Pour arriver à la page suivante faites s'il vous plaît un déclic le bouton “Next” ci-dessus!

Haga usted dice el español? No hay problema! Ver la siguiente página sólo hacer clic el botón “Next” encima!

Farla parla l'italiano? Non problemi! 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? 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.

Monday 10 ^th of June 2024 and I finish my breakfast 25 minutes after 8 o'clock. The bus from Reval Safety Training Center is waiting for me.

There is another guy joining the bus, but he is not on my training. It takes 15 to 20 minutes to reach the training center.

I meet my Teacher and it turns out that I am alone in my class, very good. Alone in the simulator and no need for a lot of coffee breaks so I can complete the course at 15:00 on Thursday.

I need to get on the ferry so completing the course at 3 o'clock will be perfect.

Computer based training

Computer based training

We will spend the day with computer based learning and it was 2 and a half hours of reading from a computer screen. What a waste of time this was.

And there were 23 different computer based training (CBT) things I have to do. The course should be 5 days, 40 hours. We will do bridge simulator for the next three days and the CBTs is 20 hours ++

And on top of that I had to do 5 case studies about accidents. This is not my first BRM course, but I have never experienced something like this. I will complain tomorrow, the CBT is several working hours.

Lunch in my room, cheese and ham with tea. I have found a Samsonite shop in Tallinn so I go to buy a new cover for my bag. Thai Airways lost my cover so I need a new cover.

The Samsonite shop is located at a huge shopping mall, Ülemiste. It is about 20 minutes to drive from the hotel.

I bought some groceries and 9 bottles of MAX so I have something to enjoy during the simulator training at Reval Safety Training Center. Estonia, I guess this is the riches country out of the three Baltic States.

Latvia and Lithuania, looks like coming back to the Soviet Union era. Poor roads and the housing are still Soviet style, typical Eastern European. But everywhere I have been in Estonia it is new roads and the house looks good.

Driving through Tallinn

Driving through Tallinn

Driving through Tallinn

Driving through Tallinn

Driving through Tallinn

Back in my room and I spent the rest of the day with my CBT training. Hour after hour of watching courses on the computer. This cannot be correct and I will discuss this with the training center tomorrow. And I am not in a good mood.

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Tuesday 11 ^th of June 2024 and we leave the hotel at 8 thirty and I am alone in the van today. We park at Reval Maritime & Officer Training center 10 minutes later.

My teacher was on the bridge simulator when I arrived quarter to 9. I had promised him my Trump Cap when I go home on Thursday. But I decided to give him the cap today.

He is happy with his new cap

Approaching Gibraltar Strait

We will do simulator training all day long. We start by entering the Strait of Gibraltar and then we move over to Singapore. Coming from the East and going in to a container terminal.

I come along side in Singapore and then I spend the rest of the day in Singapore. Shifting between the berths running back and forth, going astern and ahead, and sometimes sideways.

I really don't want to spend the whole days at the training center. I am the only one at this course and I will not have any breaks and we can finish earlier.

Otherwise, there are coffee breaks all the time and it is a waste of time.

Reval Safety Training, Tallinn

Listen to the Great Tit

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Remarks from the Recordist

Recorded with my mobile phone using the Merlin app. High Pass Filter applied with Audacity

Two adults bringing food to the nest. And it is the babies we can hear on the recording. Common Chiffchaff can be heard as well.

No breaks, well, I am old and after having sit down I have pain in my knees so it takes a few minutes of walking before I can walk without pain. So, we have two breaks for a couple of minutes and I walk around looking for birds on the training center.

I see two Great Tits bringing food to a nest on the roof to the reception and I make a recording of the babies.

Well, we finish the exercises at 3 o'clock but I cannot go home until 4 o'clock. My driver is assisting in a fire fighting drill and he will not be available before 4 o'clock.

Fire fighting drill

We leave Reval Marine & Offshore Training at 4 o'clock and I tell the driver that there is no need to pick me up at the hotel tomorrow morning. I will drive my rented car tomorrow so I will not be dependent on any driver.

I have tea and cheese when I am back in my room where I spend the rest of the evening. I complete my last Computer Based Training that is required to pass the BRM course.

In bed at 8 o'clock and I am up to record the Herring Gull outside my window.

Listen to the Herring Gull

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Remarks from the Recordist

Recorded with my mobile phone using the Merlin app. High Pass Filter applied with Audacity

11 o'clock in the evening outside my hotel room. This is the sound I fall asleep too, and it is also the sound I wake up to.

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Wednesday 12 ^th of June 2024 and I will drive my rented car to the training center today. Usually I go for breakfast at 8 and I go to get the van to the training center outside the restaurant at 8 thirty. Today I went for breakfast at 7 o'clock.

I have a record-breaking quick breakfast and I take off. I drive past Reval Maritime & Offshore Training Center continuing towards Pikakari to have a look for birds.

Tallinn seen from Pikakari

Common Gulls

It is a rainy morning, pretty much been raining non-stop since I arrived to Tallinn. I have a look at the first parking and I see a couple of Common Eiders and one Grey Heron.

There are also Common and Herring Gulls. I continue to the pier and I park the car. The rain has turned in to a drizzle and I walked towards the pier.

There was a group of German bird watchers arriving and I asked if they had seen the Grey Heron.

Common Tern

Grey Heron

The Grey Heron is there again, this time the bird is closer to me so I try to take a picture. There is a Common Tern landing on the rail and I get a picture. They are flying around all the time so they are next to impossible to get on pictures.

Walking out on the pier, there is a guy fishing and I say “Good Morning”

There is a small tree/ bush and I see two birds flying in and out all the time. They must have a nest and I sit down on a bench to see if I can see the birds.

I discover that it is a pair of Great Tits flying in and out. Coming in carrying food for the babies in the nest that I cannot see.

Great Tit

Sand Martin

Sand Martin

Sand Martin

Listen to the Artict Tern

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Remarks from the Recordist

Recorded with my mobile phone using the Merlin app. High Pass filter applied with Audacity

Strong wind and I have tried to remove most of the wind noise

Listen to the Sand Martin

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Remarks from the Recordist

Recorded with my mobile phone using the Merlin app. High Pass filter applied with Audacity

Flying around the pier. Strong wind and I have tried to remove most of the wind noise

There are Sand Martins flying around the pier. I think it is Barn Swallows, but getting a picture and it is Sand Martins.

They are making sound when they are flying around making some kind of flight call and I try to record the birds.

Arctic Terns, ID by my Merlin app. Recording the bird with the Merlin app and the app ID the birds it can hear. It is windy so there is a lot of wind noise on the recordings. But I kept on of the Arctic Tern and the Sand Martin.

Driving back to Reval Maritime & Offshore Training Center, a two minutes’ drive, and I arrive quarter to 9 o'clock.

I walk around looking for birds and I can make two more recordings. And I get pictures of two soaking wet birds. The Great Tit bringing food for the babies I recorded yesterday.

Lesser Whitethroat

Lesser Whitethroat

Great Tit bringing food for babies

Listen to the Common Gull

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Remarks from the Recordist

Recorded with my mobile phone using the Merlin app. High Pass filter applied with Audacity

Flying over the training center. We can hear on Common Chiffchaff in the back

Listen to the Lesser Whitethroat

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Remarks from the Recordist

Recorded with my mobile phone using the Merlin app. High Pass filter applied with Audacity

Sitting in a pine tree and we can also hear the Great Tit babies begging for food from their nest

We spend the day running the bridge simulator. I had brought one Estonian sausage for a snack and I am set to kick behind in the simulator.

Going back to my hotel and I try to visit another eBird hotspot but there is no access with the car so I give up. I try Tallinn Port, another eBird hotspot. It is pouring down when I get out to make a recording of the Eurasian Blue Tits taking cover in the bushes.

I spot one Little Ringed Plover, and even though I took a heap of pictures none of them turned out good and this was a wee bit disappointing.

No end to the raining
c

Listen to the Eurasian Blue Tit

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Remarks from the Recordist

Recorded with my mobile phone using the Merlin app. High Pass filter applied with Audacity

It was raining and the bird took cover in the vegetation. We can also hear a crow in the recording.

Little Ringed Plover

There is one Common/Arctic Tern, impossible to see the difference without picture. I got a picture before the bird took off. But it went straight to the garbage.

Lunch at the hotel before I returned to my room where I spent the rest of the day. My last day tomorrow and if it is good weather, I will skip the hotel breakfast, they have excellent bread and sausages. And of course, Earl Grey tea

But if the weather is good, I will leave early to go have a look for birds before my last day at Reval Maritime & Offshore Training Center.

+++++++++++++++
Sunday 10 ^th of June 2024 and I leave my room around 6 thirty, blue sky and sunshine. I start at the eBird app at 06:38 at the eBird hotspot: Tallin Port

Well, during the few minutes it took me to drive to the port the sky turned from blue to black and it was raining.

I spotted a couple of terns in the marina and these were ID as Common/Arctic Tern. But I got a picture of one sitting down. No black on the tip of the bill so I knew that was an Arctic Tern.

Arctic Tern

Listen to the Common Whitethroat

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Remarks from the Recordist

Recorded with my mobile phone using the Merlin app. High Pass Filter applied with Audacity.

I did not see the bird even though it was sitting next to the car.

I recorded one Common Whitethroat before leaving. I will make my way to the Pikakari at the training center. Passing the eBird hotspot: Lennusadam Seaplane Harbor one the way. So I will stop there to have a look.

Starting the eBird app at 06:56. 5 minutes after turning it off at Tallinn Port. The first bird was a Common Gull and a little later there were 2 crows.

A wee bit disappointed, but I found my way down to the water front and there were quite a few birds. Goosanders flying around and it looked like they were attending nests.

Hooded Crow

Hooded Crow

Herring Gull

Northern Wheatear

Northern Wheatear

There was a lot of other small birds as well, Great Tits attending nests. But I never reported the birds as I was not 100% sure about the ID, they were moving very quick.

Next stop is the Pikakari and this will be the last stop before going to the Reval Maritime & Offshore Training Center for my last training day.

I start the eBird app at 07:31, 23 minutes after having turned it off back at the eBird hotspot: Lennusadam Seaplane Harbor

At the first parking lot, and it is the same birds as yesterday, eiders, gulls and the Grey Heron. But there was a Mute Swan family with two babies.

Parking at the other parking lot and I walk out on the pier. Sunshine, but darn, it is cold in the wind and I hurried back towards the car.

Sand Martins, terns and gulls exactly like yesterday. I did not bother making any recordings today. Too much wind.

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

I spot one Eurasian Tree Sparrow carrying food coming back to the parking lot, so there is obviously a nest in the vicinity. I go out towards the woods to seek refugee from the wind.

There was a huge group with starlings and I spotted two dunnocks. There was one Northern Wheatear but it was very far away.

Covered from the wind and I enjoyed the sunshine sitting on a bench looking for birds. I could hear one Yellowhammer singing and I tried to make a recording.

I kept the recording even though there was a lot of wind noise.

Listen to the Yellowhammer

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Remarks from the Recordist

Recorded with my mobile phone using the Merlin app. High Pass Filter applied with Audacity.

Singing bird, but very strong wind at the water front.

Time to get to Reval Maritime & Offshore Training Center and my last training day. Arriving quarter to 9 and we had soon started the first exercise. I chose a small ship with only one bow thruster. No fancy stuff, then it is too easy.

And I left the jetty, turned around to come alongside again. Chief Engineer had told me that the bow thruster did not work. At least this is what I told my Teacher when he asked why I did not use the bow thruster.

Bridge simulator in Tallinn

Bridge simulator in Tallinn

Bridge simulator in Tallinn

The ferry to Stockholm leaves at 18:00 so I kill some time driving around north of Tallinn looking for birds. I am at the ferry terminal at 3 o´clock and the ferry to Helsinki is leaving at 16:30 so the terminal is full of cars and trucks bound for Helsinki.

I drive to a parking lot and I wait there for an hour before going back to the terminal.

I see our ferry from the parking

Waiting at the check-in gates

The gates are still open for the ferry to Helsinki, but they are soon closing. After a while the signs over the check-in gates changed from Helsinki to Stockholm

They opened the check-in after a few minutes but the mobile home in front of me did not move. I put my car in reverse and there was a small “BUMP” I had hit the car behind me.

I went out to have a look, no damage. We had just touch each other. But we made an accident report just in case and I will hand over this report when I return my rented car tomorrow.

I checked-in and I went to lane #16 where I had to wait for a few minutes before it was time to roll onboard Baltic Queen.

Waiting to drive on board

Driving on board

Driving on board

Driving on board

Parking my car and I walk up to deck 5. I tried the elevator, but there are so many passengers using the elevator so it was the stairs.

Finding my room, this time I asked for a room forward of the ship, far away from the disco. But the girl in the check-in had told me that I had booked a “noisy” room.

I had never heard or seen anything about any “noisy” room when I did the booking. But the girl gave me a room on the 5th floor.

This is one floor below the deck I had when I travelled to Tallinn. So it willhopefully be quieter than last time.

My room until we reach Sweden

I can see Tallinn from my room

Departing from Tallinn at 18:00 and I can see Tallinn disappearing behind us from my room. Spending the night in my room and I go to bed at 8 o'clock.

It was quiet, but not easy to sleep on the bed, not very comfy and that’s even though I had taken the pillows from the other beds in the room.

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Friday 14 ^th of June 2024 and I wake up at 5 thirty, this is 4 thirty Swedish time. 6 hours to go. I enjoyed a MAX while enjoying the views from my window.

One hour later we passed the first island in the Archipelago of Stockholm.

I discover an gorgeous morning through my window

05 thirty and we enter the Archipelago of Stockholm

I am on deck at 6 o'clock

I see one eagle from my room

I go on deck at 6 o'clock, of course, the sun disappears and it is gloom and grey for long as I can see. And it is very cold in the wind.

The restaurant open at 6 thirty and I go inside to wait for the breakfast to open. The breakfast is very good and I leave for my room after an hour. Making a tour to deck on the way, but it is still too cold.

I went to my cabin and I spent the rest of the time there, one hour half asleep and the last hour was spent in my sofa. 30 minutes before arrival and I left my room. I have the arrival to Tallinn fresh in mind.

They had to call me on the PA system and I was last car off the ship.

So I left my room and I go down to the car deck and the door is open to car deck. I was a little bit surprised as they had announced that they will open the doors 15 minutes before arrival.

I waited in my car and I could see the other passengers arriving to their cars. There were not many cars on the car deck.

Waiting for arrival sitting in my car

I drive off the ferry

The weather was as I had expected, rain, sunshine and drizzle. Well, this is my last day in Europe so never mind, the first 10 days in the middle of May was excellent. Then it had been nothing but gloom and grey.

There had not been many cars on the ferry so I was surprised to run in to a queue of cars. We moved very slowly and I wondered what was going on.

After a while I could see that there were custom officers checking all the cars. I was surprised, we are in the European Union and there should be no custom check.

Driving towards the custom

Driving towards the custom

What theare the custom and police running around here for? The country has gone down the drain and this is what they spend their time on.

- Are you coming from Finland or Estonia?
- Tallinn
- What have you done in Tallinn?
- Attending a course
- An exciting course?
- Yes

He was looking in the car all the time and he asked what it was in the bottle. I told him it was e-liquid and he said good bye.

Coming out from the terminal and I was straight on the highway and I rolled up at my brother's house quarter past 4 in the afternoon. My brother had a friend visiting and we fired up the BBQ. I had to leave at 5 thirty so I could return my rented car.

I took a taxi from AVIS to Marina Plaza hotel where I will spend the night. I booked a taxi to Kastrup International Airport for tomorrow and it is time to go back to Bangkok.

Click HERE to find out if I make it to the flight in time.

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