Aladdin's long struggle against obesity and baldness continues onboard M/T Maersk Cassandra

“The postings on this site are my own and don't represent Maersk Group's position, strategies or opinions. All views are my own”

February 2012

Wednesday 1 ^st of February 2012 and I started my day and the month of February by “pop” open a Diet MAX as soon as I had turned off my alarm clock. The hot water is back so it was almost 8 when I was down in the mess room. I should have an alarm clock that was connected to the shower, if there is hot water the alarm should go off 15 minutes earlier.

Bosun and 1 AB were going to repair the grab line around the life boat and the rest of the deck crew would help Pump Man to remove the X-over valve on #3 cargo line.

The guys left for deck and I started to prepare work permit for our Bosun and one of the ABs. They were going to repair the grip line that we have around our life boat. And as the life boat is secured in the davit the need a working aloft permit.

Repairing the grab line around the life boat

Repairing the grab line around the life boat

They had to make some new holders and we would continue after the coffee break. I spent the coffee break in my office doing paper work and our Pump Man came by.
- The valve in #3 X-over is back at place.
Finally, some good news, I would have gone crazy if I was brought any more bad news about things not working.
- OK, great, let's pressure test the darn valve.
I told our Bosun that he and the AB had to work by themselves while we were pressure testing the x-over valve. Our Pump Man pressurised the manifold and cargo line #3. And I was disappointed, we had open to cargo line #4 and the pressure rose as quick in cargo line #4 as in #3.
- MOTHERF@CKER!!!

I was furious, but we tried to close the valve with an extension pipe and we pressure tested it again. No leaks and we took the opportunity to check all the valves in the x-over. Well, we couldnot test #2 because we have gasoline on that cargo line. But #1 ,3 and 4 was OK and I was in a good mood. Now we only have to test the valve when the gear box is back.

We finished the pressure test just in time for lunch and I managed to finish my Thai books during the lunch break. Good, now I can forget about the books until tomorrow lunch.

I did my cargo sequence plan after lunch and then I prepared a Gas Detection Training Log. I will show our 2nd Officers how the gas detectors work at 4 o'clock on the bridge.

I asked our 2nd engineer to join us but he didn't have time. I brought the stuff to the bridge and I put 3 different gas detectors on the table together with 4 different bottles of sample gas. I alsohad test tubes and a pump for the test tubes. Captain had explained the difference between %VOL and LEL% a few days ago. So I expected this to be a quick lesson. I told the guys that they had 1 minute to pick one gas detector and the right bottle of sample gas that would go with the detector of their choice.

I told them that there would be a nice prize for the first correct detector and gas bottle brought to me. Theguys turned crazy as soon as I mentioned the prize and they threw themselves over the gas detectors and gas bottles.

The first guy brought 2 different gas detectors and 2bottles with gas. I only asked for 1, but he took 2 and they were both correct so he won the prize.

- What is that?
- It is a filifjonk!
- How does it work?
- Push the red button and there is a green light saying “Filifjonk”
- Thank you!
Most of the time the guy will be back after a week or so and ask the same question again. Yes, I'm teaching and I'm the one asking the questions. Many times I have had people giving up trying to learn with me. But I have had more people thanking me for using my teaching technique.
- What is that?
- Yeah, what do you think?
(1) - I can never ask you anything!
(2) - Hmm, maybe it is a .....
- How does it work?
- Yeah, what do you think?
(1) - I can never ask you anything!
(2) - Hmm, here is a scale... hmm....and here is a hose... and a button.. can it be....?

As I use to tell them, you will thank me when you sign off. Now you learn to think and I guide you. Next time you might be alone and there is no one to ask.
- What is this?
- Think about it for 15 minutes, then come and ask me again
(1) - Asshole! I can never ask you anything!
(2) - OK
The guy coming back after 15 minutes has figured it out, in many cases. And he has learnt something. And even the guy that didn't figure it out learns something. And I'm so happy when Ihave Cadets signing off coming to me.
- Thank you Aladdin! I learnt a lot.
Same on Ternvik last summer. One of the guys was veryangry at me because I never gave him any answers, but when he left he told me that he had learn lot thanks to my teaching technique.

But today I was up to a challenge, I had to teach in English and English is not my strongest number. So I got many strange answers because of my English

Aladdin's gas detector school with Captain and Chief Engineer onboard M/T Ek Star

Aladdin's gas detector school with Captain and Chief Engineer onboard M/T Ek Star.
Look how serious these guys are, taking notes and stuff.

Yes, Aladdin's gas detector school on the bridge and I was reminded of when I was training Captainand the Chief Engineer onboard M/T Ek Star back in 2010. Or was it 2009?

And look at those guys going, taking notes. That's the spirit we're looking for. Can't say that there wasanyone taking notes during today's lesson on the bridge.

But the spirit was high, at least most of the time. And we managed to go through all our gas detectors and the stuff that comes with them. We had been going for about one and a half hour and it wasalmost time for dinner when we were ready on the bridge.

And of course, before we finished everyone hadwon a prize, that is how Aladdin operates.

Our 2nd Officer on watch had to stay on the bridge, but the other 2 helped me to take down the equipment and they could sign the Gas Detection Training log in my office. I had time to go on deck to see how the work with the gear box on the x-over valve proceededbefore going for dinner.

Latest news is for us to go alongside on the 5th of February so we will have a few days extra on the anchorage. I don't mind, but we're running out of coffin nails. Well, this might be a great opportunity to give up.

Our dinner is something I want to forget as soon as possible. It went pretty good all the way until I stepped in to the mess room. I have discovered an excellent sweet chilli sauce from Malaysia and now I soak everything in this chilli sauce. And as youunderstand sweet chilli sauce and black bread is not a combination I'm dreaming of so the black bread is forgotten for now.

My hope is that we will run out of this sweet chilli sauce very soon so I can go back to the black bread and tea again. And of course, the strawberry with a kilo of chocolate sauce and whipped cream didn't make anything to make me feel better.

Captain turned bananas when I brought my strawberry (and a kilo of chocolate sauce and whipped cream on top) to the table.
- Where is your camera??!! You must have a picture for your web page!
Of course, he didn't get my camera. But I was chasing him with the camera so he didn't dare taking as much ice cream as he wanted. And he didn't want to take any whipped cream as long as I was around with my camera.
- HA HA!! Now I'm off to my cabin to update my web page!!!

+++++++++++++++
Thursday 2 ^nd of February 2012 and I had a good night's sleep, well, good sleep but short. It was almost 1 o'clock when I went to be, but never the less, I sprung out of bed at 7 thirty. 2 fags anda Diet MAX before I had my shower. Hot water so it was almost 8 o'clock before I wasin my office for the good morning “PEP” meeting.

One AB on greasing detail and 1 AB and 1 OS on painting detail. Our Bosun and Pump Man would continue with the x-over valve on cargo line #3. The valve is OK, but we need a gear box. And we were lucky, they found a new gear box in the engine department and we could pressure test the valve. Good news, it was working and our Bosun and Pump Man started to overhaul the valve that was removed from cargo line #3.

We will use this valve on the #1 x-over. The valve on #1 x-over is just repaired with steel putty. Great, that's the spirit we're looking for. Just cover the shit with steel putty and leave the shit to the next crew joining the ship. Yeah, this is the problem in Maersk. New people joining the ship all the time and it is amentally of “I will only be here for 3 months and thenI f@ck off out of here to join another ship next time” .

Well, I went down to the engine work shop to monitor the progress with the valve. Bosun and Pump Man were kicking behinds with the valve. I could hear them chipping the valve on deck when I was on deck to check the progress of the painting. Good, this valve willhopefully soon be replacing the STEEL PUTTY valve on #1 x-over.

New message from our Agent and it looks like we will get the pilot at 16:30 on the 5th of February. Captain told me that I had to behave nicely when we came alongside
- Why?
- I have some relatives that will come to visit
- GREAT!! Ask them to bring 6 cases of Diet MAX

Yeah, just what I need, another 6 cases of vitamin drinks. It willhopefully last me until Singapore. And yet again, I managed to finish my Thai books during the lunch. So I can concentrate on having a good time during the night.

I asked one of the OS to cup brush and paint the isolation valve to CT 5 with primer after lunch.Then he will be able to put a blue coating on the valve before 5 o'clock. They are normally working until 6, but there is some END OF THE MONTH papers to sign so they will finish at 5 o'clock.

And of course, when the crew is not around I don't need to keep an eye on them so I went for a shower and a change of clothes before dinner. I also had time to visit AMEX on internet. This was no fun reading. A dew Diet MAX and the darn shaving kit and suddenly I had spentthousands of dollars.

I could not believe it, I went ashore for just a few hours and, well, I checked the statement and it was all correct. Iguess that I don't think about it when I pay with the card, but looking at the statement, 2 pages and suddenly a Diet MAX has turned in to a lot of money.

But I don't need to buy any more shaving kits for the rest of my life. And that reminds me, yet another thing I can put on my list of things that“I will never have to do in my life again”
1) Buy shaving soap
2) Buy socks
3) Buy a shaving kit (new item)

Of course, there are I few items I WISH I could put on my list of things that “I will never have to do in my life again”, but that's another story.

I was back in my cabin around 7 twenty. I had to take yet another pressure reading in our cargo tanks for the Annual Vapour Tightness Certificate. I had tried during the day, but the vapourpressure increaseddue to the sunny weather. So evening time was perfect and when I checked the pressure 10 minutes before 8 o'clock the pressure had decreased with 8 mm WG, the same as nothing.

I went to Captain's cabin to see how he was. I was on my way up the stairs when I heard him screaming of joy.
- What the? Did he win the lottery?
Well, turned out that the repair men that were going to repair our hull hadn't got any visa to Australia so they could not join us. I was happy, this work was nothing I had been looking forward to.

+++++++++++++++
Friday 3 ^rd of February 2012 and I woke up around 6 o'clock. I had been sleeping since 11 o'clock yesterday evening so I found it hard to fall asleep again. But I did after a while, but I woke upagain at 6 thirty. I was asleep when my alarm went off at 7 thirty and I had got plenty sleep.

I turned off my alarm and I popped open a Diet MAX and I lit up a good morning fag.

I had time for a sip of Diet MAX when I came down to the mess room before going for the good morning “PEP” meeting in my office. Pump Manand Bosun would continue with the valve and one of the ABs would grease. Rest of the guys (two) would continue with the chipping and painting.

I returned to the day room and yet another coffin nail when the guys left for deck. I popped open a new Diet MAX and I enjoyed myself while pestering Captain when he had his breakfast.When he finished his breakfast we went on deck to check our cargo samples. I have made a cargo sampling log and I want to throw away all the samples we had when I joined the ship in Korea.

When I have poured all the old cargo samples in the ROT tank we only have the samples I have taken, numbered and logged so when Inspectors coming and asking about our samples everything isship shape. Almost like a Swedish flagged vessel, yeah, like I'm used to have it.

We decided that we would throw away our samples when we leave Brisbane and we left the sample locker in the paint store. We have a life buoy outside the paint store and we checked out the new bags that they have made for the lines. Look darn good with the line in a bag instead of having it hanging from the buoy.

I made a video ( He begged me) of Captain when he threw the life buoy and it worked just beautifully. No hassle, the buoy flew away and the line paid out from the bag without any tangle.

Well, we were pretty satisfied when we walked back to the accommodation. We could hear the Flippers around the ship and I had a picture. Yes, it is nice to have them around and when I'm ondeck I can hear the Flippers blowing air. Most people like to watch the Flippers and the wild life. But very few people understand the connection between dumping garbage and destroying the environment and the vanishing wildlife around the globe.

But it is like the Flippers know that they are safe as long as they are playing and swimming close to Maersk Cassandra.
“Aladdin is onboard so no oil and garbage is thrown overboard”

Flippers playing around our ship
It is like they are thinking “Aladdin is onboard so no one dares to throw garbage overboard. The Greenpeace spirit”

Flippers playing around our ship
It is like they are thinking “Aladdin is onboard so no one dares to throw garbage overboard. The Greenpeace spirit”

Back in my office and I did the Vapour Tightness Certificate and our Captain and I signed the certificate before I put it in my binder. Bosun and Pump Man spent most of the day with our valve to #3 x-over. The last 3 bolts were stuck in the flange and they had to use a gas torch to be able to get them out. But they managed to get them out and we had one more lining for the valve. Now we have used all our spare lining so we need to order new spares.

I asked Captain to ask our Agent if he could arrange 12 M24 bolts, 220mm long for the valveso we can mount it on the
X-over on the way to Singapore. I can't wait to get the STEEL PUTTY valve and the darn bucket hanging under it away from deck, it looks
like a PanamaGreek ship. For sure nothing you should have to see in 2012.

When I was on my first ships it was a common sight, but that was 30 years ago and an oil spill was no problem as long as you had a bottle of vodka to give to the authorities. In East Germany it was OK with coffee.

But as you understand it is a different story today and with the upcoming vetting inspection we don't have any option, we must have a working valve. I had one OS to chip and paint our P/V valves so the watches can paint them during the night. They will also be busy

From: OASIS Aust Intl
Sent: 03 February 2012 06:47
To: master
Subject:

Captain,

Many thanks your call to Mr Jim

Please find attached quote for Pepsi Max

Kind Regards
Chris
Southern Cross

painting our foam monitors so they will look nice.

Captain was busy with our Agent. An emergency requisition of Diet MAX . But he wanted to send an e-mail to check out the price first.
- How much did you pay when you went ashore?
- 6 cases, 75 $ at the supermarket. At NightOwl, 75$ for 1 case.

I was on deck checking out the progress with the P/V valves when I heard Captain screaming from the bridge wing.
- What the
He got an reply and the price was 19,5$ for a case and he asked how many cases I wanted.
- 4
- OK, 4
- NO!! TAKE 5!!
- FIVE!!??
- YES!! BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY!! WE DON"T WANT TO RUN DRY IN A FEW DAYS!!!!

-----Original Message-----
From: Maersk Cassandra - Master
To: 'OASIS Aust Intl'
Cc: 'Maersk Cassandra - choff'
Date: Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:55:00 +0000
Subject: Maersk Cassandra : Additional items
FROM : M/T Maersk Cassandra

Good Day,

Well understood. You can proceed with purchase and delivery of the Pepsi max along with the bond and provision items.

Pls invoice pepsi max separately and payment will be made in case upon delivery.

Await your quote for the bolts.

Many thanks

Best Regards,

You see, no need for any radios. I was at the manifold and he was on the bridge wing and we were able to communicate without any radios. And this was a very important communication and we didn't want any misunderstandings. Maximum kick - no sugar.

I was in a good mood, 5 cases are going to be delivered in Brisbane. But will my Diet MAX last until then. Now it is changed from Sunday to Monday and good knows when we will come alongside.

But thinking of it,hmm, the longer we stay the better. I'm soon to sign off and the later we come to Singapore the greater chance I have to sign off in Singapore.

Our OS busy chipping and painting our P/V valves

Our OS managed to finish P/V valve 1 to 5 so the AB will paint the second coat of primer before midnight and then they will paint them black in the morning. We will take of P/V valve # 6 to 8 onthe way to Singapore for service so it will be a waste of time to paint them. This will be done after the service/inspection.

The watches will also paint our foam monitors during the night and the AB on the 4 to 8 watch started in the afternoon.

I made sure that the P/V valves would be ready before 6 o'clock and I gave the AB on the 4 to 8 watch instructions for the night and I left deck for the bridge.

Captain was on the bridge and he was busy taking pictures of me and the 2nd Officer. Then we went out on the bridge wing fora few pictures of the Flippersswimming around the ship.

We were watching the guys painting the last on deck before dinner and yet another day had come to an end. I had planned for a shower before dinner, but time passing by very quick and it was a just a few minutes before 6 when I left the bridge.

So it had to be a very quickshower. And I was late for dinner even though I was breaking speed records in the shower.

I was also breaking records at the dinner table, for the first time ever, I had 2 (TWO) buckets of Milo at the dinner. The first one with whipped cream, but I only had 2 pieces of chicken so it was not a bad dinner. If it wasn't for the darn Milo it would have been an EXCELLENT dinner!

Our Hero and our 2nd Officer
Picture by Captain

And when I checked my e-mail I discovered pictures from Captain, seems like he is back in his “Picture taking mood” and I will have to look out so I don't end up in any more pictures.

+++++++++++++++
Saturday 4 ^th of February 2012 and I was dead tired when I woke up, it was almost 3 o'clock before I managed to fall asleep. I popped open a Diet MAX before I looked out my window. It was a gorgeous morning and it looked like our foam monitors were ready. Nice, new freshly painted signal red foam monitors instead of the gloomy red we had when I went to bed yesterday.

Our foam monitors are ready

I was in the mess room 2 minutes before 8 and I had a quick fag while talking with our Captain and I was in my office at 8 o'clock for the good morning “PEP” meeting. The guys went on deck forpainting and Bosun and Pump Man got started with their weekly routines.

I opened a new Diet MAX when the crew left my office and I started to prepare my discharging plan. I had done the sequence plan and the narrative part of the cargo plan. But I needed to update my “Cargo Transfer Plan” binder with some information.

Last inspection in Brisbane and my cargo plan receiver yet another praise form an Inspector. The last Vettings I had done had been the same. But this time we got it in writing. Otherwise they just say that it is very good. Some vetting inspectors have also told me that it is the best they ever seen.

Our Inspection report from Brisbane

But they are very careful to put anything in writing. Well, any good remark is very very rare. Negative remarks are no problem for the Vetting Inspectors. But if they write anything good it islike they give their approval for something. And that's nothing anyone wants to have hanging over them if something going wrong in the future.

I usually have my cargo plan put together with staples and onboard M/T Maersk Cassandra we only have a stapler that manage to punch through 5 sheets of paper. Tops! And my cargo plan consists of plenty paper so I complained to ourCaptain and he came up with a brilliant idea.
- Try to use a binder!
- Motherf@cker!
We looked for a small binder, actually we were looking for 2 small binders. I need one for my “Cargo Transfer Plan” and one I can use as my “Posted in the CCR” binder. Put everything in a binder and we can get rid of all the shit that is posted on the bulkheads.

And I started with the job to make my “Posted in the CCR” binder today. It is quite fun and I learn a lot looking for the information.

But my Cargo Transfer Plans are pretty much the same I have used for several years already, and knock on wood, so far not a single complains. And what I like the most is to use the colour markers on my cargo plan.Yeah, reading through a heap of paper. So it is easier for them to read when I'm using colours and different fonts.

Well, anyway, I have used my plan and check lists for several years. Even in this company and when I came onboard here I recognised their cargo plans and check lists. Darn! This is the stuff I did in Broström back in the days. They had copied some of my lists.

And even though some of my stuff was in use they asked us to scan the cargo plan and send to the office. I don't like to send stuff to the office. I have done it before and as soon as they get their hand on things a good thing can turn in to a night mare.
Yeah, how many useless company made checklists and cargo plans do you think I have seen during my years? Many!

No, it is always better to do my own check lists and plans. I have SHIP SPECIFIC checklists and

-----Original Message-----
From: maropsmt
Sent: 28 January 2012 06:39
To: cassandra
Cc: tecmtpar
Subject: RE: Maersk Cassandra : Harbour Master's Inspection @ Brisbane

Good day,

Congrats on another good inspection after AMSA. Please create it as a terminal inspection in VIMS and export to us. Can you kindly send us scanned copy of the cargo plan, which was praised by the inspector?

Yours faithfully,

For A.P. Moller Maersk A/S
As agents to Owners

-----Original Message-----
From: Maersk Cassandra - Master
Sent: Saturday, January 28, 2012 1:25 PM
To: Marine Operations Maersk Tankers; Technical Fleet Groups Maersk Tankers Paris
Cc: Marine Operations Maersk Tankers
Subject: Maersk Cassandra : Harbour Master's Inspection @ Brisbane

FROM : M/T Maersk Cassandra

Good Day,

Pls find attached inspection report from PORT OF BRISBANE - HARBOUR MASTER'S OFFICE.

Inspection was of a minor nature and had only one complementary remark for chief officer's cargo plan.

Best Regards,

Master M/T MAERSK CASSANDRA

plans and I make new lists when I join my next ship. An excellent opportunity to learn the ship.

Well, our OS on painting detail was painting until 11 o'clock. The AB helping him finishedwork at 10 and when the next AB was coming at 11 they started to wash our tank deck.

While one of our OS and the AB was washing I had one OS to chip our P/V valves. Our Fitter was busy to repair our hydraulic pipe to the cargo pumps and mooring winches.

We will have an oil spill drill at 5 o'clock so they guyswill not be able to finish the washing today. But we will not go alongside until Monday morning so we have a full day for cleaning tomorrow and M/T Maersk Cassandra willhopefully look good when we're coming alongside on Monday morning.

Washing our deck

Washing our deck

I spent the afternoon in my office, but I had frequent visits to deck to see how things were going with the washing. I also had time to check out the engine store room for spares to our GRACOpump. At 5 o'clock we meet in my office and we held the oil spill drill.

Busted cargo pipe at the starboard manifold and the crew mustered and we were soon busy removing the cargo (sea water) from deck. We returned to my office after the drill and we held a table top MAIN ENGINE FAILURE drill.

When we were ready we only had one more drill to do before it was dinner, emergency towing. So we went to the poop deck to check out the emergency towing system.

And of course, I had a picture of the guys before we returned inside for dinner and ice cream.

3 guys without helmet

+++++++++++++++
Sunday 5 ^th of February 2012 and I woke up to a beautiful morning. Brisbane Bay was like a windmill pond. I had a shower after my good morning Diet MAX and I was in the mess room 5 minutes before 8 for a slice of sausage to enjoy with my Diet MAX before going to the good morning “PEP” meeting. Continue washing deck and our Bosun and Pump Man took care of our latest casualty on deck. One of the isolation valves between #2 cargo line and slop line.
The gear box seized and we need to see if they can repair the gear box.

Bosun and Pump Man trying to save our latest casualty on deck

I returned to the day room for a quick fag before going to deck to check out the progress with the isolation valve. Our 2nd Officer had is last fag from his last pack of cigarettes. He crumple up theempty pack and he put it on the table.
- EH EH EH!!
- What?
- We segregate plastic and paper. Even the
smallest piece of plastic has to be collected!!
He sprung out of the sofa and he pulled the plastic of the empty pack.
- That's the spirit!

I returned to my office and I got dressed in my helmet and safety shoes before going on deck to check out how things went with the isolation valve. The job was in good progress and I reallyhopethat it is only the gear box and not the valve that is busted.

We had a fire alarm just after 9 o'clock and we took the opportunity to have a fire drill. It was perfect, a false alarm, but no one know it was a false alarm and every one mustered at the fire stations. Smoke divers donned their smoke diving kit, by then weknew it was a false alarm, but we continued like it was for real. So it turned out to be a fire drill.

We had 2 smoke diving teams stand-by to enter the engine room and I had 2 guys doing boundary cooling on the poop deck.

We completed the drill and my guys could go back to their jobs on deck and I returned to my office. Yeah, there is always some important paper work for me to do at my office. Not to mention the music blasting high on the Richter scale.

The isolation valve seems to be working OK, but the gear box is beyond savour so we will have toopen and close the valve with a pipe wrench. Well, we're not using this valve so much so it is noproblem and we will manage until we get a new gear box.

I had one of our OS to wash deck and he will be joined by another AB after lunch. I was on deck after lunch and there was no water for them so I got, well, a wee bit pissed off. I told them to go in and clean their cabins or something. Then I went in to my office where our Bosun and Pump Man were making requisitions.
- You can as well go in, we continue tomorrow.
- But we need to finish this...

I went to my cabin and I turned on a movie and at 4 o'clock it was time for cabin inspections. When we were finished I returned to my cabin and the movie. I came 10 minutes late for dinner and Captain told me that he was about to send a search party to look for me. Pilot is ordered for 6 o'clock tomorrow morning, but I hope he will be an hour late. But 6 o'clock is OK and we have about 1 and a half hour to the jetty.

+++++++++++++++
Monday 6 ^th of February 2012 and I woke up at 6. We were leaving the anchorage and God, it will be nice to get out of here. Discharging the last cargo here in Brisbane and then we can leave Australia behind. I was in the CCR 20 minutes after 6 to get started with the emergency stops andthe pre arrival tests. I had prepared with some pre arrival tests yesterday because of the early morning berthing. But when I came down the CCR they told me that we had to drop anchor again due to a broken exhaust valve.

I could have stayed in bed instead of getting up at 6. Yeah, I went back to bed but I failed to fall asleep so I went back to my office. It was a beautiful morning and it is nice to have the extra time to scream at the crew and to prepare things.

I went to the fo'c's'le to have a few pictures of our Bosun and Russian 2nd Officer when theyheaved up our anchor around 9 o'clock. It was a very hot day and I was soon back in my office, not that it was much cooler in my office, but I dodged the sun.

I was on the bridge at 10 o'clock and I asked how long it was until we arrived.

Captain told me that it was another 40 to 50 minutes before we would arrive to Pacific Terminal up the River Brisbane.
- Good, I have time for a quick Diet MAX ! I'll be back soon.

I dashed off to my cabin and I popped open a Diet MAX and a second later Ihad my music blasting high on the Richter scale.

I didn't notice our 3rd Engineer coming in to my cabin until I saw something moving in the corner ofmy eye. I looked up and our 3rd Engineer was shaking his arse.
- YEAH! SHAKE IT BABY!!

I finished my Diet MAX and I returned to the bridge. We steamed up River Brisbane and we had 1st line ashore @ 11:00 at Pacific Terminal. I saw a Thai Airways plane land at the airport next to us. Good to know that there is a flight back to Bangkok if I would ever need to get home from Brisbane.

Here is one for Captain's wife

I was stand-by at the engine control next to the wheel and the helms man asked me what Oppsi Daisy means. I always say “Oppsi Daisy” or “EH EH EH” because I have given up my whistle. Yeah, Ifigured that if I gave up the whistle I would be spared from a crew trying to do the Aladdin special whistle.

So I do the “Oppsi Daisy” or “EH EH EH” instead and of course, it didn't take long before the crew started with the same. I could hear our Helms man saying “Oppsi Daisy” quiet for himself, repeating it over and over again all the time. And I was afraid that he was about to turn crazy
- Chief! What does “Oppsi Daisy” means?
- Ah, this is only for real men to use!

When he left the bridge I could hear him repeating “Oppsi Daisy” all the way down to main deck, 5 decks down. I could not help myself so I ran out to the staircase. And I screamed “Oppsi Daisy” after him. Never mind, he will sign off tonight so he will not drive me crazy with the “Oppsi Daisy”, but maybe his family and friends on the Philippines.

I will soon start to charge your wife for all the pictures!

We had all fast at Pacific Terminal at 11:48 and our Surveyor and Loading Master was onboard a few minutes after that. I had, of course, to make a new discharge plan. First we were supposed to discharge our gasoil and then the gasoline. But now they wanted the gasoline first.
Well, never mind, I had a new cargo plan ready in a few minutes.

We started discharging of the gasoline @ 14:06 and I had planned to do requisitions with our Pump Man. But we got stores and we had to postphone the requisitions. I wa son deck looking for my Diet MAX but I could not find them. I asked the crew if they had seen my sodas. No one had seen any Diet MAX .
- DARN!!

I was disappointed so when the ship chandler came onboard an hour later my mood turned from bad to very good.
- I have 5 cases of Diet MAX in my car!
- I will have my best man to go get them, I said.
Our OS had brought my Diet MAX to my office 10 minutes later. Now I have Diet MAX to last me until Singapore, or at least half way. Then I will go back to drink tea. And no Milo,hopefully.

Brisbane behind the airport from Brisbane River

Brisbane from Brisbane River

Brisbane from Brisbane River

We completed the gasoline parcel 18 minutes past 8 o'clock in the evening. Now they have to pig the shore line and then the shore crew will have their dinner before we can start to discharge the gasoil. Well, they told me that there would be a 6 to 12 hours stop on the gasoil parcel because of full shore tanks. But now it looks like we can discharge the gasoil in one pop.

+++++++++++++++
Tuesday 7 ^th of February 2012 and I was in the CCR until midnight thirty. Captain came back from shore around midnight and he had brought gifts.

Among the gifts was a stapler, or as he called it “A power stapler”
- Now you can staple inches of papers
- But now we have the motherf@cking binder!

He also brought a tool box with tools for my office, good, now I have screw drivers for my gasdetectors. And one of those “BIT” thingamabob so I can change the “BIT” thingamabobto a + or - screwdriver.

So don't be surprised if you will find Chief Officer come running down the tank deck with a toolbox one of these days. Well, 2 boxes of doughnuts, only 1 and a half remaining when I came down to the CCR.I call it sabotage.

Same with our Bosun when he came back earlier in the evening, he brought me a bag of snacks. And it was not RAP snacks.
- Do you hate me?
- Why you ask?
- Your trying to f@ck up my diet.

He had to leave the CCR with his snacks. Well, anyway, when I came down in the CCR this morning the doughnut boxes were empty. But they were still lying around. Strange, taking the last doughnut, but expecting someone else to take care of the garbage.

SABOTAGE!!

They called me quarter past 8. The discharging had been stopped since 6 thirty. The shore tanks were full and we could not continue until it was after 10 o'clock. We completed discharging at 13:18 and that was with yet another stop around 12 o'clock for change of shore tank.

Pilot was ordered for 2 o'clock, but they changed it to 15 thirty because of the last stop. Well,our Agent and Surveyor left us around 3 o'clock in the afternoon and that gave me about 20 minutes alone time in my cabin with a Diet MAX and a fag before departure.

No breakfast and no lunch so I was hungry and I made atoast before leaving for my cabin. Of course, nothingon the bread. I was thinking about having some Nutela but I skipped the idea. My best idea in a very long time, well, we will have to see for how long this last.

I went to the bridge at 3 thirty and our Pilot was onboard. We were only waiting for the tug boats.The AB that was going to take the wheel and steer the ship at departure was also on the bridge.

The tug boats arrived 10 minutes before and we started to single up the mooring lines a few minutes before 4 o'clock. Last line 16:06 and we're finally on our way and can leave Brisbane behind us. If we're not stopping to load on the way we will be in Singapore on the 20th or 21st of February. Of course, I wouldn't mind stopping to load on the way to Singapore and I can sign off end of February.

Departure from Brisbane, finally!

Departure from Brisbane, finally!

+++++++++++++++
Wednesday 8 ^th of February 2012 and I started my day by sorting out the document from lastdischarging in Brisbane. And what an opportunity to try my new “POWER” stapler.

Well, I asked the engine department to fire up an extra auxiliary engine. All for nothing, the staplerturned out to be a disappointment. It was a wee bit better than the one I have, 3 maybe 4 sheets more. But for sure the “POWER” stapler didn't manage to punch through any inches of papers.

When I finished my paper work I went on deck to see how it worked out for Pump Man to drain out drip tray in starboard side. I drained portside but as we had some oil on starboard side we needed to pump it to our slop tank.

Our Pump Man was going to repair the valve between the ROT and slop tank, but we soon gave up the idea. Captain wanted to blind the pipe between the ROT and slop. So we started to pump the water from the ROT to the slop tank and when this is readywe will force ventilate the ROT (Residual Oil Tank)

It was a beautiful day, but very hot. No wind, but some annoying swell so we were rolling slowly on our way towards Torres Strait and Singapore.

And as we were busy time turned quick and itwas soon time for lunch.

I managed to finish my Thai books before itwas time for me to go on deck with our 2nd Officer to make an oil spill equipment inventory.

Our Bosun prepared our test manometer and the air hose at the manifold so I could test our manometers when I was ready with the oil spill equipment. I will compare our manometers with our certified manometer and then I will know if the manometers are OK.

Our Bosun is soon signing off and he don't want to come home black

We started the ventilation in the ROT just before dinner and the fan will run during the night and the tank willhopefully be OK tomorrow.

I went to my cabin a few words on my web page after dinner and I watched a stupid movie after the shower. Yet another day has come to an end.

+++++++++++++++
Thursday 9 ^th of February 2012 and we started the day with the ROT. The tank was dry and gas free, but as soon as we poured down water the gasoline in the ooze at the bottom of the tankstarted to give of gas.

We flushed the bottom a few times and then we force ventilated the tank for a few hours. I went down the tank for the tank inspection at 3 o'clock and I was back up a wee bit later and our Pump Man entered the tank to blind the pipe between the ROT and SLOP tank.

There are 2 valves between the ROT and SLOP line that we have to open when we want to drop the SLOP from ROT to the SLOP tank. We wanted to blind the first one, but the second valve was leaking so there was gas coming from the SLOP tank. So we will have to come back when the SLOP tanks are gas free in a day or two.

Pump Man in the ROT

We wanted to transfer the slop to 1CT and clean our SLOP tanks before dinner. But it was not possible to open the discharge valve on the SLOP tank. I was down to the engine room to try to open the valve locally. But I failed and I guess that we will try tomorrow again before we start to do the tank cleaning. Then gas freeing and hot work on deck.

+++++++++++++++
Friday 10 ^th of February 2012 and we got right on with the tank cleaning. Well, preparation and wedidn't got started until 11:20. And the tank cleaning kept us busy the whole day

And of course, no lunch for me, or dinner, again. We finished the tank cleaning of the first 6 tanks around 12 thirty. Then we had to blow the lines and we had to transfer the slop to CT1 before we cleaned 6CT and SLOP tanks. We need to be gas free so they can do hot work around the slop tanks.

When they are ready we will transfer the slop from CT1 to SLOP Port and they can start repairingour hull when we arrive to Singapore.

It will be a full day ++ and this is when I have plenty other stuff to do. I need to find out why my domain www.aladdin.st is available. Most likely due to an unpaid bill, but I have not received any bi for my domain. Well, maybe they have sent it by mail to the address I gave them when I registered my domain. Yeah, good luck finding me at that place.

I registered my domain with WA-data back in 2001 or 2 but now it is a company called Bahnhof that is in charge. I don't know why they have changed the company.

It was dark when I finished for the day

I was back in my cabin around 8 o'clock and I tried to sort out my domain problem. Of course, now our internet was down, or very slow at best. And this is when I need it the most.Typing www.aladdin.st in the address bar and all I get is “Domain might still be available for registration”

Aladdin has millions of fans and this is what they will see. If Bahnhof or whoever is in charge fail to get www.aladdin.st back on track there might be a risk that the visitors stop dropping by. I mean, the “Domain might still be available for registration” page might be exciting the first time. Andhmm, maybe a second time. But after that they will find their way to some other online drivel. Worst case scenario: John B registers the domain!!

+++++++++++++++
Saturday 11 ^th of February 2012 and I was a wee bit tired when I woke up at 7 thirty. Of course, when I went to bed yesterday I suffered from a terrible cramp in my right leg. I was kicking and

Cramp

Causes of cramping include hyperflexion, hypoxia, exposure to large changes in temperature, dehydration, or low blood salt. Muscle cramps may also be a symptom or complication of pregnancy, kidney disease, thyroid disease, hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia or hypocalcemia (as conditions), restless-leg syndrome, varicose veins, and multiple sclerosis.

Electrolyte disturbance may cause cramping and muscle tetany, particularly hypokalaemia and hypocalcaemia. This disturbance arises as the body loses large amounts of interstitial fluid through sweat. This interstitial fluid comprises mostly water and table salt (sodium chloride). The loss of osmotically active particles outside of muscle cells leads to a disturbance of the osmotic balance and therefore shrinking of muscle cells, as these contain more osmotically active particles. This causes the calcium pump between the muscle lumen and sarcoplasmic reticulum to short circuit; the calcium ions remain bound to the troponin, continuing muscle contraction.

As early as 1965, researchers observed that leg cramps and restless-leg syndrome result from excess insulin, sometimes called hyperinsulinemia. Hypoglycemia and reactive hypoglycemia are associated with excess insulin (or insufficient glucagon), and avoidance of low blood glucose concentration may help to avoid cramps.

From Wikipedia

jumping on the leg but nothing helped so I decided to try to ignore the pain. Yeah, fat chance!

Well, it was nothing compared to when I woke up with a hangover force 9,8 with cramp in both of my legs. I couldnot move and throwing up was one of the priorities. But I could not move.

And it doesn't require very much imagination to picture the scene.

But I managed to get out of bed to turn off my alarm and I popped open a Diet MAX and I lit up a coffin nail while enjoying the view from my window. The Pacific Ocean, The Coral Sea as we're approaching Torres, was like a windmill pond and we had a blue sky. This means that it will be hot likeduring the day

I started the day by measuring the cargo tanks for gas.

The IG blower didn't do much and I told the guy to put 2 water driven fans in 7 and 8 CT and they were gas free 5 hours later and then we moved the fans to the SLOP tanks and at 5 o'clock SLOP Stb was gas free and we moved the fan to the ROT. I have been gas freeing Barcarolle more times than I care to remember and we never used the IG blower. 4 fans and we completed tank cleaningand gas freeing in 24 hours.

When I was ready with the gas measurements in the cargo tank I continued to measure the ballast tanks and void spaces for gas. I got a shock when I finished our starboard side and I walked over the fo'c's'le to get over to theport side. Our red deck was white of bird poo.I have never seen something like this before, it was like they had spray painted deck white.

I managed to pass over to the port side without being sprayed with ghastliness, at least I think so, yeah, I'm almost certain. What you don't know...

And the noise, it is amazing how much noise a few of those birdies can make. The are screaming, taking of to catch a flying fish and then they are back on the fo'c's'le to shit and scream. But itis quite fun to see them take off to chase the flying fish.

I didn't found any gas and I returned to my office. I hadplanned to spend the rest of the day with important paper work. Yeah, Chief Officer have a cubic ton of paper work to do and all this has to be put on hold when I have to be on deck all the time.

But I managed to finish my Thai books during the lunch break so no need to think about my books until tomorrow.

I went to check the progress with the gas freeing after lunch. 7 and 8 that we started this morning was gas free and the 2 and 5CT is almost gas free. 3+4+6 CT is still full of gas so we need to run the IG blower during the night.

And finally, I had time to make a service requisition for our high level alarms in the cargo tanks. We have the same high level system as we had on Barcarolle, Hanla or whatever the name is. I always said and I still say that the best system ever is the autronica high level system. Tested by pulling the floats. No hokus pokus with magnets.
And during 30 years I have encountered 2 broken autronica high level alarms.

Chief Officer Jr onboard M/T Ternvik

And it took me less than an hour to fix. And that hour include both high level alarms. One on Framnäs and the last one onboard M/T Ternvik.

Yes, impossible to forget our 2nd Officer, called Chief Officer Jr when he was with me on deck. He wanted to learn as much as possible and I really hope that he is a Chief Officer by now. He wanted to learn everything so when I had to change float in the high level alarms I waited for himto come off his watch. We changed thermometers in the tanks and we took apart SAAB radars to check pressure sensors. And I still have him and Uncle Jörgen fresh in mind when we had a gas measuring school with our Dräger tubes on the bridge.

Chief Officer Jr and Uncle Jörgen

And if you perchance have forgotten about our Hero's adventure onboard M/T Ternvik you can just click the link and you will (depending on your internet connection) be there in a jiff.

But Hanla is another story, we had the same onboard Barcarolle, but we had anElectrician onboard and he was working with the Hanla high level alarms 24/7

I managed to make the service requisition and then I was looking fordrawings for our deck and provision crane. I went through all out boxes with drawings and I found some interesting stuff. But not was I was looking for.

I visited our Engineers in the engine room to tell them that I would stop the firepump for the fans during the evening. This was of course NO PROBLEM, quite the contrary.

The Engineers were busy cranking some machinery when I arrived and of course, I told them to give the thingamajig a jolly good cranking so I could have a picture. Yeah, they take every chance to get on the internet. But my site is down, MOTHERF@CKERS!!! So I guess that there are a lot of disappointed wives on the Philippines right now.
They expect some exciting pictures of their hero and all the get is the “Domain might still be available for registration”

I was soon back on deck to make the last measurements for today, SLOP STB was gas free so the guys moved the fan to the ROT. Then I had a shower before dinner and when I arrived to the mess room it was almost 6 fifteen. Captain asked what happened to my web page as soon as I stepped inside the mess room.
- Motherf@ckers!!

Well, it turns out that the WA-Data, where I registered my domain name is now AxByte or something like that. And they tell me that Bahnhof is in charge. Bahnhof tells me that they have sent everything to WA-Data. What the duck? And no one knows where my bill is. I don't think anyone has sent me a bill because Bahnhof thought AxByte was in charge and AxByte thought that Bahnhof was in charge.

Well, let me tell you one thing, I have been looking at www.aladdin.th as a new domain and Bahnhof or whoever is in charge have lost a customer of 10 years.
- Hmm, I'm prety sure it is 11 years now.
- Well, f@ck them!

And f@ck our Mess man. When I came for dinner there was no N utella and I asked where the N utella was ( I was only joking but he took it dead seriously) and 23 seconds later he was smiling pointing towards the toaster.
- I put the N utella over there
- DO YOU HATE ME? MOTHERF@CKER!!

Come here you little...

Of course, I had to have a few toast with Nutela, but first he brought me a steak with French fries. And I could hardly see our Mess man behind the plate, or more correct, the food when he came to the mess room.
-- What the? This is enough to feed a soccer team!

And to make things worse, I had left the mess room and I was on my way back to my cabin when I returned for a small glass of chocolate ice cream with whipped cream. Darn and double darn!

What thedid just happen?

After a dinner like this there is only one thing to do, return to my cabin. Well, what's the motherf@cking difference from any other night onboard. Killing time writing drivel on a non exciting web page. And who knows, when you are able to read this it might be on www.aladdin.th

+++++++++++++++
Sunday 12 ^th of February 2012 and I woke up 20 minutes before my alarm went off. I could not fall asleep gain so I went out to my day room and I turned on the music. I could see that it was agloomy and grey day and it looked like it would start to rain any minute.

I started my day by measuring the tanks, only 3 tanks remaining. While I was measuring the tanks our Bosun and Pump Man moved the fans from the SLOP tanks to CT 4 and 6. 40% LEL in 3+4+6CT and 1 and a half hour later we had 12 LEL in the tanks. #3 was still about 40%LEL.

We would be at Torres pilot station around 11 thirty so our Bosun and Pump Man prepared the pilot ladder and accommodation ladder on Port side.

We discovered 4 valves that need our attention during the tank cleaning and Pump Man and Bosun put back the first valve when they were ready with the pilot ladder. Pump Man had repaired the valve yesterday and now it was time to put it back. Good, 3 to go. Well, 4 to go, I discovered yet another valve thatneeds our attention and our Pump Man got right on to it.

Sunday today and I will start taking Sundays off from lunch time. And of course, I was busy until almost 1 o'clock on deck. And I will have to go check 2 cargo tanks for gas around 3 o'clock. But I will spend the rest of the time in my cabin. At least until 3 o'clock when I will go to measure the gas in our tanks. The LEL% had come down a few points and I decided to close one tank and only blow in to 3CT to see if we got any better flow of air through the tank.

Passing some islands in Torres Strait

Passing some islands in Torres Strait

I was soon back in my cabin to update Aladdin's exciting adventure onboard Master Cody and as I had fun time turned pretty quick and it was soon 5 o'clock and time to go on deck to measure thetanks again. F@cking shit, the LEL% in 3CT had only come down by 3 to 4 percentage point and I decided to do it Aladdin's way.

Yes, I took charge of the gas freeing operation even though it was long gone in the process. I have my way to do it and it has worked so far so I stopped one of the fans on the manifold and I started the fan in 4CT.

Now I will go check this tank in 1 hour to see if we have managed to get this tank gas free. Then I will move the darn fan to 6CT, of course, all by lonesome. It is Sunday so I'm alone on deck. Well, 3 %LEL remaining and I gave it another hour. Luckily enough our Bosun came to deck to prepare our Pilot ladder so he helped me with the hoses to the fan.

And of course.
- Our Pilot will leave soon
- OK, I wait to start the fan so we don't get water on deck.
This tank will be gas free at midnight,hopefully and I will have the fans running through the manifold during the night and the Officer on the watch can swap the tanks from the bridge.

+++++++++++++++
Monday 13 ^th of February 2012 and I woke up by my alarm clock at 7 thirty. A quick fag and a Diet MAX before I jumped in to the shower. I quick shower and I was down in the mess roomand I had time for another quick fag and yet another Diet MAX before I went to measure the tanks for gas.

We started to force ventilate 3CT and I expect it to be gas free before lunch sothe guys can start the hot work after lunch.

Our Pump Man and Bosun started to remove one of the valves on the vapour return line and 1 AB were changing bolts on 2 of our isolation valves. It is an embarrassment, the bolts are almost rusted away. The bolts on the vapourreturn line was like needles, from 1 inch to a few mm. Well, now we don't have any cargo onboard and I will take this opportunity to have my best guy to change the bolts.

There was an annoying drizzle the whole morning and I was soaked when I was ready with the gas measurements. Luckily enough I bought a Canon camera that seems to be working in all kinds of weather and conditions so there is quite a few “ACTION” pictures for you to see.

I was busy with the gas measuring all morning and I was late for lunch, again. I also had time to fill our ballast tanks to 100% so I could make sure we didn't have any gas in the ballast tanks.

I had a quick lunch before returning to deck to measure the tanks one more time. This time I used another gas detector so I have measured the tanks with 2 different detectors. One detector showed 0% LEL and the last one showed 0,5% LEL. Neverthe less, it was gas free so they could start the hot work when they came on deck after lunch.

Our Pump Man and Bosun chipped the valve that they had removed from the vapour return line. Our Pump Man also found the time to repair one of our water fans for the tanks. We have 4 onboard but only 3 was working so he had to repair the fan and we were soon having the fan up and running in CT 4.

As soon as they started with the hot work Icould do some of my paper work in my office. I have not had any time for paper work the last few days.

And my music, haven't had any chance to listen to music for several days, well, not while being paid. So I popped open a Diet MAX and I turned up the music to full blast.

Well, I spent most of the time on deck checking the progress on things. We have 2 extra painterson deck now and they started the chipping around the manifolds in the morning.

When I finally found the time to go relax for a few minutes with a Diet MAX and a coffin nail in the mess room our Mess man came by. Our Mess man, the ship's very own saboteur. He passed the door way on his way to the mess room and he spotted me. He turned around and he entered the day room.
- Have some cake!
- What theis wrong with you? Well, what kind is it?
- Fruit
- Well, never mind then. I'm on diet.

I went to the bridge to give some instructions for the duty officers. Stop the fire pump at 21:00, the fans for the cargo tanks are driven by the fire pump.

Change the fan from 7CT to 8CT 6 o'clock in the morning and start the fire pump again.

I stopped to check my e-mail on the way down from the bridge. And yes, www.aladdin.st is back on line again.

I received an e-mail from ST Registry support and if the a-holes at AxByte don't get their thumbs out of their arses they will change the domain name to my name.

Just what I have been afraid of since I registered my domain. If you're thinking of

Hello,

Thank you for contacting ST Registry support...

domain expiration was postponed for 5 days so now it should be back online and handled by your name servers. We have made official request to the domain owner which is AxByte right now. If we will not get any reply regarding your claim within next 24 hours then you will get a chance to renew and change ownership for domain aladdin.st without getting it expired.

We are sorry if this is not fast enough for you but there is no other way to do it faster since officially you do not own this domain...

/ST Registry support service

register a domain do it in your own name and then you give the EPD code to your web hotel. Then you pay for the web hotel and you get one bill from the domain administrator.

Of course, it is convenient to register the domain with your web hotel, but then your not the registered owner.

Yo

Heeeeyyyyyyyy good news, I was starting to have with drawl symptoms.

So did a special email to them sort it out ?

I had a site with fotopic and had 2,600 photos on and they decided to shut down, wtf.....all that effort over 5 years for nothing.

Anyway, got some reading to look forward to now

Be good, and thank for letting me know.

G

Usually not a problem, if you're with a good web hotel like SURFTOWN. But I registered my domain with WA-data and then it was changed to AxByte and now look in what shit I ended up in. And the fans....

So now I'm just waiting for the go ahead and register my stdomain in my own name and I willhopefully be able to register the domain name for 100 years. Yeah, you will be tormented by this bullshit long after I'm dead.Hmm, will there be any internet in 100 years? A waste of money?

I was tired after running around on deck all day long,but I had to try to get my domain problems fixed, and of course, there was a whole lot of BS to write on my now working web page.

So I was sitting on my desk writing and I could see the sky turning orange and purple before getting black outside my window. Time turned quick and suddenly it was midnight. I was tired and I tried to get to sleep at 11, but I was soon up behind my desk again. Impossible to sleep so instead of wasting time tossin' and turnin' in bed I went back up. I'm presently updating Aladdin's adventure onboard the tug boat Master Cody so there is plenty to write and rewrite. And of course, all the pictures have to be redone. On the original page they were very small pictures. When I did my web page there was nothing called broad band, so everything had to be kept as small as possible. Today it is a different story.

Steaming towards Singapore and new adventures

+++++++++++++++
Tuesday 14 ^th of February 2012 and I was dead tired when my alarm went off at 7 thirty. I knew that there was something boring going to happen during the day. But what? Tank cleaning? Then I realised that it was the gas measurement and hot work.

I had a quick Diet MAX before going on deck and they were soon up and running with the hot work.I told our Bosun to check the dipping pipe to the FP
- When you're ready you will have to watch the tank entrance whileI go down the tank

I was going to inspect CT 4 and I needed a guy to be stand-by at the entrance if something would happen to me. Yeah, Good luck to 48 kg Bosun to carry a cubic ton of Aladdin up from the tank. 17 meter on a ladder with our hero over the shoulders.

I was ready with the gas measurements and I was on deck when our 3rd Engineer came over the cat walk. He was smiling, yeah, he is signing off in Singapore.

I will go to visit him in Manila for a few days of fun when I'm back home.
- I will prepare my car with my new entertainment system and your “music treasure” I will pick you up at the airportwith a case of San Miguel Light
- And then we can cruise down Mabini with the “music treasure”blasting high on the Richter scale.

Yeah, this is an adventure I'm looking forward to. It will beinteresting to see how I can cope with Manilawithout having any school to attend to. Maybe the agony of just having fun will drive me crazy.

Well, maybe I can squeeze in a 5 days course at Norwegian Training Centre.

I had time to sort out our mooring ropes with the Captain before I went down to inspect CT 4 at 11 thirty. Bosun was standing at the entrance watching me going down and when I came back up I gave him my camera. And when I checked the pictures in the evening there was the 2 pictures I had expected.
Our Hero coming up from the tank

Our Hero coming up from CT 4

Put there was a third picture that chocked me. Repulsive at least to say and I was instantlydeleting it. But then I realised that it shows how I still have 2,7 meters between the back pockets.

But since I start to do Thai boxing at Bangkok Fight Club the pockets are now almost front pockets and it have happened more than once that I put my snus in what I thought was my front pocket when it turned out to be the back pocket. Well, that is a good thing, but I must really start to get my diet back on track again. I haven't had black bread for quite some time now.
OK, I had 4 slices yesterday, but with N utella so it wasn't all that healthy.

Our Bosun

Well, and as I have to look good when I arrive to Manila I really need to get serious and maybethis will be the carrot that I need. How will that look if I'm doing the night life in Manila as Porky the Human balloon together with a dashing Engineer. If I start now I can still make my
V-shaped torso before it is time to go to Manila.

Lunch time and I didn't had time for my Thai book, I had to inspect slop tank stb and when wewere finished our Pump Man had to go down the ROT to blind the pipes to the slop tanks.

I entered the slop tank around 2 o'clock and it looked quite good, not as good as cargo tank #4, but it was OK.

I was soon back in my office to prepare another work permit for the ROT tank so our Pump Man could enter the tank and Iwould watch him from deck while he was working. I had come up with an idea, we're in a desperate need for spare valves on deck so I suggested that our Pump Man removedthe valves and put the spade between the reducers. And we would get 2 new valves, we could hve got 3 but the valve on the starboard side could not be removed because there was no reducer.

We started on port side and our pump man removed the 2 valves while I was watching him inthe tank and the Chief Engineer enjoying himself with the torch on deck. I even managed to get a few pictures, and our Chief Engineer was hollering every now and then when I wanted a picture taken.

Chief Engineer enjoying himself

Chief Engineer enjoying himself

Chief Engineer enjoying himself

Chief Engineer enjoying himself

Chief Engineer enjoying himself

Chief Engineer enjoying himself

Chief Engineer enjoying himself

When our Pump Man was ready on the port side we went over to the starboard side and it was a disappointment when we couldn't remove the valve. But 2 valves are better than nothing, and as I told Pump Man.
- Now you will soon have so many valves so it will be impossible to enter your office.
Well, he was just laughing. I told him to take his dinner and we will continue with the valve to CT2 tomorrow. I went on deck to move our fans for the evening ventilation.

We got 2 valves out of our visit to the ROT. Will come to use on deck

I was late for dinner because I wanted to have a shower first. When I was ready with my dinner I returned to my cabin and it was soon knocking on my door. It was our 2nd Engineer
- Can I buy 2 Diet MAX of you
- What the

Impossible, yeah, I say that it is impossible for anyone onboard to have missed how much trouble I have gone through to get the darn Diet MAX onboard. It is not like there is a 7 Eleven around the corner. Then I could have given him 2 cans, but now, not even for 100 US$. I'm running very low and I want to stretch my Diet MAX for as long as possible.

Well, time to split this page in to two, February Part-2 just ONE CLICK AWAY

Tweet

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? 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.

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