Aladdin's long struggle against obesity and baldness continues aboard M/T Romø Mærsk - August 2015

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.

Well, the flag of Skåne, just a BONUS flag.

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

Aladdin's adventure in Cape Town with M/T Romø Mærsk/ Romoe Maersk

Wednesday 19 ^th of August 2015 and I was in bed at 3 o'clock and we expect to leave Cape Town at 7 thirty, unless! We might have to wait for m/t Pamier on the jetty behind us to leave and m/tEnergy Puma to berth. So we might be delayed until 10 thirty.

My rest hours will be red at 7 and at 10 it will be OK. But I had put my alarm to go off at quarter past 7 anyway. If I sleep until 10 it will be impossible to fall asleep tonight.

I snoozed until 8 in 5 minute’s intervals and when I came out of the shower I discovered that we wouldn't leave until midday.

Of course, after just maybe 5 hours sleep in the last 26 hours I was tired, but I had to force my self to stay up. And by doing so I willhopefully be able to fall asleep early tonight preparing myself for the 4 to 8 watch tomorrow morning. Chief Officer ison the 4 to 8 watch here in Maersk.

I really don't know who came up with that idea. Anyway, I was in my cabin and quarter past 11 they called and the Pilot would come on board in 10 to 15 minutes.

Cape Town, it had been nice here but it will be nice to leave for Madagascar. It was a gorgeous morning with sunshine and I was looking forward to my evening watch. Maybe whales? I brought my tea cup that they had bought for me in Canada. Rooibos tea and my new oatmeal was brought tothe bridge and when I came on the bridge the Pilot came over the gangway.

Our ECDIS had been approved during our stay here in Cape Town and we were not having any paper charts anymore. So this is of course a great relieve for the 2nd Officer. But I like the paper charts better than the electronic charts. Well, better off getting used to it. We had paper less on the Swedish ships but that is soon 10 years ago I was on a Swedish ship.

Bye Bye Signal Hill and Lion's Head

Devil's Point, Table Mountain, Signal Hill and Lion's Head

Our Pilot left us just as we had passed the breakwaters and then we were on our own. I was in themess room at 1 o'clock for a late lunch. My last lunch?I will hopefully only eat oatmeal from now on. And I will have time for my constitutionals during the lunch

V-shaped torso or bust! This time or never! The problem as I see it is that I always remember my diet “AFTER” the meals when I'm full.

My evening watch was Ok to start with, a few barrels of the Rooibos tea and good music. But we were soon running in to strong winds.Spray over deck and we just made 10 something knots. 30 Knots head wind plus the heavyswell from South.

Everything they had, and I mean everything, they threw against us.

As soon as we had passed Cape, well, an hour or so before we reached Cape Point we ran in to the dreaded VHF Navigators. AIS, well, it is a good identification device. But, OK, back in the days you could hear some “Shit on my head, what is your intention?” on the VHF.

But since the AIS have been brought in to service, God help me! Seriously, I had a guy calling me asking me to give way for him. Not even embarrassed. I told him to stay well clear of me as he wasthe “Give way” ship. He started to flash with a green lase pointer.

I called him on the VHF and I wished him good luck with the VHF navigation and Bon Voyage! He had been making it all the way from Manila to South Africa and he might be lucky and make it all the way to Brazil, as long as the VHF is working.

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Thursday 20 ^th of August 2015 and I woke up 10 minutes before 4 when they called from the bridge. I had set my alarm to go off 25 minutes before, but I was discovering that I had the setting wrong by 1 hour.

East bound South of South Africa and we were rolling for heavy swell. But the wind had disappeared, nice, yesterday evening we had very strong winds when I changed course from S toSE at Cape Point/ Cape of Good Hope.

My morning watch turned pretty quickly and I was soon in my office making risk assessments with Pump Man and one of the ABs. We're going to start to test the winch brakes.

It was a nice day and we had sunshine and almost no wind. But very heavy swell, as always when passing Cape Agulhas. But they are long and not much of a problem. North Sea are much smaller and the waves are a wee bit shorter and not so high, but they are muchworse. And here I can see the whales. I had several whales swimming on our starboard side this morning. Yeah, as Captain said, for free.

I was so excited, not only because of the whales, but also because we were kicking arse with the winch brakes and I forgot all about my constitutional and I went for lunch. DARN!! But tomorrow...

We had a nice evening East of Cape Agulhas, the wind had picked up a wee bit and it was overcast.But I enjoyed my Rooibos tea and time passed pretty quickly. I was soon in my office to see an episode of Strisser på Samsø. A Danish TV series from back in the 90's.

Well, yeah, it is 90's and it is kind of fun to remember the good ol' days. And one episode is long enough and it is time to go to bed when I have finished an episode of suspense.

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Friday 21 ^st of August 2015 and my alarm went of at 03:35. Time for a quick shower before I was off to the bridge and a cup of tea. Well, more like a bucket of tea and several of them.

I have half of my stock of the Diet MAX remaining, and I was just about to give up the Diet MAX for the rest of my life. And I hope I live just a wee bit longer as I have 3 more “trips” to take before I whistling down to check out:
• Tiger safari in India
• Antarctica
• The Amazonas

Anyway, I had just been given the idea to give up the Diet MAX when I got an e-mail Saw this“yesterday and thought id send you a few ” Well, thanks forthat, just when I had come up with the idea to give the darn thing up!

I'm now in to the Rooibos tea and I feel like a million. I haven't had have any Earl Grey tea since I don't know when. Rooibos don't have any caffeine and I really sleep well. Maybe because of the Rooibos as they say this is something of the healthiest you can drink.

The AB on my watch wanted to try and he had a few sips when he told me that he wanted to come ashore to buy some Rooibos as well. I brought 240 bags when I came on board and they are soon coming to an end. Well, we might be lucky to find it in Tamatave, Madagascar. If we have thetime, we're scheduled for a vetting inspection.

I hope we have the vetting in Tamatave as we can put it behind us. If we're going to Singapore we will be busy with all the other things and a vetting on top of that, well, Madagascar is better.

Sea water temp 20,5°C and this morning it was 16°C so we're north bound East of Africa and the weather is improving. Good for the cargo heating, we have to maintain loaded temperature and that was around 29°C and we willhopefully not have to heat the cargo. I expect the sea water temperature to reach 30°C soon.

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Saturday 22 ^nd of August 2015 and I had two whales on our Port side, between me and Africa around 7 thirty. I called the dirty mess to alert the crew having their breakfast. No answer, well theirloss. I have my camera with me on every watch just in case, not the Power Shoot but the 5D.

But I didn't see the whales again, but there will come more chances. I saw the whales, well, I have seen whales almost every day since we left Cape Town, of course, at a distance so it is now exactly as our Captain said: “A free whale watch”

I see the whales and I could not help to think about my few days of adventure in and around Cape Town. I have only have had my real camera on the ships those times joining directly after some adventure worth taking pictures of. Otherwise I only have the Power Shoot with me as it comes in a handy size. But from now on I will always pack my underwater camera as well.

Aladdin's shark adventure, or the Black Blubber Man's adventure. Yes, Aladdin is more known as the Black Blubber Man in the Cape Town area. Anyway, while in the shark I made a mental noteto ALWAYS have my underwater camera with me. Because, OBVIOUS it was possible to end up anywhere and here I was watching a Great White shark rattling the cage just 2 inch in front of me. Not even in my dreams two days ago. I had never heard about something like this and when I learned about it in Dubai.
YES! I WANT TO GO!

If I would have been quick enough I would have been able to stick my arm down his belly.

Yes, we can imagine the Great White shark drooling with a cubic ton of blubber “within reach” just a few darn 2 cm iron bar between him and the meal of his life. Prime cut meat, and loads of it. So understandable that the Great White Shark tried his best to get hold a cubic ton of filet from Skåne. For sure nothing they are used to in the waters around here.

And I'm always looking forward to our “NEW” hero, the Black Blubber Man's adventure and next time I hope he brings the underwater camera. And the sharks will be there for sure. Back ashore at the office the owner of the company told the Black Blubber Man that he had been very lucky. The owner drives the boat and he is in charge of the fish head and to look out for the sharks. So he is sitting above the cage in a mast looking.

Anyway, he told me that I had been very lucky.
- Why?
- The sharks liked you. All of them attacked you're corner of the cage.
- Of course, with a ton of lard an inch away!
The Black Blubber Man, yes, keep an eye out for the next adventure with our “NEW” hero. OK, whales at 7 thirty and it was soon time for me to go for a power nap. We will have drills after the coffee break at 10 so I will need some sleep before that.

It had been a gorgeous morning on the bridge. For the first time since I joined the ship it was possible to check the gyro error with the sun. I missed the sun first. I saw the sun breakingthrough the clouds and I prepared the Nautical Almanac and the sight reduction table.

The sun was soon behind the clouds again, now I spotted the whales and a few minutes later the sun was clear from the clouds and I could check the gyro error. We had a beautiful sun rise and I was thinking about the stupid slide show from Britta Mærsk back in 2012/13 on our way from Durban to Singapore. Well, I hope I can get a picture of a whale or two in the afternoon.

And I have instructed our 2nd officers to keep a sharp look out for the whales. And as they are slow I asked them to give way for the whales or they would hit them. Try to see in what direction they are going and then just to change a few degree in the opposite direction. And you might end up saving a whale, not bad!

We were going to have a meeting on the bridge at 4 o'clock in the afternoon so I was very late to prepare my Rooibos tea. It was almost 5 before we were ready and I could get down to my teabusiness.

Captain kept me busy until almost 5 thirty when it was NOT time for me to go for dinner with some old cock-and-bull stories.

Yes, I skip dinners and I have a box with oatmeal and bran flakes on the bridge. The same for breakfast, just (I try) two of the smallest cups of the oatmeal and bran flakes mix. In the evening one cup. I'm still working on getting out for my lunchconstitutional.

And after having watched Learn Thai with Mod and the Alif Silpachai videos for the two first days I have, well, kind of forgotten about the videos. Anyway, it was a gorgeous evening and I took the opportunity to check our compass error when the sun was setting in the horizon.

I could not help but thinking about the video we made on board m/t Richard Mærsk back in 2013, or was it 2014? Never mind, you can find the video below.

Checking the gyro compass error

Checking the gyro compass error

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Sunday 23 ^rd of August 2015 and I had a short training session with our 2nd Officers and Pump Man in the afternoon with our gas detectors. I will have a session with the deck crew tomorrow after the 10 o'clock coffee break.

I had the guys to pick up the equipment we need to do the test. If they can get the right equipment we're a long way towards understanding of how the things work. The right gas for the gas detectors and you know that they are on the right track.

Tomorrow and I will take the crew for a session in my office before we're going to test the gas detectors in the ballast tanks and the pump room. Yeah, it promise to be an exciting day tomorrow, again! And there is a little something to look forward to.

Yet another video from Richard Mærsk

Ambitious 2nd Officers eager to learn to calibrate and maintain the Riken Keiki GX 2009 and that is the spirit we're looking for!

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Monday 24 ^th of August 2015 and we were busy with the gas detectors in the pump room after the familiarization of our Riken Keiki GX 2009 with the crew. We finished the pump room and I did the ballast tanks and the vapour return detectors while the crew had their lunch.

At 12 thirty I sent down the 3rd Officer in the pump room for him to check the safety equipment. And when the crew were ready with their lunch we went forward to check and mark the mooring ropes. Now we only have the rope store aft to do and we're ready with our mooring equipment log.

We also got the vetting inspection confirmed today, so we will have the vetting inspection at arrival to Tamatave and it will be nice to put this behind us.

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Tuesday 25 ^th of August 2015 and, well, what to say? 2nd Officer called me 20 minutes after 3 o'clock in the morning. We're advancing ship's time in the afternoon and he will have a shortafternoon watch. And on top of this he OBVIOUSLY want me to come and relieve him earlier.

I was not happy and it was impossible to fall asleep again, but we're lucky that he don't want the whole day off. Tea and a “ OATMEAL ” ® and we were enjoying the crack of dawn. And around 5 thirty I spotted the first whale. I called my AB that was under the fo'c's'le looking for rubber boots for me as I have planned to inspect ballast tank 6Port with our Pump Man today.

He came up to have a look on the fo'c's'le and the Humpback whale were jumping out of the waterwith big splashes. It was a nice show he put on for us. Of course, impossible to get any pictures. By the time you see the whale breaching it is already too late and you only get the splash.

The whale was jumping landing on his back with a big splash, and it was NOT a small Humpback whale. We were soon having plentywhales around us and I saw a big splash just next to us so I messed that breaching.

Time passed quickly, a very nice morning and that is even though e have a force 7 blowing from east. I met a Humpback whale and when he was astern of me he gave me the fluke but when I took the picture the fluke just disappeared under the water. Just before 8 o'clockI had 4 Humpback whales swimming side by side very close on my starboard side. I needed to notify the crew.

4 blows side by side and it looked gorgeous, of course, no pictures as by then I was busy calling the mess room to notify them about the whales.

8 o'clock and I called the engine room, we will start the cargo heating. And we also need the fire pump so we can run the blower in the ballast tank we will enter. Now I need to have a tool box meeting with the AB on the 8 to 12 watch and then I will go for my power nap.

A little bit of examination about the safety equipment before he can go for work

He pass the test with flying colours and he can sign the Tool Box meeting minutes

He brings the documents to my office when he leaves the bridge

OK OK! Slow down there Cowboy!

We were back up from the ballast tank just in time for the lunch. I had a few apples before going to take a shower. Suddenly it was 4 o'clock and time to go to the bridge for my afternoon watch. Ship's time advanced by an hour so from 12 to 4 passed by very quickly.

I went to the CCR to check the cargo temperatures before I went to the bridge. I was looking out the window and we had a splash jut next to the ship and one of the AB's gave me the internationally recognised sign for “Humpback whale” breaching. I went out and we had a Humpbackwhale jumping out of the water landing on the back white belly up. The whale breached 2 times 25 meters from us before disappearing.

WHAT A SIGHT!!! A Humpback looks small showing the ridge of the back swimming around. It is like a super tanker, shows a wee bit above the water level. Now the Humpback jumped out of the water and we could see how big the whale was. Of course, no camera with me.

But never mind the camera, it was too close to get the whole “fish” on picture. When I came onthe bridge we had a full force gale blowing towards us.

Even if we had severe weather with sea breaking everywhere with white foam it was possible to see all the whales swimming around us by the blow. It had so far been a fantastic day starting when the daylight broke and we could see the whales breaching. A Humpback jumping next to usshowing the white belly just before I went to the bridge.

It was easy to see the blow but the whales were disappearing in the heavy seas but sometimes you could see them behind the water spray blowing all over the surface of the Indian Ocean due to strong winds. Well, today I have seen all the Humpback whales surface characteristics

Breaching and arching before diving, more flukes than I can count. Just before the sun set I had two Humpbacks coming against us with the tail raised. I could only see the tail and fluke sticking up from the surface by some meters.

It was getting dark around 5 thirty something and it was not possible to see any more whales, but tomorrow... And I found some interesting information at http://mauiwhalewatching.com and now I have a little something to study before tomorrow. So no time to time to learn Thai with Mod and the Alif Silpachai videos

10 main surface behaviours of the North Pacific Humpback Whale: surface behaviours infographic

BLOW – Adult Humpback’s swim to the surface to breathe usually every 10-15 minutes, but they can remain submerged for up to 45-minutes. Humpback calves come to the surface to breathe every 3-5 minutes, so it’s quite common to see them more frequently mid-season. The first way to site a Humpback Whale is to look for the blow spray above the ocean surface, this is the whale breathing!

SPY HOP – When a Humpback vertically rises above the ocean surface, this is called a spy hop, or a head rise. Marine scientists believe that this is the Humpback’s way of sensing what’s going on on the ocean surface. In Hawaii, we believe that this is the Humpback Whale’s way of saying aloha.

TAIL SLAP – A tail slap is when a Humpback raises its fluke (tail) out of the water and forcefully slaps it on the surface. This can be a repetitive behaviour, which marine scientists believe is a warning in whale communication.

PECTORAL SLAP – Humpback’s will slap one or both of their flippers (pectoral fins) against the ocean surface. This is believed to be a signal for communication between whales.

HEAD LUNGE – It is common to see male Humpback’s head lunge towards and against each other during aggressive and competitive behaviour. This is also called a head slap.

PEDUNCLE SLAP – When a Humpback throws his whole tail out of the water and triumphs with a dramatic slap on the ocean surface, it is called a peduncle slap.

PEDUNCLE THROW – This is one of the most uncommonly seen behaviours, mostly exhibited in aggression. A peduncle throw is when a Humpback powerfully throws the lower portion of its body sideways across the surface of the ocean.

PEDUNCLE ARCH – A peduncle arch, also known as a ‘round out,’ is one of the most easily spotted behaviours of the Humpbacks. You don’t see much of the whale, except for a rounded part of their back skimming over the surface of the ocean as they prepare to dive.

FLUKE UP DIVE – Characterized with an even amount of the tail on the surface of the ocean, a fluke up dive is seen when Humpback’s are in an upside down upward arch, slowly rolling into a dive towards the floor of the ocean.

BREACH – You will definitely know when you see a Humpback Whale breaching! This is surely their most dramatic and acrobatic-like act where they quickly gain speed, and launch their whole body out of the ocean! They powerfully land on the surface of the ocean with a huge splash!

TWO Humpbacks waving at me

TWO Humpbacks waving at me

TWO Humpbacks splashing with their flukes

There is no end to the excitements, click PLAY above to hear the Humpback whale song

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Wednesday 26 ^th of August 2015 and the wind had decreased to a force 6 when I came on the bridge at 5 o'clock. Good, we might get a chance to mark the winches forward with our new brake rendering test before the vetting.

There is no one understanding the weather, during my time at sea there have been no one ashore understanding the weather effect on a ship.
- Isn't this ready!
- We have had bad weather!
- This should have been done by now!

Early morning south of Madagascar

Early morning south of Madagascar

The morning developed in to a beautiful day with whales jumping around us. Sunshine and my TOP GUN had finished marking the mooring winches just in time for lunch. Well, he was ready a wee bitafter lunch, but this AB is one of the rare treats and he stayed on until it was ready. Nothing you are spoilt with now a days.

Afternoon watch on the bridge and we had gorgeous weather, but no whales. Plenty jumping whales and blows in the morning. But now I didn't see one single whale steaming north 12 to 13 miles East of Madagascar. Well, I have been very lucky with what we have experienced so far, way more than expected. And the humpback breaching just next to us, TWICE! A priceless sight!

I started a series about some murders in what I guess is supposed to be on Svalbard in the afternoon and I will see a 45 minutes episode before going to bed. 45 minutes is a perfect length. I have figured out whyI don't like to watch movies, they are too long and I get bored after an hour.

But the series are OK, 45 minutes and I can leave the TV. Of course, it is a different story when I suffer from a hangover. But I don't party any more so no worries about watching long boring movies in bed. Orhmm, maybe that's the reason for me not like to watch movies. I always feels like shitwatching them!

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Thursday 27 ^th of August 2015 and we had nice weather in the morning. But the wind were increasing just when we had finished the tool box meeting. The guys signed the minutes of our meeting and they went down to continue preparing for the upcoming excitements, the vetting inspection in Tamatave. There is no end to it.

Our daily routine: Safety/ Tool box meeting before the job can start

Our daily routine: Safety/ Tool box meeting before the job can start

Our daily routine: Safety/ Tool box meeting before the job can start

8 o'clock and I had not seen any whales on my watch. 3rd officer came to the bridge and we had the hand over and when I filled up the log book he told me there was a jumping Humpback whaleon our port side. I went to have a look and I saw foock all. Well, at least no whales, but he saw two whales jumping. I didn't said anything but I was thinking. But as I said I didn't said anything. OK, I told him that it was easy to mistake the breakers for whale splash. I patted him on the shoulder.
- Yeah yeah

I was just about to return to the log book when the whale breached on our port side. A beautiful display and who is thenow? Our Chief Engineer came to the bridge just in time for the show so he was lucky.

I went to my office and I spent pretty much the whole there and on deck preparing for Tamatave, arrival tomorrow morning and Pilot at 05:30 if we have arrived by then. So I have stuff to do and on top of this we have started the heating as well. Much to do and the time turned quickly and I had time for another episode of the series I started yesterday.Hmm, or was it two days ago, anyway, I found out that the name is Fortitude or something like that, a name of a place.

And coming to the bridge in the afternoon. Chief Engineer was busy with the 2nd Officer and I was busy listening to Captain.
- Yeah, interesting, well, hmm, oh yeah, tell me more, yeah
Suddenly I saw something black next to the ship. Can it be? Yes it was. I ran out on the bridge wing and we watched the shark swimming. We called and our Chief Engineer was soon joining us. Seems like we're going to see everything on this trip. And as Captain said: It is all for free!

Well, Pilot at 05:30 tomorrow and I will come to see a new port. I have never been on Madagascar so this might turn out to be exciting. So hang on and click HERE to experience Tamatave

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