Aladdin's long struggle against obesity and baldness continues aboard M/T Romø Mærsk - May 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 aboard M/T Romø Mærsk/ Romoe Maersk

Friday 8 ^th of May 2015 and estimated berthing changed from 02:00 to 06:00. During my morning watch it changed to 11:00 and when I left the bridge at 8 o'clock in the morning it was 13:00. Well, at least we had some gorgeous weather. Zero wind and sunshine.

I went for my power nap and I had my alarm to go off at 09:45 and a back-up call from thebridge. Well, I decided to have an extra hour of sleep and I didn't woke up until 12 thirty. By then we were approaching the Maas pilot station.

And as we were delayed we had to do all our pre arrival checks and tests again. So I was busy in the CCR until we were approached by the tug boat. Then I went to the bridge and our 2nd Officer left for deck to prepare for arrival.

Entering port of Rotterdam

Passing the bulk terminal

Passing tankers in Europoort

Passing tankers in Europoort

On our way to VOPAK Europoort

On our way to VOPAK Europoort

On our way to VOPAK Europoort

We can see VOPAK Europoort

On our way to VOPAK Europoort

Dockwise Vanguard - semi-submersible heavy lift ship waiting for its cargo at VOPAK

Dockwise Vanguard - semi-submersible heavy lift ship waiting for its cargo at VOPAK

Dockwise Vanguard - semi-submersible heavy lift ship waiting for its cargo at VOPAK

Dockwise Vanguard - semi-submersible heavy lift ship waiting for its cargo at VOPAK

Dockwise Vanguard - semi-submersible heavy lift ship waiting for its cargo at VOPAK

Dockwise Vanguard - semi-submersible heavy lift ship waiting for its cargo at VOPAK

Dockwise Vanguard - semi-submersible heavy lift ship waiting for its cargo at VOPAK

This is the ship Dockwise Vanguard will lift

We were delayed and we would be more delayed. The ship at our jetty had not left. There was a car carrier leaving. And on top of this the Dockwise Vanguard would lift the heaviest

Dockwise Vanguard

is a semi-submersible heavy lift ship owned and operated by Dockwise B.V. The Vanguard is the largest vessel of its type ever built, and is able to carry cargoes up to 110,000 tonnes. The Vanguard was designed to move offshore oil and gas facilities, but can also carry other ships and act as an offshore dry dock facility.

The Vanguard has a flat bow-less deck measuring 70 by 275 metres (230 by 902 ft), allowing cargo longer and wider than the deck. Her deck is 70% larger than the MV Blue Marlin, the second largest heavy lift ship.

The bridge and living area superstructure is situated at the far starboard side, and the deck contains three movable buoyancy casings. The watertight deck allows water to flow over the deck without risking the ship.

The Vanguard is semi-submersible allowing her to lift ships or rigs out of the water, and to place them into water. When her ballast tanks are flooded, her deck lies up to 16 metres (52 ft) below the surface, allowing her to handle deep draught cargoes. Loads can then be floated above her, and her ballast tanks emptied allowing her to lift and transport cargoes up to 110,000 tonnes, 50% more than the Blue Marlin. She can also be loaded from a dock side, and large cargoes loaded by skidding them on tracks.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

ever cargo from Rotterdam. And all this at VOPAK Europoort. We had to stop to let the car carrier out and then the ship at our jetty left and came by just after the car carrier.

Dockwise Vanguard was blocking part of the Canal so we could not meet the ships.

We approached Dockwise Vanguard and we could see that the shore was full of cars and people sothis event was obviously attracting a lot of people.

They were going to lift a drilling ship for transport to some oil field somewhere in the world. And we were lucky, they would close the port during the lift and then we would have been delayedeven more. And by now we have had it with delays and waiting at the anchorage.

We turned around and backed up to VOPAK Jetty West #4 so we got star board side alongside. They want to connect a vapour return line this time so we will have 2 connections.

We had all fast at 16:18 and I had to go down to the CCR and my office to see the Surveyor and Loading Master. The drilling ship was approaching Dockwise Vanguard so I will have to take the remaining pictures through the window in my office.

The drilling ship arriving to Dockwise Vanguard

The drilling ship arriving to Dockwise Vanguard

The drilling ship arriving to Dockwise Vanguard

We had all fast at VOPAK Europoort and I had to get down to my office for paper work. So I had to take the rest of the pictures through a dirty window in my office every now and then when time permitted.

The drilling ship arriving to Dockwise Vanguard

The drilling ship arriving to Dockwise Vanguard

The drilling ship arriving to Dockwise Vanguard

Chief Engineer busy bunkering

Taking on board the drilling ship on Dockwise Vanguard

Taking on board the drilling ship on Dockwise Vanguard

No end to the excitements on www.aladdin.st

Amazing how much we experience just by visiting www.aladdin.st!

Dockwise Vanguard is ready to leave for Indonesia with her cargo

I'm cheating a wee bit here. I took this picture 9th of May and that is tomorrow!

Through a dirty window

Our Surveyor came on board and we finished all the paper work. But there were no sign off any Loading Master. Our Surveyor called VOPAK and it turned out that they had forgot us. So we hadto wait for a few hours before the Loading Master came on board.

We could start loading at 21:54 and we stopped after an hour for the line displacement. We measured our tanks and it was about the same they had discharged from the shore tank so we could continue loading and I was back in my cabin just after midnight with my rest hours in the red.

Well, pilot at 13:00 and I had expect us to start loading not later than 6. But all the delays and it was almost 12 hours between pilot and my bed time.

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Saturday 9 ^th of May 2015 and I was not out of bed until 11 thirty. A glass of Diet MAX (my last bottle) and a shower before going to the bridge to take a picture of Dockwise Vanguard.

We completed loading at 15:00 and soon after that we had the crew ashore coming back from Botlek, no Pepsi MAX available at Botlek and I must say that I was quite happy about it. From nowon it will be tea and water only.

Well, anyway, paper work ready at 17 thirty and we had to wait for 3 hours or so for the cargo documents. Pilot booked for 21 thirty.

So I will have time to finish up everything in my office before departure. It will benice to leave Rotterdam and we have about 8 days to Africa and the weather will improve by the day. Well, at least the temperature will rise by the day.

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Sunday 10 ^th of May 2015 and we were steaming towards SW in North Hinder TSS when I came on the bridge at 4 o'clock in the morning. We were soon running in to dense for and I had planned forsome painting on the fo'c's'le. But the fog means that it will be wet. But just before I got of my watchwe had sunshine and I could send one AB to paint forward.

Sunday today and I will only have the AB to paint the last on the fo'c's'le on his watch. Just a weebit to paint and then they will clean the accommodation.

But tomorrow it is Monday and full deck on crew plus 2 of our extra Painters. We have 3 extra Painters on board and one of them will work in the engine.

Well, anyway, we have a “toolbox meeting” before starting the work every morning. Well, that if is the work require a risk assessment. And painting, working with tool etc. requires a risk assessment. During the “toolbox meeting” we go through the risk assessment and the work permitif a work permit is required.

I also add company safety alerts and incident report in the “toolbox meeting” as there are some good WHAT NOT TO DO information in some of them.

They had read all the SAFETY ALERTS, safety information and relevant chapters from the ship net that I printed when they came on board. And I include new SAFETY ALERTS and information when I find new information.

The crew have to read them and sign them and we discuss them and the risk assessments/ work permit when we have our “toolbox meeting” in the morning. When risk assessment, Toolbox meeting protocol, safety alerts and work permits etc are signed I save them in my binder. And I have already filled one binder so I need to find a bigger binder tomorrow.

Here we can see the Toolbox Meeting protocol on the left hand side and the risk assessment
on the right hand side. Everything is signed and the crew are ready to go paint on deck

I spent some time in the evening with a video from TV4. SD has passed 15% and as I wanted to put the video on my web page I downloaded the vid. I made up my mind to stop using FLV movies and I started to check out some code for HTML 5 video players for my web page.

So Sunday the 10th of May in the year of our Lord will go down the history books as the day I used the first .mp4 video on www.aladdin.st and of course, I hopeI will be able to use a fancier video player than the below player. But I will have to study some coding and I willhopefully be back with something nicer for player so keep your eyes out.

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Monday 11 ^th of May 2015 and we were steering towards South West approaching Off Ushant (Ouessant) TSS. This is the last TSS in the English Channel. The TSS takes us past the NW corner of France and Brest and we're in The Bay of Biscay.

And yesterday I got an e-mail from my friend, he is in Brest visiting a ship on the shipyard. And when I came on my watch in the afternoon we had left the TSS and Brest behind in the North East. No wind, but rolling from some huge swell rolling in from the Atlantic Ocean. But it was avery nice evening, well, except for the fact that I emptied a cake-dish when I came down to the mess room after my watch.

It took me less than a jiff to empty the cake-dish and so far the crew and my diet bet have turned out to be nothing but a disappointment. But the biggest disappointment is me, and I was feeling really bad with myself when I came back to my cabin.

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Tuesday 12 ^th of May 2015 and we're heading SW on the Bay of Biscay. It was a gloomy and grey morning with a wee bit of wind from NE. We had sunshine a few hours later and the sea watertemperature was at an whopping11 °C in the morning.

The sea water temperature is rising pari passu with us coming further south. It will soon be swimming temperature.

And as we're going to make a new ANTI PIRACY gate on the poop deck after the coffeebreak so I was busy making risk assessments and hot work permits in the morning.

The only thing exciting happening during the afternoon was that I saw a huge group of dolphins. And like yesterday, I was in a glorious mood. But todayI didn't make the mistake to go to the mess room. Yesterday and my mood turnedfrom glorious to shit, no, double shit in a jiff as soon as I had emptied the cake dish. I learn from my mistake, well, sometimes and I have filled up my cabin with fruit and fruit it was.

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Wednesday 13 ^th of May 2015 and we're steering on a course towards the South west of Spain/ Portugal when I came on my morning watch. We reached Off Finisterre TSS at the NW corner of Spain when I got off my watch yesterday evening.

It was a pretty uneventful day for us cruising on a course leading South off the coast Portugal. Hot work almost finished and it willhopefully be ready tomorrow. And well, we received an e-mail from the crewing and our Chief Engineer and I might sign off in Nouadhibou, Mauritanian.

Well, not a dream place to leave, but it seems like our Chief Engineer's reliever needs 5 days for a VISA sohopefully we can leave in Las Palmas instead.

Welding on the poop deck

Welding on the poop deck

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Thursday 14 ^th of May 2015 and we have left the coast of Portugal behind us in North East and we have the coast of Morocco in South East. Still no whale sightings and here is usually a lot of whales in the area going for the Mediterranean.

Really no news. And they forgot to mention what have happened to the safety at workplaces

You can read the full article by clicking HERE

The cloud have been covered with black clouds for the whole day, but we have been lucky, no rain and the crew have painted and chipped all day long. Water temperature was 16°C in the morning and when I left the bridge in the evening it was 17,5°C. Around 20° in the air and wind blowing from behind so it was quite nice on deck during the day.

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Friday 15 ^th of May 2015 and we were passing the Madeira in the morning. We have a force 7 blowing from behind and the sky is covered with black clouds.

And I will take this opportunity to teach you all a lesson, well, at least the guys in charge ofthe gas detectors on board. I finished checking the loading computer after lunch. Just after our toolbox meeting for the hot work on the bridge deck.

The guys left to weld on the bridge deck when we were ready with the toolbox/ safety meeting in my office and I finished the last test condition on our cargo computer. I had tested ourRiken Keiki RX 517 gas detectors in April and the VOL% gave failure when I calibrated the detectors.

We received a new detector in Rotterdam and I tried it when I was ready with the test of the cargo computer. Everything worked just fine as expected with a new detector, well, until I calibrated the detector for gas in inert atmosphere. Still the same results as with the old detectors 3 VOL%

And as it was a new detector I suspected that something was wrong. I had tried the other detectors with 2 different bottles and I decided to try a third bottle. All bottles are new with expiry date in March 2017. I was lucky, the detector was working and I decided to try all the bottles. Certified test gas and 3 out of 5 bottles were off spec.

And that means that I was double lucky, imagine if I had tried with a third bottle with the 3 VOL% instead of the correct 8 VOL% I would have thought that there were something wrong with the detector again. AND ALSO A WARNING, imagine calibrating gas detectors with off spec gas, could lead to your death when entering a tank!

And it was a good lesson for me as well, during my years this is the first time I have experienced off spec certified sample gas. This could have turned out ending in a disaster.

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Saturday 16 ^th of May 2015 and we were steering 221° between Tenerife and Gran Canaria when I came on the bridge at 4 o'clock in the morning. Not much of wind when I came on the bridge butat 6 it was back at a force 7 from NE. A power nap and I was ready for our drills at 10 thirty.

Fire drill, oil spill drill and a life boat muster is on today's schedule. We will also practise the use of the survival suits and we will have a ISPS drill. So we will be busy.

We started with the fire drill, fire under the fo'c's'le and as soon as we were ready it was time for an oil spill drill. But today it was not about oil on deck but the danger of the gas. And we were going through an oil/ chemical leak in the pump room. And it was pretty exciting.

We finished the drills and it was time for a life boat muster at the life boat and after that we demonstrated the use of the survival suits. And as we have 3 extra painters on board we had themto try the survival suits after the life boat muster. By now we were almost ready with our drills.

We're going to finish today's drills with an ISPS drill as we're going to Nouadhibou, and we need to keep an eye out for stowaways when in Nouadhibou, as people are quite eager to get out of Africa and Mauritanian.

And as they might try to leave with us we need to be on HIGH ALERT. That means a look out for stowaways and asearch of the vessel before leaving Nouadhibou, Mauritanian. And we willhopefully be going back to Las Palmas and a flight back home to Bangkok.

We completed the drills in time for me to make an arrival condition to Nouadhibou before it was time for lunch. We will arrive tomorrow night and we received berthing prospects in the evening. Noon 19th of May so we will have to wait at the anchorage.

There are only one jetty in Nouadhibou and all the small shuttle tankers have priority so we might have to wait even more anchored outside the jetty. I was told by the Charterer's Supervisor in Rotterdam that it could as well happen that we had to stop discharging and go out to the anchorage if there was any “PRIORITY” barge arriving.

Well, anyway, yet another gloomy and grey day have come to an end. Gloom and grey for long as you can see the last few days. But we have 20°C in the air and 18°C in the water so it is quite OK.

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Sunday 17 ^th of May 2015 and we're steaming South just off the coast of Western Sahara when I come on the bridge at 4 in the morning. NW corner of Africa, Morocco and then Western Saharaand the next country is Mauritanian and Nouadhibou is just South of the border between Mauritanian and Western Sahara.

Well, it is, well, it is South of the border to Western Sahara, but the border turns South down the Presque'île du Cap Blanc. Or the Cap Blanc Peninsula in English. The border split Presque'île du Cap Blanc in to two country, Western Sahara and Mauritanian. And Nouadhibou is on the border to Western Sahara,just East of the border.

We were approaching Presque'île du Cap Blanc when I came on the bridge at 4 in the afternoon. Our 2nd officers were busy with our new ECDIS. Brand new and the track ball have already given up. Well, as I said, track balls sucks and a real mouse is the way to go.

I was soon running in to a huge group of flippers and they are really fun to watch. When they see a ship they turn in to puppies jumping up and down in joy when daddy is coming back home from work. They are swimming towards the bow and they play in the waves.

And I have not seen a big group like this for many years, maybe 50 to 100 flippers swimming towards our bow and I was on the bridge wing in a jiff taking pictures.

We will drop our anchor around 11 o'clock tonight and we willhopefully come along side on Tuesday. The quicker we leave the quicker I will be back home.

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Monday 18 ^th of May 2015 and we were anchored 3 NM South East of the Presque'île du Cap Blanc/ Peninsula de Cabo Blanco when I came on the bridge 4 o'clock in the morning. Sun was soon risingand we had a white sunrise.

Can't remember ever having seen a white sun rise before. But I could see the sun clearly through the haze/ dust over Sahara and I could check the compass error with the sun.

Think it's the first time i see the sun since we left Rotterdam. I was soon able to see the Cap Blanc and the light house but other than that the haze/ dust covered. We have quite a strong wind and that's no good as I have planned to launch the MOB boat after the coffee break.

Our berthing prospects were changed from tomorrow afternoon until further notice. And I

Baklava

(/ˈbɑːkləvɑː/, /bɑːkləˈvɑː/, or /bəˈklɑːvə/; Ottoman Turkish: باقلوا [bɑːklɑvɑː]) is a rich, sweet pastry made of layers of filo filled with chopped nuts and sweetened and held together with syrup or honey. It is characteristic of the cuisines of the former Ottoman Empire, and is also found in Central and Southwest Asia.

Although the history of baklava is not well documented, there is evidence that its current form was developed in the imperial kitchens of the Topkapı Palace in Istanbul. The Sultan presented trays of baklava to the Janissaries every 15th of the month of Ramadan in a ceremonial procession called the Baklava Alayı.

Two well-supported proposals for the pre-Ottoman roots of this Istanbul dessert are that it came from a Central Asian Turkish tradition of layered breads, or that it came from Roman placenta cake, part of the Byzantine culinary traditions of the city of Istanbul, which had been the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

calculated cargo intakes for the next voyage. Loading in Port Gentil, Gabon.

Perfect, I can go home from there and I had my brother to check out flights for me. I can fly to Bangkok via Istanbul with Turkish Airlines. And as a bonus, the biz lounge in Istanbul (the best in the world) and their Turkish sweets, the Turkish Baklava. The best sweet in the world?

I'm drooling already just thinking about the Baklava. And there are mountains of the Baklava at the Turkish Airlines lounge inIstanbul. And on top of this they have Turkish BBQ available in every corner. Staff going around with cheese carts and dessert carts all the time.

So this is what I have to worry about. hey have rooms available if I need a power nap between flights. As I said Turkish Airlines lounge is the best I have been to. And on top of that Turkish Airline is a very good airline. New planes and good service.

Last time flying with Turkish Airlines I was greeted by 2 Cooks boarding the flight to Bangkok. So yes, I hope we go to Port Gentil, Gabon and that I will go home from there.

Coming late to the bridge because of the calculation and I discovered a force 6 blowing from the north and the air was filled with dust from the Sahara. Reduced visibility and I could not see shore any more. This is not the weather I had expected us to experience in Africa. But it is 25°C so the temperature is OK. Way better than in Europe.

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Tuesday 19 ^th of May 2015 and we're still anchored. Getting boring at the anchorage by now and Ireally hope that we can come alongside soon. Nothing much to do except drinking tea and eating “Oatmeal Surprise” like there are no tomorrow

I'm on my last bag of the oatmeal we bought back in Gothenburg. But we got new oatmeal with the provision in Rotterdam so I should be OK until we reach Gabon But if we're delayed here we might sign of here in Nouadhibou. We will see what happens.

Cap Blanc from the anchorage

We got a new e-mail with a question about cargo intake in the afternoon. Loading in Lomé, Tome toCotonou, Benin. And to go home from Lomé means that I will miss the Turkish Airlines. But after quick search on the internet I found out that Ethiopian Airlines are flying from Lomé to Bangkok via Addis Ababa.

Of course, I don't expect Ethiopian Airlines to be anything like the Turkish Airlines. And for sure, there will be no Baklava or any Turkish food in Addis Ababa. But it will be quite convenient with only one stop to Bangkok. But I still hopefor Port Gentil in Gabon as our load port.

Our 3rd Engineer was just ready with the job to mount our new life boat light when I came on the bridge at 4 o'clock in the afternoon. Another 4 hours at the Nouadhibou anchorage and still no news or berthing prospects. So there can be many more watches on Nouadhibou anchorage before coming alongside. Maybe we have to sign off here in Nouadhibou?

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Wednesday 20 ^th of May 2015 and yes, we were still anchored 3 NM SE of Cap Blanc when I came on my morning watch. Well, seems like the Lome to Coconou voyage is confirmed. When I woke up from my power nap the inbox was full of messages, among the most important, they will try to send our Chief Engineer home from here.

But it will most likely prove to be difficult to find a nice airline to get home with. For sure, I don’t fancy flying all the way back to Europe and then back to Funky Town. I made a search on internet, I had prepared myself for signing off here in Nouadhibou, Mauritanian yesterday. A quick search and I only found Scooby Doo Airlines. So I had not much of hope remaining doing my search today. I could not believe my foocking luck! Turkish Airlines are serving Nouakchott / NKC

So I was in a pretty good mood again. Ethiopian Airlines, well, out of nowhere and I was back on Turkish Airlines. Now we just wait for our berthing instructions, but I'm in no hurry. Even though itis boring here at the Nouadhibou anchorage it would be perfect to come back home to Bangkok on the 10th of June. But everything after 26th of May is good.

Then I will have 2 weeks before taking off for my polar adventure looking for polar bears and icebergs. So it is soon time to take off and I'm getting excited. Baklava in Istanbul and Polar bears on Svalbard, something to look forward to.

Yet another evening watching the haze/ dust with strong winds from the North. At least the ship is somewhat clean now. I had the crew to hose down the ship this morning as it was black with dust, most likely from the ore jetty. We will have to do it all over again in a few days from now with the wind bringing all the dust out to us.

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Thursday 21 ^st of May 2015 and yet another day at Nouadhibou anchorage. The ship is brown with sand from Sahara again. Strange, we have had a NON STOP Northerly wind force 6 to 8 since we left Bay of Biscay behind. Well, we had 3 hours with no wind in the afternoon, but when I came on the bridge at 4 o'clock in the afternoon is started to blow again.

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Friday 22 ^nd of May 2015 and we had a wind blowing in from North at 37 knots when I came on the bridge in the morning. So no chipping and painting of our masts on deck today.

I will continue the work in our hospital today, but first a power nap after my watch. And I found an e-mail from the crewing before going don to the hospita. My reliever don't want to join here inNouadhibou as it is a MEDIUM risk port. Yellow port regarding security, Piratesswinging from every tree and terrorists around every corner. But they were soon back from the crewing with a new reliever.

Of course, there are better ports to sign off in. But here is an airport just outside the city with daily flights to Nouakchott International. And from there stright to Funky Town International with a stop for Baklava in Istanbul.
I could have stayed for a month or two extra, but this time it is not possible as the Polar Bearsare waiting for me. So I need to go home, and I have already paid handsomly for my trip and I don't want to waste the money.

Coming down to my cabin after my afternoon/ evening watch and there was an e-mail and now we can go alongside. Not any good news, well, I hope it takes at least until Monday so we can get our relievers here in time. Or we're foocked and we have to stay on board when we're leaving.

And I can not remember ever having been to a better airline web page

I checked Abidjan, and yes, Turkish Airlines have a flight from Abidjan if I'm still on board when we're leaving Nouadhibou. I had been worried, I don't fancy flying with Egypt Air or Air Morocco. I have to fly between Nouadhibou and Nouakchott and I searched the internet for someinformation. Well, our Adventurer have been flying around Africa before so it was not like he was worried.

But some information can come in handy and I found a blog. www.airliners.net and there was a guy who had flown between Nouakchott and Nouadhibou.

I read about his adventure and as I have spent some premium dollars on Adobe Acrobat I downloaded the page as a pdf file and you can read it by clicking HERE Mauritania Airlines seems to be the airline taking us to Nouakchott from Nouadhibou. But will our relievers make it here in time. Berthing as soon as possible!

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Saturday 23 ^rd of May 2015 and we were still anchored when I came on the bridge 4 o'clock in the morning. Saturday and the crew started the day by cleaning the accommodation and after 8 o'clock they started tohose down the ship that was by now brown of sand from Sahara. Berthing at 16:00 was the latest news received just before 8.

So we started the heating when I left the bridge and we also tested our IG plant filling up IG in our cargo tanks. I was in bed at 9 thirty and back up again at 11 for the pre arrival tests and checks.

My reliever have got his flight details and he will arrive to Nouakchott tomorrow and on board on Monday morning. And was he lucky, his first booking was on the 24th with Qatar Airways to Paris and from there to Nouakchott. But then he might have missed the ship so he was booked leaving Chennai tonight with Turkish Airlines instead. Qatar Airways, well, I don't want to fly with them again.

Well, berthing was cancelled for today and we will see if we come alongside tomorrow. Coming down

Name=Nick cobbing Phone=
E-mail=XXXX@XXXXXXX.co.uk
Message=Hi, could you send me some of the pictures you took of me? I can screenshot and send you which ones. Thanks!

UK +44 XXXX XXXX XXXX
Sweden +46 XXX XXX XXX
Norway +47 XXX XXX XXX
www.nickcobbing.co.uk

to my cabin from my evening watch and there was an e-mail for me. Someone asking for pictures I have taken of him. Who is this guy?

There was a web page address and I checked out his page. I would normally never have put his name here on www.aladdin.st but as his name is plaster all over his web page I can as well go ahead and name him and his web page, www.nickcobbing.co.uk .

Our internet is sucking balls and it took me a very long time to load his page. Ice and arctic climate, well, I realised that it was Nick, the Journalist that was with us on board Rainbow Warrior. And yes, of course, I can send the pictures to him.

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Sunday 24 ^th of May 2015 and another day spent at Nouadhibou anchorage. First news when I came on the bridge in the morning was that Turkish Airlines had rejected my reliever to board in Bombay. He still had not received his “OK to board” document. Impressive work and my reliever had to fly back to Chennai.

We received new berthing prospects, NOT IN THE NEAR FUTURE whatever that means. Well, it meant that the “on signing” Chief Engineers was stopped at the airport and he had to go back home. So no relievers for us as it looks now.
Hopefully they will be able to join us hear very soon so our Chief Engineer and I can go home.

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Monday 25 ^th of May 2015 and we're still anchored at Nouadhibou anchorage when I come on the bridge 4 o'clock in the morning. At least it looked like it could be a nice day. And no new berthing prospects for us. Our Chief Engineer have given up the idea to get home in time for the wedding party next Saturday.

I was in my office and I could hear something knocking and I was wondering what the f*** it was. I was soon to discover that we had a fishing boat next to us. And one of the fisher men in the boat was knocking a wooden club on the boat side while the others were working with the net.

Pulling in the net

Pulling in the net

Pulling in the net

Pulling in the net

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Tuesday 26 ^th of May 2015 and we're still anchored at Nouadhibou anchorage. We remember the debacle with my reliever a few days back. A grand fiasco and now Mærsk have changed the Agent here in Mauritania after several days with no answerson e-mails. And now, suddenly my inbox was full of “crew change” e-mails again.

No berthing in the “NEAR FUTURE” and yesterday Maersk Erik arrived to the anchorage waiting to discharge, so yes I start to get a wee bit worried about my Polar Bear Quest.

Sun is setting over Cap Blanc

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Wednesday 27 ^th of May 2015 and what a surprise, still at Nouadhibou anchorage. Maersk Erik left the anchorage bound for the #2 L/B and the Pilot when I got off my watch at 8 o'clock in the morning. Maersk Erik will spend at least 2 to 3 days alongside and we will not come alongside before that.

We found out that they have service launches available yesterday. Our new Agent informed us that this willset us back with 400€ per hour.

Obviously a misprint as I'm sure 50$ will get me ashore with one of the local fishing boats. And the 50$ will give me a full song and dance show while being taken ashore.

+++++++++++++++
Thursday 28 ^th of May 2015 and yet another surprise, we're still anchored at Nouadhibou anchorage when I came on the bridge at 4 o'clock in the morning. Latest berthing prospects, 5th of June due to lack of ullage space in the shore tank.

Well, the good news is that it seems like our relievers are coming with a service launch. And our 2nd Engineer is happyas well as he can sign off as well. Otherwise Chief Engineer and 2nd Engineer can't sign off at the same time. But as we're staying for this long Chief Engineer leave with the launch and 2nd Engineer leave the ship when we're coming alongside.

Sun is rising over Sahara

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Friday 29 ^th of June 2015 and we're still anchored at Nouadhibou anchorage. Another 250 m long bulk carrier arrived this morning. 4 waiting with us and one waiting at the inner anchorage. 2 big bulkers are loading at the ore terminal. So it is a plenty traffic to the port, on top of that there are plenty big fishing boats going in and out of the port and reefers coming to load fish.

Still no flight details, but it seems like things are in progress to get tickets for our relievers. Well, now they have changed it and it is not possible for C/E and 2 Engineer to sign off at the same time. So 2nd Engineer have to stay on board until next opportunity.

+++++++++++++++
Saturday 30 ^th of June 2015 and still no flight details and we're still anchored at Nouadhibou anchorage. So pretty much nothing have been going on for the last 24 hours. Or for that matter, the last 13 days here waiting on the anchorage.

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Sunday 31 ^st of June 2015 and finally the last day in the month of May in the month of our Lord 2015 is here. Still anchored at Nouadhibou anchorage and no news. Well, at the end of my morning watch we got an e-mail and we will have some people coming here to take samples. But we don't know when, and that is even after a few e-mails asking for information.

One thing is for sure, we're ready with the month of May and I really hopewe will run in to more action in June than what we have experienced the last 2 weeks. We just need to click HERE to find out. Will I get on the plane back to Funky Town by the end of the week?

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