August 2008
Friday 1 st
of August 2008
and before going to my watch I went to the CCR for my “GOOD
MORNING” meeting with Bosun and Pump man.Pump man will prepare deck for tank cleaning and Bosun and the crew will continue painting on deck.
I made 6 slices of crisp bread with cheese (No butter) in the mess room before going to the bridge. 3 for breakfast and 3 for lunch and if I eat the my crisp bread on the bridge I don't have to go to
the mess room for lunch!!!
We passed Lisbon when I came on my morning watch. It was a beautiful morning, but we were still rolling due to the swell.
I was listening to my language course while drinking my
tea and having my breakfast. (3 of the 6 slices of crisp bread) When I was finished I read a little about Methanol cargoes and when I got fed up with the Methanol I enjoyed the view of the crew working on deck.
At 1035 we started to reduce our ME and after a few minutes we stopped
the engine. Our engine department needed to do some adjustments to the engine after the shipyard. When we were adrift we started to roll heavily.
Just before lunch I spotted a big whale coming towards us. I called the Cadets on deck coming aft for lunch.
- Det förekommer alltid klagomål, men de är inte så många, säger han, och tillägger att antalet klagomål inte ökat i takt med att antalet journalister som pratar bruten svenska har ökat.
- Check out the whale!
Well, they missed the whale and when they were inside there was
3 more whales passing us.
I never got any picture of the whale, so I have to use the picture that our 2nd Officer on Prospero took in the same area when we were on the way to Las Palmas for bunker a few years back. Well, we were still adrift when I got off my watch. I had planned to work with my computer during lunch. But the rolling made it impossible and I have to admit that I went for my second lunch.
After lunch I ran in to our Cadets in my cabin. They were busy hanging up new blinds in my bed room and I was quick to take a picture.
Saturday 2 nd of August 2008 and I woke up to a grey day. But we were not rolling any more even though I could see that the wind has picked up when I looked out my window.
After my shower and my GOOD MORNING diet drink I went to the CCR to discuss today's job with
Bosun and Pump man. Then I went to the mess room and I made 6 slices of crisp bread with cheese (No butter) in the mess room before going to the bridge. 3 for breakfast and 3 for lunch and if I eat the my crisp bread on the bridge I don't have to go to
the mess room for lunch!!!
Well, I had a nice watch and I really appreciate that the rolling has stopped. It's blowing force 5, but its tail wind and no swell coming in from the side. No rolling and the crew could lift up our drums with hydraulic oil from poop deck to C-Deck.
My watch passed pretty quickly and it was time for lunch. I had had 3 slices of crisp bread and I
skipped lunch and went for a walk on deck. A gloomy and grey morning had become a sunny afternoon.
The crew came on deck after lunch and I could plan a little work with Bosun at the same time. The painting is proceeding and soon all the stuff from the shipyard is finished and we can start on deck.
There are some small spots here and
there that needs our attention before the rust problem is getting out of hand. I and the Chief Engineer decided to wait until Monday with the tank cleaning. That will give the engine department time to prepare for bunkering tomorrow and to get things back in order after the shipyard.
Saturday and the crew will go inside early. Just finish the white painting and clean up a little. Our Bosun is busy making new heaving lines and I returned to my cabin and my afternoon nap. Soon time to be on watch again and I need to be well rested.
The AB on my watch is learning to check the compass error against the sun so time flies by. I hope we can see the moon tonight so he can practice on the moon as well. When he's confident with the sun and the moon we can move on to the stars.
Sunday 3 rd of August 2008 and it was a gloomy and grey morning. But we had arrived to Las
Palmas, Gran Canaria and I could see Las Palmas from my window when I had my GOOD MORNING look out the window.
We were drifting just of the port of Las Palmas when I came on my watch.
- We are waiting for the Pilot!
them calling Bosun from the bridge.
- Let go the anchor!
I called the bridge and asked if we should have Pilot or not. Maybe, and I went forward to the fo'c's'le. The Pilot was giving us pointers from the pilot boat.
I'm not surprised, everyone tries to cash in on the shipping. But this is like stealing, why on earth do we need a pilot boat checking
us dropping the anchor? They could have given us free radar guidance. Well, no one is complaining from the shipping industry, at least not until you ask for a second potato.
Well, anyway, while waiting for the Pilot I discussed upcoming work with our Pump man. I made small work list for him yesterday and we
went through the different items on the list.
At 0850 we dropped the anchor and I returned to the bridge and my breakfast. I was munching on my first crisp bread when the provision barge called on the radio.
- We will be on your port side in 20 minutes!
- You're welcome! I said and I returned to my breakfast.
I had one of the Deck Cadets on the bridge. He is on the
bridge 24/7 eager to learn the tricks of the trade.
- That's the spirit!
I always take his picture so I can put it on internet for him. - Next time meeting a girl you can say that you're known
from Internet, I say to him.
- What a great icebreaker!
The crew were busy painting while we bunkered and she starts to look like a ship again after the shipyard. But it's Sunday today and the crew will knock off early. I had to remind Bosun that it's Sunday. Yesterday he thought it was
Friday and he was KICKIN'
behinds like it was an ordinary weekday.
- HEY! You have to rest sometimes! I said to him.
I can't help it. But look at the AB on the left hand picture. Doesn't he look like our Bosun on Barcarolle. When I'm on the bridge see him walking down deck I always think it's the Bosun from Barcarolle coming. I'm just about to shout:
- YOO! ROLANDO! WHAT'S HAPPENING!
And then I realise that's it's not Rolando.
OK, 700 ton HFO and 45 ton Diesel and we expect to be ready in a few hours. 30 minutes after the provision barge left the bunker barge arrived and we started the bunkering sometimes after 12. Diesel and HFO at the same time.
department were busy with the bunkering and I ran in to our Chief Engineer all
over the place.
- What the...!!? Are you all over the ship?
I like our Chief Engineer, he is always happy and laughing so it's fun to run in to him on deck. Today he was everywhere, at the manifold, at my office, in the ships office and at the forward bunker tank.
Our internet disappeared at the anchorage. I don't know what happened. But I managed to get my e-mail this morning. And darn, I never received so much SPAM. Is
it the satellite antenna? I don't know, but my inbox is brimmed. But there was also an e-mail from USA.
Bad weather pictures. At least I hope that we don't run in to any bad weather. But if we do I will for sure post some of the pictures here at www.aladdin.st were we have got used to me taking pictures in all
kind of stupid situations. Who can forget the picture when I took my blood sample? For sure not the guy at the Doctor's office taking my sample. But who knows, this is maybe something that happens every day. But I don't think so.
We left Las Palmas 1540 and now the sun was shining. But our internet had capsized and no more internet. Without any warning our internet just capsized and sank 1 mile East of Las Palmas.
Well, we see when I can do my next upload. But the future doesn't look bright if it is like I suspect. South of Las Palmas and we're out of internet. That means that we will never have internet. Maybe for 1 or 2 day when and if we are discharging in Houston. Can we live without any updates for so long?
Monday 4 th of August 2008 and I woke up to yet another gloomy and grey day. I was on bridge with my crisp bread just before 8 o'clock and Captain came a few minutes later. He called V-sat service number but still no internet. Well, as I suspected, the internet capsized and sunk East of
Las Palmas 3rd of August 2008. RIP!
I was relieved by our 2nd Officer at 11 o'clock and I went down to the CCR where Pump man and our Deck Cadet were waiting for me. Time to start the tank
cleaning.
I will use Pump man and the AB on watch for the cleaning and the rest of the crew
will continue painting. The sun is shining now and the gloomy and grey weather is gone.
We will only use cold water today, the cleaning today is mainly
to test all valves, pumps and cleaning machines after the ship yard. Just to make sure everything is working.
Tomorrow we will wash half of the tanks with hot water and fresh water. We got new boilers onboard at the shipyard and our Chief Engineer can't wait to test them. We tested our new fresh air fans to day as well
by ventilating all the tanks. Works good.
Tomorrow we will run the Nitrogen plant and then we have tested all the new stuff they put in at the ship yard.
Well, everything worked, except some problem with the tank
washing machine in 2 Stb. But our Pump man had the pump up and running in no time. I had the Cadet running around on deck and in the CCR.
- You have this opportunity to pick up as much as you can! Especially now when you can ask the guys on deck, which together have hundreds of years experience from working ships.
We finished the cleaning at 1630 and I was off to take a shower. Dinner and then off to bed for an hour before my night watch. We usually start our night watch by checking the gyro error against the sun, then its tea drinking until midnight when we're off to bed. Yesterday I had 2 Swedish flagged vessel close by. That makes 3 Swedish flagged vessels together in the middle of the Atlantic. For sure not an “Every day” thing. I guess it was 50 years ago it happened last time.
- How many Swedish people were onboard?
- Hmm, maybe 10 all together.
Tuesday 5 th of August 2008 and the longer I'm onboard the more people I recognise. On the way down to the mess room for my 3 slices of crisp bread I ran in to our 2nd Engineer. I recognized
him, but from where?
- Where have you been working before?
Well, it turned out that he had been 2nd Engineer on CT Star a few years back. CT Star, yeah, it was the good old days and we had very fun on the ship. OK, hard work, but always time for frolic and larks.
I had time for my breakfast on the bridge before it was time for some HEAVY DUTY cargo calculation. MAX draft at arrival to Baltimore in brackish water and at different high waters.
When I was ready there was time for a diet drink and then the 2nd Officer came to relieve me at 10.
The day started out as gloomy and grey, but after an hour it was hot
and sunny and the crew were busy painting on deck. But I and Pump man had a different tusk. To hot water wash the cargo tanks and the engine department will try our new boiler.
Assisted by our deck Cadet we started the operation after the coffee break. Well, we got the tank cleaning pump up and running and we opened the steam to the heat
exchanger. 50°C and that was it. Some adjustments to do to the boiler. Well, back in the days it would have been easy for the Chief Engineer to do the adjustments himself.
Today it's a different story. Now we have to update computer
programs or as the Chief Engineer said:
- I opened up the box on the boiler and it was brimmed with printed circuit cards!
It's like when I was driving my rented cars to Gothenburg a few years ago. I was halfway between Helsingborg and Gothenburg when an alarm light went off. All the electric stuff stopped working.
- What happened with the music? AND THE AC??!!
It was the fan belt. An easy thing to fix and I stopped at a parking place, jumped out of the car. I was in a hurry to Gothenburg and an ongoing party.
I opened the hood and I could not even see the engine. I
slammed the hood swearing.
I called a taxi and I had to go back to Helsingborg to get a new car. If it had been an old car you had fixed the belt fan by yourself in 2 minutes. But this was a brand new SAAB and there was nothing for me to do!
While they were working with the boiler our Cadet took the opportunity to make an BALLAST EXCHANGE plan for the arrival to Brazil. Always something to do and our Cadet takes every opportunity he gets to learn something.
- There are no short cuts if you want to be a Chief Officer!
Tank cleaning came to a full stop before we even started and I went to my cabin and my language course. 1 hour and I will be off to deck and my constitutional. I got a little carried away during lunch ( In the CCR where no one saw me) and I will have to do a little extra walking.
It was a gorgeous afternoon/ evening so I spent a few hours in my track on the catwalk. It was nice, even though I had preferred to be ready with the tank cleaning. Well, I was walking on the cat walk with Ted Nugent blasting high in my new headphones. Deck crane to the fo'c's'le back and forth and when I made my turn at the fo'c's'le just before 7 I saw someone waving to me from
the bridge wing. First I thought it was our Deck Cadet but when I came closer I saw that it was our Chief Engineer. He did the internationally recognized sign for “ Let's have a fag
”
and I returned the signal with a equally recognized sign for “ 1 minute, in my cabin
”
- Ups! I don't smoke!
Well, we were soon in my cabin drinking diet drink and our Chief Engineer checked out my web page.
- I will send the address to my wife, he said.
He was back 2 times to get the address right. I really have to do some work with my hand writing. But he got it and he was off with a:
- I will send the address immediately!
I was off for a shower before my night watch and I was pretty pleased when I had my first cup of tea in my hand.
- A few hours in the track, not bad. And my language course on the stereo.
- Hey! Even the AB on my watch has started to speak the lingo!
No hot water for tank cleaning, unless we run the boiler in manual EMERGENCY mode. I sent an e-mail to L & I yesterday and asked about the cleaning. Broström has hired L & I as tank cleaning
consults and many times L & I send onboard an expert when they are going to load Methanol. As they say, Methanol is very sensitive.
Well, we are loading Ethanol and last cargo was MTBE so I wrote to L & I that I thought it was enough with the cold water wash. Ethanol and they will only check the chlorides and that it's less than 10ppm.
I got an answer this morning and he wanted me to take a wall wash in as many tanks as possible so we knew where we were. I was
puzzled,
they will only check for visible traces of hydrocarbon and if they find any there will be wall wash. And the wall wash will only be checked chlorides and I sent him an e-mail. There was a swift reply. He agreed with me on the cold water wash, but as he wrote in his second reply.
- Chlorides are of no concerns! Check colour and hydrocarbons so that we can decide on the cold water wash.
Taking wall wash in all tanks will take a day and I'm losing
time by the day. I wanted to have this cleaning behind me a few days ago. But plenty tests to do after the shipyard and today we will run the nitrogen. For sure, I don't want to run around the tanks when we test the nitrogen plant.
I consulted our 3 last cargo history and I decided to make a wall wash in Slop, 7 and 2 Port side. Our deck Cadet was eager to come with me. He is always interested in learning a few things.
- There are no short cuts if you want to become an Chief Officer!
Taking a wall wash sample, we spray Methanol on the bulkheads and collect the Methanol in a bottle. Pretty straight forward and no hokus pokus.
The hokus pokus starts when we get the wall wash sample in to my laboratory. We will run 3 tests, colour, hydrocarbon and chlorides. I will run the chlorides just to get a feeling on the Methanol tank cleaning. If I take one now and one after the fresh
water wash I will have an idea on the effect of a 30 minutes fresh water wash next time.
bottle and run it in the SPECTROPHOTOMETER. We got a value of about 180 on the colour test, from slop tank we got almost 500. There was a
rust spot in the tank and I could not help myself, I just had to run the wall wash over the rusted parts of the tank.
Next test is the chloride and now you will understand why we started with the colour test.
To test the wall wash for chlorides we need to add 5 drops of Silver Nitrate and 5 drops of Nitric Acid (I think that's the name) in the 25ml sample. We are ready with the colour so we can use the same samples.
After adding the drops, carefully counted by our Deck Cadet the samples had to rest for 15 minutes before we can run them in the SPECTROPHOTOMETER. What the hell is a SPECTROPHOTOMETER? And where did they come up with the name SPECTROPHOTOMETER?
While waiting for the chloride samples to be ready we mixed the samples for the Hydrocarbons.
The Hydrocarbon test requires test tubes and now it's getting really exciting. 90ml distillate
water in a test tube, add 10 ml of the wall wash. Invert the tube 2 times to mix the sample. Inverting the tube, what a nonsense, I started to shake the tube like there was no tomorrow and I looked for further instructions in the manual. Let the sample rest for 20 minutes. IT'S OF OUTMOST IMPOTANCE THAT THE SAMPLE IS
FREE FROM AIR BUBBLES.
Turned out that shaking the test tube was a very bad idea. I checked the sample and it looked like soda water. So I had to throw it away and make a new sample.
Well, when we were ready it was time to go check the oxygen content in 6P/S cargo tanks, the nitrogen plant had been running
for about 1 hour.
Our nimble Deck Cadet took this opportunity to learn a little about gas measuring. 13% oxygen and we will try again before dinner.
Our Cadet takes part in all the different moments onboard. He's learning new stuff every day and as an extra bonus he appears on the
internet a whole lot and the chance is good that he's already known by future employers. Offers about well paid jobs will fill his post box in no time.
He will be the talk of the town when he's back home. His class
mates will be green of envy and at Sjösjukan he will be the king.
Yeah, we remember Sjösjukan, a sad place where they play Hjalle o Tjalle on full blast while wondering why there is never any girls coming to the place. But that will change when our Cadet is back home.
When he enters the place the girl will undress him in their minds while wishing that he will choose their table for the evening.
Well, we measured the gas and our Chief Engineer was happy with the N2 plant's performance.
- So far it looks good!
When we were ready it was late afternoon and I returned to my cabin for a shower before dinner.
Coming on the bridge for my night watch and I was pretty pleased with the day, even though I didn't found any time for my constitutional. After dinner I and the Chief Engineer went to his cabin for a chat about the good old days. I'm really lucky to have him onboard.
Otherwise, social life = ZIP.
Thursday 7 th of August 2008 and tanks cleaning at last. No hot water but I will do a cold water
wash and it's about time to get this cleaning done with. 3rd Officer and 2nd Officer taking my morning watch and I will be in the CCR drinking tea and
listen to music while drilling our Deck Cadet.
It was a terrible morning, the rain poured down and I stayed in the CCR pissing and moaning about the weather. But in the afternoon the weather was good again and this was in the nick of time. After completion of the tank cleaning I wanted to pressure test our cargo lines.
When we were ready on deck I went to the bridge to instruct our 3rd Officer on how to change our ballast. Hopefully this will be ready tonight and we can send the ballast report to Brazil tomorrow.
I had time for a shower and my language course before dinner and then I was off to my cabin and my book. Soon time for my night watch.
Friday 8 th of August 2008 and today I will have to wall wash 2 tanks. I will do it after my watch
before the crew starts to spray the tanks with DI water. The I will do some wall wash tomorrow after the DI spraying to see the difference.
The AB on watch was waiting for me in the CCR when I came down from the bridge. Our Cadet showed up a few minutes later. I started to calibrate our gas meters so I can measure the atmosphere in the tanks before the crew starts the DI
spraying.
I and the Cadet went down the SLOP Port and then we did 2 Port and we were off to analyze the samples.
After 1 hour cold sea water wash and 30 minutes cold FW the chlorides were within the limits. See what we get after the DI water spraying. Maximum 10 ppm chlorides and now we
are down to 7. Don't hurt to get the chlorides well within the limits with the DI water spraying.
Waiting for the samples to be ready for the Photospectrometer and there was nothing much to do but drink a diet drink. Waste of time, but Chief Officer has nothing else to do.
When we were ready I took my camera and I went to my cabin to prepare the pictures for L & I. I will send the wall wash result and some pictures to them. Well, it's pretty good to have this company for the tank cleaning.
Just to send them an e-mail if I have any questions regarding tank cleaning.
Well, luckily enough I got time for a constitutional in the afternoon and after dinner I was off for a shower and my language course. Darn! My tea tasted good when I came for my exciting night watch.
Always does when you had had a good day.
Tomorrow the crew will continue the DI water spraying and I and the Deck Cadet will make more wall wash. I got reply on my last e-mail to L & I and our guy wrote that it looked good. Good result on the wall wash.
Ok, we're running around like TRACK HORSES with the wall wash. Good exercise, but its fun. It's all new to me and the time turns quick.
This is why I like to be one, maximum two times on each ship. New stuff to learn and the time
turns quick. But, well, it's also nice to have a shower in a nice and clean shower after a full day running around.
Saturday 9 th of August 2008 and I started the day by measuring the gas in the cargo tanks.
The crew are going to continue the DI water spraying today. I was on the bridge at 9 and I could enjoy my breakfast. At 12 o'clock it was time for wall wash again. No lunch, I never have time for lunch on this ship.
Our Cadet and I wall washed 6 tanks and we were ofto the lab to test the samples.
6 wall wash and we ended up with plenty sample bottles and test tubes. We had to split it and run it 2 times
and the time is running away. Never time for anything but this wall wash. 8 hours on the bridge and then 4 to 5 hours with the wall wash every day.
But I have our Deck Cadet to keep me company. Otherwise it would have been very boring, so he is saving me from jumping overboard. After loading we have 15 days to New York and I will watch movies every day having a good time. So far I have had time to see none of the movies I pay for.
But thank God for our Cadet, now the wall washing is fun and I have company. I told him that he have to take the days of in Santos and Rio De Janeiro.
- I don't want to see you drunk onboard. So you take in on a hotel on Copacabana and you get dead drunk! DEAD DRUNK!
- OK!
- Yeah, take this opportunity to get to know
the locals. When you're a Chief Officer there will be no time.
- If you have time you can go see Limhamn's Jesus. The big concrete Jesus, made by
Skånsk
cement. But to go have fun is the most important.
When we were ready it was after 4 o'clock and it was
too late for an afternoon walk.
I got a picture from my friend in Greenpeace. He is on Artic Sunrise doing whale research outside Italy. Onboard is the Italian Cock from Rainbow Warrior and we recognize her from several pictures on my web page. The last one
when she and the Lebanese Doctor was scratching on me in Rome at our Greenpeace meeting.
Well, it was fun on Rainbow Warrior. But one time is enough. But I wouldn't mind doing one more time onboard, in a few years time. But as I said to the Greenpeace's seagoing personnel managers when they called me to Amsterdam. We were drinking tea and they asked if I wanted to come back.
- Yeah, I wouldn't mind. It was fun! But you cannot have this as a regular job, after a while you cannot go back to a real ship again. It was like a holiday onboard, I said.
Obviously this was not the answer they had hoped for.
I didn't know this until I came to Marimba but working for Greenpeace is not a very prestigious work, a job only for f@ck ups. We were having lunch onboard Marimba at the shipyard in China. I said that I had woke up 3 o'clock in the morning when my phone started to ring.
- They wanted me to come work on a ship and they wake me up at 3, not a good move.
Our Laurin's Inspector or what he was said:
- Was it Greenpeace??!!
Implying that it were only nitwits working for Greenpeace and that this was the only job I could get. I don't know what he was hoping for, me to feel inferior to him and his high position in Laurin? I don't think so, what he achieved I would have achieved from my bed.
Dinner, salmon, lemon, salad and a steak. Good, the rest had ice cream and I took some more smoked salmon and lemon. Our Chief Engineer got the biggest portion of ice cream I had ever seen, topped it with two big spoons of whipped cream.
- I'm out of here! I said.
- This is good, he said.
- Well.... Maybe a little.....
Sunday 10 th of August 2008 and what do you know. Time to go down the tanks again, I will soon look like a Greyhound. And believe me, I'm not talking about the busses. DI water spraying in
4+5+6+7+Slop starboard and we need to measure the gas before the crew goes down in the tank. I have to make an Enclose Space Entry and thus we need to calibrate our gas instrument before measuring the gas.
And of course we have to fill up a log when we have calibrated the gas instruments. An excellent opportunity for our Cadets to get to know the gas meters. If you have an Enclose Space Entry Permit without calibrating the instrument it's
“ FY FY
” at the vetting inspection.
When the tanks were measured and the portable gas detector were calibrated the crew could start with the DI spraying. I was left alone with our Cadets and we could start preparing for the wall wash. 
start to analyze the wall wash.
We prepared the samples and we got all good results and I was in a good mode. We
had time to go wall wash Slop Stb before lunch. While the crew were having their lunch I wall washed 4 Stb and at 1330 I went to bed.
When I went to bed I called the bridge and I asked 2nd Officer to wake me up at 3. I expected the rest of the cargo tanks to be dry then so I could finish the wall washing. Well, I could only wall wash 7 Stb, 5 and 6 to wet and I will do it tomorrow.
It was almost 5 when we finished the analyze and we also threw away a lot of shit from our lab, earlier during the day we threw away a lot of shit from our sample locker. Hundreds of bottles marked only with a question mark. Who the BIP want stuff like that around?
Yet another day with no time for my constitutional, but I decided to skip my language course today (Sunday) and I will try to enjoy a movie after dinner.
Monday 11 th of August 2008 and I started the day by wall washing 5 & 6 Stb. Good result and I will wash the last tanks after my watch. It was a nice morning, sunshine and only a few clouds on an otherwise blue sky. Wind force 5/6 coming in from the port side blowing a little water and salt
on deck.
Not an good environment to ventilate the tanks is, but it has to be done. When coming on deck after my watch I discovered some gas in the tanks and I postponed the wall wash until after 3 o'clock. I'm looking forward to yet another exciting day onboard Bro Provider.
Well, all our tanks look good and now I hope that there is no more wall washing before I go home. It has been instructive and illuminating, a new experience and thus fun, but know I know this and I don't want to do it again.
Well, no time for my constitutional today, this happening too often by now. Well, I hope I had it with the wall wash by now. Running up and down the ladders in the tanks, the ladders is a killer but it's a good exercise. But it's not like I enjoy it like I do with my afternoon walks.
Tuesday 12 th of August 2008 and it was a gorgeous day. Still slightly rolling for the sea, but it
was sunshine and the tea tasted great! We did yet another test run of the nitrogen plant in the morning and it worked well.
After lunch I was busy with gas measuring the tanks and paper work,
but at 2 o'clock I went for my constitutional on deck while thecrew were down mopping the wells in the cargo tanks.
Mopping was a quick thing, they are almost dry, just some condense. So they could continue painting in the afternoon. One AB was busy chipping in our showers so it was a terrible sound in the accommodation in the afternoon. Hopefully we will get a guy to put new tiles in Brazil.
My constitutional wasn't what I expected. A little pain in my right knee and I gave up after a little
more than 1 hour. OK, I spent some 20-30 minutes talking with our Pump man under the fo'c's'le so I guess it wasn't much more than 30 minutes or so of walking.
OK, I wasn't in my best mood either. I guess I'm homesick and I can't wait for yet another 4 weeks to pass and I'm on my way home. And that 
reminds me of my diet, I don't want to walk in
to the pilates looking like a zeppelin.
I spent the afternoon with a movie, for 30 minutes and I got tired of it and moved over to my bed. I overslept the dinner and my diet is on track.
I woke up at 6 o'clock so I had time for my language course before finish
the movie. Happy ending with fireworks and I was off to the bridge and a cuppa.
The world is small, we were steaming SSW towards Cabo De São Tomé on a course of 207° (T) when we meet Jutlandia Swan. Yet another ship that I should have been on. I was asked back in April if I could join the ship in June. But as we know I was on my gas tanker course then and I had to reject the offer. I called the Officer on the watch and he told me that it was a nice ship.
Brand new, built 2007 and they were on the way to Gibraltar from Paranagua with soya oil, a nice cargo. OK, so within a few day we have passed 2 ships that I should have been on. Well, good to know that I get job offers, not only from Greenpeace!
Wednesday 13 th of August 2008 and we started to roll heavy during the night and I spent the morning watch holding on to my tea cup. A pretty uneventful day, except for the excitements when we did our last course changes to west and Paranagua pilot station. ETA tomorrow afternoon.
Thursday 14 th of August 2008 and we were steaming on course 253°(T) when I came on my morning watch. Gloomy and grey weather, but no wind. I had a ship crossing my way, but it was 30 minutes to go until CPA so I had my morning tea and my crisp bread.
- What the BIP !!?? This motherf@cker had no intention to change course even though he was the give way ship.
I tried to call him a few times on the radio and, well, I had to change course. I called on the radio.
- Sabrine!! I change course for you so you can go on sleeping or whatever you do on the bridge! I don't hold it against you, your Scooby company don't pay you properly and I don't know when you got food last time onboard!
As I use to say, you never know who's on the bridge at the ships around you. Maybe a Polish
Librarian. Our Chief engineer told me a story on the bridge the other day. He had been on a ship and the company sent a new Officer.
- He was just walking around like a question markon the bridge. Turned out he had no education
and didn't know anything about navigation or the bridge equipment.
Of course they got suspicious and they asked him about his licence. Turned out that he was a taxi driver.
Latest message from our Agent in Paranagua is that we will berth on the
18th of August due to congestion in the port.
- I'm in no hurry nowhere, I said.
We will drop anchor around 180 and pump man and Bosun are preparing
deck for pirates and we have to lock everything with pad locks. Or we might end up missing all our paint, ropes and tools.
After a quick lunch, meat and Brussels sprouts. Yeah, I'm serious with my diet. Well, after lunch I did some paper work with our Cadets and now we're pretty much prepared for loading. A little something to do tomorrow as well.
I had time for an hour of walking up and down the catwalk before returning to my cabin and my language course. Dinner, it was like an mine field and I managed to clear most of the mines.
Well, most of them anyway. I was in my cabin when we dropped anchor at 1915.
Well, the internet have so far been nothing but a disappointment, and especially for you that have
expected daily updates.
- Do you want to come work on Bro Provider? Internet, free phone and 031 prefix and there was no end to it.
But there might be hope, when I came on my night watch we were anchored and the 3rd Officer showed me an e-mail they had received on the SAT-C. Ok, it took me a while before I understood the e-mail, but I interpreted it like:
- There is internet 200m from the gate.
So, if Chief Officer gets a few minutes he can go ashore and update his web page. And the e-mail, it's the first time I see a night club sending e-mail to the ships. Almost like the ship chandlers in Suez. They are crazy and when in the area you receive millions of price lists from different ship chandlers in Suez.
Friday 15 th of August 2008 and we were still anchored when I came on my morning watch. A gloomy and grey morning, but the sun started to shine after a few hours. I spent my watch with
Dolma means stuffed or filling. Dolma is a dish of stuffed vegetables. The young leaves of the grapevine, zucchini, green peppers, cabbage, and onions are stuffed with a mixture of rice, onion and ground meat. Dolmas are usually eaten cold as an appetizer, but the Greek dolmades with lamb are served hot like the Swedish Kåldolme.
It came to Sweden in the beginning of the 18th century when our King Karl the XII returned from Turkey. There were many Swedish soldiers in Bender, Turkey when they returned to Sweden they brought back the recipe. But in Sweden they used cabbage (kål) instead of the grapevine leaves.
When Karl XII was kicked out from Turkey he returned to Sweden together with many of the creditors. He had borrowed much money while in Turkey. The creditors stayed in Sweden between 1716 and 1732 and they ate Dolmas.
reading about tank cleaning and talk about the good old times with Captain.
After lunch, kåldolme and Brussels sprouts. OK, I had 2 extra kåldolmar. I was ready and I was just about to leave when I decided to stay for 2 extra kåldolmar. Just to be social. I took a new
plate and I sat down at my place again.
We had planned to have an oil spill drill and rescue from tank drill after lunch. I spent the time waiting in my office doing paper
work and at 1300 we could start with the oil spill drill.
When the oil spill drill was completed we moved over to 3 stb
ballast tank. We had a tri pod with a winch and we practiced to lift up the dummy from the tank and to get the harness on the dummy.
Lifting up someone from a tank is no joke. Especially when there is a ladder in the way. But the cargo tank is the easiest tank to rescue someone from.
Imagine a to rescue a guy from a ballast tank. To get this guy through
all the manholes in the double bottom. And if you have to use BA sets, well, I would say that it's next to impossible.
We finished the drill and after all, the dummy looks happy. I went back in to my office
to get my iPod and I was soon in my track walking away some of my excess kilos.
It was a gorgeous afternoon and I was plunging up and down the cat walk. I could not stop, how could I? Our 2nd Officer was on the bridge wing urging on.
Well, it's good that they keep an eye on my diet. I got a little more than one hour in the track before returning to my cabin and a shower.
When I came on my night watch I got the latest news: Pilot at 0630 tomorrow morning.
Saturday 16 th of August 2008 and we were on the way when I woke up. We were approaching Paranagua when I came on the bridge. A gloomy and grey morning, but I could see the sun tryingto break through the clouds. After consulting the log book I found out that we had the anchor up at 0555 and the Pilot was onboard at 0625.
- Speak up! No one can hear what you're saying! I said.
- This is how my voice is!
- Yeah! I doesn't help having you blah-blah-bla on the radio all the time and suddenly “ STOP ENGINE ”.
Well, later on I could hear him screaming at the boatmen on the jetty, so I guess it was not his voice. But there should have been an alarm going off when our helms man and everyone else had to ask him to repeat what he was saying all the time.
wall wash for hydrocarbons and Chloride.
He complained about the hydrocarbons. well, not complained, but he said there was hydrocarbons in the sample. I told him that I was only instructed to clean so the chloride should be less than 10ppm.
- No check for hydrocarbons, I said.
- No problem, he said.
But I showed him our e-mail where it was
clearly stated that the tanks would only be inspected visually for hydrocarbons and wall wash was only for chlorides.
Paper work and test of equipments before we could start loading. But we had to wait and the hose was connected at 1325 and at 1350 we started to load the ethanol and I was off for a shower
We are purging 7P/S with nitrogen and I will measure the gas before dinner
and then I'm off to internet to check my e-mail and to upload my web page. We have plenty time, loading rate 300m³/h and we will load 6400m³ in Paranagua. So it will take time.
But I'm in no hurry and today Captain told me that we will load at 2 different places in Santos and 2 days waiting at each of the jetty as it looks today. Good, it will be September before we're leaving Brazil and I'm soon on my way home.
I'm off to upload my page. Next upload in Santos or Rio De Janiro.
We measured cargo tanks 7P/S for oxygen before we went to dinner. When we (Chief Engineer & I) were on the way to the port side we took the way over the poop deck. Plenty people hanging on the rail and I thought they were fishing.
Captain shouted after me when we passed:
- All your diet drinks are coming now!
First then I noticed that they were lifting onboard provision and one sling was full of diet drinks.
Well, 7,3% O2 in the tanks and I decided to stop the purging after dinner.
On the way back to the mess room I saw
our 2 Cadets coming over
the gangway returning from shore.
- Hmm, didn't I sent them ashore for some fun?
- HEY! It's Saturday evening and no one will bother you tomorrow! Why aren't you ashore?
I couldn't believe my eyes
-GO BACK ASHORE! IT'S SATURDAY FOR CHRISTS SAKE!
Well, what can I say? And yesterday I found out that one of
the Cadets had sent my picture to one of the girls in his class! OK, Chief Officer is exceptionally handsome, but anyway.
I left the ship after dinner. I had loaded my web page to my USB memory and I was off to the “NIGHT CLUB MARIA BONITA” to upload my e-mail. Our 2 Cadets joined me.
- We will show you the way!
what was it they had written in the e-mail? STREP- TEASE AND MANY
GIRLS. 200MTRS FROM TANKER GATE. 200m, they must be retarded, it's at least 2km and what about the girls? Yeah, there were many girls comparing to the ship.Well, most, no, all of them looked like truck drivers.
When we arrived we meet our engine crew and they were
singing Karaoke.
What a tragic place! An abomination and I was in a hurry out of there as soon as I finished my internet business. And what a shame that people should have to work in a place like this to get their daily livelihood.
Before I left I told our Cadets to take a taxi to town.
- There must be a better place than this! Saturday and there should be plenty disco in town.
I also told them that I would not pester them if they went back onboard, Saturday or not. It's better onboard.
- A place like this is nothing I wish for anyone to experience, I said when I left.
Sunday 17 th of August 2008 and I woke up to a beautiful day. I had my breakfast (tea and crisp bread) in the CCR while topping off 3P/S. We completed loading at 1145 and Pilot will be onboard between 15 and 1530. Santos next.
Our Pilot came onboard at 1540 and came out on starboard side bridge wing. He said hello to the Captain the he approached me with open arms.
Our 3rd Officer was on the bridge a few minutes after departure and it was time for me to go on my “watch below”
- OK Mr Pilot! I'm out of here, but I leave my best men in charge!
- OK, hope to see you again! He said when he came to get a new hug
I don't know, but when our Surveyor left to day he was giving me a hug as well. Well, maybe it's a Brazilian thing.
- Hmm, why is it only me? Do I look like I'm from Brazil?
Monday 18 th of August 2008 and we were anchored on Santos roads when I came on my morning watch. They had dropped anchor at 0420 and no news or berthing prospects. The only news is that we will load 20600m³ in Santos and 10000 in Rio De Janeiro. Changed cargo orders, but this is
normal. And it's also expected that no one knows when we're going inside.
Tomorrow morning, tonight and tomorrow afternoon.
- And I can't wait to get inside, is there a bonus hug for me again?
- Hmm, maybe it's my intercontinental look that makes everyone ( except the beautiful girls ) want to hug me??
I also remember last day at the shipyard in Portugal. The Boss for the shipyard was onboard to see
us off and to wish us good luck. I'll be darned, another hug!
I was reading in my bed in the afternoon and before I knew it I was sleeping. Waking up just in
time for dinner. I had time for a shower and a diet drink before it was time to participate in the social event of the day, dinner!
When I open the door I found several cases of diet drinks outside my door. I'm used to find stuff outside my door by now, SNICKERS & diet drinks and other
pleasant surprises.
But no matter how used I am to find stuff outside my door I am I can't help thinking about a ship I was on a few years ago. Panama flag and it was forbidden to have your shoes outside the cabin. This is right, in case of fire you don't want to fall over shoes in the aisles.
But the fun part, (OK, I don't know if fun is the word I'm looking for here) the fire pump was not working and I told our Superintendent.
- You just take a few guys and you go down and repair it! He told me.
- HEY! IF I KNEW HOW TO REPAIR THE DARN FIRE PUMP I WOULD HAVE BEEN AN ENGINEER MAKING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND I WOULD NOT BE HERE WORKING FOR PEANUTS!!
Tuesday 19 th of August 2008 and we were still anchored when I woke up.
- Earliest 21st all going good, was the latest news.
Soon it was “maybe tomorrow PM”. I spent the afternoon with cargo paper, updated loading order, 20600 m³ in Santos. I also gave our Cadets some calculation tasks to do. All by hand, chemical and oil calculation and they spent hours with my different ullages, trim, density, VCF and temperatures.
By now they should know how to find their way through the different books and tables. Sitting with
a computer and fill a loading program with ullages is easy, and many times I have noticed that people just fill up the ullages in the loading program and they have no idea what they are doing. But now our Cadets know how to do it the OLD SCHOOOL way and thus they know what they are doing when they use the loading program.
Well, coming on my night watch and I started with a cuppa and one cuppa became 3 cuppas.
Listening to my language course and there was pretty much nothing to do.
I was on the bridge wing scratching my arse
and picking my nose talking with the AB on watch when we saw something in the water.
- PLEASE! LET IT BE SOMETHING EXCITING!
We could see that it was something big.
ATLANTIS! Maybe we have found Atlantis. I turned on our search light and we
could see that it was something that was swimming around. And it was
something that avoided the search light, otherwise fishes come swimming in to the beam of light.
But this one got scared when I put the beam on it.
- Maybe it's a giant octopus!
It looked like he was releasing a cloud of ink to confuse what he thought was a predator coming to EAT HIM. I directed the beam so he had to swim towards the bridge wing. It was easy, he didn't like the
beam of light and he was soon close to us on the bridge wing. What a disappointment, it was a shoal of fishes and we had expected, if not Atlantis so at least a very big fish.
When the AB left I said:
- Don't tell anyone about this unless you can come up with something exciting!
Midnight and I was off to my book and my bed. It has been a pretty good day, language course and constitutionalon deck.
Wednesday 20 th of August 2008 and we were still anchored when I came on my morning watch. Coming to the bridge is the same routine every day. Making a cuppa, hooking up my iPod and then
returning to my tea and the crisp bread that I prepared in the mess room after starting Bosun and Pump man in the CCR.
When I'm finish with my firstcup
mug of tea I make a second mug and I check my e-mail.
E-mail from Barcarolle and the crew are missing me and my camera.
- Hmm, well, what do you know?
The crew missed me pestering them and the action on deck back when I was onboard. Now there was ZERO action and no one had been using the spray painter and grit blaster for a very long time.
Our Chief Engineer and Electrician came to the bridge looking for earth faults and I turned the radars on and off, but they didn't found the earth fault. But we had time for a chat. 
Recommended to be done ASAP!
On Bro Provider they have made a ladder and platform on each side of the lifeboat ladder and this is the first ship I have seen it on. Very easy to work and maintain the davit. On other ships
they have to climb the davit when they need to do some work on the davit.
Well, if you're on a ship and they have planned a visit to a shipyard in the near future you're welcome to copy the above pictures. Then send them to the Technical Superintendent.
OK, don't bother if you work in a company were they don't serve you food or pay you a decent salary. Hell, if you're in a company that don't give you food and a decent salary I don't understand what you're doing there. I was in a company and all the Ukrainian crew and Officers were looking for a
new company. All the good ones got new job and this company were stuck with the, yeah, you guessed right, all the pissheads. So you understand what kind of company that was.
- You will stay here with us! You have a bright future here! Captain said.
Obviously this guy didn't had a clue. Of course, when you sit in your cabin all day long doing f@ck all its nice. I told him several times that there was no food for the crew.
- They only eat the food! This was the answer.
- You will stay here with us! You have a bright future here!
- Are you a f@cking retard?
Well, when we were ready with the lifeboat muster it was time for a fire drill.
Our Cadets had planned the drill and now they were going to execute the drill. This is one of the tasks they should
do in order to be good Chief Officers.
When the fire was out it was time for the emergency Steering drill and we went down to the steering engine room.
All crew tested to steer and now everyone knows how to do it in case of emergency. We have two steering engines and one is always working, even during power failure so we can always steer the ship clear of perils.
When the whole crew had tested the steering the drill was ready and I could return to the bridge and my diet drink.
asked if I could take a picture of him and the 1st Engineer.
- No problem!
I was exhausted after all the excitements and I passed out in my bed after lunch. When I woke up I went on deck for my constitutional and I got one hour in the track. Well, it was almost 90 minutes, but I had a small break planning some jobs with our Pump man.
Latest berthing prospects is MAYBE tomorrow, but it has been maybe every day so it means nothing.
Soon time for my night watch and I'm off to my language course, 8 chapters before my watch and I keep the agony away from me.
Well, at least we know one of our discharge ports. We got the news today, discharge 100,000bbls at Paulsboro, NJ. Great, up the Delaware River to Philadelphia, just what I wished for.
Thursday 21 st of August 2008 and I almost shatmyself this morning. My day started as all the other days, shower and, yeah, blah-blah-bla already. OK, I went down to the CCR to start
Bosun and Pump man. But first we start with a group hug. Our Cadet, Bosun Pump man and me. Today I brought my camera and
when looking at the picture I was close to soil myself.
- I'm grey-haired!!
What a relief when I realised that I had my hair cut yesterday and that it was my white skin shining through my hair.
Coming to the bridge and I had to face yet another watch anchored. No new berthing prospects and I are hoping for an morning arrival, tomorrow morning would be good. For sure, I'm not looking forward to an middle of the night arrival.
A beautiful afternoon and I couldn't resist donning my tennis shoes and get out in the track. I was not in the mood and I got almost 1 hour of lukewarm constitutional with a few stops for drinking water, checking Pump man and the Cadets work and to read e-mail. Latest berthing prospects: Midday tomorrow.
But the chipping is in progress and the crew is chipping on deck like there is no tomorrow. We don't have any primer onboard so we only chip. When we get our paint in USA we can cup brush and paint. WE, who do I try to fool? It's the crew doing the job. I'm in charge over the GOOD MORNING HUG® and the crew take it from there.
Friday 22 nd of August 2008 and we started with GOOD MORNING HUG® and in to the mess room to make 4 slices of crispbread and I was off to the bridge and we were still anchored when I came
on my watch with my crispbread.
When 2nd Officer came to the bridge at 12 Santos Pilot called us.
- Pilot will come onboard at 1330 at buoy #1.
- We will try to make it, I replied.
- Do you think you can make it?
- We will try! I will ask the engineer to kick some arse in the engine department!
I called the Chief Engineer and he said that
there should be no problem. I called Santos Pilot again on VHF CH 11.
- I have my best Engineer in the engine room and it should be no problem!
We passed Stolt Excellence on the way to the pilot station. She was anchored waiting for the pilot. She was a wreck when I was there some 10 years ago and I doubt that she is in any better condition now, well, she didn't looked to be in any better shape anyway. she was built back in the 70's and the ravages of time have not treated her very well.
Our Pilot was onboard at 1330 and we approached the entrance to Santos port. Our Cadet was on
the bridge and I pointed out the Restaurant where I and our German Ship mechanic had our dinner a few years back.
- Worth visiting, I told him.
But of course, there is a big
difference coming from Bro Provider and to come to the restaurant after several months on a ship without food. Only pumpernickel and “ Oatmeal Surprise® ”
. But it was a nice place and I hope I can find the time to go there.
It was a gloomy and grey afternoon, but the temperature was perfect. Usually people from the North of Europe complains when the sun don't shine.
- Where is the sun? With this weather I could as well have stayed home in Sweden!
- Well, you should be happy as long as the sun doesn't shine, believe me!
And of course, when the suns shine they complain about the heat. No, a gloomy and grey day with the temperature 22°C is perfect.
- When I was here last time there were only a few high risers. It was only huts here back then. 
time entering we could hear the music, but now it was nowhere to be seen.
But the whole city looked much better than last time and I could see new houses, on the right side. On the wrong side it was pretty much a shanty town.
Well, we passed a shopping mall on situated on the wrong side, but that shopping mall was there a few years ago.
But it's still looking new and there is a ferry terminal at the mall serving the commuters going over to work for the rich people.
Well, rich and rich, at least the more fortunate people.
- 400 US!!!
I had been drinking diet drinks for almost 400 US.
- Hmm, how much does a can of diet drink coast?
Well, for sure it's not healthy drinking all the diet drinks and I will try to give it up.
hardly find the space behind a Odfjell tanker ahead of us.
We had all fast at 1500 and I had time for paper work before the Surveyors came onboard. More paperwork and when we were ready it was time to inspect the tanks. 10
tanks to inspect and wall wash.
10 tanks, that's plenty running up and down the tanks and I was happy that we have young Cadets onboard. I could stay on deck look stupid when one of our Cadets went down the tank with one of
the Surveyors.
Wall wash to check the tanks for chlorides and hydrocarbons. Hydrocarbons again and I asked them why they check for hydrocarbons.
- This will be mixed with gasoline and I was told that you were only checking for chlorides.
- This is our instructions!
When we were ready with the wall wash they took sample from cargo tank 5 Port and Starboard. They were partly loaded in Paranagua and we will top up the tanks here in Santos. So the Surveyor will check the Paranagua cargo for chlorides and hydrocarbons before we start to top them off.
- Swedish flag! An ass kickin' crew, a SkånskChief Officer and 2 good Cadets, I said.
More paper work and at 1945 we opened our manifolds for the last pump stack sample before we
could open to our tanks. At 2010 we opened to our tanks and started to load. They expect about 600m³/h and I can sleep all night long.
First they said 900 and that would have meant that I had to go up in the middle of the night and at that time it's for sure no GOOD MORNING HUG® . But I already told our 3rd Officer that if I'm grumpy when he calls me during the early morning hours, he should just tell me:
- PORKY!! SHUT THE YOO UP!!!!
Friday night and I told our Cadets to go ashore having a good time. I asked our Surveyors and there were plenty disco in town.
- Now it's up to you! I told our Cadets. 
- HEY HEY! You got to take the chance when you're young and you don't get any hangovers! When you're in my age it will be too late, a rampant hangover every time.
Well, they left the ship a little later on and no one will disturb them tomorrow. They have to take thechance now, and this might be the only chance they have to go ashore having a good time.
Next time they will be Junior Officers and then there will be no time to go ashore have fun.
Well, I was in my cabin not very long after that we started loading. I will watch a movie before going to sleep and hopefully I will get a night of sleep without any calls from the CCR.
Saturday 23 rd of August 2008 and I had my good morning tea in the CCR.
- Hmm, where is Bosun and Pump man? No GOOD MORNING HUG® today??!!
I was very disappointed when I realized that they were on deck working. Our Cadet, well, I guess
he is in bed after a long night on town.
At 11 the first cadet came to the CCR.
- Don't tell me that you have a hangover! I said.
- Did you go to the restaurant? I asked.
Well, turned out that they had been to a place called the ABC barand for sure this is not the restaurant I pointed out when we arrived to Santos. I never heard of the ABC bar before, but obviously it's a well known place. I got e-mail asking if the Cadets had been at the ABC place.
Completed loading at 1205 and Pilot will be onboard at 1500 and we will go out and drop the anchor again. First the Surveyor told me it was for 2-3 days and then our Agent said that it was until tomorrow. We see.
Sunday 24 th of August 2008 and rolling while at the anchorage. It started during the night, or it got worse during the night when the wind decreased and we got the swell in from the side. Never
mind the rolling, I enjoyed 2 jugs of tea and the watch turned out to be a quick one.
20 minutes before 12 Santos Pilot called us and asked us to be at the Pilot station at 1330. So I guess I can go ashore uploading my web page and maybe go for a dinner in the evening.
Our Cadets were in the mess room when I came down for lunch. They had heard that we were going inside and
they were as happy as Larry.
- We can go to ABC tonight!
- Hmm, I don't know, but maybe they met some nice girls there the other night.
I don't expect any tank inspection at arrival, we have cargo in all tanks. A quick gauging of the
ship and a few minutes of calculation and we can start load and, well, I will be off to the shopping mall to see if they have internet. I will also try the restaurant before going back onboard. I hope I can upload my web page tonight and next upload after that will hopefully be in Rio De Janeiro.
I went to my cabin after lunch to prepare my USB
memory for tonight's upload. I copied my web page to the USB memory and then I was off to the bridge. Pilot onboard at 1340 and he was on the bridge
when I came in to the bridge.
We were soon passing the ABC club and I tried the good ol' binocular trick. Just to get a picture so you know what kind of sad place I'm talking about here.
- If you go to ABC tonight again I will stop you from going
ashore in the future, I said to our Cadet.
We had our first line ashore at 1500 and all fast at 1515 and the Surveyor was onboard about 1 hour later. Paper work, ullageing and calculation. The first Surveyor (from Intertek)coming onboard told me that we were going to load 8000m³.
- I have order for 12000m³, I said.
- Maybe from the other terminal, he replied.
- And you're not from SGS! SGS told me that they would be the Surveyors for this parcel, I said.
- Maybe for the next parcel.
15 minutes later our SGS Surveyor came onboard. Turned out that
we have to load 2 parcels, in the same hose and without any stop and there will be 2 different Surveyors for the parcel.
We managed to straight out all question marks and from that it was all laughs until 1820 when we started to load. I was off to my cabin to get my USB memory and I was off the ship. A brisk 7 minutes walk to the gate and I meet the rest of the guys going ashore.
There were 6 of us going ashore and we needed two taxis. The first one came after 20 minutes or so and I and our Deck Cadet left in the second taxi that arrived 13 seconds later.
- We meet you at Primo Mall! (Or whatever the name was, but something like that)
We should meet the rest of the guys at the ATM machines on the 3rd floor. But when we arrived there were no sign of the other Cadet and the engine crew.
- OK, let's go to internet and we can be back here again, I suggested.
We had been at the internet place for about 3 minutes when the others arrived. Our engine crew wanted to go on to the Greek Shop and our Cadets told them that they would meet them there later on.
- What's the Greek Shop? I asked.
- It's a Greek running a souvenir shop next to the ABC club.
- You must be joking! I shrieked.
- You are in Brazil and most likely you will never be back here again. You have the chance to go to a real Brazilian Churrascaria, I mean one of the best in Santos. And you want to waste your time on ABC club.
- Well, I'm out of here! I'm off to the restaurant, I said and I left to find a taxi. 
I stepped in to the restaurant and I got the very same table I had when I was here last time.
And it was exactly as nice as I remembered it. Aladdin highly recommends you to visit the restaurant next time you're in Santos.
And I have yet to experience someone disappointed with any of
my restaurant recommendations. Among all the recommendations we remember
the best Japanese restaurant in the world, KOTO in Gothenburg.
I were soon full and I did the internationally recognized sign for “Can I pay my bill” . I was half way through the sign when they came with the cake car.
- Motherf@cker! My diet!
- Hmm, it's Sunday! I can have 2 pieces of cake.
There were many different cakes to choose from, and when I had made up my mind to have 2 pieces I choose one with nuts on and one that I don't know what it was. But they tasted magnificent.
It was only my will power and strong character that stopped me from calling the “cake man” again 
the service you expect at a restaurant. I remember a few years back when we were drinking beer at Grand Hotel in Mölle. It was time to leave and we asked for the bill and we asked them to call a taxi for us.
- We don't call taxi here!
- What the....??!!
Rumpus arose and someone was screaming something about the police and, well, the service left plenty to wish for.
Well, that was Grand Hotel and Mölle. Now we are in Santos and to call a taxi for the customer is a normal procedure. The taxi arrived after a few minutes and it was the very same driver that took me there.
I decided to make a quick stop at the ABC club to see if our Cadets were there. 
- I will just see my friend then we go on to Alamoa Terminal, I said.
And what a sad place it was, terrible and I don't understand why people are going to a place like this for a good time. The area is full of condemned houses, or at least they should have been.
Santos is full of nice discos and clubs and I'm sure they are better off there. well, I didn't found anyone from the crew and I was back at the terminal 10 minutes later. I passed the gate and our Loading Master came. He was on the way to Bow Fuji on the jetty next to us. She had just arrived to the jetty where Stolt Alliance was moored when we arrived.
When we approached the jetty I took a picture of our ship and the Loading Master asked if I wanted him to take a picture of me with the ship behind.
- No thanks! But I can take one of you, I said. 
picture.
- No thank! I'm too big for this small camera.
- Distance, no zoom, he said.
So he took a picture and we said good night to each other and I walked onboard Bro Provider. I meet our two AB's on watch when stepping over the gangway.
I went to the CCR to check on the loading and the rate.
Well, for sure we will not be ready tomorrow morning, maybe late tomorrow night. I hope it will be Tuesday morning so we don't have to experience and middle of the night excitements.
Opening the door to my cabin and I discovered an e-mail on the floor. Our Chief Engineer's reliever had sent him a message and he will bring snus for me from Sweden. 40 cans and I hope I have enough until I get home.
Our new Chie Engineer will sign on in Rio De Janeiro when we arrive and I will have some extra snus in my fridge, never hurts.
Monday 25 th of August 2008 and I started my day by opening a diet drink, well first I turned on the music. Then I had a shower and I went down to the CCR where the loading were in full swing. I really must stop with the diet drink stuff, I made up my mind this morning. Almost 400 US for the month of August, more than 10 US a day and how much does a diet drink cost? Not much and
that's the scary part, it can't be healthy do drink almost a case per day. I will switch to water and tea. (as soon as I'm running out of diet drinks)
I had my jug of morning tea in the CCR. And it's literally a jug of tea. I was looking for a beer mug in Portugal, but I only found a jug that I
bought for my tea.
Loading rate goes up and down, everything between 600 and 140m³/h. But it looks like we will be ready tonight and departure in the middle of the night.
I slept the whole afternoon and I woke up just before 6 o'clock. Better off getting some sleep, I expect the paper work to be finished during the night and departure around 4 o'clock in the morning. This is based on an estimated time for completion around midnight. So I spent the evening watching TV with our Cadets
while
waiting for the loading to be ready.
Our Cadets were eating pop corn but I'm proud to say that I skipped the pop corn.
Tuesday 26 th of August 2008 and I went down to the CCR a few minutes after midnight. 2nd Officer told me that nothing came in to our tanks. At 0005 the Surveyor told me that they stopped
pumping and that they prepared the pig.
So we will be ready around 1 o'clock.
I went to the dayroom and I started a DVD and I watched DVD while flipping through some magazines. It was almost 0130 when I saw the Loading master passing the day room.
- Are we ready!!??
- We will soon start pigging the line!
- What!? You have not started yet?
What the hell is this. They must have done this operation 5000 times and it's still aguess work for them. If I did a job like that I would have been out of job in no time. And what strikes me is that they complain about the low salary in all these counties.
- In Europe you make millions of dollars! We want the same salary!
- Yeah, but it don't take 5 Europeans to change a light bulb.
Look at my condo, 20 carpenters doing a job that takes 1 decent Swedish
Carpenter. And he does it in a quarter of the time. Look at the picture on your right hand side.
A new door and door frame. Took them weeks to do and they were proud when they showed me their work.
- HEY! Aladdin we're ready with the door!
They expected me to be happy and satisfied with the job. So
imagine their surprise when I was started to screamin laughter.
Yeah, by then I had lost so much time and money and I lost it.
I'm not a Carpenter, but I had to show these nitwits how to use a hammer and nail. Real professionals, but they didn't last long. I called a new decorator and he drove us all crazy, but that's another story.
First time they do this operation I can understand if there is a small degree of guess work involved. But after 5000 times?? We will load 12000m³ and it should be pretty simple to know how long time this would take. Based on simple math and experience. Well, in the Pig
an omnivorous domesticated hoofed mammal with sparse bristly hair and a flat snout for rooting in the soil, kept for its meat.
verb (pigged, pigging)
Operate a pig within an oil or gas pipeline. The pig is like a big sponge that's pushed through the pipe. The pig push the product through the line and clean the pipe at the same time.
evening, in 20 minutes, tomorrow, next week and in a few hours, yeah, you hear it all.
I was pretty angry when I returned to my cabin. I hope they put their act together and start pigging the line because the pilot is ordered for 0430 according to our Agent. Well, I had a diet drink in my cabin while waiting for them to pig the line.
Well, our Surveyors left at 0430 and Pilot is at 7. Quarter to 4 they changed it to 0530 and 10 minutes later they changed Pilot to 7 o'clock due to manoeuvring.
- Must have been several ships just coming right out of the blue, totally unexpected.
What do Aladdin say? Nothing, he went to bed, 7 can as well be 9 or whatever.
I was on the bridge just before seven o'clock and
no sign of the Pilot. While waiting for the Pilot we watched Stolt Excellence when she was mooring on the jetty next to us. At 0710 we called the Pilot station.
- Pilot will be onboard at 0730!
Well, our Pilot was onboard at 0740 and I had lost my good mood long ago. We left the jetty at 0750 and I drank my tea and I had my crispbread on the bridge while we left Santos. OK, most of my crispbread were gone before leaving the jetty.
It was the same Pilot that we had when we arrived so we were like family. I was munching on my
last crispbread when our Pilot wanted the engine “half ahead”
.
- Hold it right there! Let our Cadet put her to half ahead.
But first I need to get my camera stand-by and when I was ready I
told our Pilot to give the “half ahead”
order to our Cadet.
Well, when we had “half ahead” and I had my picture I told our Pilot that the cadet would know everything when he's back in school.
- He will not fail any examination when back in school.
- Mr Pilot! Please let me know if you need to use our
whistle! Our Cadet need to do this also so we can fill up his training book!
- No problem, we can blow the whistle now. There is a fishing boat dead ahead!
- Great! This is the last thing our cadet need to do before we finish his book and he will be a great Captain! I said.
I turned around and I called our Cadet.
- OK, come here and be stand-by at the whistle.
Our Pilot ran away. He didn't want to take any part in this. Me?? I could not go hide, I have to immortalize the moment with my camera. Someone has to do it and today it's me. 
Well, we left the Pilot outside Santos sometimes after 9 and we continued our journey towards Rio
De Janeiro. Estimated time of arrival: In the middle of the night.
I was dead tired, no sleep during the night and I was happy that I got some sleep yesterday afternoon. But I was drinking diet drinks and listening to music and I managed to keep myself awake until 12. OK, I found a
megaphone on the bridge and I kept myself busy screaming at the crew from the bridge wing.
After my watch I went for a quick lunch and I was off to bed for a well needed power nap.I asked 2nd Officer to call me at 1530 but I felt asleep again and I didn't woke up until 5 o'clock, still tired.
I had time for a little paper work before dinner and I was off to my cabin for a diet drink before my night watch. We expect to be at the Pilot station just after midnight and I really hope that we will drop the anchor, I need sleep.
No dropping anchor. The terminal called me on the VHF during my night watch. Berthing on arrival and loading rate about 500m³/h. OK, a long night again, but I will sleep tomorrow morning and I hope I can go see Copacabana and internet in the afternoon.
Wednesday 27 th of August 2008 and I went straight to my office after my watch for some heavy duty cargo planning. When I left the bridge at midnight we did the last course change to North and the pilot station.
When I got back on the bridge at 1 o'clock I was met by bad news.
- We will load on a sea island, Captain said
OK, we see if we can get launch service so I can go ashore to upload my web page.
We had all fast around 3 o'clock and I expected us to start load before very soon. Well, at 0630 they started and I could go to bed. I asked them to call me at 1145, Captain and Chief Engineer
are signing off and they will leave with a launch at 12.
At 1140 they called me, needless to say: I was dead tired
- ISPS guy onboard!
I took a very hot shower, but I was still tired from lack of sleep. I went down to my office and we did the paper work. I meet our new Captain and Chief Engineer.
- I have 4 rolls of snus for you! Chief Engineer said.
Very good, and latest news is that we will get a new Cadet in USA and that means that he can bring some snus as well.
Our Cadets and I joined the Chief Engineer and Captain in the speed boat going ashore. It was better to go ashore than to stay onboard sleeping. If I would have stayed in bed I would have woke up in the late afternoon and it would have been impossible to sleep during the evening. (Even if I pop a sleeping pill, they are not that strong. According to the Doctor
)
We expect to be ready around 2 o'clock in the morning and I will have a full night again. So I'm better off ashore and I will try to sleep a few hours tonight.
- OK, he will pick you up at the crane 7 o'clock.
We said thanks and bye and we left for the gate and a taxi.
None of us had had lunch so we were hungry and we decided to have lunch before going to the statue of Christ. We stopped a taxi and we got in.
- Centro! Restauranto!
The driver didn't spoke any English and he pointed to the other side of the street.
- Centro!
We didn't understand F all, but we interpreted it as we had to go across the street to get a taxi to the city and a restaurant. We crossed the street and we got a taxi and he took us around the corner to the city center.
We did a little walking around looking for a nice place. We stopped at a grill, looked nice from the
outside and it said Churrascaria.
- Hey! Look let's try this.
When we opened the door it turned out to be a self service styled restaurant and everyone were running around with trays. Not our kind of place and we left within 0,3.
We walked down the street and we passed an Italian Restaurant.
- Anyone like Italian food? I asked.
- Yeah, let's try it.
Same story, trays and paper cups and we left the place.
- Must be lunch hour, I said.
Next to the Italian we found a nice restaurant but it turned out to be full. But when 3 tourists are town they need to show their best side and they arranged a place for us to sit.
We ordered our food and I had ordered Faso or whatever the name was.
- What is Faso? I asked the waiter.
- It's a root, and it's traditional Brazilian food.
Well, it was OK, but not sensational. Our waiter was very nice,
like a real tourist guide and we asked for the name of the statue of Christ.
- Corcovado. You should also go see the Sugar Loaf.
- What is that?
It's a mountain where you have a very beautiful view over the city. You have to go by cable car.
We said thank you and we left the place looking for a taxi. The first taxi wanted 150 Scooby Dollars to take us to the Corcovado. A real rip off so we got out and we stopped a taxi and he took us to the train station without any hassle. There is a
train going up to the Corcovado and we didn't thought it was possible to go there by car.
On the way to Corcovado we decided to make it a quick visit and to
skip the train and try the taxi all the way up to Corcovado.
-Maybe we have time to go to the Sugar loaf as well.
When the driver stopped at the train station we did the internationally recognized sign for drive the car (Our driver spoke F all English) and he took off. 10 minutes later we arrived to the parking place at Corcovado. Not allowed to continue by car, we had to buy tickets and then we got a ride with a van to the elevators.
From the elevator they had escalators up to the Corcovado and we were there within 3 minutes, including a stop to buy a diet drink.
It was a wee bit chilly on the top, 702m above sea level according to our Cadet.
to the top.
- I think we got a better view from here, our Cadet said.
- Yeah, seems like a waste of time to go there.
Suddenly we had plenty time and our Cadets wanted to go down by the train. Next train was scheduled to leave at 1455. Of course our tickets were not valid on the train and we had to buy new tickets.
Each ticket was 18 Scooby Dollar and we spent more time waiting for
the train then we had spent watching the Corcovado. But no problem, we found a boredom killer and the time passed quickly. Suddenly the train arrived and we could hear the samba music
coming from the first car. 3 guys were playing samba for the tourists in the first car and we choose to sit in the slightly quieter second car.
It was steep, as you can see on the below pictures. I was hoping that we would stay on the track, but this train has been operating for many years without any accidents, at least to my knowledge.
But anyway, derailing when it's several hundred meters steep slope next to the rail is nothing I wish for. God knows how long time it would have taken for an ambulance to reach, well, it would have been impossible to get us to an ambulance, except if they had used a helicopter.
OK, the train raid was exciting for about 10 minutes and then the feeling of “we know this by now” came over us. The seats weren't all that comfortable so we were pretty happy when we reached the station.
There were several taxis waiting at the station and we took off to Copacabana with smokin' andscreamin' tyres. We had seen the Corcovado and we all agreed that it would not be necessary to go see it again.
- Next time in Rio we can concentrate on the partyand boozing!
Night life supreme, Restaurants, discos and bars along the beach
Millions of beautiful girls trying to rape every handsome Swede they can lay eyes on
Beautiful views (The condos along the beach reminded me of East Germany 1973)
Atmosphere extravaganza
We arrived to the West part of Copacabana and we walked all the way to the Eastern end. We had seen exactly 0 beautiful girls. Or as I said to our Cadets
- The girl we bought the diet drink from was at least charming.
- Yeah, but it was not much more.
When we reached the Eastern part of Copacabana
we had several hours to kill before it was time to catch the speed boat back onboard.
- OK, what to do?
- Let's go find an internet place!
After uploading my web page, it took us 3 minutes and we still had hours to kill. we started to walk around and we had soon covered the area around Copacabana and we had to walk through a long tunnel to reach the other parts of Rio De Janeiro.
Coming out of the tunnel and we had about 1 hour to kill before returning to the speed boat, what to do?
We were standing at the taxi queue outside a shopping center trying to find something to do or see.
- OK, how can we spend the last hour in Rio?
-WOW! LOOK AT THE GIRL!
We just spotted the first beautiful girl since arriving to Brazil. She entered the shopping center
with her friend.
- OK ,let's follow them and we see where this leads us.
We followed the girls in to the shopping center and, well, we soon lost them. On the second floor they came up from behind and we followed them up on the 3rd floor. We lost them
again, but at least we have seen 1 beautiful girl in Rio De Janeiro.
Shopping center and I bought a new wrist watch and I gave my old one to one of our Cadets.
- Take care of it, a real Chief Officer's watch. I got it from Rainbow Warrior.
- Yes, I will!
- I got it from a Deckhand on Rainbow Warrior and now you take care of it and you tell the story to the next guy you give the watch to.
we took a taxi back to the Cruise Terminal and we arrived around 1830. We were onboard at 1940 and I was off to bed after asking 2nd Officer to call me at 1 o'clock.
Thursday 28 th of August 2008 and 2nd Officer called me at 0100. Time to complete the loading. I was still tired, a few hours of sleep would have been good. But I got 4 and half hours of sleep, much thanks to my sleeping pill.
Going to bed yesterday and I was too tired and I could not fall asleep, well, a sleeping pill did the
trick and I was soon sleeping.
We completed loading at 0230 and, well, how can I say this. Our Surveyor, hmm, I have not experienced something like this since Houston. we remember the Surveyor that went ashore to measure the shore tank. He never came back, 5 hours later a new Surveyor came onboard.
- What happened with the other Surveyor? Didn't he manage to gauge and calculate the content of the shore tank?
- Hmm, well, you know how it is.
Yeah, that was one of those you could really sense that they had no clue what they did from the first second you meet them.
It took him several hours to make his ullage report. I asked for the correction factor and he didn't understood. He spoke F all English but he was grunting something about no correction factor. When we arrived it was the same density and correction factor as we have had in Santos and Paranagua. Good, same density for the whole cargo.
Now he changed the density, I really don't understand what he said. But I think he told the Loading Master that he had changed the density for the whole cargo. when he finished his ullage report I managed to get a correction factor and I could finish my ullage report. I only changed density and correction factor for the 6 tanks we had loaded in Rio.
-UHG! Correct, he said when I handed him my ullage report.
Our Surveyor had to start all over again and it took hours. The Loading Master got irritated and he left. When our Surveyor was ready I called the Loading Master on the radio and he came back onboard to sign the protest
We could see the Surveyor coming back onboard from the office and our Loading Master pushed me
behind the door.
- Hide! Don't let him see you! We will stay here for hours if he gets hold of you!
Well, I really don't know what we did and if the calculation, density and totals are correct. But no one spoke English and the Surveyor, hmm, maybe it has been a miss understanding from the beginning. Only grunting for English and that can
mean pretty much everything.
Well, Pilot was ordered for 0730 and we left at 0750. drinking tea eating crispbread while passing Rio De Janeiro. Our Pilot liked crispbread as well and he ate like there was no tomorrow.
- I use to buy it at delicates shops, he told me.
We left the Pilot after a little more than 1 hour and we continued Southerly course on a beautiful day. Passing all the sights of Rio De Janeiro.
- Take them down again! I'm on diet!
- I want pancakes, Captain said.
- OK, but throw away the leftovers!
As I suspected, I could not resist the pancakes, but I only had one (and it was a small one)
first I thought it was, just bombs. But it turned out to be big whales jumping.
It was like a big truck jumping out of the water. I never seen a whale jumping like this before, it was like jumping Flippers but much bigger. On the below picture you can get a sense of the size by comparing the splash with the big container vessel on the left hand side.
Friday 29 th of August 2008 and we were on a Northerly course when I came on my morning watch. A beautiful morning and we were surrounded by big whales jumping like Flippers on a show. I
have never seen so much whales before.
The sea was boiling with whales, but of course, when I had my camera ready there was no jumping. But it was exciting to see this big animals jumping out of the water.
Yesterday I got 2 seasons of Dexter of our Captain with the words “It's a good series”. I spent the time after dinner watching Dexter and suddenly it was time to go on my night watch. Well, 14 days to USA and we will soon be back to the same old routinesagain. At our GOOD MORNING meeting in the CCR this very morning we had our first “GOOD MORNING HUG” in several days.
Nice to leave Brazil behind, but I have a bag of CDs with Brazilian Hip Hop as a bad memory. And believe it or not, I blame it on the beautiful girl entering he shopping center in Rio De Janeiro.
When we lost her I ended up at a record store buying a bag of Brazilian Hip Hop. Well, to make it short, all the CD's ended up in the garbage bin. I got 10 songs out of the whole bag, and they were not even that good. The whole visit to the shopping center set me back by 500 US including my new watch and we would have been better off not going in to the darn place.
Saturday 30 th of August 2008 and we started the day with the GOOD MORNING HUG in the CCR.
After the hug we discussed today's work and I was off to the mess room and I made myself some crispbread and I was off to the bridge.
We were still steering 023°(T) when I came on my watch and it was a beautiful morning. Overcast, but nice and not a sign of any whales.
- Well, I have my camera stand-by so I was not really expecting to
see any whales.
I had finished my first jug of tea when Captain came on the bridge and we killed a few hours talking about the good old times drinking tea. Well, Captain was drinking coffee, but nothing else was expected.
Thanks to Captain and Chief Engineer the watch turned pretty
quick and it was soon the end of the watch. Our Electrician and Wiper came to the bridge before lunch to test our fire alarms.
After lunch I watched an episode of Dexter and I discovered that there are several episodes missing. DARN! Well, never mind, I have nothing else to do. After watching the episode I went to sleep and I woke up at 6 o'clock and now I'm fully recovered from the missing sleep in Rio de Janeiro.
A hot shower, language course and another episode of Dexter and I'm offto the bridge for my
night watch.
We were still heading 023°(T) when I came on my night watch. Well, it was a pretty eventless watch, I gave my Brazilian CDs to the AB on my watch and he was happy. Well, we see if it's the same tune when he have listened to them
Sunday 31 st of August 2008 and same ol', same ol'. Still on course 023°(T) when I came on my
morning watch. I had been on my watch for a few minutes and we killed a few hours talking about the good ol' times.
The other day our mess man brought pancakes to the bridge and
I told him not to bring anymore of the unhealthy stuff to the bridge.
Obviously this didn't help. Maybe he thought that I was joking and I have to tell him off properly.
When he came in on the bridge I told him to leave.
- GET OUT OFF HERE!
- Hey Hey! This is good! I'm not on diet, Captain told our Mess man when he took a piece.
Well, after lunch I went to my cabin to see another episode of Dexter and I was off to bed. I overslept dinner again and when I woke up I felt good. I have been feeling ill since we left Rio De Janeiro. Slight fever
and it might have been a cold coming on to me, but now I feel good again.
We have reached the end of August 2008 and it's just to swing over to september 2008 .
OK, it has come to my knowledge that we have senior citizens visiting my web page. How hard
can it be? So it's not very easy for them to see the blue coloured links to the next page.
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? Pour arriver à la page suivante faites s'il vous plaît un déclic le bouton “Next” ci-dessus!
Haga usted dice el español? Ver la siguiente página sólo hacer clic el botón “Next” encima!
Farla parla l'italiano? 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
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.
MORNING” meeting with Bosun and Pump man.Pump man will prepare deck for tank cleaning and Bosun and the crew will continue painting on deck.I made 6 slices of crisp bread with cheese (No butter) in the mess room before going to the bridge. 3 for breakfast and 3 for lunch and if I eat the my crisp bread on the bridge I don't have to go to
the mess room for lunch!!!We passed Lisbon when I came on my morning watch. It was a beautiful morning, but we were still rolling due to the swell.
I was listening to my language course while drinking my
tea and having my breakfast. (3 of the 6 slices of crisp bread) When I was finished I read a little about Methanol cargoes and when I got fed up with the Methanol I enjoyed the view of the crew working on deck.At 1035 we started to reduce our ME and after a few minutes we stopped
the engine. Our engine department needed to do some adjustments to the engine after the shipyard. When we were adrift we started to roll heavily.Just before lunch I spotted a big whale coming towards us. I called the Cadets on deck coming aft for lunch.
FÅ KLAGOMÅL PÅ SKÅNSKA I ETERN
Utpräglad skånska, och särskilt malmöitiska, "Är en
styggelse, inte bara i radio utan i de flesta offentliga
sammanhang", skriver författaren Per Christian Jersild i en
krönika i Dagens Nyheter.
En ösikt som har få anhängare, enligt Stefan Lundin,
språkvårdare för etermedieföretagen SVT, Sveriges Radio och
UR.- Det förekommer alltid klagomål, men de är inte så många, säger han, och tillägger att antalet klagomål inte ökat i takt med att antalet journalister som pratar bruten svenska har ökat.
Well, they missed the whale and when they were inside there was
3 more whales passing us.I never got any picture of the whale, so I have to use the picture that our 2nd Officer on Prospero took in the same area when we were on the way to Las Palmas for bunker a few years back. Well, we were still adrift when I got off my watch. I had planned to work with my computer during lunch. But the rolling made it impossible and I have to admit that I went for my second lunch.
After lunch I ran in to our Cadets in my cabin. They were busy hanging up new blinds in my bed room and I was quick to take a picture.
Saturday 2 nd of August 2008 and I woke up to a grey day. But we were not rolling any more even though I could see that the wind has picked up when I looked out my window.
After my shower and my GOOD MORNING diet drink I went to the CCR to discuss today's job with
Bosun and Pump man. Then I went to the mess room and I made 6 slices of crisp bread with cheese (No butter) in the mess room before going to the bridge. 3 for breakfast and 3 for lunch and if I eat the my crisp bread on the bridge I don't have to go tothe mess room for lunch!!!Well, I had a nice watch and I really appreciate that the rolling has stopped. It's blowing force 5, but its tail wind and no swell coming in from the side. No rolling and the crew could lift up our drums with hydraulic oil from poop deck to C-Deck.
My watch passed pretty quickly and it was time for lunch. I had had 3 slices of crisp bread and I
skipped lunch and went for a walk on deck. A gloomy and grey morning had become a sunny afternoon.The crew came on deck after lunch and I could plan a little work with Bosun at the same time. The painting is proceeding and soon all the stuff from the shipyard is finished and we can start on deck.
There are some small spots here and
there that needs our attention before the rust problem is getting out of hand. I and the Chief Engineer decided to wait until Monday with the tank cleaning. That will give the engine department time to prepare for bunkering tomorrow and to get things back in order after the shipyard.Saturday and the crew will go inside early. Just finish the white painting and clean up a little. Our Bosun is busy making new heaving lines and I returned to my cabin and my afternoon nap. Soon time to be on watch again and I need to be well rested.
The AB on my watch is learning to check the compass error against the sun so time flies by. I hope we can see the moon tonight so he can practice on the moon as well. When he's confident with the sun and the moon we can move on to the stars.
Sunday 3 rd of August 2008 and it was a gloomy and grey morning. But we had arrived to Las
Las Palmas
is a port and resort on the north coast of the island of Gran Canaria, capital of the Canary Islands; pop. 372,270 (1991). Full name LAS PALMAS DE GRAN CANARIA .
We were drifting just of the port of Las Palmas when I came on my watch.
- We are waiting for the Pilot!
Gran Canaria
We saw the pilot boat coming and I went down on deck to meet the pilot. While waiting I heardthem calling Bosun from the bridge.- Let go the anchor!I called the bridge and asked if we should have Pilot or not. Maybe, and I went forward to the fo'c's'le. The Pilot was giving us pointers from the pilot boat.
I'm not surprised, everyone tries to cash in on the shipping. But this is like stealing, why on earth do we need a pilot boat checking
us dropping the anchor? They could have given us free radar guidance. Well, no one is complaining from the shipping industry, at least not until you ask for a second potato.Well, anyway, while waiting for the Pilot I discussed upcoming work with our Pump man. I made small work list for him yesterday and we
went through the different items on the list.At 0850 we dropped the anchor and I returned to the bridge and my breakfast. I was munching on my first crisp bread when the provision barge called on the radio.
- We will be on your port side in 20 minutes!
- You're welcome! I said and I returned to my breakfast.
I had one of the Deck Cadets on the bridge. He is on the
bridge 24/7 eager to learn the tricks of the trade.- That's the spirit!
I always take his picture so I can put it on internet for him. - Next time meeting a girl you can say that you're known
from Internet, I say to him.- What a great icebreaker!
The crew were busy painting while we bunkered and she starts to look like a ship again after the shipyard. But it's Sunday today and the crew will knock off early. I had to remind Bosun that it's Sunday. Yesterday he thought it was
Friday and he was KICKIN'
behinds like it was an ordinary weekday.- HEY! You have to rest sometimes! I said to him.
I can't help it. But look at the AB on the left hand picture. Doesn't he look like our Bosun on Barcarolle. When I'm on the bridge see him walking down deck I always think it's the Bosun from Barcarolle coming. I'm just about to shout:
- YOO! ROLANDO! WHAT'S HAPPENING!
And then I realise that's it's not Rolando.
OK, 700 ton HFO and 45 ton Diesel and we expect to be ready in a few hours. 30 minutes after the provision barge left the bunker barge arrived and we started the bunkering sometimes after 12. Diesel and HFO at the same time.
Bunkering in Las Palmas
I finished some important paperwork and I was off to deck for my constitutional. Enginedepartment were busy with the bunkering and I ran in to our Chief Engineer allover the place.- What the...!!? Are you all over the ship?
I like our Chief Engineer, he is always happy and laughing so it's fun to run in to him on deck. Today he was everywhere, at the manifold, at my office, in the ships office and at the forward bunker tank.
Our internet disappeared at the anchorage. I don't know what happened. But I managed to get my e-mail this morning. And darn, I never received so much SPAM. Is
Hi.
Just stumbled on your site and spent 3 days reading everything. You're living my dream. I'm incredibly jealous. My wife thinks I'm crazy but I'm sure I missed my calling. What's the worst weather you experienced? Do you ever get nervous when you're in heavy seas and it's not your watch? Can you explain what it takes to clean a tank? I can't tell if it's physical or somewhat automated. Please forgive me if the questions sound stupid. I'm a big hockey fan. Calle Johansson is one of my favourite hockey players. Do you follow hockey when at work? Can you post some bad weather pictures?
Thanks,
Thomas
I live outside Washington, DC USA
Just stumbled on your site and spent 3 days reading everything. You're living my dream. I'm incredibly jealous. My wife thinks I'm crazy but I'm sure I missed my calling. What's the worst weather you experienced? Do you ever get nervous when you're in heavy seas and it's not your watch? Can you explain what it takes to clean a tank? I can't tell if it's physical or somewhat automated. Please forgive me if the questions sound stupid. I'm a big hockey fan. Calle Johansson is one of my favourite hockey players. Do you follow hockey when at work? Can you post some bad weather pictures?
Thanks,
Thomas
I live outside Washington, DC USA
Bad weather pictures. At least I hope that we don't run in to any bad weather. But if we do I will for sure post some of the pictures here at www.aladdin.st were we have got used to me taking pictures in all
kind of stupid situations. Who can forget the picture when I took my blood sample? For sure not the guy at the Doctor's office taking my sample. But who knows, this is maybe something that happens every day. But I don't think so.We left Las Palmas 1540 and now the sun was shining. But our internet had capsized and no more internet. Without any warning our internet just capsized and sank 1 mile East of Las Palmas.
Well, we see when I can do my next upload. But the future doesn't look bright if it is like I suspect. South of Las Palmas and we're out of internet. That means that we will never have internet. Maybe for 1 or 2 day when and if we are discharging in Houston. Can we live without any updates for so long?
Monday 4 th of August 2008 and I woke up to yet another gloomy and grey day. I was on bridge with my crisp bread just before 8 o'clock and Captain came a few minutes later. He called V-sat service number but still no internet. Well, as I suspected, the internet capsized and sunk East of
Las Palmas 3rd of August 2008. RIP!I was relieved by our 2nd Officer at 11 o'clock and I went down to the CCR where Pump man and our Deck Cadet were waiting for me. Time to start the tank
cleaning.I will use Pump man and the AB on watch for the cleaning and the rest of the crew
will continue painting. The sun is shining now and the gloomy and grey weather is gone.We will only use cold water today, the cleaning today is mainly
to test all valves, pumps and cleaning machines after the ship yard. Just to make sure everything is working.Tomorrow we will wash half of the tanks with hot water and fresh water. We got new boilers onboard at the shipyard and our Chief Engineer can't wait to test them. We tested our new fresh air fans to day as well
by ventilating all the tanks. Works good.Tomorrow we will run the Nitrogen plant and then we have tested all the new stuff they put in at the ship yard.
Well, everything worked, except some problem with the tank
washing machine in 2 Stb. But our Pump man had the pump up and running in no time. I had the Cadet running around on deck and in the CCR.- You have this opportunity to pick up as much as you can! Especially now when you can ask the guys on deck, which together have hundreds of years experience from working ships.
We finished the cleaning at 1630 and I was off to take a shower. Dinner and then off to bed for an hour before my night watch. We usually start our night watch by checking the gyro error against the sun, then its tea drinking until midnight when we're off to bed. Yesterday I had 2 Swedish flagged vessel close by. That makes 3 Swedish flagged vessels together in the middle of the Atlantic. For sure not an “Every day” thing. I guess it was 50 years ago it happened last time.
- How many Swedish people were onboard?
- Hmm, maybe 10 all together.
Tuesday 5 th of August 2008 and the longer I'm onboard the more people I recognise. On the way down to the mess room for my 3 slices of crisp bread I ran in to our 2nd Engineer. I recognized
him, but from where?- Where have you been working before?
Well, it turned out that he had been 2nd Engineer on CT Star a few years back. CT Star, yeah, it was the good old days and we had very fun on the ship. OK, hard work, but always time for frolic and larks.
I had time for my breakfast on the bridge before it was time for some HEAVY DUTY cargo calculation. MAX draft at arrival to Baltimore in brackish water and at different high waters.
When I was ready there was time for a diet drink and then the 2nd Officer came to relieve me at 10.The day started out as gloomy and grey, but after an hour it was hot
and sunny and the crew were busy painting on deck. But I and Pump man had a different tusk. To hot water wash the cargo tanks and the engine department will try our new boiler.Assisted by our deck Cadet we started the operation after the coffee break. Well, we got the tank cleaning pump up and running and we opened the steam to the heat
exchanger. 50°C and that was it. Some adjustments to do to the boiler. Well, back in the days it would have been easy for the Chief Engineer to do the adjustments himself.Today it's a different story. Now we have to update computer
programs or as the Chief Engineer said:- I opened up the box on the boiler and it was brimmed with printed circuit cards!
It's like when I was driving my rented cars to Gothenburg a few years ago. I was halfway between Helsingborg and Gothenburg when an alarm light went off. All the electric stuff stopped working.
- What happened with the music? AND THE AC??!!
It was the fan belt. An easy thing to fix and I stopped at a parking place, jumped out of the car. I was in a hurry to Gothenburg and an ongoing party.
I opened the hood and I could not even see the engine. I
slammed the hood swearing.I called a taxi and I had to go back to Helsingborg to get a new car. If it had been an old car you had fixed the belt fan by yourself in 2 minutes. But this was a brand new SAAB and there was nothing for me to do!While they were working with the boiler our Cadet took the opportunity to make an BALLAST EXCHANGE plan for the arrival to Brazil. Always something to do and our Cadet takes every opportunity he gets to learn something.
- There are no short cuts if you want to be a Chief Officer!
Tank cleaning came to a full stop before we even started and I went to my cabin and my language course. 1 hour and I will be off to deck and my constitutional. I got a little carried away during lunch ( In the CCR where no one saw me) and I will have to do a little extra walking.
It was a gorgeous afternoon/ evening so I spent a few hours in my track on the catwalk. It was nice, even though I had preferred to be ready with the tank cleaning. Well, I was walking on the cat walk with Ted Nugent blasting high in my new headphones. Deck crane to the fo'c's'le back and forth and when I made my turn at the fo'c's'le just before 7 I saw someone waving to me from
the bridge wing. First I thought it was our Deck Cadet but when I came closer I saw that it was our Chief Engineer. He did the internationally recognized sign for “ Let's have a fag
”and I returned the signal with a equally recognized sign for “ 1 minute, in my cabin
”- Ups! I don't smoke!Well, we were soon in my cabin drinking diet drink and our Chief Engineer checked out my web page.
- I will send the address to my wife, he said.
He was back 2 times to get the address right. I really have to do some work with my hand writing. But he got it and he was off with a:
- I will send the address immediately!
I was off for a shower before my night watch and I was pretty pleased when I had my first cup of tea in my hand.
- A few hours in the track, not bad. And my language course on the stereo.
- Hey! Even the AB on my watch has started to speak the lingo!
consults and many times L & I send onboard an expert when they are going to load Methanol. As they say, Methanol is very sensitive.Well, we are loading Ethanol and last cargo was MTBE so I wrote to L & I that I thought it was enough with the cold water wash. Ethanol and they will only check the chlorides and that it's less than 10ppm.
I got an answer this morning and he wanted me to take a wall wash in as many tanks as possible so we knew where we were. I was
puzzled,they will only check for visible traces of hydrocarbon and if they find any there will be wall wash. And the wall wash will only be checked chlorides and I sent him an e-mail. There was a swift reply. He agreed with me on the cold water wash, but as he wrote in his second reply.- Chlorides are of no concerns! Check colour and hydrocarbons so that we can decide on the cold water wash.
Taking wall wash in all tanks will take a day and I'm losing
time by the day. I wanted to have this cleaning behind me a few days ago. But plenty tests to do after the shipyard and today we will run the nitrogen. For sure, I don't want to run around the tanks when we test the nitrogen plant.I consulted our 3 last cargo history and I decided to make a wall wash in Slop, 7 and 2 Port side. Our deck Cadet was eager to come with me. He is always interested in learning a few things.
- There are no short cuts if you want to become an Chief Officer!
Taking a wall wash sample, we spray Methanol on the bulkheads and collect the Methanol in a bottle. Pretty straight forward and no hokus pokus.
 |
 |
 |
Deck Cadet is taking wall wash sample
The hokus pokus starts when we get the wall wash sample in to my laboratory. We will run 3 tests, colour, hydrocarbon and chlorides. I will run the chlorides just to get a feeling on the Methanol tank cleaning. If I take one now and one after the freshwater wash I will have an idea on the effect of a 30 minutes fresh water wash next time.  Cleaning the funnel with Methanol
|
 Putting the funnel in the sample bottle
|
 Pouring wall wash in to the sample bottles
|
Deck Cadet is busy preparing the samples
We started out with the colour test, nothing to do but to pure 25ml of the wall wash in a samplebottle and run it in the SPECTROPHOTOMETER. We got a value of about 180 on the colour test, from slop tank we got almost 500. There was arust spot in the tank and I could not help myself, I just had to run the wall wash over the rusted parts of the tank.Next test is the chloride and now you will understand why we started with the colour test.
To test the wall wash for chlorides we need to add 5 drops of Silver Nitrate and 5 drops of Nitric Acid (I think that's the name) in the 25ml sample. We are ready with the colour so we can use the same samples.
After adding the drops, carefully counted by our Deck Cadet the samples had to rest for 15 minutes before we can run them in the SPECTROPHOTOMETER. What the hell is a SPECTROPHOTOMETER? And where did they come up with the name SPECTROPHOTOMETER?
While waiting for the chloride samples to be ready we mixed the samples for the Hydrocarbons.
The Hydrocarbon test requires test tubes and now it's getting really exciting. 90ml distillatewater in a test tube, add 10 ml of the wall wash. Invert the tube 2 times to mix the sample. Inverting the tube, what a nonsense, I started to shake the tube like there was no tomorrow and I looked for further instructions in the manual. Let the sample rest for 20 minutes. IT'S OF OUTMOST IMPOTANCE THAT THE SAMPLE ISFREE FROM AIR BUBBLES.Turned out that shaking the test tube was a very bad idea. I checked the sample and it looked like soda water. So I had to throw it away and make a new sample.Well, when we were ready it was time to go check the oxygen content in 6P/S cargo tanks, the nitrogen plant had been running
for about 1 hour.Our nimble Deck Cadet took this opportunity to learn a little about gas measuring. 13% oxygen and we will try again before dinner.
Our Cadet takes part in all the different moments onboard. He's learning new stuff every day and as an extra bonus he appears on the
internet a whole lot and the chance is good that he's already known by future employers. Offers about well paid jobs will fill his post box in no time.He will be the talk of the town when he's back home. His class
mates will be green of envy and at Sjösjukan he will be the king.Yeah, we remember Sjösjukan, a sad place where they play Hjalle o Tjalle on full blast while wondering why there is never any girls coming to the place. But that will change when our Cadet is back home.
When he enters the place the girl will undress him in their minds while wishing that he will choose their table for the evening.
Well, we measured the gas and our Chief Engineer was happy with the N2 plant's performance.
- So far it looks good!
When we were ready it was late afternoon and I returned to my cabin for a shower before dinner.
Otherwise, social life = ZIP.
Thursday 7 th of August 2008 and tanks cleaning at last. No hot water but I will do a cold water
wash and it's about time to get this cleaning done with. 3rd Officer and 2nd Officer taking my morning watch and I will be in the CCR drinking tea andlisten to music while drilling our Deck Cadet.It was a terrible morning, the rain poured down and I stayed in the CCR pissing and moaning about the weather. But in the afternoon the weather was good again and this was in the nick of time. After completion of the tank cleaning I wanted to pressure test our cargo lines.
When we were ready on deck I went to the bridge to instruct our 3rd Officer on how to change our ballast. Hopefully this will be ready tonight and we can send the ballast report to Brazil tomorrow.
I had time for a shower and my language course before dinner and then I was off to my cabin and my book. Soon time for my night watch.
Friday 8 th of August 2008 and today I will have to wall wash 2 tanks. I will do it after my watch
before the crew starts to spray the tanks with DI water. The I will do some wall wash tomorrow after the DI spraying to see the difference.The AB on watch was waiting for me in the CCR when I came down from the bridge. Our Cadet showed up a few minutes later. I started to calibrate our gas meters so I can measure the atmosphere in the tanks before the crew starts the DI
spraying.I and the Cadet went down the SLOP Port and then we did 2 Port and we were off to analyze the samples.
After 1 hour cold sea water wash and 30 minutes cold FW the chlorides were within the limits. See what we get after the DI water spraying. Maximum 10 ppm chlorides and now we
are down to 7. Don't hurt to get the chlorides well within the limits with the DI water spraying.Waiting for the samples to be ready for the Photospectrometer and there was nothing much to do but drink a diet drink. Waste of time, but Chief Officer has nothing else to do.
When we were ready I took my camera and I went to my cabin to prepare the pictures for L & I. I will send the wall wash result and some pictures to them. Well, it's pretty good to have this company for the tank cleaning.
Just to send them an e-mail if I have any questions regarding tank cleaning.
Well, luckily enough I got time for a constitutional in the afternoon and after dinner I was off for a shower and my language course. Darn! My tea tasted good when I came for my exciting night watch.
Always does when you had had a good day.Tomorrow the crew will continue the DI water spraying and I and the Deck Cadet will make more wall wash. I got reply on my last e-mail to L & I and our guy wrote that it looked good. Good result on the wall wash.
Ok, we're running around like TRACK HORSES with the wall wash. Good exercise, but its fun. It's all new to me and the time turns quick.
This is why I like to be one, maximum two times on each ship. New stuff to learn and the time
turns quick. But, well, it's also nice to have a shower in a nice and clean shower after a full day running around.Saturday 9 th of August 2008 and I started the day by measuring the gas in the cargo tanks.
The crew are going to continue the DI water spraying today. I was on the bridge at 9 and I could enjoy my breakfast. At 12 o'clock it was time for wall wash again. No lunch, I never have time for lunch on this ship.Our Cadet and I wall washed 6 tanks and we were of
to the lab to test the samples.6 wall wash and we ended up with plenty sample bottles and test tubes. We had to split it and run it 2 times
and the time is running away. Never time for anything but this wall wash. 8 hours on the bridge and then 4 to 5 hours with the wall wash every day.But I have our Deck Cadet to keep me company. Otherwise it would have been very boring, so he is saving me from jumping overboard. After loading we have 15 days to New York and I will watch movies every day having a good time. So far I have had time to see none of the movies I pay for.
But thank God for our Cadet, now the wall washing is fun and I have company. I told him that he have to take the days of in Santos and Rio De Janeiro.
- I don't want to see you drunk onboard. So you take in on a hotel on Copacabana and you get dead drunk! DEAD DRUNK!- OK!- Yeah, take this opportunity to get to know
the locals. When you're a Chief Officer there will be no time.- If you have time you can go see Limhamn's Jesus. The big concrete Jesus, made by
Skånskcement. But to go have fun is the most important.When we were ready it was after 4 o'clock and it was
too late for an afternoon walk.I got a picture from my friend in Greenpeace. He is on Artic Sunrise doing whale research outside Italy. Onboard is the Italian Cock from Rainbow Warrior and we recognize her from several pictures on my web page. The last one
when she and the Lebanese Doctor was scratching on me in Rome at our Greenpeace meeting.Well, it was fun on Rainbow Warrior. But one time is enough. But I wouldn't mind doing one more time onboard, in a few years time. But as I said to the Greenpeace's seagoing personnel managers when they called me to Amsterdam. We were drinking tea and they asked if I wanted to come back.
- Yeah, I wouldn't mind. It was fun! But you cannot have this as a regular job, after a while you cannot go back to a real ship again. It was like a holiday onboard, I said.
Obviously this was not the answer they had hoped for.
I didn't know this until I came to Marimba but working for Greenpeace is not a very prestigious work, a job only for f@ck ups. We were having lunch onboard Marimba at the shipyard in China. I said that I had woke up 3 o'clock in the morning when my phone started to ring.
- They wanted me to come work on a ship and they wake me up at 3, not a good move.
Our Laurin's Inspector or what he was said:
- Was it Greenpeace??!!
Implying that it were only nitwits working for Greenpeace and that this was the only job I could get. I don't know what he was hoping for, me to feel inferior to him and his high position in Laurin? I don't think so, what he achieved I would have achieved from my bed.
Dinner, salmon, lemon, salad and a steak. Good, the rest had ice cream and I took some more smoked salmon and lemon. Our Chief Engineer got the biggest portion of ice cream I had ever seen, topped it with two big spoons of whipped cream.
- I'm out of here! I said.
- This is good, he said.
- Well.... Maybe a little.....
Sunday 10 th of August 2008 and what do you know. Time to go down the tanks again, I will soon look like a Greyhound. And believe me, I'm not talking about the busses. DI water spraying in
4+5+6+7+Slop starboard and we need to measure the gas before the crew goes down in the tank. I have to make an Enclose Space Entry and thus we need to calibrate our gas instrument before measuring the gas.And of course we have to fill up a log when we have calibrated the gas instruments. An excellent opportunity for our Cadets to get to know the gas meters. If you have an Enclose Space Entry Permit without calibrating the instrument it's
“ FY FY
” at the vetting inspection.
When the tanks were measured and the portable gas detector were calibrated the crew could start with the DI spraying. I was left alone with our Cadets and we could start preparing for the wall wash.
Our cargo tank from the ladder
Cadet getting the wall wash equipments
Cargo tank 5 Port
After running up and down 5 cargo tanks (I lost a few kg) we could return to the laboratory andstart to analyze the wall wash.We prepared the samples and we got all good results and I was in a good mode. We
had time to go wall wash Slop Stb before lunch. While the crew were having their lunch I wall washed 4 Stb and at 1330 I went to bed.When I went to bed I called the bridge and I asked 2nd Officer to wake me up at 3. I expected the rest of the cargo tanks to be dry then so I could finish the wall washing. Well, I could only wall wash 7 Stb, 5 and 6 to wet and I will do it tomorrow.
It was almost 5 when we finished the analyze and we also threw away a lot of shit from our lab, earlier during the day we threw away a lot of shit from our sample locker. Hundreds of bottles marked only with a question mark. Who the BIP want stuff like that around?
Yet another day with no time for my constitutional, but I decided to skip my language course today (Sunday) and I will try to enjoy a movie after dinner.
Monday 11 th of August 2008 and I started the day by wall washing 5 & 6 Stb. Good result and I will wash the last tanks after my watch. It was a nice morning, sunshine and only a few clouds on an otherwise blue sky. Wind force 5/6 coming in from the port side blowing a little water and salt
on deck.Not an good environment to ventilate the tanks is, but it has to be done. When coming on deck after my watch I discovered some gas in the tanks and I postponed the wall wash until after 3 o'clock. I'm looking forward to yet another exciting day onboard Bro Provider.
Well, all our tanks look good and now I hope that there is no more wall washing before I go home. It has been instructive and illuminating, a new experience and thus fun, but know I know this and I don't want to do it again.
Well, no time for my constitutional today, this happening too often by now. Well, I hope I had it with the wall wash by now. Running up and down the ladders in the tanks, the ladders is a killer but it's a good exercise. But it's not like I enjoy it like I do with my afternoon walks.
Tuesday 12 th of August 2008 and it was a gorgeous day. Still slightly rolling for the sea, but it
was sunshine and the tea tasted great! We did yet another test run of the nitrogen plant in the morning and it worked well.After lunch I was busy with gas measuring the tanks and paper work,
but at 2 o'clock I went for my constitutional on deck while thecrew were down mopping the wells in the cargo tanks.Mopping was a quick thing, they are almost dry, just some condense. So they could continue painting in the afternoon. One AB was busy chipping in our showers so it was a terrible sound in the accommodation in the afternoon. Hopefully we will get a guy to put new tiles in Brazil.
My constitutional wasn't what I expected. A little pain in my right knee and I gave up after a little
more than 1 hour. OK, I spent some 20-30 minutes talking with our Pump man under the fo'c's'le so I guess it wasn't much more than 30 minutes or so of walking.OK, I wasn't in my best mood either. I guess I'm homesick and I can't wait for yet another 4 weeks to pass and I'm on my way home. And that
Before
After
to the pilates looking like a zeppelin.I spent the afternoon with a movie, for 30 minutes and I got tired of it and moved over to my bed. I overslept the dinner and my diet is on track.
I woke up at 6 o'clock so I had time for my language course before finish
the movie. Happy ending with fireworks and I was off to the bridge and a cuppa.The world is small, we were steaming SSW towards Cabo De São Tomé on a course of 207° (T) when we meet Jutlandia Swan. Yet another ship that I should have been on. I was asked back in April if I could join the ship in June. But as we know I was on my gas tanker course then and I had to reject the offer. I called the Officer on the watch and he told me that it was a nice ship.
Brand new, built 2007 and they were on the way to Gibraltar from Paranagua with soya oil, a nice cargo. OK, so within a few day we have passed 2 ships that I should have been on. Well, good to know that I get job offers, not only from Greenpeace!
Wednesday 13 th of August 2008 and we started to roll heavy during the night and I spent the morning watch holding on to my tea cup. A pretty uneventful day, except for the excitements when we did our last course changes to west and Paranagua pilot station. ETA tomorrow afternoon.
Thursday 14 th of August 2008 and we were steaming on course 253°(T) when I came on my morning watch. Gloomy and grey weather, but no wind. I had a ship crossing my way, but it was 30 minutes to go until CPA so I had my morning tea and my crisp bread.
- What the BIP !!?? This motherf@cker had no intention to change course even though he was the give way ship.
I tried to call him a few times on the radio and, well, I had to change course. I called on the radio.
- Sabrine!! I change course for you so you can go on sleeping or whatever you do on the bridge! I don't hold it against you, your Scooby company don't pay you properly and I don't know when you got food last time onboard!
As I use to say, you never know who's on the bridge at the ships around you. Maybe a Polish
Librarian. Our Chief engineer told me a story on the bridge the other day. He had been on a ship and the company sent a new Officer.- He was just walking around like a question markon the bridge. Turned out he had no education
and didn't know anything about navigation or the bridge equipment.Of course they got suspicious and they asked him about his licence. Turned out that he was a taxi driver.
Latest message from our Agent in Paranagua is that we will berth on the
18th of August due to congestion in the port.- I'm in no hurry nowhere, I said.
We will drop anchor around 180 and pump man and Bosun are preparing
deck for pirates and we have to lock everything with pad locks. Or we might end up missing all our paint, ropes and tools.After a quick lunch, meat and Brussels sprouts. Yeah, I'm serious with my diet. Well, after lunch I did some paper work with our Cadets and now we're pretty much prepared for loading. A little something to do tomorrow as well.
I had time for an hour of walking up and down the catwalk before returning to my cabin and my language course. Dinner, it was like an mine field and I managed to clear most of the mines.
Well, most of them anyway. I was in my cabin when we dropped anchor at 1915.Well, the internet have so far been nothing but a disappointment, and especially for you that have
IN.01 PAGE 1 UTC Time: 08-08-12 21:14:10
Subject: MARIA BONITO INVITE ALL
From: marcelo oliveira (rodedobrasil@hotmail.com)
WELCOME TO NIGHT CLUB MARIA BONITADATE :12.08.08TO:MV/BRO
PROVIDERDEAR, SR.CAPTAIN PLS, EXTENDINGOUR INVITATIONS TO ALL MEMBERS ON
BOARD THE VESSEL (BRO PROVIDER)SHER WITH US THE GOOD PLACE ,TO ENJOY IN
PARANAGUA.WE OFFER YOU ,KARAOKE,RESTAURANT,DISCO,LANCHONET, INTERNET, WEB
CAMINTERNATIONAL CALL(O.50 CENTS P/ MIN UTE)ORDERS PARTY, AND B-DAYS
CELEBRATION,ALL DRINKS . TABLE BILLARD FREE TO PLAY STREP- TEASE AND MANY
GIRLS. 200MTRS FROM TANKER GATEOPEN 14:00 AT 04 AMPHONE:00 55 41 9998
29 40)MANAGERS: SANDRAOWNER:PINOYTHANKS:B.RGDS.
Subject: MARIA BONITO INVITE ALL
From: marcelo oliveira (rodedobrasil@hotmail.com)
WELCOME TO NIGHT CLUB MARIA BONITADATE :12.08.08TO:MV/BRO
PROVIDERDEAR, SR.CAPTAIN PLS, EXTENDINGOUR INVITATIONS TO ALL MEMBERS ON
BOARD THE VESSEL (BRO PROVIDER)SHER WITH US THE GOOD PLACE ,TO ENJOY IN
PARANAGUA.WE OFFER YOU ,KARAOKE,RESTAURANT,DISCO,LANCHONET, INTERNET, WEB
CAMINTERNATIONAL CALL(O.50 CENTS P/ MIN UTE)ORDERS PARTY, AND B-DAYS
CELEBRATION,ALL DRINKS . TABLE BILLARD FREE TO PLAY STREP- TEASE AND MANY
GIRLS. 200MTRS FROM TANKER GATEOPEN 14:00 AT 04 AMPHONE:00 55 41 9998
29 40)MANAGERS: SANDRAOWNER:PINOYTHANKS:B.RGDS.
- Do you want to come work on Bro Provider? Internet, free phone and 031 prefix and there was no end to it.
But there might be hope, when I came on my night watch we were anchored and the 3rd Officer showed me an e-mail they had received on the SAT-C. Ok, it took me a while before I understood the e-mail, but I interpreted it like:
- There is internet 200m from the gate.
So, if Chief Officer gets a few minutes he can go ashore and update his web page. And the e-mail, it's the first time I see a night club sending e-mail to the ships. Almost like the ship chandlers in Suez. They are crazy and when in the area you receive millions of price lists from different ship chandlers in Suez.
Friday 15 th of August 2008 and we were still anchored when I came on my morning watch. A gloomy and grey morning, but the sun started to shine after a few hours. I spent my watch with
Kåldolmar
is a typical Swedish cuisine, popularly eaten with potatoes, sauce made with cream and lingonberry jam. Considered as one of the most Swedish meals.Dolma means stuffed or filling. Dolma is a dish of stuffed vegetables. The young leaves of the grapevine, zucchini, green peppers, cabbage, and onions are stuffed with a mixture of rice, onion and ground meat. Dolmas are usually eaten cold as an appetizer, but the Greek dolmades with lamb are served hot like the Swedish Kåldolme.
It came to Sweden in the beginning of the 18th century when our King Karl the XII returned from Turkey. There were many Swedish soldiers in Bender, Turkey when they returned to Sweden they brought back the recipe. But in Sweden they used cabbage (kål) instead of the grapevine leaves.
When Karl XII was kicked out from Turkey he returned to Sweden together with many of the creditors. He had borrowed much money while in Turkey. The creditors stayed in Sweden between 1716 and 1732 and they ate Dolmas.
After lunch, kåldolme and Brussels sprouts. OK, I had 2 extra kåldolmar. I was ready and I was just about to leave when I decided to stay for 2 extra kåldolmar. Just to be social. I took a new
plate and I sat down at my place again.We had planned to have an oil spill drill and rescue from tank drill after lunch. I spent the time waiting in my office doing paper
work and at 1300 we could start with the oil spill drill.When the oil spill drill was completed we moved over to 3 stb
ballast tank. We had a tri pod with a winch and we practiced to lift up the dummy from the tank and to get the harness on the dummy.Lifting up someone from a tank is no joke. Especially when there is a ladder in the way. But the cargo tank is the easiest tank to rescue someone from.
Imagine a to rescue a guy from a ballast tank. To get this guy through
all the manholes in the double bottom. And if you have to use BA sets, well, I would say that it's next to impossible.We finished the drill and after all, the dummy looks happy. I went back in to my office
to get my iPod and I was soon in my track walking away some of my excess kilos.It was a gorgeous afternoon and I was plunging up and down the cat walk. I could not stop, how could I? Our 2nd Officer was on the bridge wing urging on.
Well, it's good that they keep an eye on my diet. I got a little more than one hour in the track before returning to my cabin and a shower.
When I came on my night watch I got the latest news: Pilot at 0630 tomorrow morning.
Saturday 16 th of August 2008 and we were on the way when I woke up. We were approaching Paranagua when I came on the bridge. A gloomy and grey morning, but I could see the sun trying
to break through the clouds. After consulting the log book I found out that we had the anchor up at 0555 and the Pilot was onboard at 0625. Paranagua Bay
Last time I was going up Paranagua Bay was back in 2006 with a hungry crew on M/V Pegasus. I recognized the place and the clouds were lying low over the forest. We remember pictures like this from the Panama Canal. I guess the clouds are the reason for calling it rain forest. Paranagua Bay
We passed the for me well known container terminal and we arrived to our jetty in sunshine. Port of Paranagua
Our Pilot's name was Svensson and I don't know if he claimed to have Swedish ancestors. But it was very hard to hear what he was saying.- Speak up! No one can hear what you're saying! I said.
- This is how my voice is!
- Yeah! I doesn't help having you blah-blah-bla on the radio all the time and suddenly “ STOP ENGINE ”.
Well, later on I could hear him screaming at the boatmen on the jetty, so I guess it was not his voice. But there should have been an alarm going off when our helms man and everyone else had to ask him to repeat what he was saying all the time.
Approaching our jetty
First line 0840 and all fast at 0905. We had 3 Surveyors coming onboard just after 10 o'clock. and the wall wash started at 1030 and the tanks passed at 1115. Our Surveyor checked thewall wash for hydrocarbons and Chloride.He complained about the hydrocarbons. well, not complained, but he said there was hydrocarbons in the sample. I told him that I was only instructed to clean so the chloride should be less than 10ppm.
- No check for hydrocarbons, I said.
- No problem, he said.
But I showed him our e-mail where it was
clearly stated that the tanks would only be inspected visually for hydrocarbons and wall wash was only for chlorides.Paper work and test of equipments before we could start loading. But we had to wait and the hose was connected at 1325 and at 1350 we started to load the ethanol and I was off for a shower
We are purging 7P/S with nitrogen and I will measure the gas before dinner
and then I'm off to internet to check my e-mail and to upload my web page. We have plenty time, loading rate 300m³/h and we will load 6400m³ in Paranagua. So it will take time.But I'm in no hurry and today Captain told me that we will load at 2 different places in Santos and 2 days waiting at each of the jetty as it looks today. Good, it will be September before we're leaving Brazil and I'm soon on my way home.
I'm off to upload my page. Next upload in Santos or Rio De Janiro.We measured cargo tanks 7P/S for oxygen before we went to dinner. When we (Chief Engineer & I) were on the way to the port side we took the way over the poop deck. Plenty people hanging on the rail and I thought they were fishing.
Captain shouted after me when we passed:- All your diet drinks are coming now!
First then I noticed that they were lifting onboard provision and one sling was full of diet drinks.
Well, 7,3% O2 in the tanks and I decided to stop the purging after dinner.On the way back to the mess room I saw
our 2 Cadets coming overthe gangway returning from shore.- Hmm, didn't I sent them ashore for some fun?
- HEY! It's Saturday evening and no one will bother you tomorrow! Why aren't you ashore?
I couldn't believe my eyes
-GO BACK ASHORE! IT'S SATURDAY FOR CHRISTS SAKE!
Well, what can I say? And yesterday I found out that one of
the Cadets had sent my picture to one of the girls in his class! OK, Chief Officer is exceptionally handsome, but anyway.I left the ship after dinner. I had loaded my web page to my USB memory and I was off to the “NIGHT CLUB MARIA BONITA” to upload my e-mail. Our 2 Cadets joined me.
- We will show you the way!
what was it they had written in the e-mail? STREP- TEASE AND MANY
GIRLS. 200MTRS FROM TANKER GATE. 200m, they must be retarded, it's at least 2km and what about the girls? Yeah, there were many girls comparing to the ship.Well, most, no, all of them looked like truck drivers.When we arrived we meet our engine crew and they were
singing Karaoke.What a tragic place! An abomination and I was in a hurry out of there as soon as I finished my internet business. And what a shame that people should have to work in a place like this to get their daily livelihood.
Before I left I told our Cadets to take a taxi to town.
- There must be a better place than this! Saturday and there should be plenty disco in town.I also told them that I would not pester them if they went back onboard, Saturday or not. It's better onboard.
- A place like this is nothing I wish for anyone to experience, I said when I left.
Sunday 17 th of August 2008 and I woke up to a beautiful day. I had my breakfast (tea and crisp bread) in the CCR while topping off 3P/S. We completed loading at 1145 and Pilot will be onboard between 15 and 1530. Santos next.
Our Pilot came onboard at 1540 and came out on starboard side bridge wing. He said hello to the Captain the he approached me with open arms.
Our 3rd Officer was on the bridge a few minutes after departure and it was time for me to go on my “watch below”- OK Mr Pilot! I'm out of here, but I leave my best men in charge!
- OK, hope to see you again! He said when he came to get a new hug
I don't know, but when our Surveyor left to day he was giving me a hug as well. Well, maybe it's a Brazilian thing.- Hmm, why is it only me? Do I look like I'm from Brazil?
Monday 18 th of August 2008 and we were anchored on Santos roads when I came on my morning watch. They had dropped anchor at 0420 and no news or berthing prospects. The only news is that we will load 20600m³ in Santos and 10000 in Rio De Janeiro. Changed cargo orders, but this is
normal. And it's also expected that no one knows when we're going inside.Tomorrow morning, tonight and tomorrow afternoon.
- And I can't wait to get inside, is there a bonus hug for me again?- Hmm, maybe it's my intercontinental look that makes everyone ( except the beautiful girls ) want to hug me??
I also remember last day at the shipyard in Portugal. The Boss for the shipyard was onboard to see
us off and to wish us good luck. I'll be darned, another hug!I was reading in my bed in the afternoon and before I knew it I was sleeping. Waking up just in
time for dinner. I had time for a shower and a diet drink before it was time to participate in the social event of the day, dinner!When I open the door I found several cases of diet drinks outside my door. I'm used to find stuff outside my door by now, SNICKERS & diet drinks and other
pleasant surprises.But no matter how used I am to find stuff outside my door I am I can't help thinking about a ship I was on a few years ago. Panama flag and it was forbidden to have your shoes outside the cabin. This is right, in case of fire you don't want to fall over shoes in the aisles.
But the fun part, (OK, I don't know if fun is the word I'm looking for here) the fire pump was not working and I told our Superintendent.
- You just take a few guys and you go down and repair it! He told me.
- HEY! IF I KNEW HOW TO REPAIR THE DARN FIRE PUMP I WOULD HAVE BEEN AN ENGINEER MAKING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND I WOULD NOT BE HERE WORKING FOR PEANUTS!!
Tuesday 19 th of August 2008 and we were still anchored when I woke up.
- Earliest 21st all going good, was the latest news.
Soon it was “maybe tomorrow PM”. I spent the afternoon with cargo paper, updated loading order, 20600 m³ in Santos. I also gave our Cadets some calculation tasks to do. All by hand, chemical and oil calculation and they spent hours with my different ullages, trim, density, VCF and temperatures.
By now they should know how to find their way through the different books and tables. Sitting with
a computer and fill a loading program with ullages is easy, and many times I have noticed that people just fill up the ullages in the loading program and they have no idea what they are doing. But now our Cadets know how to do it the OLD SCHOOOL way and thus they know what they are doing when they use the loading program.Well, coming on my night watch and I started with a cuppa and one cuppa became 3 cuppas.
Listening to my language course and there was pretty much nothing to do.I was on the bridge wing scratching my arse
and picking my nose talking with the AB on watch when we saw something in the water.- PLEASE! LET IT BE SOMETHING EXCITING!
We could see that it was something big.
Atlantis
legendary island, beautiful and prosperous, said to have been submerged following an earthquake nearly 12,000 years ago.
could see that it was something that was swimming around. And it wassomething that avoided the search light, otherwise fishes come swimming in to the beam of light.But this one got scared when I put the beam on it.
- Maybe it's a giant octopus!
It looked like he was releasing a cloud of ink to confuse what he thought was a predator coming to EAT HIM. I directed the beam so he had to swim towards the bridge wing. It was easy, he didn't like the
beam of light and he was soon close to us on the bridge wing. What a disappointment, it was a shoal of fishes and we had expected, if not Atlantis so at least a very big fish.When the AB left I said:
- Don't tell anyone about this unless you can come up with something exciting!
Midnight and I was off to my book and my bed. It has been a pretty good day, language course and constitutionalon deck.Wednesday 20 th of August 2008 and we were still anchored when I came on my morning watch. Coming to the bridge is the same routine every day. Making a cuppa, hooking up my iPod and then
returning to my tea and the crisp bread that I prepared in the mess room after starting Bosun and Pump man in the CCR.When I'm finish with my first
E-mail from Barcarolle and the crew are missing me and my camera.
- Hmm, well, what do you know?
The crew missed me pestering them and the action on deck back when I was onboard. Now there was ZERO action and no one had been using the spray painter and grit blaster for a very long time.
Our Chief Engineer and Electrician came to the bridge looking for earth faults and I turned the radars on and off, but they didn't found the earth fault. But we had time for a chat.
Our lifeboat davit
After the 10 o'clock coffee break it was time for drills and we started with a life boat muster. First I must mention the lifeboat davit on Bro Provider. And this is something for all ships to take after!Recommended to be done ASAP!
On Bro Provider they have made a ladder and platform on each side of the lifeboat ladder and this is the first ship I have seen it on. Very easy to work and maintain the davit. On other ships
they have to climb the davit when they need to do some work on the davit.Well, if you're on a ship and they have planned a visit to a shipyard in the near future you're welcome to copy the above pictures. Then send them to the Technical Superintendent.
OK, don't bother if you work in a company were they don't serve you food or pay you a decent salary. Hell, if you're in a company that don't give you food and a decent salary I don't understand what you're doing there. I was in a company and all the Ukrainian crew and Officers were looking for a
new company. All the good ones got new job and this company were stuck with the, yeah, you guessed right, all the pissheads. So you understand what kind of company that was.- You will stay here with us! You have a bright future here! Captain said.
Obviously this guy didn't had a clue. Of course, when you sit in your cabin all day long doing f@ck all its nice. I told him several times that there was no food for the crew.- They only eat the food! This was the answer.
- You will stay here with us! You have a bright future here!
- Are you a f@cking retard?
Our Cadets had planned the drill and now they were going to execute the drill. This is one of the tasks they shoulddo in order to be good Chief Officers.When the fire was out it was time for the emergency Steering drill and we went down to the steering engine room.
All crew tested to steer and now everyone knows how to do it in case of emergency. We have two steering engines and one is always working, even during power failure so we can always steer the ship clear of perils.
When the whole crew had tested the steering the drill was ready and I could return to the bridge and my diet drink.
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Emergency Steering Drill
Our Chief engineer told me that his wife had been visiting my web page and she liked it. Now heasked if I could take a picture of him and the 1st Engineer.- No problem!
I was exhausted after all the excitements and I passed out in my bed after lunch. When I woke up I went on deck for my constitutional and I got one hour in the track. Well, it was almost 90 minutes, but I had a small break planning some jobs with our Pump man.
Latest berthing prospects is MAYBE tomorrow, but it has been maybe every day so it means nothing.
Soon time for my night watch and I'm off to my language course, 8 chapters before my watch and I keep the agony away from me.
Well, at least we know one of our discharge ports. We got the news today, discharge 100,000bbls at Paulsboro, NJ. Great, up the Delaware River to Philadelphia, just what I wished for.
Thursday 21 st of August 2008 and I almost shatmyself this morning. My day started as all the other days, shower and, yeah, blah-blah-bla already. OK, I went down to the CCR to start
Bosun and Pump man. But first we start with a group hug. Our Cadet, Bosun Pump man and me. Today I brought my camera andwhen looking at the picture I was close to soil myself.- I'm grey-haired!!What a relief when I realised that I had my hair cut yesterday and that it was my white skin shining through my hair.
Coming to the bridge and I had to face yet another watch anchored. No new berthing prospects and I are hoping for an morning arrival, tomorrow morning would be good. For sure, I'm not looking forward to an middle of the night arrival.
A beautiful afternoon and I couldn't resist donning my tennis shoes and get out in the track. I was not in the mood and I got almost 1 hour of lukewarm constitutional with a few stops for drinking water, checking Pump man and the Cadets work and to read e-mail. Latest berthing prospects: Midday tomorrow.
But the chipping is in progress and the crew is chipping on deck like there is no tomorrow. We don't have any primer onboard so we only chip. When we get our paint in USA we can cup brush and paint. WE, who do I try to fool? It's the crew doing the job. I'm in charge over the GOOD MORNING HUG® and the crew take it from there.
Friday 22 nd of August 2008 and we started with GOOD MORNING HUG® and in to the mess room to make 4 slices of crispbread and I was off to the bridge and we were still anchored when I came
on my watch with my crispbread.When 2nd Officer came to the bridge at 12 Santos Pilot called us.
- Pilot will come onboard at 1330 at buoy #1.
- We will try to make it, I replied.
- Do you think you can make it?
- We will try! I will ask the engineer to kick some arse in the engine department!
I called the Chief Engineer and he said that
there should be no problem. I called Santos Pilot again on VHF CH 11.- I have my best Engineer in the engine room and it should be no problem!
We passed Stolt Excellence on the way to the pilot station. She was anchored waiting for the pilot. She was a wreck when I was there some 10 years ago and I doubt that she is in any better condition now, well, she didn't looked to be in any better shape anyway. she was built back in the 70's and the ravages of time have not treated her very well.
Our Pilot is coming, Santos in the back
Our Pilot was onboard at 1330 and we approached the entrance to Santos port. Our Cadet was on
the bridge and I pointed out the Restaurant where I and our German Ship mechanic had our dinner a few years back.- Worth visiting, I told him.
But of course, there is a big
difference coming from Bro Provider and to come to the restaurant after several months on a ship without food. Only pumpernickel and “ Oatmeal Surprise® ”
. But it was a nice place and I hope I can find the time to go there.It was a gloomy and grey afternoon, but the temperature was perfect. Usually people from the North of Europe complains when the sun don't shine.
- Where is the sun? With this weather I could as well have stayed home in Sweden!
- Well, you should be happy as long as the sun doesn't shine, believe me!
And of course, when the suns shine they complain about the heat. No, a gloomy and grey day with the temperature 22°C is perfect.
Santos sea side
Captain had not been in Santos for many years and he didn't recognize the sea side.- When I was here last time there were only a few high risers. It was only huts here back then.
Approach to Santos port
Now it's plenty expensive condominiums along the beach. But the disco at the pier is gone. Lasttime entering we could hear the music, but now it was nowhere to be seen.But the whole city looked much better than last time and I could see new houses, on the right side. On the wrong side it was pretty much a shanty town.
Well, we passed a shopping mall on situated on the wrong side, but that shopping mall was there a few years ago.
But it's still looking new and there is a ferry terminal at the mall serving the commuters going over to work for the rich people.Well, rich and rich, at least the more fortunate people.
Port of Santos
I was on the bridge drinking diet drinks like there was no tomorrow while enjoying the views. Well, while talking about diet drink, I got my diet drinks bill for August today.- 400 US!!!I had been drinking diet drinks for almost 400 US.
- Hmm, how much does a can of diet drink coast?
Well, for sure it's not healthy drinking all the diet drinks and I will try to give it up.
Shanties in Santos
We arrived to our jetty and had first line ashore at 1440. It was a small jetty and we couldhardly find the space behind a Odfjell tanker ahead of us.We had all fast at 1500 and I had time for paper work before the Surveyors came onboard. More paperwork and when we were ready it was time to inspect the tanks. 10
tanks to inspect and wall wash.10 tanks, that's plenty running up and down the tanks and I was happy that we have young Cadets onboard. I could stay on deck look stupid when one of our Cadets went down the tank with one of
the Surveyors.Wall wash to check the tanks for chlorides and hydrocarbons. Hydrocarbons again and I asked them why they check for hydrocarbons.
- This will be mixed with gasoline and I was told that you were only checking for chlorides.
- This is our instructions!
When we were ready with the wall wash they took sample from cargo tank 5 Port and Starboard. They were partly loaded in Paranagua and we will top up the tanks here in Santos. So the Surveyor will check the Paranagua cargo for chlorides and hydrocarbons before we start to top them off.
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Our Cadet busy running up and down the tanks
At 1720 our tanks passed with flying colours. According to the Surveyor there was no trace of anything in the wall wash.- Swedish flag! An ass kickin' crew, a SkånskChief Officer and 2 good Cadets, I said.More paper work and at 1945 we opened our manifolds for the last pump stack sample before we
could open to our tanks. At 2010 we opened to our tanks and started to load. They expect about 600m³/h and I can sleep all night long.First they said 900 and that would have meant that I had to go up in the middle of the night and at that time it's for sure no GOOD MORNING HUG® . But I already told our 3rd Officer that if I'm grumpy when he calls me during the early morning hours, he should just tell me:
- PORKY!! SHUT THE YOO UP!!!!
Friday night and I told our Cadets to go ashore having a good time. I asked our Surveyors and there were plenty disco in town.
- Now it's up to you! I told our Cadets.
Fer f@cks sake! Guys, it's Friday night!
I was a little worried when I saw them in front of the TV and the computer in our day room.- HEY HEY! You got to take the chance when you're young and you don't get any hangovers! When you're in my age it will be too late, a rampant hangover every time.Well, they left the ship a little later on and no one will disturb them tomorrow. They have to take the
chance now, and this might be the only chance they have to go ashore having a good time.Next time they will be Junior Officers and then there will be no time to go ashore have fun.
Well, I was in my cabin not very long after that we started loading. I will watch a movie before going to sleep and hopefully I will get a night of sleep without any calls from the CCR.
Saturday 23 rd of August 2008 and I had my good morning tea in the CCR.
- Hmm, where is Bosun and Pump man? No GOOD MORNING HUG® today??!!
I was very disappointed when I realized that they were on deck working. Our Cadet, well, I guess
he is in bed after a long night on town.At 11 the first cadet came to the CCR.
- Don't tell me that you have a hangover! I said.
- Did you go to the restaurant? I asked.
Well, turned out that they had been to a place called the ABC bar
and for sure this is not the restaurant I pointed out when we arrived to Santos. I never heard of the ABC bar before, but obviously it's a well known place. I got e-mail asking if the Cadets had been at the ABC place.Completed loading at 1205 and Pilot will be onboard at 1500 and we will go out and drop the anchor again. First the Surveyor told me it was for 2-3 days and then our Agent said that it was until tomorrow. We see.
Sunday 24 th of August 2008 and rolling while at the anchorage. It started during the night, or it got worse during the night when the wind decreased and we got the swell in from the side. Never
mind the rolling, I enjoyed 2 jugs of tea and the watch turned out to be a quick one.20 minutes before 12 Santos Pilot called us and asked us to be at the Pilot station at 1330. So I guess I can go ashore uploading my web page and maybe go for a dinner in the evening.
Our Cadets were in the mess room when I came down for lunch. They had heard that we were going inside and
they were as happy as Larry.- We can go to ABC tonight!
- Hmm, I don't know, but maybe they met some nice girls there the other night.
I don't expect any tank inspection at arrival, we have cargo in all tanks. A quick gauging of the
ship and a few minutes of calculation and we can start load and, well, I will be off to the shopping mall to see if they have internet. I will also try the restaurant before going back onboard. I hope I can upload my web page tonight and next upload after that will hopefully be in Rio De Janeiro.I went to my cabin after lunch to prepare my USB
memory for tonight's upload. I copied my web page to the USB memory and then I was off to the bridge. Pilot onboard at 1340 and he was on the bridgewhen I came in to the bridge.We were soon passing the ABC club and I tried the good ol' binocular trick. Just to get a picture so you know what kind of sad place I'm talking about here.
- If you go to ABC tonight again I will stop you from going
ashore in the future, I said to our Cadet.We had our first line ashore at 1500 and all fast at 1515 and the Surveyor was onboard about 1 hour later. Paper work, ullageing and calculation. The first Surveyor (from Intertek)coming onboard told me that we were going to load 8000m³.
- I have order for 12000m³, I said.
- Maybe from the other terminal, he replied.
- And you're not from SGS! SGS told me that they would be the Surveyors for this parcel, I said.- Maybe for the next parcel.
15 minutes later our SGS Surveyor came onboard. Turned out that
we have to load 2 parcels, in the same hose and without any stop and there will be 2 different Surveyors for the parcel.We managed to straight out all question marks and from that it was all laughs until 1820 when we started to load. I was off to my cabin to get my USB memory and I was off the ship. A brisk 7 minutes walk to the gate and I meet the rest of the guys going ashore.
There were 6 of us going ashore and we needed two taxis. The first one came after 20 minutes or so and I and our Deck Cadet left in the second taxi that arrived 13 seconds later.
- We meet you at Primo Mall! (Or whatever the name was, but something like that)We should meet the rest of the guys at the ATM machines on the 3rd floor. But when we arrived there were no sign of the other Cadet and the engine crew.
- OK, let's go to internet and we can be back here again, I suggested.
We had been at the internet place for about 3 minutes when the others arrived. Our engine crew wanted to go on to the Greek Shop and our Cadets told them that they would meet them there later on.
- What's the Greek Shop? I asked.
- It's a Greek running a souvenir shop next to the ABC club.
- You must be joking! I shrieked.
- You are in Brazil and most likely you will never be back here again. You have the chance to go to a real Brazilian Churrascaria, I mean one of the best in Santos. And you want to waste your time on ABC club.
- Well, I'm out of here! I'm off to the restaurant, I said and I left to find a taxi.
Tertúlia, Brazilian Churrascaria
It took me about 5 minutes to get to the restaurant on Santos sea side and the girls got more and more beautiful pari passu with the increasing prices of the cars and condos.I stepped in to the restaurant and I got the very same table I had when I was here last time.
And it was exactly as nice as I remembered it. Aladdin highly recommends you to visit the restaurant next time you're in Santos.And I have yet to experience someone disappointed with any of
my restaurant recommendations. Among all the recommendations we rememberthe best Japanese restaurant in the world, KOTO in Gothenburg.I were soon full and I did the internationally recognized sign for “Can I pay my bill” . I was half way through the sign when they came with the cake car.
- Motherf@cker! My diet!
- Hmm, it's Sunday! I can have 2 pieces of cake.
There were many different cakes to choose from, and when I had made up my mind to have 2 pieces I choose one with nuts on and one that I don't know what it was. But they tasted magnificent.It was only my will power and strong character that stopped me from calling the “cake man” again
1st piece
2nd piece
I will start my diet tomorrow
When I had paid my bill the manager asked if I wanted a taxi. I said yes and thank you. Exactlythe service you expect at a restaurant. I remember a few years back when we were drinking beer at Grand Hotel in Mölle. It was time to leave and we asked for the bill and we asked them to call a taxi for us.- We don't call taxi here!
- What the....??!!
Rumpus arose and someone was screaming something about the police and, well, the service left plenty to wish for.
Well, that was Grand Hotel and Mölle. Now we are in Santos and to call a taxi for the customer is a normal procedure. The taxi arrived after a few minutes and it was the very same driver that took me there.
I decided to make a quick stop at the ABC club to see if our Cadets were there.
Street outside ABC club
When we arrived to the ABC club I asked the driver to wait for 5 minutes.- I will just see my friend then we go on to Alamoa Terminal, I said.
And what a sad place it was, terrible and I don't understand why people are going to a place like this for a good time. The area is full of condemned houses, or at least they should have been.
Santos is full of nice discos and clubs and I'm sure they are better off there. well, I didn't found anyone from the crew and I was back at the terminal 10 minutes later. I passed the gate and our Loading Master came. He was on the way to Bow Fuji on the jetty next to us. She had just arrived to the jetty where Stolt Alliance was moored when we arrived.
When we approached the jetty I took a picture of our ship and the Loading Master asked if I wanted him to take a picture of me with the ship behind.
- No thanks! But I can take one of you, I said.
Our Loading Master
Moi
Alamoa Terminal Jetty #3
Was I lucky that I choose to wear black today? I look so small in black!
After taking the picture of our Loading Master he asked me again if I wanted him to take apicture.- No thank! I'm too big for this small camera.
- Distance, no zoom, he said.
So he took a picture and we said good night to each other and I walked onboard Bro Provider. I meet our two AB's on watch when stepping over the gangway.
I went to the CCR to check on the loading and the rate.
Well, for sure we will not be ready tomorrow morning, maybe late tomorrow night. I hope it will be Tuesday morning so we don't have to experience and middle of the night excitements.Opening the door to my cabin and I discovered an e-mail on the floor. Our Chief Engineer's reliever had sent him a message and he will bring snus for me from Sweden. 40 cans and I hope I have enough until I get home.
Our new Chie Engineer will sign on in Rio De Janeiro when we arrive and I will have some extra snus in my fridge, never hurts.
Monday 25 th of August 2008 and I started my day by opening a diet drink, well first I turned on the music. Then I had a shower and I went down to the CCR where the loading were in full swing. I really must stop with the diet drink stuff, I made up my mind this morning. Almost 400 US for the month of August, more than 10 US a day and how much does a diet drink cost? Not much and
that's the scary part, it can't be healthy do drink almost a case per day. I will switch to water and tea. (as soon as I'm running out of diet drinks)I had my jug of morning tea in the CCR. And it's literally a jug of tea. I was looking for a beer mug in Portugal, but I only found a jug that I
bought for my tea.Loading rate goes up and down, everything between 600 and 140m³/h. But it looks like we will be ready tonight and departure in the middle of the night.
I slept the whole afternoon and I woke up just before 6 o'clock. Better off getting some sleep, I expect the paper work to be finished during the night and departure around 4 o'clock in the morning. This is based on an estimated time for completion around midnight. So I spent the evening watching TV with our Cadets
whilewaiting for the loading to be ready.Our Cadets were eating pop corn but I'm proud to say that I skipped the pop corn.
Tuesday 26 th of August 2008 and I went down to the CCR a few minutes after midnight. 2nd Officer told me that nothing came in to our tanks. At 0005 the Surveyor told me that they stopped
pumping and that they prepared the pig.So we will be ready around 1 o'clock.I went to the dayroom and I started a DVD and I watched DVD while flipping through some magazines. It was almost 0130 when I saw the Loading master passing the day room.
- Are we ready!!??
- We will soon start pigging the line!
- What!? You have not started yet?
What the hell is this. They must have done this operation 5000 times and it's still aguess work for them. If I did a job like that I would have been out of job in no time. And what strikes me is that they complain about the low salary in all these counties.
- In Europe you make millions of dollars! We want the same salary!
- Yeah, but it don't take 5 Europeans to change a light bulb.
Look at my condo, 20 carpenters doing a job that takes 1 decent Swedish
Carpenter. And he does it in a quarter of the time. Look at the picture on your right hand side.A new door and door frame. Took them weeks to do and they were proud when they showed me their work.
- HEY! Aladdin we're ready with the door!
They expected me to be happy and satisfied with the job. So
imagine their surprise when I was started to screamin laughter.Yeah, by then I had lost so much time and money and I lost it.
I'm not a Carpenter, but I had to show these nitwits how to use a hammer and nail. Real professionals, but they didn't last long. I called a new decorator and he drove us all crazy, but that's another story.
First time they do this operation I can understand if there is a small degree of guess work involved. But after 5000 times?? We will load 12000m³ and it should be pretty simple to know how long time this would take. Based on simple math and experience. Well, in the
Pig
verb (pigged, pigging)
Operate a pig within an oil or gas pipeline. The pig is like a big sponge that's pushed through the pipe. The pig push the product through the line and clean the pipe at the same time.
I was pretty angry when I returned to my cabin. I hope they put their act together and start pigging the line because the pilot is ordered for 0430 according to our Agent. Well, I had a diet drink in my cabin while waiting for them to pig the line.
Well, our Surveyors left at 0430 and Pilot is at 7. Quarter to 4 they changed it to 0530 and 10 minutes later they changed Pilot to 7 o'clock due to manoeuvring.
- Must have been several ships just coming right out of the blue, totally unexpected.
What do Aladdin say? Nothing, he went to bed, 7 can as well be 9 or whatever.I was on the bridge just before seven o'clock and
no sign of the Pilot. While waiting for the Pilot we watched Stolt Excellence when she was mooring on the jetty next to us. At 0710 we called the Pilot station.- Pilot will be onboard at 0730!
Well, our Pilot was onboard at 0740 and I had lost my good mood long ago. We left the jetty at 0750 and I drank my tea and I had my crispbread on the bridge while we left Santos. OK, most of my crispbread were gone before leaving the jetty.
Leaving Santos and Stolt Excellence behind
It was the same Pilot that we had when we arrived so we were like family. I was munching on my
last crispbread when our Pilot wanted the engine “half ahead”
.- Hold it right there! Let our Cadet put her to half ahead.
But first I need to get my camera stand-by and when I was ready I
told our Pilot to give the “half ahead”
order to our Cadet.Well, when we had “half ahead” and I had my picture I told our Pilot that the cadet would know everything when he's back in school.
- He will not fail any examination when back in school.
- Mr Pilot! Please let me know if you need to use our
whistle! Our Cadet need to do this also so we can fill up his training book!- No problem, we can blow the whistle now. There is a fishing boat dead ahead!
- Great! This is the last thing our cadet need to do before we finish his book and he will be a great Captain! I said.
I turned around and I called our Cadet.
- OK, come here and be stand-by at the whistle.
Our Pilot ran away. He didn't want to take any part in this. Me?? I could not go hide, I have to immortalize the moment with my camera. Someone has to do it and today it's me.
Our Cadet and the Whistle excitement
Our Pilot distancing himself more and more from the Cadet and the whistle
Well, we left the Pilot outside Santos sometimes after 9 and we continued our journey towards Rio
De Janeiro. Estimated time of arrival: In the middle of the night.I was dead tired, no sleep during the night and I was happy that I got some sleep yesterday afternoon. But I was drinking diet drinks and listening to music and I managed to keep myself awake until 12. OK, I found a
megaphone on the bridge and I kept myself busy screaming at the crew from the bridge wing.After my watch I went for a quick lunch and I was off to bed for a well needed power nap.
I asked 2nd Officer to call me at 1530 but I felt asleep again and I didn't woke up until 5 o'clock, still tired.I had time for a little paper work before dinner and I was off to my cabin for a diet drink before my night watch. We expect to be at the Pilot station just after midnight and I really hope that we will drop the anchor, I need sleep.
No dropping anchor. The terminal called me on the VHF during my night watch. Berthing on arrival and loading rate about 500m³/h. OK, a long night again, but I will sleep tomorrow morning and I hope I can go see Copacabana and internet in the afternoon.
Wednesday 27 th of August 2008 and I went straight to my office after my watch for some heavy duty cargo planning. When I left the bridge at midnight we did the last course change to North and the pilot station.
When I got back on the bridge at 1 o'clock I was met by bad news.
- We will load on a sea island, Captain said
OK, we see if we can get launch service so I can go ashore to upload my web page.
We had all fast around 3 o'clock and I expected us to start load before very soon. Well, at 0630 they started and I could go to bed. I asked them to call me at 1145, Captain and Chief Engineer
are signing off and they will leave with a launch at 12.At 1140 they called me, needless to say: I was dead tired
- ISPS guy onboard!I took a very hot shower, but I was still tired from lack of sleep. I went down to my office and we did the paper work. I meet our new Captain and Chief Engineer.
- I have 4 rolls of snus for you! Chief Engineer said.
Very good, and latest news is that we will get a new Cadet in USA and that means that he can bring some snus as well.Our Cadets and I joined the Chief Engineer and Captain in the speed boat going ashore. It was better to go ashore than to stay onboard sleeping. If I would have stayed in bed I would have woke up in the late afternoon and it would have been impossible to sleep during the evening. (Even if I pop a sleeping pill, they are not that strong. According to the Doctor
)We expect to be ready around 2 o'clock in the morning and I will have a full night again. So I'm better off ashore and I will try to sleep a few hours tonight.
Rio De Janeiro Cruise Terminal
Corcovado in the back, our first place to visit (After lunch)
We arrived to the Cruise Terminal and our Agent meets us. He is there to escort our Chief Engineer and Captain through the immigration. I asked him if he could order a speed boat to take us back at 7 o'clock.- OK, he will pick you up at the crane 7 o'clock.
We said thanks and bye and we left for the gate and a taxi.
None of us had had lunch so we were hungry and we decided to have lunch before going to the statue of Christ. We stopped a taxi and we got in.
- Centro! Restauranto!
The driver didn't spoke any English and he pointed to the other side of the street.
- Centro!
We didn't understand F all, but we interpreted it as we had to go across the street to get a taxi to the city and a restaurant. We crossed the street and we got a taxi and he took us around the corner to the city center.
We did a little walking around looking for a nice place. We stopped at a grill, looked nice from the
outside and it said Churrascaria.- Hey! Look let's try this.
When we opened the door it turned out to be a self service styled restaurant and everyone were running around with trays. Not our kind of place and we left within 0,3.
We walked down the street and we passed an Italian Restaurant.
- Anyone like Italian food? I asked.
- Yeah, let's try it.
Same story, trays and paper cups and we left the place.- Must be lunch hour, I said.
Next to the Italian we found a nice restaurant but it turned out to be full. But when 3 tourists are town they need to show their best side and they arranged a place for us to sit.
We ordered our food and I had ordered Faso or whatever the name was.
- What is Faso? I asked the waiter.
- It's a root, and it's traditional Brazilian food.
Well, it was OK, but not sensational. Our waiter was very nice,
like a real tourist guide and we asked for the name of the statue of Christ.- Corcovado. You should also go see the Sugar Loaf.
- What is that?
It's a mountain where you have a very beautiful view over the city. You have to go by cable car.
We said thank you and we left the place looking for a taxi. The first taxi wanted 150 Scooby Dollars to take us to the Corcovado. A real rip off so we got out and we stopped a taxi and he took us to the train station without any hassle. There is a
train going up to the Corcovado and we didn't thought it was possible to go there by car.On the way to Corcovado we decided to make it a quick visit and to
skip the train and try the taxi all the way up to Corcovado.-Maybe we have time to go to the Sugar loaf as well.
When the driver stopped at the train station we did the internationally recognized sign for drive the car (Our driver spoke F all English) and he took off. 10 minutes later we arrived to the parking place at Corcovado. Not allowed to continue by car, we had to buy tickets and then we got a ride with a van to the elevators.
From the elevator they had escalators up to the Corcovado and we were there within 3 minutes, including a stop to buy a diet drink.
It was a wee bit chilly on the top, 702m above sea level according to our Cadet.
Rio De Janeiro
You can see the Sugar Loaf, almost far left on the picture.
Rio De Janeiro
Sugar Loaf to the left and Copacabana on the right hand side
Well, it was easy to spot the Sugar Loaf from Corcovado and we were not that impressed and we decided to skip the cable car to the top of the Sugar Loaf.
Rio De Janeiro
View towards the mountains
well, we got our pictures and we soon grew tired of the Corcovado. We saw the, how could we miss it? Sugar Loaf and we were not that impressed and we decided to skip the cable car and the visitto the top.- I think we got a better view from here, our Cadet said.
- Yeah, seems like a waste of time to go there.
Suddenly we had plenty time and our Cadets wanted to go down by the train. Next train was scheduled to leave at 1455. Of course our tickets were not valid on the train and we had to buy new tickets.
Each ticket was 18 Scooby Dollar and we spent more time waiting for
the train then we had spent watching the Corcovado. But no problem, we found a boredom killer and the time passed quickly. Suddenly the train arrived and we could hear the samba musiccoming from the first car. 3 guys were playing samba for the tourists in the first car and we choose to sit in the slightly quieter second car.It was steep, as you can see on the below pictures. I was hoping that we would stay on the track, but this train has been operating for many years without any accidents, at least to my knowledge.
But anyway, derailing when it's several hundred meters steep slope next to the rail is nothing I wish for. God knows how long time it would have taken for an ambulance to reach, well, it would have been impossible to get us to an ambulance, except if they had used a helicopter.
OK, the train raid was exciting for about 10 minutes and then the feeling of “we know this by now” came over us. The seats weren't all that comfortable so we were pretty happy when we reached the station.
There were several taxis waiting at the station and we took off to Copacabana with smokin' and
screamin' tyres. We had seen the Corcovado and we all agreed that it would not be necessary to go see it again.- Next time in Rio we can concentrate on the party
and boozing! Trem de Corcovado
It took us some 20 minutes to get to the Copacabana with the taxi. I really don't know what we expected to find, but all 3 of us were at least to say disappointed. Rio De Janeiro
Copacabana. Well, I would have been better off at Ribersborg, the long sand beach in Malmö “Copacabana in Scandinavia”
We have heard so much about Copacabana and the expectations was very high.Night life supreme, Restaurants, discos and bars along the beach
Millions of beautiful girls trying to rape every handsome Swede they can lay eyes on
Beautiful views (The condos along the beach reminded me of East Germany 1973)
Atmosphere extravaganzaWe arrived to the West part of Copacabana and we walked all the way to the Eastern end. We had seen exactly 0 beautiful girls. Or as I said to our Cadets
- The girl we bought the diet drink from was at least charming.
- Yeah, but it was not much more.
When we reached the Eastern part of Copacabana
we had several hours to kill before it was time to catch the speed boat back onboard.- OK, what to do?
- Let's go find an internet place!
After uploading my web page, it took us 3 minutes and we still had hours to kill. we started to walk around and we had soon covered the area around Copacabana and we had to walk through a long tunnel to reach the other parts of Rio De Janeiro.
Coming out of the tunnel and we had about 1 hour to kill before returning to the speed boat, what to do?
We were standing at the taxi queue outside a shopping center trying to find something to do or see.
- OK, how can we spend the last hour in Rio?
-WOW! LOOK AT THE GIRL!We just spotted the first beautiful girl since arriving to Brazil. She entered the shopping center
with her friend.- OK ,let's follow them and we see where this leads us.
We followed the girls in to the shopping center and, well, we soon lost them. On the second floor they came up from behind and we followed them up on the 3rd floor. We lost them
again, but at least we have seen 1 beautiful girl in Rio De Janeiro.Shopping center and I bought a new wrist watch and I gave my old one to one of our Cadets.
- Take care of it, a real Chief Officer's watch. I got it from Rainbow Warrior.
- Yes, I will!
- I got it from a Deckhand on Rainbow Warrior and now you take care of it and you tell the story to the next guy you give the watch to.
we took a taxi back to the Cruise Terminal and we arrived around 1830. We were onboard at 1940 and I was off to bed after asking 2nd Officer to call me at 1 o'clock.
Thursday 28 th of August 2008 and 2nd Officer called me at 0100. Time to complete the loading. I was still tired, a few hours of sleep would have been good. But I got 4 and half hours of sleep, much thanks to my sleeping pill.
Going to bed yesterday and I was too tired and I could not fall asleep, well, a sleeping pill did the
trick and I was soon sleeping.We completed loading at 0230 and, well, how can I say this. Our Surveyor, hmm, I have not experienced something like this since Houston. we remember the Surveyor that went ashore to measure the shore tank. He never came back, 5 hours later a new Surveyor came onboard.
- What happened with the other Surveyor? Didn't he manage to gauge and calculate the content of the shore tank?
- Hmm, well, you know how it is.
Yeah, that was one of those you could really sense that they had no clue what they did from the first second you meet them.
It took him several hours to make his ullage report. I asked for the correction factor and he didn't understood. He spoke F all English but he was grunting something about no correction factor. When we arrived it was the same density and correction factor as we have had in Santos and Paranagua. Good, same density for the whole cargo.
Now he changed the density, I really don't understand what he said. But I think he told the Loading Master that he had changed the density for the whole cargo. when he finished his ullage report I managed to get a correction factor and I could finish my ullage report. I only changed density and correction factor for the 6 tanks we had loaded in Rio.
-UHG! Correct, he said when I handed him my ullage report.
Our Surveyor had to start all over again and it took hours. The Loading Master got irritated and he left. When our Surveyor was ready I called the Loading Master on the radio and he came back onboard to sign the protest
We could see the Surveyor coming back onboard from the office and our Loading Master pushed me
behind the door.- Hide! Don't let him see you! We will stay here for hours if he gets hold of you!
Well, I really don't know what we did and if the calculation, density and totals are correct. But no one spoke English and the Surveyor, hmm, maybe it has been a miss understanding from the beginning. Only grunting for English and that can
mean pretty much everything.Well, Pilot was ordered for 0730 and we left at 0750. drinking tea eating crispbread while passing Rio De Janeiro. Our Pilot liked crispbread as well and he ate like there was no tomorrow.
- I use to buy it at delicates shops, he told me.
We left the Pilot after a little more than 1 hour and we continued Southerly course on a beautiful day. Passing all the sights of Rio De Janeiro.
Rio De Janeiro
Sugar Loaf to the left and Corcovado on the right hand side
Rio De Janeiro
Copacabana, looks better from a distance
OK, Pilot off and I were soon holding my 4th jar of tea since we left this morning. I was cracking a few jokes with our new Captain enjoying the beautiful morning and my tea when I was in for a setback. Our Mess man came up with a pile of pancakes.- Take them down again! I'm on diet!
- I want pancakes, Captain said.
- OK, but throw away the leftovers!
As I suspected, I could not resist the pancakes, but I only had one (and it was a small one)
Rio De Janeiro
Rio De Janeiro
I'm in no hurry to come back
we had been steaming Eastwards for a while when we saw big splashes. It looked like bombs and atfirst I thought it was, just bombs. But it turned out to be big whales jumping.It was like a big truck jumping out of the water. I never seen a whale jumping like this before, it was like jumping Flippers but much bigger. On the below picture you can get a sense of the size by comparing the splash with the big container vessel on the left hand side.
Big whales
Friday 29 th of August 2008 and we were on a Northerly course when I came on my morning watch. A beautiful morning and we were surrounded by big whales jumping like Flippers on a show. I
have never seen so much whales before.The sea was boiling with whales, but of course, when I had my camera ready there was no jumping. But it was exciting to see this big animals jumping out of the water.
Yesterday I got 2 seasons of Dexter of our Captain with the words “It's a good series”. I spent the time after dinner watching Dexter and suddenly it was time to go on my night watch. Well, 14 days to USA and we will soon be back to the same old routines
again. At our GOOD MORNING meeting in the CCR this very morning we had our first “GOOD MORNING HUG” in several days.Nice to leave Brazil behind, but I have a bag of CDs with Brazilian Hip Hop as a bad memory. And believe it or not, I blame it on the beautiful girl entering he shopping center in Rio De Janeiro.
When we lost her I ended up at a record store buying a bag of Brazilian Hip Hop. Well, to make it short, all the CD's ended up in the garbage bin. I got 10 songs out of the whole bag, and they were not even that good. The whole visit to the shopping center set me back by 500 US including my new watch and we would have been better off not going in to the darn place.
Saturday 30 th of August 2008 and we started the day with the GOOD MORNING HUG in the CCR.
After the hug we discussed today's work and I was off to the mess room and I made myself some crispbread and I was off to the bridge.We were still steering 023°(T) when I came on my watch and it was a beautiful morning. Overcast, but nice and not a sign of any whales.
- Well, I have my camera stand-by so I was not really expecting tosee any whales.I had finished my first jug of tea when Captain came on the bridge and we killed a few hours talking about the good old times drinking tea. Well, Captain was drinking coffee, but nothing else was expected.
Thanks to Captain and Chief Engineer the watch turned pretty
quick and it was soon the end of the watch. Our Electrician and Wiper came to the bridge before lunch to test our fire alarms.After lunch I watched an episode of Dexter and I discovered that there are several episodes missing. DARN! Well, never mind, I have nothing else to do. After watching the episode I went to sleep and I woke up at 6 o'clock and now I'm fully recovered from the missing sleep in Rio de Janeiro.
A hot shower, language course and another episode of Dexter and I'm off
to the bridge for mynight watch.We were still heading 023°(T) when I came on my night watch. Well, it was a pretty eventless watch, I gave my Brazilian CDs to the AB on my watch and he was happy. Well, we see if it's the same tune when he have listened to them
Sunday 31 st of August 2008 and same ol', same ol'. Still on course 023°(T) when I came on my
morning watch. I had been on my watch for a few minutes and we killed a few hours talking about the good ol' times.The other day our mess man brought pancakes to the bridge and
I told him not to bring anymore of the unhealthy stuff to the bridge.Obviously this didn't help. Maybe he thought that I was joking and I have to tell him off properly.
When he came in on the bridge I told him to leave.
- GET OUT OFF HERE!
- Hey Hey! This is good! I'm not on diet, Captain told our Mess man when he took a piece.
Well, after lunch I went to my cabin to see another episode of Dexter and I was off to bed. I overslept dinner again and when I woke up I felt good. I have been feeling ill since we left Rio De Janeiro. Slight fever
and it might have been a cold coming on to me, but now I feel good again.We have reached the end of August 2008 and it's just to swing over to september 2008 .
OK, it has come to my knowledge that we have senior citizens visiting my web page. How hard
can it be? So it's not very easy for them to see the blue coloured 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.
Marunong ka mag-tagalog? Walang problema! Magpunta sa kabilang pahina pindutin ang “NEXT” button sa itaasFaites vous parlez le français? Pour arriver à la page suivante faites s'il vous plaît un déclic le bouton “Next” ci-dessus!Haga usted dice el español? Ver la siguiente página sólo hacer clic el botón “Next” encima!Farla parla l'italiano? Per vedere la prossima pagina lo scatto per favore giusto Il bottone “Next” sopraSprechen sie Deutsch! Kein problem! Wenn Sie die folgende Seite sehen wollen gerade klicken der Knopf “Next” oben! คุณพูดภาษาไทยได้ไหม ไม่มีปัญหา ถ้าคุณต้องการไปหน้าถัดไป ให้กดปุ่ม “Next”
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E ni Svenskar och inte förstår Engelska så ska ni skämmas. J och Björn, med det menar jag inte att alla mina stavfel ska ältas varje gång vi träffas.Well, the flag of Skåne, just a BONUS flag.
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