July & August 2009
Wednesday 1 st
of July 2009
and we start the month as we ended June, at Amsterdam anchorage.
Maybe tonight or early tomorrow morning, all depending up on M/T Tower Bridge and when she will be ready. We're stand-by and ready to go alongside to discharge our cargo.
Yesterday they told us that M/T Tower Bridge would leave at 22:00 tonight and that we would go alongside at 02:00. We see, it would not be the first time if things where changed around here.
After lunch it was time to pressure test the cargo
hoses for our emergency cargo pump. The AB on my watch had prepared the hoses during the morning and the plan was to pressure test it with our high pressure washer. First time for me, I always pressure test with hand pump, but of course, if the high pressure washer is working this is 
Pressure test on Barcarolle
much better. Well, the high pressure washer tripped all the time so we had to give up the project. We managed to get 12 bars 
“Old School” pressure test on Bro Promotion
on the hose with the high pressure washer, but we need 18 bars. Seems like we have to do it the “Old School” way. But we don't have any hand pump onboard.
But I will speak with our Chief Engineer trying to find out if we have some catalogue with hand pumps and stuff. Maybe we can get it next time in Brofjorden if we go there after discharging in Norrköping.
The hand pump should not come with a hefty price tag, it's a pretty simple box and it's good to have when we
pressure test heating coils and stuff. Well, I was disappointed when I returned to my cabin and my Thai course. It would have been nice to have been ready with the pressure tests.
Well, berthing prospects were changed to lunch time tomorrow and I have to spend another night watch at the anchorage. It's getting boring by now, but our Captain and Chief Engineer are keeping me company. They spend a few hours on the bridge every night and the time flies by.
We're drinking tea (Chief Engineer is drinking coffee) while talking about the good ol' days. And suddenly it's almost time for me to go on my watch
below. And of course, all the tea drinking makes it hard to fall a sleep. But luckily
enough I have my school books next to my bed.
But not even my school books helps me fall a sleep and most off the time I'm tossing and turning in my bed until it's almost 4 o'clock. So when they call me 20 minutes before 8 I need all the time under a hot shower.
Thursday 2 nd of July 2009 and we were still anchored when I came on my morning watch. Now they are talking about berthing tonight. Well, it was a gorgeous day and the crew is busy chipping and painting on deck. I enjoyed the sound of the chipping machines while drinking tea on the bridge.
I was in my bed reading my Thai books when I heard them starting the main engine. It was around
3 o'clock and our Pilot came onboard 5 minutes after 4. I could see the pilot boat leaving from my window.
I went for a quick visit to the bridge to see if all paperwork was completed. Dinner at 5 o'clock, but I eat with our 2nd Officer at 16:30. We're both getting special diet food from our Cook so I'm better off eating with him. No unnecessary temptations.
I stopped in my cabin on the way to the mess room and I called my friend in Sweden. He is in Göteborg with his wife, but they have planned to go back to Malmön on Saturday. We're delayed so I will miss them, but we will be back in Brofjorden in the middle of July and then I can see them in Brofjorden. 
After dinner, 1 plate of salad, I went on deck to enjoy the sunshine while we were approaching the locks in Amsterdam. Well, It's not actually Amsterdam, the locks are in IJmuiden. And no,
IJmuiden is not misspelled. It should be IJmuiden!
After the locks we're in North Sea Canal and it will take us about 1 hour to get to Amsterdam and BP's jetty BP-A. Well, anyway, I was forward to take
a few pictures of the crew on the fo'c's'le. When I left the 2nd Officer on the 4 to 8 watch came to relieve the 2nd Officer on the 12 to 4 watch on the fo'c's'le.
I meet him amidships and
I took a picture of him coming plunging down the deck on his way forward.
- You can not take pictures when I'm moving!
- I have no doubt in my mind that you can't take any pictures
with your Scooby 250 camera, I said.
I went to the poop deck for a few pictures before going back to
my cabin and a glass of diet drink. Our boys were stand-by for the lock at the poop deck. I got a few pictures and I returned in to the accommodation.
It was not planned, but I made a quick visit to the
mess room. Our Cook is watching so no chance for some extra snack. Our 1st Engineer spotted me and he said that it was good music in my cabin when he
passed on the way for dinner.
He complained about my music at lunch the other day.
- Hip Hop sucks! He said.
- If you don't understand it just admire it, I replied.
But today it was a totally different tune in the mess room.
- It's sounded like some old Everlast. Very good.
I was in my cabin when we left the lock and I could see the scenery in The North Sea Canal from my cabin while writing a few words on my web page. Now we only wait for our internet to kick in. The service guy could not come today.
- I don't have any spare parts.
So we will see if they can come in Göteborg. But I don't hold my breath.
We approached our jetty at 18 thirty and I expect us to leave tomorrow afternoon and then we will be in Göteborg late Saturday night or early Sunday morning. But anything can happen here in Amsterdam so we see.
Friday 3 rd of July 2009 and I came on my watch without my prepared breakfast. Darn! I forgot to do it yesterday. But our Cook brought me my tuna and I was soon in a good mood. Beautiful weather, tea and tuna. We keep 8 bars on the manifold and discharge rate is just around 400m³/h and we expect to be ready tomorrow afternoon.
So there might be time to go ashore to buy some pumpernickel and then I will take the opportunity to upload my web page.
We left the ship just after 1 o'clock and we ordered a taxi at the main gate. 10-15 minutes waiting before the taxi came and we were at Damplein around 2 o'clock. I had asked him if he knew where I could buy some Pumpernickel. Our driver dropped us at a supermarket.
- They have all kind of luxury articles there.
Turned out to be a “ Take as much as you can carry for 2€ ” kind of place. No luxury articles as far as I could see. We left looking for an internet place so I could upload my web page.
First stop was for a diet drink on the way to the walking street on Damplein. We walked for 10 minutes and we had to stop asking for an internet shop. We were directed in the opposite direction
crossing Damplein and after 5 minutes walk up the walking street we ran in to the internet shop.
Took me about 15 minutes to start my FTP program, upload my page and checking my e-mails. I told our Chief Engineer that I would wait
for him on the street outside the internet shop. I bought a diet drink and 10 minutes later our Chief Engineer was ready.
- Where to go now?
- Let's try the high end department store at Damplein, I suggested in hope of finding Pumpernickel.
On the way to the department store we passed the hotel was I stayed during Queens Day 1991 with two of my friends from school.
This was for sure not a hotel at the high end. It was an at least to say shabby hotel. One of my friends had a
flight from Copenhagen to Amsterdam a few hours before me and my other friend. We bought the tickets in Malmö and he got a special YOUTH ticket and this was leaving a
few hours before the OLD guys flight. Fer f@ck's sake! We were only 1 year older than him.
So I and my friend took the opportunity to visit TIVOLI and we were pretty drunk when we arrived to Copenhagen International. This was pre 7/11 so back then they were just captivated by our youthful charm. Today they would not have let us board the flight.
Well, anyway, we asked our friend to arrange the hotel when he arrived to Amsterdam and I had 1 room per man in mind.
- OK, you can arrange a hotel for us and we meet you at the central station at 7 o'clock.
But I guess we were lucky not having to sleep on the streets. Queens Day in Amsterdam and it can be hard to find a hotel.
Single room? No we got a room with 4 beds and at least we could but our bags on the fourth bed. There was hardly any space left to put the shoes. Never mind, we had
planned to be drunk every day while in Amsterdam.
One night it knocked on our Window, if I remembered it right it was somewhere between 3 and 4 o'clock in the morning. There was a German guy outside the window, most likely high on something. Well, I'm pretty
sure he was high on something. Why would anyone climbing outside the hotel in the middle of the night? Well, the porch climber was welcome inside and the party continued. But he left through the door.
Well, anyway, they didn't had any Pumpernickel at the “High street” department store. But they had a rest room and by now I really needed to relieve myself. Drinking
2 JUMBO diet drinks and I was close to desperate.
When we left the department store it was time for a refill. We walked down the street were there used to be plenty of bars and coffee shops. But everything had turned in to souvenir shops and one cheese shop. We stopped to see if they had Pumpernickel. No luck! We
turned the corner and we sat down next to the
canal and we ordered a beer and a diet drink. 10€! What a rip off! Daylight robbery.
We left the place and we walked around looking for
nothing in particular. We passed a barber shop and I went in to get a QUICK hair
cut. I had 10€ in my pocket and I could not see any signs of Plastic Cards accepted on the door or at the cashier's area.
You can pay for everything with your plastic inSweden, but in Amsterdam it's hard to find a place that accept the plastic. Even the taxi wants cash and you have to run around looking for an ATM all the time.
Well, anyway, on our way from the ship to the city centre the driver pointed at a barber shop.
- Very cheap, only 8€
I remembered this and I had a sense of that my 10€ should not be enough. I asked in the barber shop if they accepted plastic card.
- No
I asked if 10€ was enough.
- No, it's 29€ for a simple 45 seconds haircut with the machine.
- What??!!
I can as well do it my self when I get hold of a trimmer.
Amsterdam, no Pumpernickel and my favourite street had turned in to a souvenir shop so I wanted to call it a day and return to the ship. But first a stop at the supermarket. Yeah, the very same “ Take as much as you can carry for 2€ ” kind of place where the taxi driver dropped us when we came from the ship. I found some black bread there at our first visit. But I didn't buy it because I was still hopping to find the right thing. Well, I bought 6 packages of ROGGEBROOD to bring back to the ship.
Our Chief Engineer was hungry and he wanted a steak. There was 3 Argentinean restaurants across the road and we choose the restaurant that looked best (Most expensive). Yeah, quality should cost a little extra and most of the time it's worth the extra money. I ordered lamb chops and it was worth every cent. Must have been some of the best lamb chops I ever had. So this restaurant
is highly recommended by Aladdin.
So next time in Amsterdam pay them a visit. If you stay on Damplein facing Hotel Krasnapolsky turn around and cross the street on you left hand side when coming to the Royal palace or what ever it is. Across the street the walking street begins but you turn right and it's the first Argentinean Restaurant on your left hand side. Their lamb chops is worth the visit.
- Psst, please ask them not to put the orange on top of your salad.
Well, there you have it. The orange on top of the salad was the only thing that I didn't like. So now, just by
visiting www.aladdin.st you can avoid the displeasing orange.
Enough about the orange, we finished our meal and we took a taxi back to the ship. We walked over the
gangway just after 6 and I could see that Tärnvåg was much lighter and I understood that the discharging rate must have changed dramatically. Yeah, 1200m³/h and we would be ready around 2 o'clock in the morning.
Captain came to the bridge at 10 o'clock and we tried the ROGGEBROOD , delicious! This was a very nice surprise. Almost as good as Pumpernickel, well, it was as good as Pumpernickel. Now I only hope
that it's as healthy as Pumpernickel.
Saturday 4 th of July 2009 and I discovered IJmuiden locks in front of us when I looked out my window at 07:40. I had expected us to be well on our way towards Göteborg by the time I came on
my morning watch. Finished around 2 o'clock and the normal 1 hour paper work. But this is Amsterdam and Pilot was
onboard at 0530 and I had to go relieve 2nd Officer on the fo'c's'le.
I was disappointed, yeah, I had expected to come on the bridge enjoying my prepared breakfast and my tea. And I was really looking forward to it today after the instant success with my new ROGGEBROOD yesterday evening.
I returned to the bridge when we had all fast in the lock to
finish all the paper work. Well, it was only to sort out the papers and to make copies. But now I didn't had to worry about the papers and I returned to the fo'c's'le
where I and the AB prepared the ventilation of cargo tank 1 Port. I need to go down in the tank after my watch to see what�s happening with our MMC. It's stuck in the tank and, well, I don't know why. Very strange!
We were clear of the lock a few minutes after 9 o'clock and we started the fan. Pilot was off at 09:15 and I was soon on the bridge enjoying my tea, ROGGEBROOD and by the now somewhat dry tuna while steaming
towards Göteborg this sunny and very beautiful morning the 4th of July in the year of our Lord 2009.
And yes, it's very nice to be the Chief Officer. I'm enjoying
my tea, ROGGEBROOD
and by the now somewhat dry tuna while the AB is on deck taking care of the tank cleaning. Well, tank cleaning. I don't know, but we blow our lines and super strip the tanks so we will be empty at arrival to Göteborg.
And yes, it's very nice to be the Chief Officer. When everything work that is. Now I have the irk with the MMC and that kinds of putting a blanket over my tea, ROGGEBROOD and by the now somewhat dry tuna festivities on the bridge. But I was pretty sure
that this would not be any big problem.
And I went down the tank before I had my lunch. It took me about 2 seconds to clear the MMC tape. I have seen many dipping pipes in my days, but this was something of the most stupid I have ever seen. I made a mental note that we need to cut the pipe by 15 cm next time we're gas free so the dipper don't get stuck between the bottom and the pipe next time.
It was BBQ time in the afternoon and today it was
way better weather than last time in June. I managed to avoid all the unhealthy stuff and I was pretty pleased when I was ready and I left the table and thus dodging the dessert. So I felt good when I was at the desk in my cabin writing a few word on my web
page. Otherwise I use to feel like a boa constrictor and the agony is raving. But I guess I get older and more mature in may way to handle food. 
When I came on deck the AB on my watch was busy with the BBQ. I guess he is training for his
holiday in his new camper. He bought a camper when he was home last time and I have heard nothing but about his new camper.
- When I'm coming home.... My mobile home....
- Yeah, you don't say....
- I will go fishing.... Just to stop where ever I want.....
- zZ zZ zZ
- Maybe we go to Holland.... blah-blah-bla... to the North of Sweden....blah-blah-bla....
- FER F@CKS SAKE!
Well, he was in charge at the grill and he did it with bravura. So I'm pretty sure
that he will be able to handle the grill when he is touring the world in his mobile home.
I finished my web page and I did some Thai studies before going on deck to measure for gas in cargo tank 5 Port. We're gas freeing this tank as well so our mobile home AB can clean the window to the tank tonight. We need to be gas free when he removes the window in to the tank. When I finished the gas measurement it was time for my night watch.
Well, it's the same story every time. Can I try your hat. When we were in Amsterdam I got hundreds of comments about my shirt. OK, but it's worth it, I can guarantee that there is not one single shirt in Amsterdam that looks like my shirt. But there were millions of people wearing the same souvenir T-shirts with marijuana leaves on the chest.
Sunday 5 th of July 2009 and it didn't took long for a sunny morning to turn in to a gloomy and grey morning. I was on a NNE course West of Denmark when I came on my
watch and when I got of my watch we were on an Easterly course towards Skagen where we will change to an SW course towards Göteborg and Skarvikshamnen, jetty 521.
I managed to get an hour of sleep
during the afternoon and I woke up just in time for our arrival to jetty 521 in Skarvikshamnen. I went to the bridge to see if I knew the Pilot. I recognized him, but he knew me. Obviously we have been in navigation school together.
But it's a good sign that he recognize me, right? I have not grown much older since we were in school.
We had all fast at 16:30 and I borrowed our 2nd
Officer's dongle so I hope I can get on internet to upload my web page. FURUNO should send a service guy for our internet today, but again, I don't hold my breath.
Monday 6 th of July 2009 and we were loading when I came on my morning watch. We had 2 guys
from FURUNO onboard trying to fix our internet. But I started to expect the worst when one of the guys asked me when we will get the Pilot.
- At 15:00, I answered.
- Good, first they said 12 o'clock.
- Aren�t you ready at 12? I asked.
- It looks bad. We don't know what it is.
But they insisted in that it was a very good system.
- We have many ships using this system and no problem, they explained.
We will be ready at 1 o'clock and they expect 2 hours of paper work. I called the Pilot at 10 o'clock and I gave them our 5 hour notice. At 12 o'clock I called again to confirm 15:00. I had just hanged up when Preem called and told us that they would be 1 hour late.
- Can you please change Pilot until 16:00?
Going for lunch and I checked our newly delivered stores on the way to the mess room. We got the hand pump for pressure testing our hoses and we also got a repair kit for our life boat. I was busy checking our stuff when the Ship owner came onboard to visit us. I had not been seeing him for many years now. I was AB on Tärnsund when he was the Captain onboard during the Christmas 1990
He smiled when he saw me and he was beating me to the hug. He approached me with open arms and we
hugged. But of course, we have known each other too long for a simple handshake. Well,
it was nice to see him again, he and his brothers are very nice and it's fun when they are onboard. Or as the ship owner told his partner that was with him
onboard.
- It's impossible to have a serious discussion with Aladdin. Always frolic and lark.
Well, he never lets me forget
when I was Santa Claus onboard Tärnsund back in 1990. And I never let him forget when I missed the ship in Göteborg. I had to take the train to Södertälje. And exactly how fun was it to wake up on my friend's sofa with a hangover force 2,2 (Yeah, back then the hangover never reached more than 2,2) when the ship was on her way to Södertälje? Not very! And if it wasn't for
the missed ship the hangover would have been a goner as soon as I had had a glass of water.
Loading delayed a wee bit and Pilot is changed for 16:30 and I think our FURUNO guy is happy for every extra
minute he gets. But honestly, I don't think we will have any internet at departure from Göteborg. And our ship owner said that if he could not fix it they would not bother anymore. They would install the new system that was scheduled for september.
- Now we had had enough problems with V-sat! So they can as well install the new system now instead of waiting until september.
This is one of the good things with this owner, quick decisions. I remember when I was Chief Officer on Tärnsund. We had a vetting and we got
complains about the cofferdams around the bunker vents. He just cancelled next
cargo and we went to Fredericia's shipyard to get it fixed. Well, I got 2 days to explore Fredericia's night life.
Departure at 16:30 and maybe I can borrow our 2nd Officer's dongle to upload my web page on the way out. 2 days to Norrköping and I'm thinking about buying a dongle there.
Tuesday 7 th of July 2009 and we passed Rødby - Puttgarden and when I took over at 8 we just passed the last ferry. He crossed our bow on the way to Rødby in Denmark and I had 2 ferries coming from Rødby bound for Puttgarden, Germany and they would pass well clear behind of me.
I enjoyed my ROGGEBROOT and tea while watching the AB preparing our hoses for the emergency
cargo pump. We got the new hand pump in Göteborg and now we can pressure test everything we want up to 50 bars. But 18 bars are enough for the cargo hoses.
Well, I was on the bridge enjoying my watch when FURUNO called. It was the gay that spent the whole Monday onboard trying to fix our internet.
- I see that you have internet.
- Well, I don't know, I answered.
But the internet was a goner before 10, but at least I managed to get away my e-mails. They have been in the outbox since 27th of June.
The AB on watch called me when he had 12 bars pressure on the cargo hose. Captain relieved me on the bridge and I went down on deck.
When I came on deck we measured the hose with 12 bars pressure. The hose was about 1 meter longer with pressure. We , well, our OD pumped up 18 bars pressure and we measured the hose again. Difference between 12 and 18 bars was just a few cm.
The hose looked god and I returned to the bridge while our AB and OS prepared next hose.
- I will be on the bridge drinking tea! Call me when you have 12 bars!
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IT'S GOOD TO BE THE CHIEF OFFICER!
When we reached Kadettrännan between the Baltic Sea and Fehmarnbelt our AB called again.
- We have 12 bars on the hose.
- I'm coming.
Almost the same procedure this time. But this time I went to the engine department first to borrow a Ω meter so I could measure the resistance in the cargo hoses. 1st Engineer came with me to check out what we did, but I was so excited that I forgot to take any pictures.
The same after lunch, we had an oil spill drill and Emergency Steering drill but I forgot to take any pictures. DARN! But I got a picture of our 2nd Officer when he
wrote the oil spill drill report on the bridge after the drills.
I went to my cabin to study some Thai and lo and behold, I felt a sleep on my bed.I woke up just in time for dinner, but I had decided to skip dinners and to have some tuna on the bridge tonight instead. Less than a month to go and I need to crank up my diet a notch.
There is another ship with ETA Norrköping tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock. So we have to beat them to the Pilot station and I really hope that we do that. Discharging to Statoil in Norrköping and we expect to be out of there during Thursday. Back to Brofjorden to load full cargo of UMS 95 and back to Norrköping. And it looks like next voyage will be gas oil from Brofjorden to ARA for orders.
Shit, I want to stay in Sweden during the summer.
Wednesday 8 th of July 2009 and we were steaming northwards when I came on my watch. ETA to
Oxelösund Pilot at 10 o'clock, well, a few minutes past 10 to be more precisely. Baltic Sea
was like a windmill pond and the sun was shining. I enjoyed my tea and my prepared breakfast and when I was finished I had
a quick fagand I started with our pre-arrival checklist.
We had given the same ETA as another tanker and first to arrive could proceed alongside and the second ship had to drop anchor waiting.
Well, there was no sign of the other ship when we looked at the AIS and when I called the Pilot at 9 o'clock they told us that we were very welcome and that would get the Pilot on arrival to the pilot boarding area.
At 10 o'clock I went down on deck to receive our Pilot. I discovered our 1st Engineer in the kitchen when I passed by to leave my breakfast plates. I took the opportunity the check out what we would get for lunch. Fish balls, very good. Our Cook made very good fish burgers so I expect the best.
The AB on watch was waiting for me on deck when I came out. He will sign off in Norrköping at
arrival so he is doing what he can to keep appearance.
- It will be so nice to go home!
(Meaning: I wish I could stay until you sign off)
- It will be so nice to meet my friends again!
(Meaning: I wish I could stay until you sign off)
- You're the worst Chief Officer I ever meet!
(Meaning: I wish I could stay until you sign off because your the nicest guy I ever meet)
- Yeah-yeah blah-blah
We got the Pilot and a trainee Pilot onboard 15 minutes after 10 and we went to the bridge. Time went pretty quick talking about the good old times with the pilots and I was of to my cabin at 12 o'clock. A few minutes writing on my web page watching the beautiful views through the window above my desk.
The archipelago is beautiful in the summer, of course it�s a different story in the winter. We
have our visit to Norrköping with Bro Promotion fresh in mind. Ice and 20°C below zero. How fun is that? Nothing was working on deck and the crew had to spend hour after hour steaming pipes on deck. For sure, nothing I'm in a hurry to experience again. 
I was in my cabin when we arrived to Pampas in Norrköping around 13:30. It was raining cats and dogs and I was happy to stay inside. The summer disappeared in a second and it started to rain
just a few minutes away from the jetty.
We will get a new AB and Motorman here in Norrköping. I called the new AB in Göteborg and I asked if he could buy an internet dongle for me so hopefullyI will get some order on my internet. But I guess we have to see about that.
We had been alongside for a few minutes when our internet kicked in. It has been coming and going during the day so upload is not guaranteed. But I will give ita try before going to bed with my school books.
I guess you will know if the upload works. I take a chance, but to open internet bank or anything
like that is doomed. You never know when it disappears and then you're suddenly findyourself half way through the transaction when the connection disappears.
When I finished my Thai studies I went down to the day room and I meet our new Motorman and AB. The AB had the internet dongle for me and I borrowed a hair trimmer from our new Motorman. So I was
connected to the internet with in a few minutes with my new hair cut.
LOOKING GOOD!
Well, of course, the first thing I found out was that I needed an update
for my SOUND
DEVICE drivers from Dell. I installed the darn thing and the sound disappeared. Not so very nice to be with out music.
Luckily enough I was connected to the internet so I could rectify the problem before long and I had TIME 4 CHANGE, a mix tape with
DJ Premier blasting high on the Richter scale in my cabin.
Our 2nd Officer has a friend living here in Norrköping and we sent him to buy Perstorp Ättika and anchovy for me. I will bring it to my friend in FUNKY TOWN and if I have to go straight to the airport when I sign off I will not have any chance to buy the stuff. He will make Jansson's frestelse and I was invited to him for some Jansson's Frestelse.
- I don't eat anchovy as you know from previous visits to my web page!
- Yeah, I know. But we can make it without anchovy!
I spent the evening in my cabin studying Thai and scratching my behind. 2nd Officer's friend would come to pick him up at 8 o'clock. I had offered to relieve him earlier if he wanted to go ashore.
But he didn't take the offer and I had to try alleviating
the boredom in my cabin until 8 o'clock when I was going on my watch.
I was on the bridge 15 minutes before the hour. Preparing my
tea and I was looking forward to enjoying my tea and salad. I don't eat diner since yesterday, so I take my salad to the bridge in the evening and thus I'm dodging all the temptations in the mess room.
I was on the bridge when our 2nd Officer's friend arrived over the gangway. Luckily enough I had my camera with me so I could take a few pictures.
OK, I think you understand, well,
at least by now you should understand that there is nothing much exciting happening around here and I'm desperate for some pictures for my web page.
We kept about 1500m³/h and we will be ready around 4 o'clock in the morning and I ordered Pilot for 04:30. So hopefullyour Pilot will be off the ship when I'm coming on my morning
watch and I can enjoy my good morning tea and tuna. Gale warning for the Baltic Sea and record breaking showers are expected over Gotland tomorrow so maybe I'm going to have to hold on to my tea cup. And then my tea will
not be all that enjoyable.
My evening watch went pretty quick. Nothing to do but to look at the computer screens, but Captain came by and later on our Chief Engineer and before I knew it our 2nd Officer came to relieve me. A few quick instructions and I was off to my cabin.
Thursday 9 th of July 2009 and my first though when I woke up was:
- Is the Pilot still onboard or have we left him behind?
I looked out my window in my bedroom, only to discover gloom as long as I could see. But no sight of any land so I guessed we had left the pilot behind. After my shower I looked out my windows in my dayroom and now I discovered the Pilot on deck.
Pilot boat was alongside ready to pick up the Pilot. My
good morning mood improved a few notches when I realized that I never had to meet the Pilot, and that's even though there was nothing reminding me of the summer outside. Rain and strong winds.
AB on watch blowed the cargo lines and super stripped the tanks so now we are ready for our next cargo in Brofjorden. Coming for lunch and our 2nd Officer on the 4 - 8 watch handed me a jar of snus and his friend's name card.
- No thank you. Bagged snus is for girls only, I said.
- It's not bagged! My friend makes his own snus and he wants you to try it.
Friday 10 th of July 2009 and we had just left the Öresundsbron behind when I came on my morning watch. So I had the opportunity to see the beautiful views of Skåne during my watch. It was quite a few years since I passed through Öresund last time and it was nice. If course the weather could have been better, overcast and dark with strong winds.
The test of our emergency Cargo Pump is due this month. But before we test the pump we want to test our hydraulic power pack under the fo'c's'le. They only test the emergency pump once a year so we want to make sure there is no oil leaks on the high pressure, 225 bars, hydraulic lines before we test the pump.
We have electrical cargo pumps onboard so no hydraulic lines, except for the Emergency Cargo Pump. So on other ships we run the hydraulic system all the times because we have hydraulic cargo pumps and then we see if there is any leaks on the lines. Here we only use the hydraulic once a year when we test the Emergency Cargo Pump so it's good to have a test run to check up the system before we go through the trouble bringing out the Emergency Cargo Pump.
We went forward after lunch. It was me, AB on my watch, Captain and Chief Engineer. The hydraulic power pack is under the fo'c's'le and we had to enter through a small man hole. I was
really glad that my diet had worked this time, otherwise I would have to wait outside.
We started the power pack and when we had 225 bars
system pressure we checked the hydraulic lines on deck. It looked good and we could stop the pump. I was satisfied, not only by being able to pass through the manhole like a cat. But it's very good to
do test runs and you know how the stuff works and that it works.
I was back in my cabin after the test run. A few words on my web page and I went to my bed room for some Thai studies. Arrival Brofjorden around 8 o'clock tonight and as it looks now we will drop anchor until 3 o'clock tomorrow morning.
I'm down to my last bottle of diet drink and I suggested that they could have a MOB drill tonight.
- Take the MOB boat to Lysekil and buy some diet drinks.
Well, its a few minutes ride to Lysekil, but the weather is not
so good. Right now anyway, but maybe it's better tonight and the crew wants to go for an ice cream in Lysekil's marina. Should be nice, and its Friday night so there should be plenty life in the marina. According to the AB on my watch, at least when he was in
Lysekil a few years back there is a floating bar and it's just to tie up the boat and climb in to the bar and order a diet drink. 
Passing Göteborg and Bohuslän in the late afternoon and there was only gloom outside my windows. I called the bridge for the latest berthing prospects.
- 9 o'clock tomorrow morning.
Well, that means f@ck all. Can as well be 4 o'clock in the morning or 2 o'clock in the afternoon.
I was still at my desk when I saw the pilot boat coming. No improvements, well, the wind has
disappeared and the sea looks like a mirror. But it's still rain
in the air and the sky is covered with black clouds. So I guess we will skip the MOB trip to Lysekil tonight. Well, I'm better of with out the diet drinks.
Our Pilot was onboard at 19:10 and when I came on the bridge we had dropped our anchor between Kåvra and Malmön. Latest news is that we will go inside tomorrow morning between 8 and 9 o'clock in the morning when M/T Bit something is leaving jetty 3.
But again, we don't know for sure until they call us. I hope that I have time for my good morning tea and my prepared breakfast before going inside.
Saturday 11 th of July 2009 and 2nd Officer on the 4 to 8 watch called me 5 minutes earlier
today. And he had good news!
- We will start heaving up the anchor at 8 o'clock.
OK, no time for any tea on the bridge so I had two slices of bread and water in my cabin before I went on deck. And where the hell did the summer went. Gloom as far as I could see and after heaving up the anchor I had to go inside to put on a pullover.
We could see the rain blowing over the jetties when
we approaching Preemraff. Typical, as soon as we're on deck it starts to rain.
But luckily enough it was only a few drops coming over the ship. But it looked very bad over the jetty as you can see on below picture.
Passing Preemraff we could see deer�s running around eating on the hills next to the refinery and it
would have been a beautiful morning if it
wouldn't have been for the rain.
We had all fast at jetty #2 around 10 o'clock and the gangway was down a few minutes later. I went in to take off my pullover before going to the bridge.
Engine department was busy preparing for bunkering, we will get 50 MT of gas oil. I ran in to our Motorman when he was putting scupper plugs on the poop deck. I asked him to
do a scupper plug so I could take a picture. And he gladly did it, happy for a chance to end up on internet. I just closed the door to deck when the rain started to fall, heavy rain and I praised my luck. 5 minutes earlier and I would have been soaked.
I stopped in my cabin on the way to the bridge for a quick coffin nailand to get my by now dry prepared breakfast. No bread, I had the bread before going on deck this morning. But
tuna and tea on the bridge will be nice.
I was sucking on my coffin nail when our 1st Engineer passed my cabin.
- THAT'S WHAT I CALL A COMPUTER!
- Can I have a look? Please please!
- Well, go ahead. But I'm in a hurry to the bridge.
I took my GOOD MORNING tuna and my phone and I left for the bridge. Loading Master came to the bridge just a minute after me. We did the paper work and we started to load at 11 o'clock. They expect 1200m³/h and that means that we will be ready around 3 o'clock tomorrow morning. But we never know here in Brofjorden, so anything and nothing is expected.
I called my friend, he had called me 1 o'clock this very morning. He had been visiting my web page and he could read that we were anchored next to Malmön.
- Don't you have anything better to do 1 o'clock Friday night? I asked.
Well, he was in Göteborg and he should go up to Malmön with his wife and mother in the afternoon.
- I will call you when we're closing in on Brofjorden.
He called me at 3 o'clock in the afternoon.
- We're in Brofjorden in 40 minutes. Are you ready to leave?
- Then it will be almost 4 o'clock and I have no time.
- OK, I call you when I'm home and I will take the boat to Brofjorden.
- Bring diet drinks!
I made a quick estimation and I realised that he would not manage to be here before 5 o'clock. Or
at least not long before 5. Good, I have time for my Thai course. He called when I was in my bed reading and he was on the way. I asked him to call me when he had about 10 minutes to go. He suggested that I should bring a rain coat. 
I left the ship 10 minutes before 5 in order to be at the jetty around 5 o'clock. I was walking to the jetty when I saw him coming with his boat. We were soon on our way to Lysekil, south bound in the route between Göteborg and Strömstad. We only meet a few boats and I guess the weather left a lot to wish for. No rain, but the wind blew all the water over us and we were soon soaked. Now I understood why he told me to bring a raincoat. 
We had to run slow when we had the waves coming in from forward, but it only took us around 30 minutes to get to Lysekil. We arrived soaked from the water spray. But as soon as the Sun broke through the clouds it became warm and we were soon dry again. 
There were plenty boats and people in the marina. Saturday evening and I had expected more action in the marina. No drunken people walking around screaming, no music. I had expected a little more after hearing a lot about the night life in Lysekil during the summer. But maybe we were a little early? Everyone seemed to be sitting on their boats drinking wine.
OK, maybe it's me having a strange and immature attitude to alcohol. Well, anyway, we
secured my friends boat to the jetty. First mission was to find a hardware store. We walked around Lysekil looking for a hardware store. Saturday evening and of course everything was closed. We tried a convenient store but they didn't have what we were looking for.
- I'm hungry my....., friend started to complain.
- Don't you think we should try to find a hardware shop first? Then we have finished all the important stuff and we can spend the rest of the time with frolic and lark?
- I only had breakfast today. I was in a hurry to get up here to meet you!
- OK, where to go? You know the places.
- Let's go to Hotel Lysekil.
Hotel Lysekil was just around the corner from the convenient store. OK, I guess in a place like Lysekil every ting is just around the corner. We entered the place and we were shown a table at the window. We were alone inside, but the terrace was full. I had come half way to the table when I regretted our choose of restaurant.
- Hey let's turn around and get the f@ck out of here!
- I'm so hungry! My friend said.
What the f@ck, the restaurant looked like a dining hall and there were clear traces of the breakfast lying all over the floor.
- What the hell! Don't they clean this place?
It was really dirty on the floor and when they decorated the dining hall they must have been looking for the cheapest stuff.
We got the menu (Swedish only, smart move when you're trying to live on the tourists) and I wanted to have crayfish with some sauce for a starter.
- Is the shell removed from the crayfish?
- No, they are cut in half, but the shell is not removed.
- OK, what about the crayfish soup?
- Still comes with the shell on the crayfish.
I decided to skip the started. It was not an impressive menu, 2 A4 papers lying loose in a binder. I'm sure the tourists are impressed.
- I can suggest the Sailor burger, the waiter said.
- OK, bring it with a strawberry smoothie. And a diet drink.
We were waiting and waiting for the food. An American couple arrived and they sat down on the table next to us. I could hear the waitress trying to explain the menu.
-It's not a soup, but it's a soup.
- Get a English menu motherf@cker
, I thought to myself.
Waiting, waiting and waiting. Where the hell is the food? After 30 minutes there were no sign of our food our smoothies. The only exciting thing happened was when S/S Bohuslän arrived to the jetty just outside our window. This was fun to watch for about 2 minutes.
After 25 minutes we started to scream after the waiter. By now the S/S Bohuslän excitement wasn't all that exciting anymore. The waiter came running to our table.
- Sir! Your food is ready, but the smoothies are not ready.
- Skip the Sir f@cking bullshit! We spent 5 minutes explained for you that it was never mind when the smoothies came to the table. Before, during or after the meal.
We could not believe our eyes when we saw the waiter on the street outside the window. Now he was carrying provision. I started to scream, yeah, the American couple soiled their pants. Another waiter came running.
- Where the hell is the food? And fer f@cks sake, bring out the vacuum cleaner and clean up the floor. Looks like shit around here!
- The smoothies are not ready!
- Hey! Bozowas here 10 minutes ago and he told us that the food was ready and now he's on the street carrying provision.
I was not very friendly with the staff, but you should have seen the not so impressive Swedish only menu. The prices kept an 5 star restaurant standard. So some f@cking service was expected.
Our food arrived cold. I started to scream again and the nitwit came running. By now my friend was dying of hunger and we told the waiter that it was OK. I was going to send back my Sailor burger, but I kept a happy smile so my friend could eat his crayfish soup and Sailor burger.
10 minutes in to our meal our 2 smoothies arrived.
- Did you order smoothies?
- What the f@ck? We're almost alone here and you can't keep track of the orders.
- Yeah, but we're many people working here so it's hard to keep track.
- And....?
- Yeah , you know, too many cooks spoil the broth and I guess it's the same with the waiters.
- ??!!??!! That was a new one, I said.
The smoothies tasted f@ck all and when we asked for the bill the waiter asked how the meal was.
- Terrible. The worst we ever had, and we have been to some strange places during our days.
- You should have told me that it was cold and we could have warmed it up for you.
OK, I lost it and I suggest that you turn off you parental filters now:
- WHAT THE F@CKING HELL YOU STUPID NITWIT!
- HEY DULLARD! THE FOOD IS COMING STRAIGHT FROM THE KITCHEN AND NOW
IT SHOULD GO STRAIGHT BACK TO BE COOKED PROPERLY!
- BRING IT BACK SO SOME MOTHERF@CKER IN THE KITCHEN CAN PUT IT IN THE MICROWAVER!
- No, we would have fried it again.
- WHAT THE F@CKING HELL! YOU WOULD FRY IT AGAIN WITH SALAD AND EVERYTHING?
If you ever decide to eat in Lysekil stay well, I mean, well clear of Hotel Lysekil. I give themout of 10. That's full pot, I can't remember being at a
restaurant worse than Hotel Lysekil. OK, maybe in India back in the days. But of course, they didn't charge you as much as they did on shitty Hotel Lysekil.
My friend was not better than me and he handed outout of 10. He was embarrassed to have brought me to a place like Hotel Lysekil. We will never set foot at the darn place again.
We left Hotel Lysekil with no backward glances. By now it was a nice summer evening and we walked around Lysekil looking at the views. OK, we were walking towards the convenient store and the diet drinks. We were looking for a place to buy soft ice cream, no summer is complete with it. But on the way to the convenient store there was no sign of any soft ice creams.
- OK, we buy it in the marina, my friend suggested.
OK, supply a tanker crew with diet drink is nothing they are used to at the convenient store in Lysekil. That�s for sure. They were looking at us like we were crazy. 
But I guess there isn't anything much going on in Lysekil. So when 2 handsome guys come to buy
diet drinks it turns to a ballyhoo. Farmer John pointing at us whispering to his wife.
- Look at the strangers! I newer saw something like this.......
- But the strangers are quite handsome.
My friend wasn't happy when he got on the “Carry the diet drinks to the boat” detail. But there was a stall for shopping carts outside the convenient store. It requires a 5kr coin to release the shopping cart. We didn't have any change so my friend returned to the cashier to get some change. 
And once again.Farmer John caught sight of us walking towards the marina and the soft ice cream we hope to find there.
Farmer John pointing at us whispering to his wife.
- Look at the strangers! I newer saw something like this.......
- But the strangers are quite handsome.
It went on and on all the way to the marina.
- Are you allowed to run away with the shopping cart?
- I wish we had a few dashing guys in the village!
What did I and my friend say? GET A LIFE!
Coming to the taxi station and we found a place for soft ice cream. Now I have done everything
that goes with the summer:
• Eating soft ice cream - Check
• Eating strawberries - Check
• Being refused to enter the outdoor pubs - Check
• Being thrown out from the outdoor pubs - Check
• Passed out on the street - Check
• Swimming in the sea
- Hmm, I guess the trip with my friend's boat counts as a swim in the sea.
OK, I ordered 2 soft ice creams and we enjoyed the
ice cream in the sun shine while looking at the people around us. But there weren�t really as much people around as I had expected for a beautiful Saturday evening in the middle of the summer.
- Very quiet for a Saturday evening in the middle of the high season, I said to my friend.
Well, I was happy that I was returning to the ship and I didn't
had to worry about the night life in Lysekil. But it seems like there is much to wish for, at least for a party animal like me.Hmm, or maybe it's because I need a few back up places if I
get thrown out from a place or two. Then it's always good to have a few extra places to choose from.
I remembered when I lived in Båstad, another famous summer town, a few years back. We managed to keep the bars busy 24/7. Well, yet another day ashore with my friend had come to an end and it was time to return to Preemraff in Brofjorden.
We brought the shopping cart to the jetty and we loaded my friend's boat with the diet drinks. Lo and behold, the boat got a heavy list due to all the diet drinks. Never mind! Let's f@ck off out of here. Can't wait to leave Lysekil behind me.
We arrived onboard just in time for my night watch. My friend joined me on the bridge telling some Cock-and-Bull stories for our 2nd Officer. Our 2nd Officer was amazedby my friend's stories from the 7 seas. We completed loading at 23:10 and my watch was soon coming to an end and I went to bed
after an exciting day.
Sunday 12 th of July 2009 and we were just NE of Anholt when I came on my morning watch. We were delayed from Brofjorden this morning. I had ordered Pilot for 00:30. But the Pilot was inward bound with a ship and they would be alongside between midnight thirty and 1 o'clock. Well, Pilot was not onboard until 01:30.
After lunch I and the 2nd Officer went to purge the measuring system for our ballast tanks.
Tomorrow we will calibrate the gas meters and he will soon be ready to be promoted to Chief Officer. Big salary with a big responsibility.
I spent the afternoon writing all this bull on my web page. OK, first I read my Thai
books and I will read my other book before going on watch at 8 o'clock. I guess we will be at the ferries between Rødby and Puttgarden when I come on watch.
Yeah, we were a wee bit later today than last time passing through Fehmarn Belt. We passed the ferries between Rødby and Puttgarden 30 minutes after I came on watch. But no worries, just 1 ferry on the way from Germany to Denmark and I changed course to starboard and he went clear in front of us.
The AB on my watch told me about, yeas, he is from Lysekil but he lives in Göteborg. Well, anyway, he told me that Lysekil Hotel goes bankrupt every year and that they change owners all the time. The new owner had had the place for 6 months. When it was newly reopened the AB's father had been there for dinner. It was the worst he had experienced and he called the owner to tell him about the service and food.
- We can compensate you next time you come around.
- I will never set foot there again!
Of course, they make their living on the tourists and they stay during the summer and they never come back. But the locals, who live in Lysekil 12 months a year can make a difference between bankruptcy and survival.
- But they never come back twice.
You make an investment in a hotel. You know the history and at least I imagine that you want to make the best of it trying to keep the business going. What's the best thing to do?
1) H ire a bunch of the cheapest nitwits ( I want to do it cheap and thus make a bigger profit) you can find and leave it to them to make the place a success. Now you're a big time hotel owner and you can sit down scratch your arse all day long.
2) T ry to get a good staff. Yeah, quality cost a little extra. Then being there every day to check in on things. If you see that the floor is covered with leftovers from breakfast from God only knows for how many days you ask the guy sitting outside smokingto get hold of a f@cking
mop and start clean up the mess.
I would make sure the Cook was able to at least make a simple hamburger.
Good luck with the place!
Monday 13 th of July 2009 and we have planned for a few drill in the afternoon. I finished my
cargo plans yesterday so I'm ready for some afternoon action. I will show our 2nd Officer the gas meters in the afternoon and he can inspect the ballast tanks 4P/S before dinner.
Well, I started the day with my prepared breakfast and tea on the bridge. Good and healthy, but I'm always hungry for lunch and I will have to come up with a plan for me to avoid the hunger around 12 o'clock. Then I can skip the mess room, and our 2nd
Officer on the 4 to 8 watch will sign off in Norrköping and there is no one to pester in the mess room. So then I can as well stay in my cabin and eat fruit or something.
Our fire alarm went off at 12:45. Fire in the pump room and 1 person is missing. The crew was
quick to report at fire station #1. As a Team leader for smoke diving team #2 we went to the 4th deck. My team was in their smoke diving
gear before soon and we were back at fire station #1. I reported smoke diving team ready for action.
A missing person, most likely in our smoke filled pump room. A stretcher and oxyvac was prepared on deck in front of the entrance to our pump room. When the fire hose was under pressure the smoke diving team entered the smoke filled pump room.
The smoke diving team had been inside for a few minutes when they found
the missing person on a platform in the pump room. He was brought out on deck where our 2nd Officer
administered 100% oxygen.
Very important to get pure oxygen ASAP when you have smoke or chemicals in you lunges. Ordinary air is not enough when you have damaged lunges and the capacity of you lunges is down to maybe
25% of the ordinary capacity. I don't think it's necessary to explain the difference between
air and pure oxygen.
Well, when we were ready with the fire drill we went to the bridge for a ISPS drill. We started with a discussion about the fire drill. What went wrong and what went right? Important if there is any improvements to implement for the next drill and of course if there is a real fire.
- You should do the mistakes during the drills and learn.....
- Blah-blah-bla
Well, anyway, ISP drill and today it�s a bomb threat. We had 2 teams searching the ship and the team searching the engine room found a bomb attached to the
ship's side. Out Motorman had made nice bomb dummy. And honestly, much better than my bomb dummies.
We have finished 3 drills, fire, rescue of person and ISPS. Now we only need to do the life boat drill before we can call it a day. But first a picture of the crew and I take the opportunity when all of us are on the bridge. So before we left for the life boat I took a picture.
I arranged the crew on the bridge and by the time they became unmanageable I had 3 pictures.
When we were ready with the pictures we left for the life boat 2
decks down behind the funnel.
We were cross examined about our duties before we entered the life boat. Well, according to instructions we should bring our Survival suites and life jackets. Seriously, I can not see how we are going to get all the stuff in to the life boat. It's hard as it is to get in to the seat, so wearing the life jackets and survival suites is out of question.
And in case of chemical spill or dense smoke we have to use our Escape Breathing Apparatus and then it will be next to impossible to get in to the boat. And imagine the mental status of the crew after spending a week in the life boat. Well, I think 4 hours is enough for the toughest Sailor to break. Then imagine sitting there in 40°C and heavy rolling.
We finished the drill and I was of to my cabin to check out my photos. Our AB on the 4 to 8 watch
is signing off in Norrköping and he wanted to have copies of my pictures. So I burned a DVD with all the pictures from Tärnvåg for him. I also copied the folder with pictures from Tärnsund when we were ABs together back in 1990 to 91.
Inspecting ballast tanks and I had to be on the bridge
at 3 o'clock to do the gas detectors with our 2nd Officer. I brought the DVD for the AB and he was veryhappy to get the pictures. Now he have a souvenir from Tärnvåg and he can spend hours looking at pictures on tedious nights back home in Göteborg.
OK, our 2nd Officer and I were calibrating the gas detectors and he was off to check the atmosphere in DB 4P/S so he could go down to inspect the tanks. I was on the bridge having a good time scratching my behind.Yeah, it's good to be the Chief Officer. You can always say that this is an important step on your
way to promotion.
- You should learn how to do the Chief Officers duties so you're ready to take over one of these days.
When 2nd Officer was ready and he had got his shower he was on the bridge relieving me. The tanks looked very good and we filled up the ballast tank inspection reports. I was off to the mess room to prepare my.... Yeah, I have come up with a new master plan.
Hmm, this must be Master plan # 102847!
As mentioned before our 2nd Officer on the 4 to 8 watch will sign off in Norrköping and there is no one to pester in the mess room anymore. So now I will prepare breakfast, lunch and dinner in the
evening and I can avoid the mess room during the meals.
Well, arriving to the mess room and I instantly wished that I had come up with this idea yesterday. Rhubarb pie with vanilla sauce. Darn! But when I left the empty plates behind I had 3 helpings of tuna and hopefullyI can stay well clear of the mess room tomorrow.
Coming on my night watch and we were approaching Gustaf Dalen Light house and Norrk�ping Pilot. Captain and AB on the bridge and we were talking about the good ol' days. The AB on my watch is
going ashore to the hospital tomorrow morning with his elbow. I have had a very strange elbow myself the last 2 weeks. Captain asked how my elbow was.
- Still the same I said.
Captain and the AB felt on my elbow. Yeah, my elbow is looking like a pig snout.
- There is water or something in you elbow, they both said.
There is no pain or anything, but I discovered it 2 to 3 weeks ago.
- Maybe you hit your elbow in your sleep, Captain and the AB suggested.
- I don't know. Don't you think I would have noticed?
Captain told us about when he woke up with a broken leg.
- When I got out of bed I could not walk due to the pain so something had happened during my sleep. But I don't know what.
Captain told me to join the AB to the hospital tomorrow morning.
- There will be a taxi at 08:00.
Good, I don't have to worry about my elbow anymore. At least I hopeso, our AB has been at the hospital 2 or 3 times and they still don't know what it is. Well, so there will be some early
morning hospital action to look forward to on www.aladdin.st. It will not be the first time I document my visits to the Doctor. We remember China and Manila, always bringing the web to the next level.
Our Pilot was onboard at 22:44 and we expect to be alongside 15 minutes after 2 o'clock in the morning and I really hope that we leave tomorrow afternoon.
Tuesday 14 th of July 2009 and 2nd Officer called me at 07:45. I got straight to the shower and then I had a glass of diet drink and my breakfast tuna. The AB called me a few minutes before 8
o�clock.
- The taxi is here.
- OK, I'm coming.
We stepped in to the waiting taxi a few minutes after 8 o'clock and we were soon on our way.
- So where are you taking us? I asked.
- To the emergency ward.
By then I realised that this trip would be for nothing.
At the emergency ward they know how to take care of emergencies and people brought in by ambulance. Not two sailors and their elbows.
We arrived to the emergency ward and we had to pay 300 Scooby dollars each before they wanted to take a look at us.
- Wait outside.
No people in the waiting room so we expected to be called very soon. But you never know.
2 girls
came to pick us up.
- Great, 2 doctors, I said.
- We're not doctors! We're nurses.
But the nurses told us that they could not do anything. They booked a time at a Doctor for 13:15
and for me it was:
- Maybe good, maybe no good. Maybe it's getting better or worse.
Sweden 2009 and I have paid several tax dollars. But at least we got our 300 Scooby dollars back and we called a taxi. We were back onboard at 0930 and we could go on watch without them having to call out the 12 - 4watch 2 hours earlier.
We stopped to buy newspaper and black bread on the way back to the ship. Our AB will leave for his Doctors appointment at 1 o'clock and hopefully he will have better luck this time. I don't know what to do. They told me to rest my elbow. How do you rest your elbow? They thought I had used the arm to much and this was quite normal. They even had a name for it, but I don't remember what they called it.
We left Norrköping around 5 o'clock in the afternoon and we expect to be in Brofjorden early Thursday morning. I called my friend and he is ready to come pick me up with his boat. So we have to see how the weather is on Thursday, the weather forecast says rain and SW winds over Brofjorden.
Luckily enough we left the Pilot behind just before my night watch so the AB on my watch started to blow our cargo lines. When he was ready we started to ventilate the tanks so we will be ready to load ULSD in Brofjorden.
Wednesday 15 th of July 2009 and today I had to relieve our newly on signing 2nd Officer. Of course I had to relieve him last time he was onboard, but it's the first time this time around. OK,
a lot of blah-blah-bla to fill up my web page. Well, anyway, Baltic Sea was like a mirror and we steamed SW towards Bornholms Gattet where we will change course to West and pass South of Skåne.
Our AB changed the anchor lashing on our port anchor and I ordered 2 more G connections and as soon as we get them we can
change the lashing on Starboards anchor as well. No more rusty wires with broken strands. Everything to avoid being
mistaken for a PanamaGreek ship. We're striving for Swedish standard onboard. Now it looks good and it's much easier for the ABs to lash the anchors. Especially during the winter.
Captain came to the bridge for a cup of tea.
- Do you have a cig?
- No, but there is a pack in the top drawer, I said.
He brought out a coffin nail and I asked if he used to smoke because I never saw him smoke before.
- No, never, I'm allergic to the smoke.
- Well, maybe you should skip the fag then!
- I guess I would have been smoking if it wasn't for the allergy to smoke.
He thought it smelled very good, not the smoke, but the tobacco. I suggested that maybe he was nervous because he is signing off tomorrow. He and his
wife is going to have a children and he will be home for the birth. So
I guess that he will be busy during the leave changing diapers and stuff. So he is pretty excited to go home. And it has been nice working with him. He is one of those working Captains. He knows what he is talking about and if he doesn�t know he finds out. He knows how the equipment works on the bridge and he is not afraid to learn if he doesn�t know.
And when he learns there is a good opportunity for the lazy Chief Officer (me) to look over his shoulder and learn at the same time.
Not often you see them. Well, except when you have a company representative onboard. Amazing, people don't know anything about stuff can go on for hours and if you don't know it's easy to come
under the impression that they have invented the stuff on the bridge. Listen to the trite is
way too turgid for me. Must be hard trying to keep appearance but you must admire people being able to go on and on about stuff they don't have a clue about. But the company representative is making big eyes in disbelieve wondering:
- How could we be so lucky to get this Captain to our company?
When our AB was ready with the anchor lashing he started to remove the platform around our bridge. Well, first he sprayed the area with “rust off” and the topcoat became white again. When the platform is removed our AB on the 12 to 4 watch will chip and paint the area and we hope that we can get rid of the rust running down the side of the superstructure.
But I'm a worried man, coming close to Skåne and the sky turned black and it was soon raining. Half the summer is gone and the last weeks the weather had left plenty to wish for. But we're almost ready with the chipping of the deck and it should not be any problem to be ready in time for the autumn. BUT NO MORE RAIN! PLEASE!
When I came back from the mess room with my prepared breakfast, lunch and
dinner for tomorrow. OK, I had the tiniest bit of kålpudding when I was in the mess room. Hard to just walk by Kålpudding. Well, coming back to my cabin and I saw the Öresund's bridge from my window. So we will be clear, or almost clear of Öresund when I get on my watch at 8 o'clock.
Öresund and Singapore Strait are my favourite places to pass. The watch turns quick and there is plenty to watch while you're passing the places. Singapore, and obviously it's always nice weather. this is not the case while passing Öresund. But its beautiful views when looking towards Skåne. And of course, this is the area where I grew up. So I know the places.
I called my friend and he is stand-by to come pick me up tomorrow at lunch time. (Weather permitted). Maybe the last time I will see him this time around in Sweden. He is flying to Korea 24th of July for the first gas trail on a new built gas tanker. But I hope to see him in Seoul 19th of August for a few beers. And we will eat dog, Korean BBQ. According to those that have tried
it dog should be delicious. This is the plans, but who knows what happens?
Thursday 16 th of July 2009 and I didn't receive any wake up call. Never mind, I was out of bed at 07:30 looking out my window. Mooring at jetty #5 in Brofjorden was in progress. Good, yesterday we were told that we might have to drop anchor at arrival. OK, I can call my friend and he will be here to pick me up around 12 o'clock.
Loading Master and Surveyor was waiting when I came on the bridge. Our 2nd Officer came to the bridge a few minutes after me. He came straight from the mooring operation on the. He filled up the check list and he was of for his watch below. I completed the paperwork at 08:35 and we started to load at 08:50.
I called my friend and he will be here just after 12 o'clock to pick me up with his boat. 
I called Brofjorden Harbour Radio and I asked for permission for my friend to come pick me up
with his boat.
- Can he put his boat at the jetty behind us where he uses to stay?
- No, there is a gas tanker so he has to go to the old TUG boat jetty.
I called my friend and I told him that he could not go to the same spot this time.
- There is a gas tanker on jetty #4 so you have to pick me up where we have our head lines.
- OK!
I was on the jetty 15 minutes after 12 and after a
few minutes I saw my friends boat coming around the corner. I could see that the boat was pretty deep in the water and that they had a hard time to plane and I thought to my self:
- Hmm, how many people are they in the boat?
When they came closer I discovered that they were only 3 in the boat.- Hmm, should not be any problem!
J and his son was onboard the boat, what a pleasant surprise! I had not seen J in a very long time. Well, I meet his son on 2a Långgatans day 30th of May. Well, I stepped onboard and we took off towards Malmön to fill up the boat with gasoline. Luckily enough we arrived to the gas stop during their lunch break so I could not buy any ice cream. But the pump accepted plastic money and my friend filled up the tank and we were off before they opened and I could buy ice cream.
My diet vs. Ice Cream: 1 to 0
We decided to go to Kungshamn and buy some electrical equipment for me. I don't know when I sign off and I'm better off having everything I need if I need to go straight to the airport. We were soon soaking wet again. On the way to Malmön there was plenty water spray over the ship. But we dried quickly in the sun during the stop to fill up gasoline. But now we were wet again, and hungry. My friend suggested that we started by going to Smögen for dinner and we could stop in Kungshamn on the way back. Great plan and we agreed to start with Smögen. 
It was a wee bit different coming to Smögen this time around comparing to last time. Not only
were we much deeper in the water, but Smögen was full of pleasure crafts and millions of people walking on at the sea front.
The yachts were laying alongside the jetty and
there were up to 10 yachts laying outside of the boats at the jetty. Most of the boats had big loudspeakers on deck with a DJ system. And of course portable diesel generators to have power supply. On some
of the boats there were DJs playing and the music
was blasting over Smögen. I made a mental note over the first thing to forbid when I have made my military coup.
• Forbid people to play BAD music.
I mean, why go through the trouble bringing all the equipment just to have some boring Top 10 music blasting from the loudspeakers?
They were drinking beer on all the yachts and I could not help but wondering how they got back onboard in the morning. Coming from a disco and you have to climb over 10 boats before reaching you boat. And how nice would it be to sleep on the boat along the jetty when people are coming back from the disco 4 o'clock in the morning, pissing and puking all over the place. Well, I guess that you have to
stay drunk to be able to sleep.
Of course, I told my friends about my thoughts. Lo and behold, our last visit to Marstrand (more than 10 years ago) was mentioned before I could finish my sentence.
- You should know! Remember Marstrand? We still have nightmares.
- HOW THE HELL DID YOU MANAGE TO GET BACK ON BOARD?
- Blah-blah Yeah-yeah.
As no surprise we had to put our boat a little bit out of the marina.
Smögen marina was full and we didn�t feel like climbing over 10 sailing boats to get ashore. We tied up the boat and luckily enough we found a place with a ladder. It was easy to get out of the boat, imagine the embarrassment trying to come up from the boat without any ladder.
Millions of people walking along the sea front and having 82kg Chief Officer rolling around on the jetty would not have improved my image. Now I stepped up on the jetty like a cat and we started to move towards the action in Smögen. It was a 200m walk to the first ice cream place and of course I stopped to check out what they had to offer.
My diet vs. Ice Cream: 1 to 1
I bought a soft ice cream and we could continue our walk along the sea front.
As I said, plenty people and music every where. But as I told my friend.
- Imagine waking up in a boat with 4 other guys. A raving hangover, hot like hell and if there is a shower in the boat it would be a very small one.
I also noted a new trend in the yachting world. A pirate flag. Yeah, seems like this is the latest thing you must be seen with. Most of the sail boats had a pirate flag and it kinds of has turned from a nice accessory to an embarrassment. Imagine the first guy coming to port with a pirate flag in the mast.
- Oh! Look at that!
But now? At least I had take down my pirate flag. An eccentricity and originality that has turned in to an embarrassment is not so fun to be seen with. I can imagine the first girl making the black stuff tattoo in the curve of her back must feel pretty much the same. When she was seen with her tattoo.
- Oh! Look at that!
Imagine how she feels today when you see those black tattoos every where you look.
Nice day and I finished my ice cream in a jiff. 3 minutes later we ran in to another ice cream shop and I made my second stop
My diet vs. Ice Cream: 1 to 2
Coming to the end of the jetty and we hadn't passed any restaurant that we like. And if we liked the restaurant it was brimmed with people. OK, pretty much all of them were full. So we walked on
one of the back streets when we passed a Gästgifveri. In Skåne most of the Gästgiveri you pass isworth a visit so we decided to try it out. And I really needed to go to the bathroom by now.
- Sorry, but our bathroom broke down yesterday.
- What the.........?
- Try the coffee shop around the corner.
OK, I was a little sceptic and I suggested that we should go look for another place. But my friends were hungry and they wanted to stay. But of course, I'm the only one from Skåne and I might be the only one in our company that understand the meaning of the word Gästgiveri, even if they spell it Gästgifveri. I tried the coffee shop and I was relieved when I returned to Gästgiveriet.
We ordered our food and it was very pleasant surprise. Excellent food and great service. OK, the bathroom incident wasn't anything they could do anything about. Service was ordered and the handy man would be there tomorrow to repair the bathroom.
Gästgiveriet was definitely worth a second visit and they would have scored almost full if they could get some real furniture�s. Some sturdy Swedish pine chairs instead of the flimsy camping styled
furniture�s they had in their garden. I lifted the first chair and it felt apart and I spent the rest of the dinner being afraid of the chair collapsing under me. OK, we can't expect them to be prepared for 700kg Chief Officer coming by for a quick dinner. But anyway...
We had a good time eating and it was a delicious meal. But time turns quick and we had to start thinking about going to Kungshamn. We were soon back at the sea front walking back to our boat. I stopped at the very same ice cream shop where I bought my first ice cream. I was waiting and when it was my turn the girl told me that I had to go outside and wait in the ice cream queue.
- What the f..? There are millions of people.
My diet vs. Ice Cream: 2 to 2
We left Smögen, passing all the sailing boats at slow speed: J's son was driving with my cap on. He
had been on about my cap since he layed eye on it in Brofjorden.
- Can I borrow your cap? Please!
We were watching the people on their boats when we passed through the marina. And I guess there will be a lot more empty bottles in the marina tomorrow morning. It's a shame how they just throw everything in to the water. The bottom of the marina is covered with empty cans and bottles.
Well, now I have seem Smögen and I'm in no hurry to come back. Impossible to get a hotel room and I guess the night life is based on the yachts in the marina. And climbing around in the marina in the wee hours is nothing for me. Maybe when I was young and adventurous.
Coming to Kungshamn, maybe a mere 10 minutes ride with the boat, and we had to look for a place to tie up our boat. J knew a hardware store just at the waterfront and we managed to get a place only 200m from the entrance. And there was an ice cream shop next to the hardware store.
My diet vs. Ice Cream: 2 to 3
We got what we needed at the hardware store and now we had to find out something to do. J's
son wanted to go back to Malmön for some miniature golf. Sounds great! My friend went in to buy some provision and we were waiting for him outside the shop.
Waiting and waiting and I had to go inside to see what have happened to him. The supermarket was full of tourists shopping so this could take long. Coming out again and J was down in the marina buying coffee. I ordered a diet drink.
- Aladdin!
- Who are you?
- I was a deck boy on a ship with you.
It took me 5 minutes to remember Bro Anton and our deck boys. I told him how much work it was with the deck Boys and I got my diet
drink for free. He still charged J a fortune for his coffee.
Obviously our deck Boy gave up his career at sea. When he finished
school he had been skiing for 4 months and now he was selling fish in Kungshamn. We drank our diet drink and coffee and when our friend was coming out from the supermarket we were ready to leave.
But first he had to buy strawberries, 2 litres and we took the 3 minutes walk to the boat. Nice to leave Kungshamn behind for some miniature golf on Malmön.
On our way out from Kungshamn's marina J was yet again reminded why it's better to be single and
we were laughing.
Leaving Kungshamn and we were soon soaked again but not as bad as when we came here. And when we turned to East to pass North of Malmön we got the waves in from our tail and we could go full speed until we reached the 5 knots speed limit
just outside Malm�n'smarina. Coming ashore and I was about to piss myself again.
- Where is the bathroom? I really need to go! NOW! I mean it!
Luckily enough there was a restroom at the miniature golf and when I was done I was ready for some serious ass kickin' on the miniature golf course.
Miniature golf, I really wished they have told me what a
prestigious sport this is on Malmön. If I knew how important this was for them I would have let them win. For me it's, at its best, played as a pastime. But they have a different look on it on Malmön. It's life or death and at times it was scary hearing them talking about old games.
- I remember back in 1972 when I had both of my legs in plaster....
- You were cheating at our game 24th of June 1983.....
- Blah-blah-bla... I was blind folded.... Blah-blah.....
Please, let me know next time! I don't mind losing this stupid game!
I was lucky not to kill a girl at the last hole. She was between 3 and 7 years old, very hard to determine any age of people. But she had a bicycle with 6 or 7 wheels so she was not old enough
to use the bicycle. Well, anyway, I was at the last hole and I had been hitting an obstacle a few times too many.
- Motherf@c..BIP BIP BIPPING BIP.. What the.....
I swinged my club and the ball, yeah, this would have been something attracting attention from
everybody at any driving range in the world. The ball left the miniature course in supersonic speed.
- What the....!!
- NO! NO! NO!
- YES! YES!
The ball hit a wooden bar before hitting the girl and I was very relieved. OK, she had a helmet on so most likely she would have survived my swing. But you don't run around hurting children in Sweden without running in to a lot of trouble.
- And who the hell let their children play around a golf course?
Before we left for Tärnvåg in Brofjorden we went to the supermarket to buy snus and some other stuff. We left Malmön behind around 7 o'clock and I called 2nd Officer on Tärnvåg.
We need to inform Preemraff that we're coming so they don't think we're terrorists.
- Can you please inform Preemraff that we're coming back with the boat now?
Leaving Malmön and we had water spray all over the boat again, but when we entered Brofjorden we got the tail wind again and we arrived to Tärnvåg dry. 
I was back in Brofjorden 20 minutes after 7 and my friends left for Malmön and fishing. I think this was the last time I meet them here, at least for this summer. My friend is leaving for Korea
and the gas trail next week and I doubt that we will make it back in time. J will be back on his ship and Seoul will be next time, maybe, we have to see how it goes with the gas trail. It would be very nice if this felt to places and I could go to Seoul 19th of August.
Coming back on the jetty and I saw the AB on my watch painting the
platform around the bridge. Good, this side will soon be ready.
Coming to my cabin and I opened a diet drink and I checked out the pictures I had been taking during the day and I hope I get time tomorrow to put them on my web page.
Coming on watch at 8 o'clock and we finished loading 20 minutes before I was off my watch
Friday 17 th of July 2009 and we were SW bound NW of Denmark when I came on my morning watch. 2nd Officer told me that our AB on the 12 - 4 watch was left behind in Brofjorden.
- He got gas oil in his eyes and mouth when he took samples.
First the Fire Fighting department in Brofjorden had arrived with the blue light on and they called the ambulance. Our AB called later on and he had left the hospital. Good, nothing serious.
We held a meeting in the evening and I informed the crew and stressed the importance of using protective clothing when handling the cargo.
Saturday 18 th of July 2009 and this summer leaves a lot to wish for. Gloom and grey and I found myself in the middle of an autumn storm when I came on my morning watch. Latest berthing prospects is tomorrow afternoon and then we can make it back in time for Brofjorden so I can meet my friend a last time. Well, we will see. But I gave our Captain a pre warning that I might need to buy some black rum for my friend before arriving to Brofjorden.
I was in my cabin studying when I saw us approaching Sunk anchorage just before 6 o'clock. Good, hopefullywe're anchored when I come on my night watch and I can do the Cargo Handling Sequence Plan for our discharging. I will also have time to do the planning for our next loading in Brofjorden.
Sunday 19 th of July 2009 and we were on our way when I looked out my window 15 minutes to 8. We had to wait for a ship departing from VOPAK #1 before we could go alongside. The ship should have left at 1030, but she was a wee bit delayed.
When our jetty was free we could go alongside and we had all fast at 11:45. We expect to stay here for about 24h and we will be in Brofjorden early Wednesday morning and I have plenty time to meet my friend and his wife before they leave for Göteborg and Korea.
Monday 20 th of July 2009 and I could not hear our main engine when they called me at 07:40. I
looked out my window first thing and they we in progress to disconnect the cargo arms.
Good, I took my shower and I was on the bridge 5 minutes before 8.
We completed discharging at 07:15 and Pilot was ordered for 9 o'clock S/T. Our Surveyor and Agent were onboard 20 minutes after 8. Yes, I had had plenty time to finish my prepared breakfast and my GOODMORNING tea. Looked like it would be a beautiful day.
We did the paper work and our Pilot was onboard 15 minutes before 9 and I went forward to the fo'c's'le where the AB on the 4 to 8 watch was waiting. Last line off at 9 o'clock and early Wednesday morning, well, it will be more like in the middle of the night in Brofjorden.
The AB was blowing and supper stripping all our tanks on the way out from Thames while I was on the bridge drinking tea talking with the Pilot. We expect to leave the Pilot around 13:00 so it will
be a long watch with the Pilot.
Bad weather on the way to England and the platforms around the
bridge was full of salt. When our AB was ready with the tank cleaning he flushed the platform with fresh water so they can paint it in the afternoon.
Finally, 12 o'clock and I could leave the bridge. Back to my cabin and a glass of diet drink. Skipping lunch and I'm sniffing on 
the last hole in my belt. But today, well, I have to blame it on my friend. He loves Bacardi black and it looks like we will make it in time to Brofjorden to meet him. Captain was in the mess room having lunch and I had to go see him about the Bacardi. Darn, I ended up eating lunch. DARN! DARN!
I had a glass of diet drink and it tasted bad. My teeth were sticky and when I woke up from my afternoon nap I had a terrible headache. I poured a glass of diet drink at my desk....
- What the f@ck...??!!
It tasted like shit and I looked for a “Best before” date. It was f@cking ordinary soda. I
scrutinized the label and no diet mark was to be discovered. Tasted like shit and we must have got a bottle of ordinary soda in our shopping cart last time in Lysekil.
I poured the darn thing in my sink, brushing my teeth and I hope I never have to
drink something like that again. Diet drinks are the best, taste good and no sticky teeth. 2nd time in one day my friend f@ck up my diet and he is not even around. So
it's easy to imagine my diet with a heavy list when we're ashore at a Gästgivferi somewhere in Bohuslän's archipelago.
Tuesday 21 st of July 2009 and we were north bound West of Denmark when I came on my morning watch. ETA around 1 o'clock in the morning and latest news is that our jetty is occupied by Bit Okland or something like that. So we will drop our anchor and if we're anchored at lunch tomorrow we will see if my friend can come pick me up on the anchorage.
At 5 o'clock we passed close to Denmark and I called my friend. I told him that we would drop anchor at arrival around 1 o'clock tomorrow morning.
- We don't know when we go alongside.
- OK, I will pick you up at the anchorage or at the jetty.
After hanging up I got in to my EXCERCISE gear and I went on deck for a constitutional and I also had time to study some Thai before taking my shower and my evening watch. Coming on the bridge
North of Denmark and I tried to tune in some Swedish radio station. Still too far, but we were close enough to be able to hear P3 Hip Hop at 10 o'clock.
ETA 00:30 but we have to wait for about 1 hour for the Pilot. Summer time and not enough pilots so we have to wait for the Pilot to come out with Bit Oktavius or what ever the ship is called.
Wednesday 22 nd of July 2009 and I woke up to a beautiful day on Malmön's anchorage. We had strong winds yesterday but today there are no signs of any wind and hopefullywe can stay dryin my friend's boat.
We're anchored in the middle of the water highway, popularly called “Blå Bandet” between Göteborg
and Strömstad. Nice weather and the highway are full of both South and North bound pleasure
crafts. Yeah, as mentioned before, it's like a wall. Boats bumper to bumper as long as you can see. I'm looking forward to yet another nice trip through Bohuslän's archipelago with my friend. I hope we can keep my healthy life style upright.
Not a word from the Pilot. Our Agent told us that the other ship would leave around midday and now its fifteen minutes before 11 and no news. I talked with my friend this morning and we have a
preliminary PICK UP time set for 1300 at jetty 5. I hope we make it in time.
At 11:10 we got news from our Agent. Pilot will be onboard in 20 minutes and it looks like we will make it in time forthe PICK UP at 13:00. My friend told me that he had planned a BBQ in the afternoon.
- GREAT!
Well, what do you know? We went forward to start heaving up the anchor and a gorgeous day turned in to a gloomy and grey day. Black clouds in the horizon and it looks like it will start to rain any minute. Well, we see. At least we're on our way to our jetty. At 12 o'clock I was in
my cabin preparing myself for the last day with my friend for this summer.
My friend arrived 5 minutes before the hour. I was on the bridge trying to call Brofjorden Hamnradio for permission for my friend to come alongside. Mooring operation in progress and I didn't manage to get any contact with the Brofjorden Hamnradio. I called my friend on the phone and I could se him answering the phone from the bridge.
- Yoo, you have to wait a moment until I can clear you.
- OK, call me when I can go alongside.
No luck with Brofjorden Hamnradio, but I could see our Loading Master on the jetty waiting for the gangway. I went down and the Loading Master told me that my friend could come to pick me up.
It was 13:00 when we had all fast and our gangway was down so I could go ashore. My friend needed to go to Kungshamn to buy material for his house. We decided to go there first before going to Smögen and the Gästgifveri. “Just for a snack” as my friend said.
- We're going to have BBQ later on.
- BBQ, looks like it will start to rain cats and dogs any minute! I said.
Coming close to Malmön we decided to go pick up my friends anchor at Haken, on Malmön's Southside. Haken, well, to cal it a village is a wee bit too much. But it's about 10 houses on the
Southside of the island and on of the houses belongs to my friend. The marina is on the NE side of Malmön but my friend has an anchor at Haken so he can have his boat there as well.
Going to Korea on Saturday and the anchor have most likely served its purpose for this summer. Well, anyway, we went to Haken and we picked up his anchor from the sea bed.
What happened with the weather? A beautiful
summer morning had turned in to something that is best described as a bad day in October. The
summer really went missing and there were no sign of the summer to be seen anywhere around. Black clouds and cold winds and we decided to go
to Malmön's marina and take my friend's car from there.
It was so cold I could hardly move my fingers and I can imagine having to take the 30 minutes ride to Kungshamn in my friend's boat. Cold winds and water spray would have killed us. It took us about 5 minutes to get from Haken to the Marina.
We could see that there was almost no people at the miniature golf and that must mean bad weather on Malmön. We remember the drama from last time on Malmön when the people on Malmön
don't play miniature golf it must mean bad weather.
- Hmm, I think the popularity of the golf is increasingpari passu with the lack of fun stuff to do.
And on Malmön there is nothing much to do. At least not for us below 30 and thus miniature golf is the only way to kill time. I was on the jetty waiting for my friend to secure his boat. It was
a small open-fronted hut or cubicle, from which newspapers, refreshments, tickets, etc. are sold.
• (usu. telephone kiosk ) Brit. a public telephone booth.
• archaic (in Turkey and Iran) a light open pavilion or summer house.
ORIGIN
early 17th cent. (in the sense pavilion): from French kiosque, from Turkish k�sk �pavilion�, from Persian ku�.
freezing cold and I started to move around ending up at the kiosk close to the jetty.
This was one of those old traditional kiosks you never see anymore. Today the old kiosks have been transformed to a mixture of post office, convenient store and pizza restaurant. But when I was a kid this was the only kind of kiosk there was. I took a picture of the kiosk. Never know if I run in to anything like it again and. well, I skipped the ice cream.
My diet vs. Ice Cream: 1 to 0
It was a few minutes after 2 o'clock so we have missed the 2 o'clock ferry to the mainland. Next
ferry is 14:30 so my friend bought 2 evening papers in the kiosk and we left for the ferry.
We spent 10 minutes reading the evening paper. Well, it was more like we spent 10
minutes with the evening paper. You know how it is with evening papers. There is nothing to read, it's more like a chronicle of scandal and a big piece of gossip.
A waste of money and time.
The ferry arrived and we could drive onboard and 10 minutes later we were on the mainland on our way to Kungshamn. We headed for the hardware store and the ice cream shop next to the hard ware shop. No parking spaces and we had to park on the jetty. I stayed behind guarding the car against Meter Maids.
My diet vs. Ice Cream: 2 to 0
We were hungry and we had to find a restaurant. Due to the weather we had decided to skip Smögen's Gästgifveri. They only have an out door service. We found something that looked like it could be worth a visit. They were closed and there was a few “Self service” styled restaurant along the water front and self service is nothing for us. I mean, why go to a restaurant if it's self service? If you're at a restaurant you can as well pay a little extra for good food and service.
- I know a Thai restaurant, my friend said.
- Let's go already!
We arrived to the place just to discover that the restaurant have been closed for a very long time. But we meet a guy that went to Navigation school with us back in 1985. I didn't recognise him, but he recognised me. I don't know, but I think my friend had meet him not long ago because
they were greeting each other.
- I know another place down in the marina, my friend suggested.
When we arrived to the marina and restaurant Spättan I was very hungry and delirious with expectation. We were met by a strange, no, it was a bad smell. We tried to choose a table and this was not easy. All the tables were dirty with leftovers on the table. Most of the tables was
actually not even cleared at all. But we were hungry and we choose a table with only a few breadcrumbs on the table. But f@ck it! We left and we will never come back.
We left the place and the bad smell behind in search for a new place. After driving around we found a place, I don't even remember the name. Lo and behold, I found the receipt in my valet and on top is written Calmars Veranda. So now we know the name. When we passed I was at least to say sceptic.
- It looks like a coffee shop.
But we were hungry and by now it was soon time for BBQ on Malmön so we decided to give it a try. We found a place to park the car and we took the 2 minutes walk to Calmars Veranda. It turned out
to be a nice place and the food was good. And when in Kungshamn this seems to be the only place to eat if you want something different from pizza.
My friend needed to buy some provision and I suggested COOP that we passed on the way in to Kungshamn.
- Let's try ICA Skeppet, he said.
- But there are millions of tourists and it will take hours.
Yeah, we entered ICA Skeppet and we turned around again, as I said, too much people at thesupermarket in the marina. And of course, with weather like this Kungshamn has notingmore than shopping to offer the tourists. And for sure, Kungshamn will not make it high on the list over places with opportunities for “Fine Dining”. So what to do when in Kungshamn?
- Let's go to the supermarket.
We turned around and we bought strawberries outside the entrance. The girl recognised me. Of course, with a shirt like that. And seriously, we had not
spotted too many handsome guys around. So she was happy to see me again.
I wish we could have stayed, but we were in a hurry to get out of Kungshamn and we left Kungshamn with strawberries. And of course the disappointed girl outside ICA Skeppet was looking after us wondering when Mr. Handsome will show up again.
- NOT IN THE NEAR FUTURE!
We stopped at COOP on the way out from Kungshamn and as we guessed, no people. We got our stuff and I got a new load of diet drinks and, not
Pumpernickel, but Pumpernickel styled bread. We were soon on the way to the ferry to Malmön and we made it just in time for the 16:40 ferry.
Before going back to my friend's house we stopped to buy some charcoal for the BBQ. I got 2 “BABY SIZED” bottles of diet drinks as well. Always good to have a little something to suck on.
My friend's wife was busy with the grill when we arrived, and we arrived in the nick of time. They were very low on charcoal and I took charge ASAP. I ripped open the bag of charcoal and poured it over the grill. Luckily enough my friend's mother had called us and asked if we had bought any charcoal.
- DARN! We had forgotten about the charcoal!
Well, there is a Supermarket on Malmön and we got a bag before continuing. When I had the fire going I went to pick some dry twigs. My friend brought me my mail ( I got my mail sent to his address in Göteborg) and everything ended up on the fire.
I was busy with the grill when my friend donned a boiler suit and started to paint under the house.
- What...??!!
I never saw him working before. OK, we remember back in May when he moved his mother�s lawn.
This was the first time I had seen him doing what he calls “HARD WORK”. I have always been complaining and nagging on my friend.
- Now you have to help your mother.....
- How hard can it be to move this very small lawn?
- A little work will do you good.....
And his mother has always thought that I'm complaining too much on her son. Well, getting married
was the best thing happening to my friend. Now he is a totally different man and his wife has done a hell of a job to make a man out of him. Or as I use to tell him:
- Your wife is the best thing ever happened to you.
Well, obviously it's not only my friend she puts in to work. Iwas pestering my friend taking pictures when she came with the food. Suddenly I found my self on the BBQ detail. A big responsibility. They always blame the Cook when something goes wrong. And wrong it went!
I put the meat on the grill and I returned to the kitchen to see if there was any last
second instructions. I ended up talking about the good old times with my friend's wife and mother. And yes, when I came out again the meat was black, burnt so it looked like
charcoal. So I stayed glued to the grill when I did the salmon and sausages.
The dinner was excellent and I was like a boa when my friend's mother said that she had made a redcurrant pie for dessert. But by then we were in a hurry. My friend and his wife will return to Göteborg and they will drop me off at preemraff on the way to Göteborg. And we need to take the 7 o'clock ferry to make it to Preemraff in time.
So no time for dessert. My friend finished the work with the house and his wife brought all their bags to the car. What did I do? Well, I can't miss redcurrant pie. Especially when his mother had gone through the trouble making it. Deliciousand ice cream was served with the pie. But I skipped the ice cream!!! My diet vs. Ice Cream: 3 to 0
We managed to get to the ferry in time and I was back onboard 10 minutes before 8. My friend and his wife left for Göteborg and I had had yet another nice day in Brofjorden thanks to my friend and his family.
Thursday 23 rd of July 2009 and we were North of Denmark when I came on my morning watch. I
could listen to Swedish Radio until about 10 o'clock and then the signal was to weak so I had to turn on my language course.
We left Brofjorden around 4 o'clock in the morning and we expect to be at Humber Pilot tomorrow afternoon. Latest berthing prospects is for 2200 tomorrow evening. Good, I will have enough time to make 1 more voyage before going home 5th of August.
After lunch we held a safety meeting on the bridge and when we were ready I was of to my cabin and my language course. I didn't study anything yesterday, but I can take a day off. At least once or twice a month to go ashore visiting my friend. And anyway, I'm too old to learn a new language. It's more like a pastime for me.
Friday 24 th of July 2009 and the weather was a wee bit better when I came on the bridge for my morning watch. After a few day with cold weather it was nice to see how it improved by the hour.
Especially when we're going to try our Emergency Cargo Pump in the afternoon.
We got our voyage instructions for the next voyage. ARA for order is changed to Thames for order. Full cargo of ULSD and I expect to be back in Brofjorden 3rd of August where I will sign off. And hopefullywe will be in time. And I
don't want to sign off earlier than the 3rd wasting time waiting for my flight in Göteborg. And that's even though I'm paid while waiting!
Our OS helped the AB on my watch to prepare the pump and it was ready for test 10 minutes after 12 when we had agreed to meet forward. I was 5 minutes late.
GOOD TO BE THE CHIEF OFFICER!
The OS and AB were waiting for me when I came. Our AB and I went down under the fo'c's'le to start the power pack and we were ready to go.
But of course, before we could start I had totake a few pictures.
- How much space do you have for picture on your web page?
- No problem. There is plenty space, I said.
- Yeah, your always taking pictures.
We had the pump in an empty drum that our AB had filled with water and we were ready to start as soon as I had my pictures. And honestly, it took longer to get my pictures than to test the pump. I had to move around the guys so we got the sun and shadows right.
Our OS and I stayed clear of the pump and the AB was in charge over the hydraulic control. I told the AB to start slow so I could get a few pictures of the working pump.
We were soon ready with the test and our OS and AB had to put back the equipment.
GOOD TO BE THE CHIEF OFFICER!
Well, of course, I had to give a few stupid pointers just to show that I
was on top off things. Even if the crew does an excellent job I can always tell them to move it just an mm. Never mind the mm, but I can go sit in the day room telling everyone that I have done a hell off a job.
While they were busy taking in the Emergency Cargo Pump I checked out our tank radar. The IG pressure sensors seem to be busted. And this is a new digital type of IG pressure sensor. So no chance to adjust them. We will try to clean the sensors and if it doesn�t work we have to order new sensors. Expensive! But first we need to find the
time, maybe on the way back to Brofjorden.
I was back in my cabin and my language course before 1 o'clock. I really need to get on with my school books. I have missed a lot the last 2 days and I will be busy studyingmy books in the afternoon. Well, I hope I can stay awake. I only slept for about 2 to 3 hours last night.
My last chance to impress my teachers back home. Well, I have pretty much given up the
idea of impressing them with my diet. OK, the diet has not been a failure. I'm sniffing on the last hole in my belt. And if I hold my breath I can use the last hole. But it has not been quite the success I had been hoping for. But I'm happy and I have not starved myself. Ice cream, BBQ and restaurants with my friends, its summer fer f@cks sake!
We dropped anchor in the afternoon waiting for the tide. We expect to heave up our anchor at 1930 and we will be alongside at 22:00 S/T (21:00 L/T)
Saturday 25 th of July 2009 and we were discharging when I came on my morning watch. If we're lucky we will be ready to leave at 17:45, dead line to leave. If we miss this we have to wait until the evening. All this due to the tide water.
I studied my Thai after lunch and when I woke up it was 7 o'clock. I thought it was 7 in the morning, but it was 7 in the evening. DARN! I will find it hard to fall a sleep tonight. Butafter 2 or 3 nights of no sleep I was tired. Never mind how tired I am, I don't fall a sleep until early morning.
Well, anyway, coming out of bed and I discovered that the Technician had managed to repair our internet. But I was soon to discover that it was so slow that it was the same as no internet.
Looking out my window 15 minutes before 8 and I could see that the pilot boat was coming to pick up the pilot. I was looking forward to a night watch with out the Pilot.
Enjoying tea and music while the AB is doing the tank cleaning on deck.
Sunday 26 th of July 2009 and it was a beautiful morning. Sunshine and no wind. But 14°C is a wee bit cold for July. The AB cleaned the pressure sensors in our SAAB tank radar. Still not working and I'm afraid that we have to order 3 new sensors. But after 5 years it's not so bad. I think that they have only been needed to change 1 sensor during the 5 years since she was delivered from the shipyard.
Latest news is that we have to drop anchor at arrival to Brofjorden. Berthing prospects, late evening on the 27th of July. Our 2nd Officer needs to be on his new ship 7 o'clock on the 5th of August and I need to be on the airport on the 5th of August.
So our dead line is the 4th of August.
So please, no more delays! I don't want to miss my flight.
Monday 27 th
of July 2009
and we were along side jetty #5 in Brofjorden when I woke up at 7.
Looking out my window was not a nice experience. The sky was black and this summer must be one of the worst I can remember.
For sure, time to leave Sweden. This summer is gone by now. I don't think it will be any better in
August and the autumn will be early this year. I'm better off in school back home.
Coming on the bridge and we had just started to load ULSD. We expect to leave Brofjorden tonight and today I will stay onboard.
Most of the summer had disappeared in the rain. And today we have water spray on deck when we're heading against the wind and sea towards Sunk pilot.
And before going to bed, I was on the last hole in my belt when coming on my night watch. So the
spirit was high and good to know that my diet is back on track after a summer of ice cream, BBQ and eating at restaurants in Bohuslän's archipelago.
And of course, the 250 US$ I have to pay our Cook every time he caught me eating helps a lot. Yeah, I was ridden by agony the other day when things got out of hand So I burst in to our
Cook's cabin.
- I'M VERY DISAPOINTED AT YOU! MY DIET IS GOING DOWN THE DRAIN!
I had to offer him something to get my diet back on track.
- OK, I give you 250 US$ every time you see me eating.
Wednesday 29 th of July 2009 and the summer weather had not improved much during the night. The wind had decreased a bit, but it was raining and painting was not to think about. Our OS was chipping on deck and when the weather improves he can cup brush and paint. AB on my watch is greasing and I'm on the bridge drinking tea.
15:00 is our ETA to the anchorage and latest berthing prospects is for the 1st of August. Hopefullynot later, then my flight will be by chance. But my reliever is arriving to Sweden on the 2nd of August and he will have a night of rest after his long flight.
And thanks' to my friend Björn, always with his camera stand-by. He never misses an opportunity
to get a picture of our “A wee bit tipsy” Hero.
Impossible to forget all the pictures he took outside my hotel in Göteborg at the evening of the 29th of May this very year. And of course, he wasn't satisfied with 1 picture. So now I have a photo treasure to last me an eternity.
Plenty to choose from, our Hero with snus in all his face, our Hero with out the snus in his face and our Hero when he is taking a power nap. No end to the ghastliness and once again:
THANK YOU FOR HAVING YOUR CAMERASTAND-BY AND MAKING IT POSSIBLE TO MAKE A TIT OUT OF MYSELF ON THE INTERNET!!
- NEXT TIME LEARN TO SEE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DRUNK AND MOTION SICK!
Nota bene, I was suffering from a severe jet lag
Well, anyway, after my watch I went to my cabin for some tuna and diet drink. Still on the last hole in my belt and I'm not looking forward to use the second last hole again so I stick with the tuna. And now I'm skipping the olive oil on the tuna. It's dry and not so tasty, but if I'm lucky I might have to make another hole in my belt before going home.
- Hmm, I might be better off waiting for a few weeks. I have to admit that I look like a sandglass right now. So there is plenty to go before I achieve my goal with the V shaped torso, but
it's the last hole.
We were anchored when I came on my night watch. But no news or any berthing prospects. Bit Okland is anchored not far away from us and we will discharge after her.
During the night the sky became even darker and it stated to rain and we had gale force in the gusts. So it's a very nice summer evening.
Thursday 30 th of July 2009 and we're still anchored. Internet is a goner, OK, can't say that its a
surprise. What a waste of money this internet. Sending Technicians around the world trying to repair the darn thing. And then the monthly fee on top off that.
We have one more drill for this month. A MOB boat drill, but the weather left a lot to wish for and
it's not possible to launch the MOB boat. But it looks like we have to stay here for a few days and maybe the weather improves.
Sitting anchor watch and suddenly our internet kicked in. I got an, well, actually 2 e-mails from a guy in Norway. He had been an AB on M/T Bituma with me back in 1993. He had his
cousin from USA visiting him in Norway and they were searching for Bituma on the internet. What a surprise to find himself on the internet and his cousin was impressed.
1993, that's 16 years ago and DARN! Time turns quick! And I remember it like it was yesterday. And who can forget the drama in Dunkerque?
I went ashore with the other 2 ABs. We went to the
beach, there are plenty bars along the beach road. We had a few drinks while talking with the locals. It was a niceFrench pub with good music. Of course, this was way before the dawn of my French Hip Hop era.
- I will order a submarine, my friend said.
A submarine is a shot of Jägermeister or something and you drop the glass in a big glass of beer. I think it tastes like s... There's no accounting for tastes. But I think this is a Scandinavian thing and I don't think they know what it is in France. Well, I'm pretty sure they don't know by the look on
the waitress face when we ordered the darn submarines.
- Well, good luck explaining this for the French bartender, I said.
First they dropped an empty shot glass in his beer. Well, then he got a shot glass of J�germeister in a big glass filled with ice. Not exactly what he wanted.
Well, anchor watch and the time turns slow. By mistake, yeah, and I ended on yet another stupid
“DATING SITE”. At least time turned quick while lying about my self. And
the beauty of it? I can always blame it on my sausage fingers slipping on the keyboard.
I get nervous, especially when it comes to age and weight and then it's easy to slip with my fingers and thus making a mistake.
Do we get back in Sweden in time for my flight to FUNKY TOWN? I heard M/T Fure Nord taking Pilot at the end of my watch and Bit Oktani is still anchored. Maybe I have to leave the ship here in London in order to make it back in time.
Coming on my night watch and we had the latest berthing prospects from our Agent. 3 ships ahead of us and we�re looking at early morning the 2nd of August. So it looks like I will have to fly home from here on Sunday.
Friday 31 st of July 2009 and the wind was gone when I came on my morning watch. Some swell, but otherwise the North Sea looked like a mirror. So maybe we can launch our MOB boat today.
We're delayed and no way we will make it back to Sweden for the 2nd of August when my reliever will arrive to Göteborg. Captain sent a message to the crewing agency in Manila and asked them to change the ticket to London. Well, obviously England (The backward bastards) isn't a member of schengen and my Pilipino reliever can't come to relieve me in London.
Well, I guess this is the time when they get use for their expensive Personnel Manager at the office on Donsö. I expect some KICK A** action. Captain came on the bridge asking me to call the office.
- They wonder if you can change the ticket.
They can call me, it won't help if I call them and they know this is about my dead line for the student visa. The ticket is good for 1 year.
- But all this should be clear to them as we discussed this back in May, I said.
Our Personnel Manager called and, well, looks like I have to stay until Brofjorden and my flight are by chance only. If we, at best, will be back in Brofjorden midnight 5th of August. And that is if all
goes well. But it's good for me, I don't have to waste time in Göteborg. Driving straight from Brofjorden to Göteborg Airport. Well, with a quick stop for buying a birthday present for my Teacher.
Well, if we're delayed I will have to get more diet drinks. I got a case from Captain and after lunch my fridge was filled with diet drinks.
Hopefullythis will last until the 5th of August. But more important is that I'm off the ship at 7 o'clock Wednesday morning so I can be in Göteborg 9 o'clock. 
The wind is picking up again and the sky is covered with clouds. Grey clouds and it's a nice day, if it would have been in the middle of October that is.
Latest berthing prospects, late PM on the 2nd of August and I will be a NO SHOW for my flight Wednesday afternoon. Unless, of course, something dramatically is happening.
Sunday 2 nd of August 2009 and today should be the day we're going alongside. Or I can as well
forget the visa business and stay here until October. More days more dollars as we use to say in the business. But easy come easy go so I would not mind being off the ship Wednesday evening no matter how much money I would make to stay.
It was pretty nice weather when I came on my morning watch, and 2nd Officer told me that we were on the Port of London�s web page for going alongside in the evening. So I was in a good mood.
We got news from our Agent. Berthing at 19:00 L/T (20:00 S/T). Finally some good news and I sent my ticket number to the company so they can change my ticket. And as I wrote:
Dead line is Thursday. If you don't get a seat you can as well send my reliever to another ship and I can stay until October and you can reimburse me for my VISA expenses. Missing my Teachers birthday? Well, there is no
way to make up for that. And well, I already missed it.
After my watch I was down to my cabin to collect my empty diet drink bottles. One of our ABs is collecting them. He is home now, but when he
comes back he will bring them ashore for recycling and he will make a lot of money out of the empty bottles.
And when collecting my bottles I could as well start to prepare my bags for going home. My suitcase is full of hats and birthday presents from my friend and his wife. A few bottles of wine and the stuff we got for my friend in Norrköping.
So there isn't much space left so most of my shirts was thrown away Socks and stuff will be left behind on my hotel room when leaving for the airport.
I had my lunch tuna and cheese in my cabin while deleting my profile from the stupid dating site. I don't have the time to sit and send stupid messages. Yeah, we remember Balloo and all the other stuff from Bro Promotion. It was pretty much the same here.
- Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii Yeah, nothing to write and you try to stretch the Hi for as long as you can.
- Hi, how are you? Where do you live?
- Yahoo, you have?
- What is Yahoo?
- Send messages
- I'm too old to sit and send stupid SMS on the computer.
- Number mobile me XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
- OK, why don't we just realize that it will never be us?
- You are very strict!
Strict??!! Me??!! Obviously she haven't seen the pictures of me outside my hotel and unnecessary to say, I stopped right there and I deleted my profile. There was an 18 year old that showed her interest. What the hell? OK, I might have been a wee bit careless when I entered my age, but not that careless! Why would I want to meet with an l8 years old? Would at least to say be embarrassing to walk around town with an 18 years old. Well as I said to my friend:
D e ju bara trollen som är intresserade och inte trollungarna
Well, while busy with my dating site I could hear the engine start and we were on our way before 2 o'clock in the afternoon. I could see the pilot boat approaching us 20 minutes after 2 o'clock and hopefully we're discharging when I'm coming on watch tonight.
Then we expect to be in Brofjorden on Wednesday if all goes well. Hopefully, yeah, I really hope they can get me on a flight on Thursday so I will be home on Friday.
I relieved 2nd Officer on deck and we had first line ashore at 20:05 and all fast at VOPAK 2 @
20:25. Back on the bridge we did the paper work while I had the house music blastinghigh on the Richter scale.
We started discharging at 22:30 and hopefullywe're out of here tomorrow night. But at VOPAK anything can happen, but no stops are planned according to the Loading Master. At 23:20 I had topped off all our tanks 1 by 1 in order to deactivate the 95% alarm. 3 pumps @ 90% and we reached the maximum allowed 7 bars. Rate, around 800m³/h.
Monday 3 rd of August 2009 and discharging was in full swing when I came on the bridge at 8
o'clock to relieve the 2nd Officer. A gorgeous day with sunshine and the summer feeling was back. The first thing 2nd Officer told me when I came on the bridge was:
- You should call the Personnel Manager
- What the......??!!
- He can not reach the 2 numbers in Thailand to change your ticket.
- But he should call LUFTHANSA in Sweden.
I will call him later on, first is time for breakfast and I have the time, one and a half hour until we have to strip the first tanks.
I put on a kettle and while waiting for the water to boil I tuned in a nice radio station. I enjoyed the beautiful morning while eating my tuna and drinking my tea. And of course, good music on full blast from the entertainment centre.
When I finished my breakfast I called our Personnel Manager. He told me that there had not been any answer at any of the numbers in Bangkok.
- Why are you calling Bangkok?
- To change your ticket.
- You should call LUFTHANSA in Sweden.
I told him once again that he had to call LUFTHANSA to change my ticket and 2 hours later my new flight details came with e-mail.
I called our Personnel Manager again to remind him about the hotel. Well, now I have my ticket
confirmed and a hotel between Wednesday and Thursday in Göteborg
Looks like we will be ready to leave around 8 o'clock tonight if we can keep this rate and of course, without any stoppages. We had to make a short stop while changing our gangway, but this was only for 10 minutes so it should not delay us too much.
2 plates of salad for lunch and I had some laundry in the
machine while eating. I will have to do one more machine with laundry tomorrow and I'm pretty much ready to leave.
Well, it's the same on all ships. Last trip is so boring! You don't want to start anything new, noteven start to read a new book. So I'm spending the afternoons in my cabin alleviating the boredom with my Thai books.
When I came on my night watch it was only paper work left to do and we departed from VOPAK jetty 2 at 20:30. I have to spend the whole watch with the Pilot on the bridge.
Tuesday 4 th of August 2009 and it was nice weather when I came on my second last morning watch
before going home on Wednesday. We're making 15 knots and we will be alongside in Brofjorden 2 o'clock tomorrow afternoon. All goes well.
Captain had his coffee on the bridge and when we were
ready with our Cock-and-bull stories he relieved me so I could go down in cargo tank 1 Starboard to get our sampler. Yeah, the sampler is stuck in the tank again, this time in 1 Starboard.
AB and OS were waiting for me at the tank when I came forward. The tank had been force ventilated since 6 o'clock this morning
and there was no gas when we measured the gas. I took the opportunity to get some action pictures
for my web page. And of course they were happy.
- YES!! ON INTERNET AGAIN!
I and the AB went down in the tank and we took up the sampler.
Before leaving I took a few pictures of the pump.
So now you will know what a Svanehøj cargo pump look like. And should be clear from the pictures that this is not a deep well pump. OK, I will throw in a picture of a FRAMO deep well pump so it's easier to see the difference. Deep well, one pump in each tank and one of our Svanehøj pumps is serving 2 tanks. It's easy to understand that one Svanehøj could have served more than 2 tanks if we just connect the suction pipes to the pump.
The Svanehøj is no where near the well. Pretty much the same as having a pump room. 
After my watch I went for 2 plates of salad and I was off to my cabin to pack my suitcase. Well, first a diet drink and I discovered that I'm very low on diet drinks by now. If I have 4 today I
can have 2 tomorrow.
We expect our reliever to be here around 2 o'clock in the afternoon and then we have to take off with smokin' and screamin' tyres in order to be at the first pit stop in a jiff.
Coming out from the shower and I discovered a pleasant surprise. I opened my fridge to get a cold diet drink. There were more than I had expected. So if I dink 4 today I can have 3 tomorrow.
- Hmm, or if I drink 5 today and I can still have 2 tomorrow.
My bags are packed and I did my last laundry in the evening and it will be dry tomorrow. I have a set of cloths that I will use tomorrow and when I leave my hotel for the airport they will be left behind in the garbage bin.
I spent the evening watching a movie on my computer. Computer, that's the best way to watch computer. I can do my web page at the same time. I'm too impatient and restless to be able to sit down doing noting. So after a few minutes of watching the movie I switch over to Dreamwaver and my web page. But it�s soon time to go on my last night watch.
Wednesday 5 th of August 2009 and I discovered a beautiful summer morning when I came on my morning watch just North of Skagen, Denmark. I can't remember a day like this for at least a month. The sea was like a mirror and the sun was shining.
My last watch and we were making almost 16 knots. ETA Pilot station 15 minutes before 12 o'clock. Time was turning slow, yeah, the last watch is always short. But Captain spent most of my watch on the bridge and that helped to alleviate the boredom. 
- HEY! TAKE OVER HERE FOR A MINUTE! I told Captain and I rushed down to get my camera.
Our 2nd Engineer was on deck shaking my carpets.
- I need a picture of this.
I was in my cabin on 2 steps and I grabbed my camera. 2 seconds later I was on deck. I missed when he did my first carpet, but I caught him doing my second carpet.
- That's the spirit! Finally we found some use for you! Smile! You're on internet.
I got my pictures and I returned to the bridge. we will drop anchor at arrival and we will go in to the pilot station with
our MOB boat. Relievers expect to arrive between 1 and 1 thirty.
I went on deck where the AB was waiting for the Pilot boat. Pilot stepped onboard and the first thing he said was:
- Aren't you in FUNKY TOWN?
- How do you know about FUNKY TOWN?
- I read you web page every now and then.
- How do you know about my web page?
- It was the Seagoing Personnel Manager at Broström
that told me about it.
When our Pilot and I came up on the bridge it was almost time for me to go on my watch below.
Low on the diet drinks and I had been careful drinking them in
order to make them last as long as possible with the result that I had plenty diet drinks in my fridge. Well, coming down to my cabin after my watch and I had to drink diet drinks like there was no tomorrow.
And, well, there is actually no tomorrow because I'm leaving today and I had hardly time to finish my
last diet drink when it was time to leave at 1 o'clock.
I came down with my first bag and the MOB boat was prepared.
- Our relievers are arriving to the Pilot station in 5 minutes.
- Why didn't anyone tell me?
I was back in my cabin to get my computer and last bag. We left the Tärnvåg 10 minutes after 1 o'clock. Motorman was driving the MOB boat. It was 2nd Engineer, 2nd Officer and I signing off. So there was not much space left in the MOB boat with 4 persons and luggage.
It took us about 10 minutes to get to Lysekil Pilot station. But where is my reliever? On signing 2nd Engineer and 2nd Officer was waiting for us. But no Chief Officer! 
I called the ship after 10 minutes of waiting. Captain called our Agent and it turned out that our
Agent left my reliever in the port. A misunderstanding and our Agent delivered my reliever at Lysekil Pilot station 5 minutes later.
We had a few suitcases with us and while waiting for my reliever I went to
get the rented car down to the Pilot station.
They had parked the car 500m from the Pilot station and it's better to bring the car to the bags than to carry the bags to the car. My reliever arrived with the Agent a few seconds after we had loaded our luggage in the rented car.
We have to take the way around Trollhättan to leave the 2nd Officer at the lock. He is signing on a small boat travelling between Göteborg and Stockholm. We will go to Göteborg and 2nd Engineer will leave me at my hotel before continuing to his home in Kalmar.
OK, finally, I'm off the ship heading for FUNKY TOWN
Maybe tonight or early tomorrow morning, all depending up on M/T Tower Bridge and when she will be ready. We're stand-by and ready to go alongside to discharge our cargo.Yesterday they told us that M/T Tower Bridge would leave at 22:00 tonight and that we would go alongside at 02:00. We see, it would not be the first time if things where changed around here.
After lunch it was time to pressure test the cargo
hoses for our emergency cargo pump. The AB on my watch had prepared the hoses during the morning and the plan was to pressure test it with our high pressure washer. First time for me, I always pressure test with hand pump, but of course, if the high pressure washer is working this is Pressure test on Barcarolle
“Old School” pressure test on Bro Promotion
But I will speak with our Chief Engineer trying to find out if we have some catalogue with hand pumps and stuff. Maybe we can get it next time in Brofjorden if we go there after discharging in Norrköping.
The hand pump should not come with a hefty price tag, it's a pretty simple box and it's good to have when we
pressure test heating coils and stuff. Well, I was disappointed when I returned to my cabin and my Thai course. It would have been nice to have been ready with the pressure tests.Well, berthing prospects were changed to lunch time tomorrow and I have to spend another night watch at the anchorage. It's getting boring by now, but our Captain and Chief Engineer are keeping me company. They spend a few hours on the bridge every night and the time flies by.
We're drinking tea (Chief Engineer is drinking coffee) while talking about the good ol' days. And suddenly it's almost time for me to go on my watch
below. And of course, all the tea drinking makes it hard to fall a sleep. But luckilyenough I have my school books next to my bed.But not even my school books helps me fall a sleep and most off the time I'm tossing and turning in my bed until it's almost 4 o'clock. So when they call me 20 minutes before 8 I need all the time under a hot shower.
Thursday 2 nd of July 2009 and we were still anchored when I came on my morning watch. Now they are talking about berthing tonight. Well, it was a gorgeous day and the crew is busy chipping and painting on deck. I enjoyed the sound of the chipping machines while drinking tea on the bridge.
3 o'clock and our Pilot came onboard 5 minutes after 4. I could see the pilot boat leaving from my window.I went for a quick visit to the bridge to see if all paperwork was completed. Dinner at 5 o'clock, but I eat with our 2nd Officer at 16:30. We're both getting special diet food from our Cook so I'm better off eating with him. No unnecessary temptations.
I stopped in my cabin on the way to the mess room and I called my friend in Sweden. He is in Göteborg with his wife, but they have planned to go back to Malmön on Saturday. We're delayed so I will miss them, but we will be back in Brofjorden in the middle of July and then I can see them in Brofjorden. IJmuiden is not misspelled. It should be IJmuiden!After the locks we're in North Sea Canal and it will take us about 1 hour to get to Amsterdam and BP's jetty BP-A. Well, anyway, I was forward to take
a few pictures of the crew on the fo'c's'le. When I left the 2nd Officer on the 4 to 8 watch came to relieve the 2nd Officer on the 12 to 4 watch on the fo'c's'le.I meet him amidships and
I took a picture of him coming plunging down the deck on his way forward.- You can not take pictures when I'm moving!
- I have no doubt in my mind that you can't take any pictures
with your Scooby 250 camera, I said.I went to the poop deck for a few pictures before going back to
my cabin and a glass of diet drink. Our boys were stand-by for the lock at the poop deck. I got a few pictures and I returned in to the accommodation.It was not planned, but I made a quick visit to the
mess room. Our Cook is watching so no chance for some extra snack. Our 1st Engineer spotted me and he said that it was good music in my cabin when hepassed on the way for dinner.He complained about my music at lunch the other day.
- Hip Hop sucks! He said.
- If you don't understand it just admire it, I replied.
But today it was a totally different tune in the mess room.- It's sounded like some old Everlast. Very good.
I was in my cabin when we left the lock and I could see the scenery in The North Sea Canal from my cabin while writing a few words on my web page. Now we only wait for our internet to kick in. The service guy could not come today.
- I don't have any spare parts.
So we will see if they can come in Göteborg. But I don't hold my breath.
We approached our jetty at 18 thirty and I expect us to leave tomorrow afternoon and then we will be in Göteborg late Saturday night or early Sunday morning. But anything can happen here in Amsterdam so we see.
Friday 3 rd of July 2009 and I came on my watch without my prepared breakfast. Darn! I forgot to do it yesterday. But our Cook brought me my tuna and I was soon in a good mood. Beautiful weather, tea and tuna. We keep 8 bars on the manifold and discharge rate is just around 400m³/h and we expect to be ready tomorrow afternoon.
So there might be time to go ashore to buy some pumpernickel and then I will take the opportunity to upload my web page.
We left the ship just after 1 o'clock and we ordered a taxi at the main gate. 10-15 minutes waiting before the taxi came and we were at Damplein around 2 o'clock. I had asked him if he knew where I could buy some Pumpernickel. Our driver dropped us at a supermarket.
- They have all kind of luxury articles there.
Turned out to be a “ Take as much as you can carry for 2€ ” kind of place. No luxury articles as far as I could see. We left looking for an internet place so I could upload my web page.
First stop was for a diet drink on the way to the walking street on Damplein. We walked for 10 minutes and we had to stop asking for an internet shop. We were directed in the opposite direction
crossing Damplein and after 5 minutes walk up the walking street we ran in to the internet shop.Took me about 15 minutes to start my FTP program, upload my page and checking my e-mails. I told our Chief Engineer that I would wait
for him on the street outside the internet shop. I bought a diet drink and 10 minutes later our Chief Engineer was ready.- Where to go now?
- Let's try the high end department store at Damplein, I suggested in hope of finding Pumpernickel.
On the way to the department store we passed the hotel was I stayed during Queens Day 1991 with two of my friends from school.
This was for sure not a hotel at the high end. It was an at least to say shabby hotel. One of my friends had a
flight from Copenhagen to Amsterdam a few hours before me and my other friend. We bought the tickets in Malmö and he got a special YOUTH ticket and this was leaving afew hours before the OLD guys flight. Fer f@ck's sake! We were only 1 year older than him.So I and my friend took the opportunity to visit TIVOLI and we were pretty drunk when we arrived to Copenhagen International. This was pre 7/11 so back then they were just captivated by our youthful charm. Today they would not have let us board the flight.
Well, anyway, we asked our friend to arrange the hotel when he arrived to Amsterdam and I had 1 room per man in mind.- OK, you can arrange a hotel for us and we meet you at the central station at 7 o'clock.
But I guess we were lucky not having to sleep on the streets. Queens Day in Amsterdam and it can be hard to find a hotel.
Single room? No we got a room with 4 beds and at least we could but our bags on the fourth bed. There was hardly any space left to put the shoes. Never mind, we hadplanned to be drunk every day while in Amsterdam.One night it knocked on our Window, if I remembered it right it was somewhere between 3 and 4 o'clock in the morning. There was a German guy outside the window, most likely high on something. Well, I'm pretty
sure he was high on something. Why would anyone climbing outside the hotel in the middle of the night? Well, the porch climber was welcome inside and the party continued. But he left through the door.Well, anyway, they didn't had any Pumpernickel at the “High street” department store. But they had a rest room and by now I really needed to relieve myself. Drinking
2 JUMBO diet drinks and I was close to desperate.When we left the department store it was time for a refill. We walked down the street were there used to be plenty of bars and coffee shops. But everything had turned in to souvenir shops and one cheese shop. We stopped to see if they had Pumpernickel. No luck! We
turned the corner and we sat down next to thecanal and we ordered a beer and a diet drink. 10€! What a rip off! Daylight robbery.We left the place and we walked around looking for
nothing in particular. We passed a barber shop and I went in to get a QUICK haircut. I had 10€ in my pocket and I could not see any signs of Plastic Cards accepted on the door or at the cashier's area.You can pay for everything with your plastic inSweden, but in Amsterdam it's hard to find a place that accept the plastic. Even the taxi wants cash and you have to run around looking for an ATM all the time.
Well, anyway, on our way from the ship to the city centre the driver pointed at a barber shop.
- Very cheap, only 8€I remembered this and I had a sense of that my 10€ should not be enough. I asked in the barber shop if they accepted plastic card.
- No
I asked if 10€ was enough.
- No, it's 29€ for a simple 45 seconds haircut with the machine.
- What??!!I can as well do it my self when I get hold of a trimmer.
Amsterdam, no Pumpernickel and my favourite street had turned in to a souvenir shop so I wanted to call it a day and return to the ship. But first a stop at the supermarket. Yeah, the very same “ Take as much as you can carry for 2€ ” kind of place where the taxi driver dropped us when we came from the ship. I found some black bread there at our first visit. But I didn't buy it because I was still hopping to find the right thing. Well, I bought 6 packages of ROGGEBROOD to bring back to the ship.
Our Chief Engineer was hungry and he wanted a steak. There was 3 Argentinean restaurants across the road and we choose the restaurant that looked best (Most expensive). Yeah, quality should cost a little extra and most of the time it's worth the extra money. I ordered lamb chops and it was worth every cent. Must have been some of the best lamb chops I ever had. So this restaurant
is highly recommended by Aladdin.So next time in Amsterdam pay them a visit. If you stay on Damplein facing Hotel Krasnapolsky turn around and cross the street on you left hand side when coming to the Royal palace or what ever it is. Across the street the walking street begins but you turn right and it's the first Argentinean Restaurant on your left hand side. Their lamb chops is worth the visit.
- Psst, please ask them not to put the orange on top of your salad.
Well, there you have it. The orange on top of the salad was the only thing that I didn't like. So now, just byvisiting www.aladdin.st you can avoid the displeasing orange.Enough about the orange, we finished our meal and we took a taxi back to the ship. We walked over the
gangway just after 6 and I could see that Tärnvåg was much lighter and I understood that the discharging rate must have changed dramatically. Yeah, 1200m³/h and we would be ready around 2 o'clock in the morning.Captain came to the bridge at 10 o'clock and we tried the ROGGEBROOD , delicious! This was a very nice surprise. Almost as good as Pumpernickel, well, it was as good as Pumpernickel. Now I only hope
that it's as healthy as Pumpernickel.Saturday 4 th of July 2009 and I discovered IJmuiden locks in front of us when I looked out my window at 07:40. I had expected us to be well on our way towards Göteborg by the time I came on
my morning watch. Finished around 2 o'clock and the normal 1 hour paper work. But this is Amsterdam and Pilot wasonboard at 0530 and I had to go relieve 2nd Officer on the fo'c's'le.I was disappointed, yeah, I had expected to come on the bridge enjoying my prepared breakfast and my tea. And I was really looking forward to it today after the instant success with my new ROGGEBROOD yesterday evening.
I returned to the bridge when we had all fast in the lock to
finish all the paper work. Well, it was only to sort out the papers and to make copies. But now I didn't had to worry about the papers and I returned to the fo'c's'lewhere I and the AB prepared the ventilation of cargo tank 1 Port. I need to go down in the tank after my watch to see what�s happening with our MMC. It's stuck in the tank and, well, I don't know why. Very strange!We were clear of the lock a few minutes after 9 o'clock and we started the fan. Pilot was off at 09:15 and I was soon on the bridge enjoying my tea, ROGGEBROOD and by the now somewhat dry tuna while steaming
towards Göteborg this sunny and very beautiful morning the 4th of July in the year of our Lord 2009.And yes, it's very nice to be the Chief Officer. I'm enjoying
my tea, ROGGEBROOD
and by the now somewhat dry tuna while the AB is on deck taking care of the tank cleaning. Well, tank cleaning. I don't know, but we blow our lines and super strip the tanks so we will be empty at arrival to Göteborg.And yes, it's very nice to be the Chief Officer. When everything work that is. Now I have the irk with the MMC and that kinds of putting a blanket over my tea, ROGGEBROOD and by the now somewhat dry tuna festivities on the bridge. But I was pretty sure
that this would not be any big problem.And I went down the tank before I had my lunch. It took me about 2 seconds to clear the MMC tape. I have seen many dipping pipes in my days, but this was something of the most stupid I have ever seen. I made a mental note that we need to cut the pipe by 15 cm next time we're gas free so the dipper don't get stuck between the bottom and the pipe next time.
It was BBQ time in the afternoon and today it was
way better weather than last time in June. I managed to avoid all the unhealthy stuff and I was pretty pleased when I was ready and I left the table and thus dodging the dessert. So I felt good when I was at the desk in my cabin writing a few word on my webpage. Otherwise I use to feel like a boa constrictor and the agony is raving. But I guess I get older and more mature in may way to handle food. holiday in his new camper. He bought a camper when he was home last time and I have heard nothing but about his new camper.- When I'm coming home.... My mobile home....- Yeah, you don't say....- I will go fishing.... Just to stop where ever I want.....- zZ zZ zZ- Maybe we go to Holland.... blah-blah-bla... to the North of Sweden....blah-blah-bla.... - FER F@CKS SAKE!
Well, he was in charge at the grill and he did it with bravura. So I'm pretty sure
that he will be able to handle the grill when he is touring the world in his mobile home.I finished my web page and I did some Thai studies before going on deck to measure for gas in cargo tank 5 Port. We're gas freeing this tank as well so our mobile home AB can clean the window to the tank tonight. We need to be gas free when he removes the window in to the tank. When I finished the gas measurement it was time for my night watch.
Sunday 5 th of July 2009 and it didn't took long for a sunny morning to turn in to a gloomy and grey morning. I was on a NNE course West of Denmark when I came on my
watch and when I got of my watch we were on an Easterly course towards Skagen where we will change to an SW course towards Göteborg and Skarvikshamnen, jetty 521.I managed to get an hour of sleep
during the afternoon and I woke up just in time for our arrival to jetty 521 in Skarvikshamnen. I went to the bridge to see if I knew the Pilot. I recognized him, but he knew me. Obviously we have been in navigation school together.But it's a good sign that he recognize me, right? I have not grown much older since we were in school.
We had all fast at 16:30 and I borrowed our 2nd
Officer's dongle so I hope I can get on internet to upload my web page. FURUNO should send a service guy for our internet today, but again, I don't hold my breath.Monday 6 th of July 2009 and we were loading when I came on my morning watch. We had 2 guys
from FURUNO onboard trying to fix our internet. But I started to expect the worst when one of the guys asked me when we will get the Pilot.- At 15:00, I answered.
- Good, first they said 12 o'clock.
- Aren�t you ready at 12? I asked.
- It looks bad. We don't know what it is.But they insisted in that it was a very good system.
- We have many ships using this system and no problem, they explained.
We will be ready at 1 o'clock and they expect 2 hours of paper work. I called the Pilot at 10 o'clock and I gave them our 5 hour notice. At 12 o'clock I called again to confirm 15:00. I had just hanged up when Preem called and told us that they would be 1 hour late.
- Can you please change Pilot until 16:00?
Going for lunch and I checked our newly delivered stores on the way to the mess room. We got the hand pump for pressure testing our hoses and we also got a repair kit for our life boat. I was busy checking our stuff when the Ship owner came onboard to visit us. I had not been seeing him for many years now. I was AB on Tärnsund when he was the Captain onboard during the Christmas 1990
hugged. But of course, we have known each other too long for a simple handshake. Well,it was nice to see him again, he and his brothers are very nice and it's fun when they are onboard. Or as the ship owner told his partner that was with himonboard.- It's impossible to have a serious discussion with Aladdin. Always frolic and lark.
Well, he never lets me forget
when I was Santa Claus onboard Tärnsund back in 1990. And I never let him forget when I missed the ship in Göteborg. I had to take the train to Södertälje. And exactly how fun was it to wake up on my friend's sofa with a hangover force 2,2 (Yeah, back then the hangover never reached more than 2,2) when the ship was on her way to Södertälje? Not very! And if it wasn't forthe missed ship the hangover would have been a goner as soon as I had had a glass of water.Loading delayed a wee bit and Pilot is changed for 16:30 and I think our FURUNO guy is happy for every extra
minute he gets. But honestly, I don't think we will have any internet at departure from Göteborg. And our ship owner said that if he could not fix it they would not bother anymore. They would install the new system that was scheduled for september.- Now we had had enough problems with V-sat! So they can as well install the new system now instead of waiting until september.
This is one of the good things with this owner, quick decisions. I remember when I was Chief Officer on Tärnsund. We had a vetting and we got
complains about the cofferdams around the bunker vents. He just cancelled nextcargo and we went to Fredericia's shipyard to get it fixed. Well, I got 2 days to explore Fredericia's night life.Departure at 16:30 and maybe I can borrow our 2nd Officer's dongle to upload my web page on the way out. 2 days to Norrköping and I'm thinking about buying a dongle there.
Tuesday 7 th of July 2009 and we passed Rødby - Puttgarden and when I took over at 8 we just passed the last ferry. He crossed our bow on the way to Rødby in Denmark and I had 2 ferries coming from Rødby bound for Puttgarden, Germany and they would pass well clear behind of me.
I enjoyed my ROGGEBROOT and tea while watching the AB preparing our hoses for the emergency
cargo pump. We got the new hand pump in Göteborg and now we can pressure test everything we want up to 50 bars. But 18 bars are enough for the cargo hoses.Well, I was on the bridge enjoying my watch when FURUNO called. It was the gay that spent the whole Monday onboard trying to fix our internet.
- I see that you have internet.
- Well, I don't know, I answered.
But the internet was a goner before 10, but at least I managed to get away my e-mails. They have been in the outbox since 27th of June.
The AB on watch called me when he had 12 bars pressure on the cargo hose. Captain relieved me on the bridge and I went down on deck.
The hose looked god and I returned to the bridge while our AB and OS prepared next hose.
- I will be on the bridge drinking tea! Call me when you have 12 bars!
IT'S GOOD TO BE THE CHIEF OFFICER!When we reached Kadettrännan between the Baltic Sea and Fehmarnbelt our AB called again.
- We have 12 bars on the hose.- I'm coming.
Almost the same procedure this time. But this time I went to the engine department first to borrow a Ω meter so I could measure the resistance in the cargo hoses. 1st Engineer came with me to check out what we did, but I was so excited that I forgot to take any pictures.
The same after lunch, we had an oil spill drill and Emergency Steering drill but I forgot to take any pictures. DARN! But I got a picture of our 2nd Officer when he
wrote the oil spill drill report on the bridge after the drills.I went to my cabin to study some Thai and lo and behold, I felt a sleep on my bed.
I woke up just in time for dinner, but I had decided to skip dinners and to have some tuna on the bridge tonight instead. Less than a month to go and I need to crank up my diet a notch.There is another ship with ETA Norrköping tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock. So we have to beat them to the Pilot station and I really hope that we do that. Discharging to Statoil in Norrköping and we expect to be out of there during Thursday. Back to Brofjorden to load full cargo of UMS 95 and back to Norrköping. And it looks like next voyage will be gas oil from Brofjorden to ARA for orders.
Shit, I want to stay in Sweden during the summer.
Wednesday 8 th of July 2009 and we were steaming northwards when I came on my watch. ETA to
Oxelösund Pilot at 10 o'clock, well, a few minutes past 10 to be more precisely. Baltic Seawas like a windmill pond and the sun was shining. I enjoyed my tea and my prepared breakfast and when I was finished I hada quick fagand I started with our pre-arrival checklist.We had given the same ETA as another tanker and first to arrive could proceed alongside and the second ship had to drop anchor waiting.
Well, there was no sign of the other ship when we looked at the AIS and when I called the Pilot at 9 o'clock they told us that we were very welcome and that would get the Pilot on arrival to the pilot boarding area.
At 10 o'clock I went down on deck to receive our Pilot. I discovered our 1st Engineer in the kitchen when I passed by to leave my breakfast plates. I took the opportunity the check out what we would get for lunch. Fish balls, very good. Our Cook made very good fish burgers so I expect the best.
arrival so he is doing what he can to keep appearance.- It will be so nice to go home!
(Meaning: I wish I could stay until you sign off)
- It will be so nice to meet my friends again!
(Meaning: I wish I could stay until you sign off)
- You're the worst Chief Officer I ever meet!
(Meaning: I wish I could stay until you sign off because your the nicest guy I ever meet)
- Yeah-yeah blah-blah
We got the Pilot and a trainee Pilot onboard 15 minutes after 10 and we went to the bridge. Time went pretty quick talking about the good old times with the pilots and I was of to my cabin at 12 o'clock. A few minutes writing on my web page watching the beautiful views through the window above my desk.
The archipelago is beautiful in the summer, of course it�s a different story in the winter. Wehave our visit to Norrköping with Bro Promotion fresh in mind. Ice and 20°C below zero. How fun is that? Nothing was working on deck and the crew had to spend hour after hour steaming pipes on deck. For sure, nothing I'm in a hurry to experience again. just a few minutes away from the jetty.We will get a new AB and Motorman here in Norrköping. I called the new AB in Göteborg and I asked if he could buy an internet dongle for me so hopefully
I will get some order on my internet. But I guess we have to see about that.We had been alongside for a few minutes when our internet kicked in. It has been coming and going during the day so upload is not guaranteed. But I will give it
a try before going to bed with my school books.I guess you will know if the upload works. I take a chance, but to open internet bank or anything
like that is doomed. You never know when it disappears and then you're suddenly findyourself half way through the transaction when the connection disappears.When I finished my Thai studies I went down to the day room and I meet our new Motorman and AB. The AB had the internet dongle for me and I borrowed a hair trimmer from our new Motorman. So I was
connected to the internet with in a few minutes with my new hair cut.LOOKING GOOD!Well, of course, the first thing I found out was that I needed an update
for my SOUNDDEVICE drivers from Dell. I installed the darn thing and the sound disappeared. Not so very nice to be with out music.Luckily enough I was connected to the internet so I could rectify the problem before long and I had TIME 4 CHANGE, a mix tape with
DJ Premier blasting high on the Richter scale in my cabin.Our 2nd Officer has a friend living here in Norrköping and we sent him to buy Perstorp Ättika and anchovy for me. I will bring it to my friend in FUNKY TOWN and if I have to go straight to the airport when I sign off I will not have any chance to buy the stuff. He will make Jansson's frestelse and I was invited to him for some Jansson's Frestelse.
- I don't eat anchovy as you know from previous visits to my web page!
- Yeah, I know. But we can make it without anchovy!
But he didn't take the offer and I had to try alleviatingthe boredom in my cabin until 8 o'clock when I was going on my watch.I was on the bridge 15 minutes before the hour. Preparing my
tea and I was looking forward to enjoying my tea and salad. I don't eat diner since yesterday, so I take my salad to the bridge in the evening and thus I'm dodging all the temptations in the mess room.I was on the bridge when our 2nd Officer's friend arrived over the gangway. Luckily enough I had my camera with me so I could take a few pictures.
OK, I think you understand, well,at least by now you should understand that there is nothing much exciting happening around here and I'm desperate for some pictures for my web page.We kept about 1500m³/h and we will be ready around 4 o'clock in the morning and I ordered Pilot for 04:30. So hopefully
our Pilot will be off the ship when I'm coming on my morningwatch and I can enjoy my good morning tea and tuna. Gale warning for the Baltic Sea and record breaking showers are expected over Gotland tomorrow so maybe I'm going to have to hold on to my tea cup. And then my tea willnot be all that enjoyable.My evening watch went pretty quick. Nothing to do but to look at the computer screens, but Captain came by and later on our Chief Engineer and before I knew it our 2nd Officer came to relieve me. A few quick instructions and I was off to my cabin.
Thursday 9 th of July 2009 and my first though when I woke up was:
- Is the Pilot still onboard or have we left him behind?I looked out my window in my bedroom, only to discover gloom as long as I could see. But no sight of any land so I guessed we had left the pilot behind. After my shower I looked out my windows in my dayroom and now I discovered the Pilot on deck.
Pilot boat was alongside ready to pick up the Pilot. My
good morning mood improved a few notches when I realized that I never had to meet the Pilot, and that's even though there was nothing reminding me of the summer outside. Rain and strong winds.AB on watch blowed the cargo lines and super stripped the tanks so now we are ready for our next cargo in Brofjorden. Coming for lunch and our 2nd Officer on the 4 - 8 watch handed me a jar of snus and his friend's name card.
- No thank you. Bagged snus is for girls only, I said.
- It's not bagged! My friend makes his own snus and he wants you to try it.
Friday 10 th of July 2009 and we had just left the Öresundsbron behind when I came on my morning watch. So I had the opportunity to see the beautiful views of Skåne during my watch. It was quite a few years since I passed through Öresund last time and it was nice. If course the weather could have been better, overcast and dark with strong winds.
The test of our emergency Cargo Pump is due this month. But before we test the pump we want to test our hydraulic power pack under the fo'c's'le. They only test the emergency pump once a year so we want to make sure there is no oil leaks on the high pressure, 225 bars, hydraulic lines before we test the pump.
We have electrical cargo pumps onboard so no hydraulic lines, except for the Emergency Cargo Pump. So on other ships we run the hydraulic system all the times because we have hydraulic cargo pumps and then we see if there is any leaks on the lines. Here we only use the hydraulic once a year when we test the Emergency Cargo Pump so it's good to have a test run to check up the system before we go through the trouble bringing out the Emergency Cargo Pump.
really glad that my diet had worked this time, otherwise I would have to wait outside.We started the power pack and when we had 225 bars
system pressure we checked the hydraulic lines on deck. It looked good and we could stop the pump. I was satisfied, not only by being able to pass through the manhole like a cat. But it's very good todo test runs and you know how the stuff works and that it works.I was back in my cabin after the test run. A few words on my web page and I went to my bed room for some Thai studies. Arrival Brofjorden around 8 o'clock tonight and as it looks now we will drop anchor until 3 o'clock tomorrow morning.
I'm down to my last bottle of diet drink and I suggested that they could have a MOB drill tonight.
- Take the MOB boat to Lysekil and buy some diet drinks.
Well, its a few minutes ride to Lysekil, but the weather is not
so good. Right now anyway, but maybe it's better tonight and the crew wants to go for an ice cream in Lysekil's marina. Should be nice, and its Friday night so there should be plenty life in the marina. According to the AB on my watch, at least when he was inLysekil a few years back there is a floating bar and it's just to tie up the boat and climb in to the bar and order a diet drink. - 9 o'clock tomorrow morning.
Well, that means f@ck all. Can as well be 4 o'clock in the morning or 2 o'clock in the afternoon.
disappeared and the sea looks like a mirror. But it's still rainin the air and the sky is covered with black clouds. So I guess we will skip the MOB trip to Lysekil tonight. Well, I'm better of with out the diet drinks.Our Pilot was onboard at 19:10 and when I came on the bridge we had dropped our anchor between Kåvra and Malmön. Latest news is that we will go inside tomorrow morning between 8 and 9 o'clock in the morning when M/T Bit something is leaving jetty 3.
But again, we don't know for sure until they call us. I hope that I have time for my good morning tea and my prepared breakfast before going inside.
Saturday 11 th of July 2009 and 2nd Officer on the 4 to 8 watch called me 5 minutes earlier
today. And he had good news!- We will start heaving up the anchor at 8 o'clock.
OK, no time for any tea on the bridge so I had two slices of bread and water in my cabin before I went on deck. And where the hell did the summer went. Gloom as far as I could see and after heaving up the anchor I had to go inside to put on a pullover.
We could see the rain blowing over the jetties when
we approaching Preemraff. Typical, as soon as we're on deck it starts to rain.But luckily enough it was only a few drops coming over the ship. But it looked very bad over the jetty as you can see on below picture.
would have been a beautiful morning if itwouldn't have been for the rain.We had all fast at jetty #2 around 10 o'clock and the gangway was down a few minutes later. I went in to take off my pullover before going to the bridge.
Engine department was busy preparing for bunkering, we will get 50 MT of gas oil. I ran in to our Motorman when he was putting scupper plugs on the poop deck. I asked him to
do a scupper plug so I could take a picture. And he gladly did it, happy for a chance to end up on internet. I just closed the door to deck when the rain started to fall, heavy rain and I praised my luck. 5 minutes earlier and I would have been soaked.I stopped in my cabin on the way to the bridge for a quick coffin nail
and to get my by now dry prepared breakfast. No bread, I had the bread before going on deck this morning. Buttuna and tea on the bridge will be nice.I was sucking on my coffin nail when our 1st Engineer passed my cabin.
- THAT'S WHAT I CALL A COMPUTER!
- Can I have a look? Please please!- Well, go ahead. But I'm in a hurry to the bridge.
I took my GOOD MORNING tuna and my phone and I left for the bridge. Loading Master came to the bridge just a minute after me. We did the paper work and we started to load at 11 o'clock. They expect 1200m³/h and that means that we will be ready around 3 o'clock tomorrow morning. But we never know here in Brofjorden, so anything and nothing is expected.
I called my friend, he had called me 1 o'clock this very morning. He had been visiting my web page and he could read that we were anchored next to Malmön.
- Don't you have anything better to do 1 o'clock Friday night? I asked.
Well, he was in Göteborg and he should go up to Malmön with his wife and mother in the afternoon.
- I will call you when we're closing in on Brofjorden.
He called me at 3 o'clock in the afternoon.
- We're in Brofjorden in 40 minutes. Are you ready to leave?- Then it will be almost 4 o'clock and I have no time.- OK, I call you when I'm home and I will take the boat to Brofjorden.- Bring diet drinks!I made a quick estimation and I realised that he would not manage to be here before 5 o'clock. Or
at least not long before 5. Good, I have time for my Thai course. He called when I was in my bed reading and he was on the way. I asked him to call me when he had about 10 minutes to go. He suggested that I should bring a rain coat. OK, maybe it's me having a strange and immature attitude to alcohol. Well, anyway, wesecured my friends boat to the jetty. First mission was to find a hardware store. We walked around Lysekil looking for a hardware store. Saturday evening and of course everything was closed. We tried a convenient store but they didn't have what we were looking for.- I'm hungry my....., friend started to complain.
- Don't you think we should try to find a hardware shop first? Then we have finished all the important stuff and we can spend the rest of the time with frolic and lark?
- I only had breakfast today. I was in a hurry to get up here to meet you!
- OK, where to go? You know the places.
- Let's go to Hotel Lysekil.
Hotel Lysekil was just around the corner from the convenient store. OK, I guess in a place like Lysekil every ting is just around the corner. We entered the place and we were shown a table at the window. We were alone inside, but the terrace was full. I had come half way to the table when I regretted our choose of restaurant.
- Hey let's turn around and get the f@ck out of here!
- I'm so hungry! My friend said.
What the f@ck, the restaurant looked like a dining hall and there were clear traces of the breakfast lying all over the floor.
- What the hell! Don't they clean this place?It was really dirty on the floor and when they decorated the dining hall they must have been looking for the cheapest stuff.
We got the menu (Swedish only, smart move when you're trying to live on the tourists) and I wanted to have crayfish with some sauce for a starter.
- Is the shell removed from the crayfish?
- No, they are cut in half, but the shell is not removed.
- OK, what about the crayfish soup?
- Still comes with the shell on the crayfish.
I decided to skip the started. It was not an impressive menu, 2 A4 papers lying loose in a binder. I'm sure the tourists are impressed.
- I can suggest the Sailor burger, the waiter said.
- OK, bring it with a strawberry smoothie. And a diet drink.
We were waiting and waiting for the food. An American couple arrived and they sat down on the table next to us. I could hear the waitress trying to explain the menu.
-It's not a soup, but it's a soup.
- Get a English menu motherf@cker
, I thought to myself.Waiting, waiting and waiting. Where the hell is the food? After 30 minutes there were no sign of our food our smoothies. The only exciting thing happened was when S/S Bohuslän arrived to the jetty just outside our window. This was fun to watch for about 2 minutes.
- Sir! Your food is ready, but the smoothies are not ready.
- Skip the Sir f@cking bullshit! We spent 5 minutes explained for you that it was never mind when the smoothies came to the table. Before, during or after the meal.
We could not believe our eyes when we saw the waiter on the street outside the window. Now he was carrying provision. I started to scream, yeah, the American couple soiled their pants. Another waiter came running.
- Where the hell is the food? And fer f@cks sake, bring out the vacuum cleaner and clean up the floor. Looks like shit around here!
- The smoothies are not ready!
- Hey! Bozowas here 10 minutes ago and he told us that the food was ready and now he's on the street carrying provision.
I was not very friendly with the staff, but you should have seen the not so impressive Swedish only menu. The prices kept an 5 star restaurant standard. So some f@cking service was expected.
Our food arrived cold. I started to scream again and the nitwit came running. By now my friend was dying of hunger and we told the waiter that it was OK. I was going to send back my Sailor burger, but I kept a happy smile so my friend could eat his crayfish soup and Sailor burger.
10 minutes in to our meal our 2 smoothies arrived.
- Did you order smoothies?
- What the f@ck? We're almost alone here and you can't keep track of the orders.
- Yeah, but we're many people working here so it's hard to keep track.
- And....?
- Yeah , you know, too many cooks spoil the broth and I guess it's the same with the waiters.
- ??!!??!! That was a new one, I said.
The smoothies tasted f@ck all and when we asked for the bill the waiter asked how the meal was.
- Terrible. The worst we ever had, and we have been to some strange places during our days.
- You should have told me that it was cold and we could have warmed it up for you.
OK, I lost it and I suggest that you turn off you parental filters now:
- WHAT THE F@CKING HELL YOU STUPID NITWIT!- HEY DULLARD! THE FOOD IS COMING STRAIGHT FROM THE KITCHEN AND NOWIT SHOULD GO STRAIGHT BACK TO BE COOKED PROPERLY!- BRING IT BACK SO SOME MOTHERF@CKER IN THE KITCHEN CAN PUT IT IN THE MICROWAVER!
- No, we would have fried it again.
- WHAT THE F@CKING HELL! YOU WOULD FRY IT AGAIN WITH SALAD AND EVERYTHING?
If you ever decide to eat in Lysekil stay well, I mean, well clear of Hotel Lysekil. I give themout of 10. That's full pot, I can't remember being at a
restaurant worse than Hotel Lysekil. OK, maybe in India back in the days. But of course, they didn't charge you as much as they did on shitty Hotel Lysekil.My friend was not better than me and he handed outout of 10. He was embarrassed to have brought me to a place like Hotel Lysekil. We will never set foot at the darn place again.
We left Hotel Lysekil with no backward glances. By now it was a nice summer evening and we walked around Lysekil looking at the views. OK, we were walking towards the convenient store and the diet drinks. We were looking for a place to buy soft ice cream, no summer is complete with it. But on the way to the convenient store there was no sign of any soft ice creams.
- OK, we buy it in the marina, my friend suggested.
diet drinks it turns to a ballyhoo. Farmer John pointing at us whispering to his wife.- Look at the strangers! I newer saw something like this.......- But the strangers are quite handsome.
Farmer John caught sight of us walking towards the marina and the soft ice cream we hope to find there.Farmer John pointing at us whispering to his wife.
- Look at the strangers! I newer saw something like this.......- But the strangers are quite handsome.
It went on and on all the way to the marina.
- Are you allowed to run away with the shopping cart?
- I wish we had a few dashing guys in the village!
What did I and my friend say? GET A LIFE!
that goes with the summer:• Eating soft ice cream - Check
• Eating strawberries - Check
• Being refused to enter the outdoor pubs - Check
• Being thrown out from the outdoor pubs - Check
• Passed out on the street - Check
• Swimming in the sea
- Hmm, I guess the trip with my friend's boat counts as a swim in the sea.
OK, I ordered 2 soft ice creams and we enjoyed the
ice cream in the sun shine while looking at the people around us. But there weren�t really as much people around as I had expected for a beautiful Saturday evening in the middle of the summer.- Very quiet for a Saturday evening in the middle of the high season, I said to my friend.
Well, I was happy that I was returning to the ship and I didn't
had to worry about the night life in Lysekil. But it seems like there is much to wish for, at least for a party animal like me.Hmm, or maybe it's because I need a few back up places if Iget thrown out from a place or two. Then it's always good to have a few extra places to choose from.I remembered when I lived in Båstad, another famous summer town, a few years back. We managed to keep the bars busy 24/7. Well, yet another day ashore with my friend had come to an end and it was time to return to Preemraff in Brofjorden.
We brought the shopping cart to the jetty and we loaded my friend's boat with the diet drinks. Lo and behold, the boat got a heavy list due to all the diet drinks. Never mind! Let's f@ck off out of here. Can't wait to leave Lysekil behind me.
after an exciting day.Sunday 12 th of July 2009 and we were just NE of Anholt when I came on my morning watch. We were delayed from Brofjorden this morning. I had ordered Pilot for 00:30. But the Pilot was inward bound with a ship and they would be alongside between midnight thirty and 1 o'clock. Well, Pilot was not onboard until 01:30.
After lunch I and the 2nd Officer went to purge the measuring system for our ballast tanks.
Tomorrow we will calibrate the gas meters and he will soon be ready to be promoted to Chief Officer. Big salary with a big responsibility.I spent the afternoon writing all this bull on my web page. OK, first I read my Thai
books and I will read my other book before going on watch at 8 o'clock. I guess we will be at the ferries between Rødby and Puttgarden when I come on watch.Yeah, we were a wee bit later today than last time passing through Fehmarn Belt. We passed the ferries between Rødby and Puttgarden 30 minutes after I came on watch. But no worries, just 1 ferry on the way from Germany to Denmark and I changed course to starboard and he went clear in front of us.
The AB on my watch told me about, yeas, he is from Lysekil but he lives in Göteborg. Well, anyway, he told me that Lysekil Hotel goes bankrupt every year and that they change owners all the time. The new owner had had the place for 6 months. When it was newly reopened the AB's father had been there for dinner. It was the worst he had experienced and he called the owner to tell him about the service and food.
- We can compensate you next time you come around.
- I will never set foot there again!
Of course, they make their living on the tourists and they stay during the summer and they never come back. But the locals, who live in Lysekil 12 months a year can make a difference between bankruptcy and survival.
- But they never come back twice.
You make an investment in a hotel. You know the history and at least I imagine that you want to make the best of it trying to keep the business going. What's the best thing to do?
1) H ire a bunch of the cheapest nitwits ( I want to do it cheap and thus make a bigger profit) you can find and leave it to them to make the place a success. Now you're a big time hotel owner and you can sit down scratch your arse all day long.
2) T ry to get a good staff. Yeah, quality cost a little extra. Then being there every day to check in on things. If you see that the floor is covered with leftovers from breakfast from God only knows for how many days you ask the guy sitting outside smoking
to get hold of a f@ckingmop and start clean up the mess.I would make sure the Cook was able to at least make a simple hamburger.
Good luck with the place!
Monday 13 th of July 2009 and we have planned for a few drill in the afternoon. I finished my
Björn,
om allt går som det ska så e vi tebaka i Brofjorden på torsdag morgon. Kanske du kan fixa dom däringa kontakterna vi snackade om. 2 st med 4 uttag.
Psst, hoppas inte J blir grön av avund över all exponering du får p� internätet.
om allt går som det ska så e vi tebaka i Brofjorden på torsdag morgon. Kanske du kan fixa dom däringa kontakterna vi snackade om. 2 st med 4 uttag.
Psst, hoppas inte J blir grön av avund över all exponering du får p� internätet.
Well, I started the day with my prepared breakfast and tea on the bridge. Good and healthy, but I'm always hungry for lunch and I will have to come up with a plan for me to avoid the hunger around 12 o'clock. Then I can skip the mess room, and our 2nd
Officer on the 4 to 8 watch will sign off in Norrköping and there is no one to pester in the mess room. So then I can as well stay in my cabin and eat fruit or something.
Our fire alarm went off at 12:45. Fire in the pump room and 1 person is missing. The crew wasquick to report at fire station #1. As a Team leader for smoke diving team #2 we went to the 4th deck. My team was in their smoke divinggear before soon and we were back at fire station #1. I reported smoke diving team ready for action.A missing person, most likely in our smoke filled pump room. A stretcher and oxyvac was prepared on deck in front of the entrance to our pump room. When the fire hose was under pressure the smoke diving team entered the smoke filled pump room.
The smoke diving team had been inside for a few minutes when they found
the missing person on a platform in the pump room. He was brought out on deck where our 2nd Officeradministered 100% oxygen.Very important to get pure oxygen ASAP when you have smoke or chemicals in you lunges. Ordinary air is not enough when you have damaged lunges and the capacity of you lunges is down to maybe
25% of the ordinary capacity. I don't think it's necessary to explain the difference betweenair and pure oxygen.Well, when we were ready with the fire drill we went to the bridge for a ISPS drill. We started with a discussion about the fire drill. What went wrong and what went right? Important if there is any improvements to implement for the next drill and of course if there is a real fire.
- You should do the mistakes during the drills and learn.....
- Blah-blah-blaWell, anyway, ISP drill and today it�s a bomb threat. We had 2 teams searching the ship and the team searching the engine room found a bomb attached to the
ship's side. Out Motorman had made nice bomb dummy. And honestly, much better than my bomb dummies.We have finished 3 drills, fire, rescue of person and ISPS. Now we only need to do the life boat drill before we can call it a day. But first a picture of the crew and I take the opportunity when all of us are on the bridge. So before we left for the life boat I took a picture.
When we were ready with the pictures we left for the life boat 2decks down behind the funnel.We were cross examined about our duties before we entered the life boat. Well, according to instructions we should bring our Survival suites and life jackets. Seriously, I can not see how we are going to get all the stuff in to the life boat. It's hard as it is to get in to the seat, so wearing the life jackets and survival suites is out of question.
And in case of chemical spill or dense smoke we have to use our Escape Breathing Apparatus and then it will be next to impossible to get in to the boat. And imagine the mental status of the crew after spending a week in the life boat. Well, I think 4 hours is enough for the toughest Sailor to break. Then imagine sitting there in 40°C and heavy rolling.
is signing off in Norrköping and he wanted to have copies of my pictures. So I burned a DVD with all the pictures from Tärnvåg for him. I also copied the folder with pictures from Tärnsund when we were ABs together back in 1990 to 91.Inspecting ballast tanks and I had to be on the bridge
at 3 o'clock to do the gas detectors with our 2nd Officer. I brought the DVD for the AB and he was veryhappy to get the pictures. Now he have a souvenir from Tärnvåg and he can spend hours looking at pictures on tedious nights back home in Göteborg.OK, our 2nd Officer and I were calibrating the gas detectors and he was off to check the atmosphere in DB 4P/S so he could go down to inspect the tanks. I was on the bridge having a good time scratching my behind.
Yeah, it's good to be the Chief Officer. You can always say that this is an important step on yourway to promotion.- You should learn how to do the Chief Officers duties so you're ready to take over one of these days.
When 2nd Officer was ready and he had got his shower he was on the bridge relieving me. The tanks looked very good and we filled up the ballast tank inspection reports. I was off to the mess room to prepare my.... Yeah, I have come up with a new master plan.
Hmm, this must be Master plan # 102847!As mentioned before our 2nd Officer on the 4 to 8 watch will sign off in Norrköping and there is no one to pester in the mess room anymore. So now I will prepare breakfast, lunch and dinner in the
evening and I can avoid the mess room during the meals.Well, arriving to the mess room and I instantly wished that I had come up with this idea yesterday. Rhubarb pie with vanilla sauce. Darn! But when I left the empty plates behind I had 3 helpings of tuna and hopefully
I can stay well clear of the mess room tomorrow.Coming on my night watch and we were approaching Gustaf Dalen Light house and Norrk�ping Pilot. Captain and AB on the bridge and we were talking about the good ol' days. The AB on my watch is
going ashore to the hospital tomorrow morning with his elbow. I have had a very strange elbow myself the last 2 weeks. Captain asked how my elbow was.- Still the same I said.
Captain and the AB felt on my elbow. Yeah, my elbow is looking like a pig snout.
- There is water or something in you elbow, they both said.
There is no pain or anything, but I discovered it 2 to 3 weeks ago.
- Maybe you hit your elbow in your sleep, Captain and the AB suggested.
- I don't know. Don't you think I would have noticed?
Captain told us about when he woke up with a broken leg.
- When I got out of bed I could not walk due to the pain so something had happened during my sleep. But I don't know what.
Captain told me to join the AB to the hospital tomorrow morning.- There will be a taxi at 08:00.
Good, I don't have to worry about my elbow anymore. At least I hope
so, our AB has been at the hospital 2 or 3 times and they still don't know what it is. Well, so there will be some earlymorning hospital action to look forward to on www.aladdin.st. It will not be the first time I document my visits to the Doctor. We remember China and Manila, always bringing the web to the next level.Our Pilot was onboard at 22:44 and we expect to be alongside 15 minutes after 2 o'clock in the morning and I really hope that we leave tomorrow afternoon.
Tuesday 14 th of July 2009 and 2nd Officer called me at 07:45. I got straight to the shower and then I had a glass of diet drink and my breakfast tuna. The AB called me a few minutes before 8
o�clock.- The taxi is here.- OK, I'm coming.We stepped in to the waiting taxi a few minutes after 8 o'clock and we were soon on our way.
- So where are you taking us? I asked.
- To the emergency ward.
By then I realised that this trip would be for nothing.
At the emergency ward they know how to take care of emergencies and people brought in by ambulance. Not two sailors and their elbows.We arrived to the emergency ward and we had to pay 300 Scooby dollars each before they wanted to take a look at us.
- Wait outside.
No people in the waiting room so we expected to be called very soon. But you never know.
2 girls
came to pick us up.- Great, 2 doctors, I said.
- We're not doctors! We're nurses.
But the nurses told us that they could not do anything. They booked a time at a Doctor for 13:15
and for me it was:- Maybe good, maybe no good. Maybe it's getting better or worse.
Sweden 2009 and I have paid several tax dollars. But at least we got our 300 Scooby dollars back and we called a taxi. We were back onboard at 0930 and we could go on watch without them having to call out the 12 - 4watch 2 hours earlier.
We stopped to buy newspaper and black bread on the way back to the ship. Our AB will leave for his Doctors appointment at 1 o'clock and hopefully he will have better luck this time. I don't know what to do. They told me to rest my elbow. How do you rest your elbow? They thought I had used the arm to much and this was quite normal. They even had a name for it, but I don't remember what they called it.
We left Norrköping around 5 o'clock in the afternoon and we expect to be in Brofjorden early Thursday morning. I called my friend and he is ready to come pick me up with his boat. So we have to see how the weather is on Thursday, the weather forecast says rain and SW winds over Brofjorden.
Luckily enough we left the Pilot behind just before my night watch so the AB on my watch started to blow our cargo lines. When he was ready we started to ventilate the tanks so we will be ready to load ULSD in Brofjorden.
Wednesday 15 th of July 2009 and today I had to relieve our newly on signing 2nd Officer. Of course I had to relieve him last time he was onboard, but it's the first time this time around. OK,
Jaja Tommy,
du ser ju själv hur bra det blev
med nya ankar surrningen.
Handventilerna har inte kommit än, men hoppas dom kommer innan jag åker hem. Då lägger jag dom där framme med remote ventilerna.
Jaja, nu ångrar duväl att du tog långledigt i regnet. Hadde varit roligare o sitta medOnkel Aladdin i FUNKY TOWN.
du ser ju själv hur bra det blev
med nya ankar surrningen.Handventilerna har inte kommit än, men hoppas dom kommer innan jag åker hem. Då lägger jag dom där framme med remote ventilerna.
Jaja, nu ångrar du
väl att du tog långledigt i regnet. Hadde varit roligare o sitta medOnkel Aladdin i FUNKY TOWN.
a lot of blah-blah-bla to fill up my web page. Well, anyway, Baltic Sea was like a mirror and we steamed SW towards Bornholms Gattet where we will change course to West and pass South of Skåne.Our AB changed the anchor lashing on our port anchor and I ordered 2 more G connections and as soon as we get them we can
change the lashing on Starboards anchor as well. No more rusty wires with broken strands. Everything to avoid beingmistaken for a PanamaGreek ship. We're striving for Swedish standard onboard. Now it looks good and it's much easier for the ABs to lash the anchors. Especially during the winter.Captain came to the bridge for a cup of tea.
- Do you have a cig?
- No, but there is a pack in the top drawer, I said.
He brought out a coffin nail and I asked if he used to smoke because I never saw him smoke before.- No, never, I'm allergic to the smoke.
- Well, maybe you should skip the fag then!
- I guess I would have been smoking if it wasn't for the allergy to smoke.He thought it smelled very good, not the smoke, but the tobacco. I suggested that maybe he was nervous because he is signing off tomorrow. He and his
wife is going to have a children and he will be home for the birth. SoI guess that he will be busy during the leave changing diapers and stuff. So he is pretty excited to go home. And it has been nice working with him. He is one of those working Captains. He knows what he is talking about and if he doesn�t know he finds out. He knows how the equipment works on the bridge and he is not afraid to learn if he doesn�t know.And when he learns there is a good opportunity for the lazy Chief Officer (me) to look over his shoulder and learn at the same time.
Not often you see them. Well, except when you have a company representative onboard. Amazing, people don't know anything about stuff can go on for hours and if you don't know it's easy to come
under the impression that they have invented the stuff on the bridge. Listen to the trite isway too turgid for me. Must be hard trying to keep appearance but you must admire people being able to go on and on about stuff they don't have a clue about. But the company representative is making big eyes in disbelieve wondering:- How could we be so lucky to get this Captain to our company?
When our AB was ready with the anchor lashing he started to remove the platform around our bridge. Well, first he sprayed the area with “rust off” and the topcoat became white again. When the platform is removed our AB on the 12 to 4 watch will chip and paint the area and we hope that we can get rid of the rust running down the side of the superstructure.
But I'm a worried man, coming close to Skåne and the sky turned black and it was soon raining. Half the summer is gone and the last weeks the weather had left plenty to wish for. But we're almost ready with the chipping of the deck and it should not be any problem to be ready in time for the autumn. BUT NO MORE RAIN! PLEASE!
When I came back from the mess room with my prepared breakfast, lunch anddinner for tomorrow. OK, I had the tiniest bit of kålpudding when I was in the mess room. Hard to just walk by Kålpudding. Well, coming back to my cabin and I saw the Öresund's bridge from my window. So we will be clear, or almost clear of Öresund when I get on my watch at 8 o'clock.Öresund and Singapore Strait are my favourite places to pass. The watch turns quick and there is plenty to watch while you're passing the places. Singapore, and obviously it's always nice weather. this is not the case while passing Öresund. But its beautiful views when looking towards Skåne. And of course, this is the area where I grew up. So I know the places.
I called my friend and he is stand-by to come pick me up tomorrow at lunch time. (Weather permitted). Maybe the last time I will see him this time around in Sweden. He is flying to Korea 24th of July for the first gas trail on a new built gas tanker. But I hope to see him in Seoul 19th of August for a few beers. And we will eat dog, Korean BBQ. According to those that have tried
it dog should be delicious. This is the plans, but who knows what happens?Thursday 16 th of July 2009 and I didn't receive any wake up call. Never mind, I was out of bed at 07:30 looking out my window. Mooring at jetty #5 in Brofjorden was in progress. Good, yesterday we were told that we might have to drop anchor at arrival. OK, I can call my friend and he will be here to pick me up around 12 o'clock.
Loading Master and Surveyor was waiting when I came on the bridge. Our 2nd Officer came to the bridge a few minutes after me. He came straight from the mooring operation on the. He filled up the check list and he was of for his watch below. I completed the paperwork at 08:35 and we started to load at 08:50.I called my friend and he will be here just after 12 o'clock to pick me up with his boat. with his boat.- Can he put his boat at the jetty behind us where he uses to stay?
- No, there is a gas tanker so he has to go to the old TUG boat jetty.
I called my friend and I told him that he could not go to the same spot this time.
- There is a gas tanker on jetty #4 so you have to pick me up where we have our head lines.- OK!I was on the jetty 15 minutes after 12 and after a
few minutes I saw my friends boat coming around the corner. I could see that the boat was pretty deep in the water and that they had a hard time to plane and I thought to my self:- Hmm, how many people are they in the boat?When they came closer I discovered that they were only 3 in the boat.- Hmm, should not be any problem!J and his son was onboard the boat, what a pleasant surprise! I had not seen J in a very long time. Well, I meet his son on 2a Långgatans day 30th of May. Well, I stepped onboard and we took off towards Malmön to fill up the boat with gasoline. Luckily enough we arrived to the gas stop during their lunch break so I could not buy any ice cream. But the pump accepted plastic money and my friend filled up the tank and we were off before they opened and I could buy ice cream.
My diet vs. Ice Cream: 1 to 0
were we much deeper in the water, but Smögen was full of pleasure crafts and millions of people walking on at the sea front.The yachts were laying alongside the jetty and
there were up to 10 yachts laying outside of the boats at the jetty. Most of the boats had big loudspeakers on deck with a DJ system. And of course portable diesel generators to have power supply. On someof the boats there were DJs playing and the musicwas blasting over Smögen. I made a mental note over the first thing to forbid when I have made my military coup.• Forbid people to play BAD music.
I mean, why go through the trouble bringing all the equipment just to have some boring Top 10 music blasting from the loudspeakers?
They were drinking beer on all the yachts and I could not help but wondering how they got back onboard in the morning. Coming from a disco and you have to climb over 10 boats before reaching you boat. And how nice would it be to sleep on the boat along the jetty when people are coming back from the disco 4 o'clock in the morning, pissing and puking all over the place. Well, I guess that you have tostay drunk to be able to sleep.Of course, I told my friends about my thoughts. Lo and behold, our last visit to Marstrand (more than 10 years ago) was mentioned before I could finish my sentence.
- You should know! Remember Marstrand? We still have nightmares.
- HOW THE HELL DID YOU MANAGE TO GET BACK ON BOARD?
- Blah-blah Yeah-yeah.
As no surprise we had to put our boat a little bit out of the marina.
Smögen marina was full and we didn�t feel like climbing over 10 sailing boats to get ashore. We tied up the boat and luckily enough we found a place with a ladder. It was easy to get out of the boat, imagine the embarrassment trying to come up from the boat without any ladder.Millions of people walking along the sea front and having 82kg Chief Officer rolling around on the jetty would not have improved my image. Now I stepped up on the jetty like a cat and we started to move towards the action in Smögen. It was a 200m walk to the first ice cream place and of course I stopped to check out what they had to offer.
My diet vs. Ice Cream: 1 to 1
I bought a soft ice cream and we could continue our walk along the sea front.
As I said, plenty people and music every where. But as I told my friend.- Imagine waking up in a boat with 4 other guys. A raving hangover, hot like hell and if there is a shower in the boat it would be a very small one.
I also noted a new trend in the yachting world. A pirate flag. Yeah, seems like this is the latest thing you must be seen with. Most of the sail boats had a pirate flag and it kinds of has turned from a nice accessory to an embarrassment. Imagine the first guy coming to port with a pirate flag in the mast.- Oh! Look at that!
But now? At least I had take down my pirate flag. An eccentricity and originality that has turned in to an embarrassment is not so fun to be seen with. I can imagine the first girl making the black stuff tattoo in the curve of her back must feel pretty much the same. When she was seen with her tattoo.
- Oh! Look at that!
Imagine how she feels today when you see those black tattoos every where you look.
Nice day and I finished my ice cream in a jiff. 3 minutes later we ran in to another ice cream shop and I made my second stop
My diet vs. Ice Cream: 1 to 2
Coming to the end of the jetty and we hadn't passed any restaurant that we like. And if we liked the restaurant it was brimmed with people. OK, pretty much all of them were full. So we walked on
one of the back streets when we passed a Gästgifveri. In Skåne most of the Gästgiveri you pass isworth a visit so we decided to try it out. And I really needed to go to the bathroom by now.- Sorry, but our bathroom broke down yesterday.
- What the.........?
- Try the coffee shop around the corner.
OK, I was a little sceptic and I suggested that we should go look for another place. But my friends were hungry and they wanted to stay. But of course, I'm the only one from Skåne and I might be the only one in our company that understand the meaning of the word Gästgiveri, even if they spell it Gästgifveri. I tried the coffee shop and I was relieved when I returned to Gästgiveriet.
We ordered our food and it was very pleasant surprise. Excellent food and great service. OK, the bathroom incident wasn't anything they could do anything about. Service was ordered and the handy man would be there tomorrow to repair the bathroom.
Gästgiveriet was definitely worth a second visit and they would have scored almost full if they could get some real furniture�s. Some sturdy Swedish pine chairs instead of the flimsy camping styled
furniture�s they had in their garden. I lifted the first chair and it felt apart and I spent the rest of the dinner being afraid of the chair collapsing under me. OK, we can't expect them to be prepared for 700kg Chief Officer coming by for a quick dinner. But anyway...We had a good time eating and it was a delicious meal. But time turns quick and we had to start thinking about going to Kungshamn. We were soon back at the sea front walking back to our boat. I stopped at the very same ice cream shop where I bought my first ice cream. I was waiting and when it was my turn the girl told me that I had to go outside and wait in the ice cream queue.
- What the f..? There are millions of people.
My diet vs. Ice Cream: 2 to 2
had been on about my cap since he layed eye on it in Brofjorden.- Can I borrow your cap? Please!We were watching the people on their boats when we passed through the marina. And I guess there will be a lot more empty bottles in the marina tomorrow morning. It's a shame how they just throw everything in to the water. The bottom of the marina is covered with empty cans and bottles.
Well, now I have seem Smögen and I'm in no hurry to come back. Impossible to get a hotel room and I guess the night life is based on the yachts in the marina. And climbing around in the marina in the wee hours is nothing for me. Maybe when I was young and adventurous.
My diet vs. Ice Cream: 2 to 3
We got what we needed at the hardware store and now we had to find out something to do. J's
son wanted to go back to Malmön for some miniature golf. Sounds great! My friend went in to buy some provision and we were waiting for him outside the shop.Waiting and waiting and I had to go inside to see what have happened to him. The supermarket was full of tourists shopping so this could take long. Coming out again and J was down in the marina buying coffee. I ordered a diet drink.
- Aladdin!
- Who are you?
- I was a deck boy on a ship with you.
It took me 5 minutes to remember Bro Anton and our deck boys. I told him how much work it was with the deck Boys and I got my dietdrink for free. He still charged J a fortune for his coffee.Obviously our deck Boy gave up his career at sea. When he finished
school he had been skiing for 4 months and now he was selling fish in Kungshamn. We drank our diet drink and coffee and when our friend was coming out from the supermarket we were ready to leave.But first he had to buy strawberries, 2 litres and we took the 3 minutes walk to the boat. Nice to leave Kungshamn behind for some miniature golf on Malmön.
we were laughing.Leaving Kungshamn and we were soon soaked again but not as bad as when we came here. And when we turned to East to pass North of Malmön we got the waves in from our tail and we could go full speed until we reached the 5 knots speed limit
just outside Malm�n'smarina. Coming ashore and I was about to piss myself again.- Where is the bathroom? I really need to go! NOW! I mean it!Luckily enough there was a restroom at the miniature golf and when I was done I was ready for some serious ass kickin' on the miniature golf course.
Miniature golf, I really wished they have told me what a
prestigious sport this is on Malmön. If I knew how important this was for them I would have let them win. For me it's, at its best, played as a pastime. But they have a different look on it on Malmön. It's life or death and at times it was scary hearing them talking about old games.- I remember back in 1972 when I had both of my legs in plaster....
- You were cheating at our game 24th of June 1983.....
- Blah-blah-bla... I was blind folded.... Blah-blah.....
Please, let me know next time! I don't mind losing this stupid game!
to use the bicycle. Well, anyway, I was at the last hole and I had been hitting an obstacle a few times too many.- Motherf@c..BIP BIP BIPPING BIP.. What the.....
I swinged my club and the ball, yeah, this would have been something attracting attention from
everybody at any driving range in the world. The ball left the miniature course in supersonic speed.- What the....!!- NO! NO! NO!
- YES! YES!
The ball hit a wooden bar before hitting the girl and I was very relieved. OK, she had a helmet on so most likely she would have survived my swing. But you don't run around hurting children in Sweden without running in to a lot of trouble.- And who the hell let their children play around a golf course?
Before we left for Tärnvåg in Brofjorden we went to the supermarket to buy snus and some other stuff. We left Malmön behind around 7 o'clock and I called 2nd Officer on Tärnvåg.
We need to inform Preemraff that we're coming so they don't think we're terrorists.
- Can you please inform Preemraff that we're coming back with the boat now?
and the gas trail next week and I doubt that we will make it back in time. J will be back on his ship and Seoul will be next time, maybe, we have to see how it goes with the gas trail. It would be very nice if this felt to places and I could go to Seoul 19th of August.Coming back on the jetty and I saw the AB on my watch painting the
platform around the bridge. Good, this side will soon be ready.Coming to my cabin and I opened a diet drink and I checked out the pictures I had been taking during the day and I hope I get time tomorrow to put them on my web page.
Coming on watch at 8 o'clock and we finished loading 20 minutes before I was off my watch
Friday 17 th of July 2009 and we were SW bound NW of Denmark when I came on my morning watch. 2nd Officer told me that our AB on the 12 - 4 watch was left behind in Brofjorden.
- He got gas oil in his eyes and mouth when he took samples.
First the Fire Fighting department in Brofjorden had arrived with the blue light on and they called the ambulance. Our AB called later on and he had left the hospital. Good, nothing serious.
We held a meeting in the evening and I informed the crew and stressed the importance of using protective clothing when handling the cargo.
Saturday 18 th of July 2009 and this summer leaves a lot to wish for. Gloom and grey and I found myself in the middle of an autumn storm when I came on my morning watch. Latest berthing prospects is tomorrow afternoon and then we can make it back in time for Brofjorden so I can meet my friend a last time. Well, we will see. But I gave our Captain a pre warning that I might need to buy some black rum for my friend before arriving to Brofjorden.
I was in my cabin studying when I saw us approaching Sunk anchorage just before 6 o'clock. Good, hopefully
we're anchored when I come on my night watch and I can do the Cargo Handling Sequence Plan for our discharging. I will also have time to do the planning for our next loading in Brofjorden.Sunday 19 th of July 2009 and we were on our way when I looked out my window 15 minutes to 8. We had to wait for a ship departing from VOPAK #1 before we could go alongside. The ship should have left at 1030, but she was a wee bit delayed.
When our jetty was free we could go alongside and we had all fast at 11:45. We expect to stay here for about 24h and we will be in Brofjorden early Wednesday morning and I have plenty time to meet my friend and his wife before they leave for Göteborg and Korea.
Monday 20 th of July 2009 and I could not hear our main engine when they called me at 07:40. I
looked out my window first thing and they we in progress to disconnect the cargo arms.Good, I took my shower and I was on the bridge 5 minutes before 8.
We completed discharging at 07:15 and Pilot was ordered for 9 o'clock S/T. Our Surveyor and Agent were onboard 20 minutes after 8. Yes, I had had plenty time to finish my prepared breakfast and my GOODMORNING tea. Looked like it would be a beautiful day.We did the paper work and our Pilot was onboard 15 minutes before 9 and I went forward to the fo'c's'le where the AB on the 4 to 8 watch was waiting. Last line off at 9 o'clock and early Wednesday morning, well, it will be more like in the middle of the night in Brofjorden.
be a long watch with the Pilot.Bad weather on the way to England and the platforms around the
bridge was full of salt. When our AB was ready with the tank cleaning he flushed the platform with fresh water so they can paint it in the afternoon.Finally, 12 o'clock and I could leave the bridge. Back to my cabin and a glass of diet drink. Skipping lunch and I'm sniffing on
Before
After
I had a glass of diet drink and it tasted bad. My teeth were sticky and when I woke up from my afternoon nap I had a terrible headache. I poured a glass of diet drink at my desk....
- What the f@ck...??!!
It tasted like shit and I looked for a “Best before” date. It was f@cking ordinary soda. I
scrutinized the label and no diet mark was to be discovered. Tasted like shit and we must have got a bottle of ordinary soda in our shopping cart last time in Lysekil.I poured the darn thing in my sink, brushing my teeth and I hope I never have to
drink something like that again. Diet drinks are the best, taste good and no sticky teeth. 2nd time in one day my friend f@ck up my diet and he is not even around. Soit's easy to imagine my diet with a heavy list when we're ashore at a Gästgivferi somewhere in Bohuslän's archipelago.Tuesday 21 st of July 2009 and we were north bound West of Denmark when I came on my morning watch. ETA around 1 o'clock in the morning and latest news is that our jetty is occupied by Bit Okland or something like that. So we will drop our anchor and if we're anchored at lunch tomorrow we will see if my friend can come pick me up on the anchorage.
At 5 o'clock we passed close to Denmark and I called my friend. I told him that we would drop anchor at arrival around 1 o'clock tomorrow morning.
- We don't know when we go alongside.- OK, I will pick you up at the anchorage or at the jetty.After hanging up I got in to my EXCERCISE gear and I went on deck for a constitutional and I also had time to study some Thai before taking my shower and my evening watch. Coming on the bridge
North of Denmark and I tried to tune in some Swedish radio station. Still too far, but we were close enough to be able to hear P3 Hip Hop at 10 o'clock.ETA 00:30 but we have to wait for about 1 hour for the Pilot. Summer time and not enough pilots so we have to wait for the Pilot to come out with Bit Oktavius or what ever the ship is called.
Wednesday 22 nd of July 2009 and I woke up to a beautiful day on Malmön's anchorage. We had strong winds yesterday but today there are no signs of any wind and hopefully
we can stay dryin my friend's boat.We're anchored in the middle of the water highway, popularly called “Blå Bandet” between Göteborg
and Strömstad. Nice weather and the highway are full of both South and North bound pleasurecrafts. Yeah, as mentioned before, it's like a wall. Boats bumper to bumper as long as you can see. I'm looking forward to yet another nice trip through Bohuslän's archipelago with my friend. I hope we can keep my healthy life style upright.Not a word from the Pilot. Our Agent told us that the other ship would leave around midday and now its fifteen minutes before 11 and no news. I talked with my friend this morning and we have a
preliminary PICK UP time set for 1300 at jetty 5. I hope we make it in time.At 11:10 we got news from our Agent. Pilot will be onboard in 20 minutes and it looks like we will make it in time for
the PICK UP at 13:00. My friend told me that he had planned a BBQ in the afternoon.- GREAT!Well, what do you know? We went forward to start heaving up the anchor and a gorgeous day turned in to a gloomy and grey day. Black clouds in the horizon and it looks like it will start to rain any minute. Well, we see. At least we're on our way to our jetty. At 12 o'clock I was in
my cabin preparing myself for the last day with my friend for this summer.My friend arrived 5 minutes before the hour. I was on the bridge trying to call Brofjorden Hamnradio for permission for my friend to come alongside. Mooring operation in progress and I didn't manage to get any contact with the Brofjorden Hamnradio. I called my friend on the phone and I could se him answering the phone from the bridge.
- Yoo, you have to wait a moment until I can clear you.- OK, call me when I can go alongside.No luck with Brofjorden Hamnradio, but I could see our Loading Master on the jetty waiting for the gangway. I went down and the Loading Master told me that my friend could come to pick me up.
It was 13:00 when we had all fast and our gangway was down so I could go ashore. My friend needed to go to Kungshamn to buy material for his house. We decided to go there first before going to Smögen and the Gästgifveri. “Just for a snack” as my friend said.
- We're going to have BBQ later on.
- BBQ, looks like it will start to rain cats and dogs any minute! I said.
Southside of the island and on of the houses belongs to my friend. The marina is on the NE side of Malmön but my friend has an anchor at Haken so he can have his boat there as well.Going to Korea on Saturday and the anchor have most likely served its purpose for this summer. Well, anyway, we went to Haken and we picked up his anchor from the sea bed.
What happened with the weather? A beautifulsummer morning had turned in to something that is best described as a bad day in October. Thesummer really went missing and there were no sign of the summer to be seen anywhere around. Black clouds and cold winds and we decided to goto Malmön's marina and take my friend's car from there.It was so cold I could hardly move my fingers and I can imagine having to take the 30 minutes ride to Kungshamn in my friend's boat. Cold winds and water spray would have killed us. It took us about 5 minutes to get from Haken to the Marina.
We could see that there was almost no people at the miniature golf and that must mean bad weather on Malmön. We remember the drama from last time on Malmön when the people on Malmön
don't play miniature golf it must mean bad weather.- Hmm, I think the popularity of the golf is increasingpari passu with the lack of fun stuff to do.And on Malmön there is nothing much to do. At least not for us below 30 and thus miniature golf is the only way to kill time. I was on the jetty waiting for my friend to secure his boat. It was
Kiosk
noun
a small open-fronted hut or cubicle, from which newspapers, refreshments, tickets, etc. are sold.
• (usu. telephone kiosk ) Brit. a public telephone booth.
• archaic (in Turkey and Iran) a light open pavilion or summer house.
ORIGIN
early 17th cent. (in the sense pavilion): from French kiosque, from Turkish k�sk �pavilion�, from Persian ku�.
This was one of those old traditional kiosks you never see anymore. Today the old kiosks have been transformed to a mixture of post office, convenient store and pizza restaurant. But when I was a kid this was the only kind of kiosk there was. I took a picture of the kiosk. Never know if I run in to anything like it again and. well, I skipped the ice cream.
My diet vs. Ice Cream: 1 to 0
It was a few minutes after 2 o'clock so we have missed the 2 o'clock ferry to the mainland. Next
ferry is 14:30 so my friend bought 2 evening papers in the kiosk and we left for the ferry.We spent 10 minutes reading the evening paper. Well, it was more like we spent 10
minutes with the evening paper. You know how it is with evening papers. There is nothing to read, it's more like a chronicle of scandal and a big piece of gossip.A waste of money and time.
The ferry arrived and we could drive onboard and 10 minutes later we were on the mainland on our way to Kungshamn. We headed for the hardware store and the ice cream shop next to the hard ware shop. No parking spaces and we had to park on the jetty. I stayed behind guarding the car against Meter Maids.
My diet vs. Ice Cream: 2 to 0
We were hungry and we had to find a restaurant. Due to the weather we had decided to skip Smögen's Gästgifveri. They only have an out door service. We found something that looked like it could be worth a visit. They were closed and there was a few “Self service” styled restaurant along the water front and self service is nothing for us. I mean, why go to a restaurant if it's self service? If you're at a restaurant you can as well pay a little extra for good food and service.
- I know a Thai restaurant, my friend said.- Let's go already!
We arrived to the place just to discover that the restaurant have been closed for a very long time. But we meet a guy that went to Navigation school with us back in 1985. I didn't recognise him, but he recognised me. I don't know, but I think my friend had meet him not long ago because
- I know another place down in the marina, my friend suggested.
When we arrived to the marina and restaurant Spättan I was very hungry and delirious with expectation. We were met by a strange, no, it was a bad smell. We tried to choose a table and this was not easy. All the tables were dirty with leftovers on the table. Most of the tables was
actually not even cleared at all. But we were hungry and we choose a table with only a few breadcrumbs on the table. But f@ck it! We left and we will never come back.We left the place and the bad smell behind in search for a new place. After driving around we found a place, I don't even remember the name. Lo and behold, I found the receipt in my valet and on top is written Calmars Veranda. So now we know the name. When we passed I was at least to say sceptic.
- It looks like a coffee shop.
But we were hungry and by now it was soon time for BBQ on Malmön so we decided to give it a try. We found a place to park the car and we took the 2 minutes walk to Calmars Veranda. It turned out
to be a nice place and the food was good. And when in Kungshamn this seems to be the only place to eat if you want something different from pizza.My friend needed to buy some provision and I suggested COOP that we passed on the way in to Kungshamn.
- Let's try ICA Skeppet, he said.
- But there are millions of tourists and it will take hours.
Yeah, we entered ICA Skeppet and we turned around again, as I said, too much people at the
supermarket in the marina. And of course, with weather like this Kungshamn has notingmore than shopping to offer the tourists. And for sure, Kungshamn will not make it high on the list over places with opportunities for “Fine Dining”. So what to do when in Kungshamn?- Let's go to the supermarket.
We turned around and we bought strawberries outside the entrance. The girl recognised me. Of course, with a shirt like that. And seriously, we had not
spotted too many handsome guys around. So she was happy to see me again.I wish we could have stayed, but we were in a hurry to get out of Kungshamn and we left Kungshamn with strawberries. And of course the disappointed girl outside ICA Skeppet was looking after us wondering when Mr. Handsome will show up again.
- NOT IN THE NEAR FUTURE!
We stopped at COOP on the way out from Kungshamn and as we guessed, no people. We got our stuff and I got a new load of diet drinks and, not
Pumpernickel, but Pumpernickel styled bread. We were soon on the way to the ferry to Malmön and we made it just in time for the 16:40 ferry.Before going back to my friend's house we stopped to buy some charcoal for the BBQ. I got 2 “BABY SIZED” bottles of diet drinks as well. Always good to have a little something to suck on.
My friend's wife was busy with the grill when we arrived, and we arrived in the nick of time. They were very low on charcoal and I took charge ASAP. I ripped open the bag of charcoal and poured it over the grill. Luckily enough my friend's mother had called us and asked if we had bought any charcoal.
- DARN! We had forgotten about the charcoal!
Well, there is a Supermarket on Malmön and we got a bag before continuing. When I had the fire going I went to pick some dry twigs. My friend brought me my mail ( I got my mail sent to his address in Göteborg) and everything ended up on the fire.
- What...??!!I never saw him working before. OK, we remember back in May when he moved his mother�s lawn.
This was the first time I had seen him doing what he calls “HARD WORK”. I have always been complaining and nagging on my friend.- Now you have to help your mother.....
- How hard can it be to move this very small lawn?
- A little work will do you good.....
And his mother has always thought that I'm complaining too much on her son. Well, getting married
was the best thing happening to my friend. Now he is a totally different man and his wife has done a hell of a job to make a man out of him. Or as I use to tell him:- Your wife is the best thing ever happened to you.
Well, obviously it's not only my friend she puts in to work. I
was pestering my friend taking pictures when she came with the food. Suddenly I found my self on the BBQ detail. A big responsibility. They always blame the Cook when something goes wrong. And wrong it went!I put the meat on the grill and I returned to the kitchen to see if there was any last
second instructions. I ended up talking about the good old times with my friend's wife and mother. And yes, when I came out again the meat was black, burnt so it looked likecharcoal. So I stayed glued to the grill when I did the salmon and sausages.The dinner was excellent and I was like a boa when my friend's mother said that she had made a redcurrant pie for dessert. But by then we were in a hurry. My friend and his wife will return to Göteborg and they will drop me off at preemraff on the way to Göteborg. And we need to take the 7 o'clock ferry to make it to Preemraff in time.So no time for dessert. My friend finished the work with the house and his wife brought all their bags to the car. What did I do? Well, I can't miss redcurrant pie. Especially when his mother had gone through the trouble making it. Deliciousand ice cream was served with the pie. But I skipped the ice cream!!!
My diet vs. Ice Cream: 3 to 0
We managed to get to the ferry in time and I was back onboard 10 minutes before 8. My friend and his wife left for Göteborg and I had had yet another nice day in Brofjorden thanks to my friend and his family.
Well, I don't regret coming to work for Tärntank this summer. It has been like a summer holiday. But without the party and thus I haven't suffered from one single hangover this summer.
As my friend said:
You have been on Malmön to start the season at midsummer and today you have been here when we finished the season. Well, finish the season in July, but with this weather it felt like October. But of course, if he wasn't going to Korea he would have been staying for another month or so. But his wife and mother will stay until the summer is over.
As my friend said:
You have been on Malmön to start the season at midsummer and today you have been here when we finished the season. Well, finish the season in July, but with this weather it felt like October. But of course, if he wasn't going to Korea he would have been staying for another month or so. But his wife and mother will stay until the summer is over.
Thursday 23 rd of July 2009 and we were North of Denmark when I came on my morning watch. I
could listen to Swedish Radio until about 10 o'clock and then the signal was to weak so I had to turn on my language course.We left Brofjorden around 4 o'clock in the morning and we expect to be at Humber Pilot tomorrow afternoon. Latest berthing prospects is for 2200 tomorrow evening. Good, I will have enough time to make 1 more voyage before going home 5th of August.
After lunch we held a safety meeting on the bridge and when we were ready I was of to my cabin and my language course. I didn't study anything yesterday, but I can take a day off. At least once or twice a month to go ashore visiting my friend. And anyway, I'm too old to learn a new language. It's more like a pastime for me.
Friday 24 th of July 2009 and the weather was a wee bit better when I came on the bridge for my morning watch. After a few day with cold weather it was nice to see how it improved by the hour.
Especially when we're going to try our Emergency Cargo Pump in the afternoon.We got our voyage instructions for the next voyage. ARA for order is changed to Thames for order. Full cargo of ULSD and I expect to be back in Brofjorden 3rd of August where I will sign off. And hopefully
we will be in time. And Idon't want to sign off earlier than the 3rd wasting time waiting for my flight in Göteborg. And that's even though I'm paid while waiting!Our OS helped the AB on my watch to prepare the pump and it was ready for test 10 minutes after 12 when we had agreed to meet forward. I was 5 minutes late.
GOOD TO BE THE CHIEF OFFICER!The OS and AB were waiting for me when I came. Our AB and I went down under the fo'c's'le to start the power pack and we were ready to go.
But of course, before we could start I had totake a few pictures.- How much space do you have for picture on your web page?
- No problem. There is plenty space, I said.
- Yeah, your always taking pictures.We had the pump in an empty drum that our AB had filled with water and we were ready to start as soon as I had my pictures. And honestly, it took longer to get my pictures than to test the pump. I had to move around the guys so we got the sun and shadows right.
Our OS and I stayed clear of the pump and the AB was in charge over the hydraulic control. I told the AB to start slow so I could get a few pictures of the working pump.
GOOD TO BE THE CHIEF OFFICER!Well, of course, I had to give a few stupid pointers just to show that I
was on top off things. Even if the crew does an excellent job I can always tell them to move it just an mm. Never mind the mm, but I can go sit in the day room telling everyone that I have done a hell off a job.While they were busy taking in the Emergency Cargo Pump I checked out our tank radar. The IG pressure sensors seem to be busted. And this is a new digital type of IG pressure sensor. So no chance to adjust them. We will try to clean the sensors and if it doesn�t work we have to order new sensors. Expensive! But first we need to find the
time, maybe on the way back to Brofjorden.I was back in my cabin and my language course before 1 o'clock. I really need to get on with my school books. I have missed a lot the last 2 days and I will be busy studying
my books in the afternoon. Well, I hope I can stay awake. I only slept for about 2 to 3 hours last night.My last chance to impress my teachers back home. Well, I have pretty much given up the
Before
After
We dropped anchor in the afternoon waiting for the tide. We expect to heave up our anchor at 1930 and we will be alongside at 22:00 S/T (21:00 L/T)
Saturday 25 th of July 2009 and we were discharging when I came on my morning watch. If we're lucky we will be ready to leave at 17:45, dead line to leave. If we miss this we have to wait until the evening. All this due to the tide water.
I studied my Thai after lunch and when I woke up it was 7 o'clock. I thought it was 7 in the morning, but it was 7 in the evening. DARN! I will find it hard to fall a sleep tonight. But
after 2 or 3 nights of no sleep I was tired. Never mind how tired I am, I don't fall a sleep until early morning.Well, anyway, coming out of bed and I discovered that the Technician had managed to repair our internet. But I was soon to discover that it was so slow that it was the same as no internet.
Looking out my window 15 minutes before 8 and I could see that the pilot boat was coming to pick up the pilot. I was looking forward to a night watch with out the Pilot.
Enjoying tea and music while the AB is doing the tank cleaning on deck.
Sunday 26 th of July 2009 and it was a beautiful morning. Sunshine and no wind. But 14°C is a wee bit cold for July. The AB cleaned the pressure sensors in our SAAB tank radar. Still not working and I'm afraid that we have to order 3 new sensors. But after 5 years it's not so bad. I think that they have only been needed to change 1 sensor during the 5 years since she was delivered from the shipyard.
Latest news is that we have to drop anchor at arrival to Brofjorden. Berthing prospects, late evening on the 27th of July. Our 2nd Officer needs to be on his new ship 7 o'clock on the 5th of August and I need to be on the airport on the 5th of August.
So our dead line is the 4th of August.
So please, no more delays! I don't want to miss my flight.
Looking out my window was not a nice experience. The sky was black and this summer must be one of the worst I can remember.For sure, time to leave Sweden. This summer is gone by now. I don't think it will be any better in
August and the autumn will be early this year. I'm better off in school back home.Coming on the bridge and we had just started to load ULSD. We expect to leave Brofjorden tonight and today I will stay onboard.
Pretty boring around here when my friend is in Korea. But I have my school books so I will kill time improving my language skills. But of course, I would have been better off ashore eating ice cream.
And what a day! Looking out my window did exactly nothing to improve my mood. Rain and black clouds as far as I could see.
I spent the whole afternoon in my cabin trying to alleviate the boredom. This has so far been the worst day since I came onboard.
We got a new Captain today and he will be onboard for 3 weeks before going home. I knew him from before, we relieved each other as ABs back in the days and I think I relieved him as Chief Officer a few years back. But I'm not sure about that.
We completed loading at 19:50 and we left Brofjorden at 23:30. Wednesday afternoon at Sunk Pilot. Berthing prospects? I don't know.
Tuesday 28 th of July 2009 and when I came on my morning watch we were North West of Denmark. Sunshine, but it was blowing force 6 from SW and it was about 14°C. So I'm convinced
that this is the autumn coming. But I'm soon out of here so it's never mind.
And what a day! Looking out my window did exactly nothing to improve my mood. Rain and black clouds as far as I could see.
I spent the whole afternoon in my cabin trying to alleviate the boredom. This has so far been the worst day since I came onboard.
We got a new Captain today and he will be onboard for 3 weeks before going home. I knew him from before, we relieved each other as ABs back in the days and I think I relieved him as Chief Officer a few years back. But I'm not sure about that.
We completed loading at 19:50 and we left Brofjorden at 23:30. Wednesday afternoon at Sunk Pilot. Berthing prospects? I don't know.
Tuesday 28 th of July 2009 and when I came on my morning watch we were North West of Denmark. Sunshine, but it was blowing force 6 from SW and it was about 14°C. So I'm convinced
that this is the autumn coming. But I'm soon out of here so it's never mind. Our computer based maintenance program is almost completed for the month of July 2009. I have
to do a safety round, check our mooring ropes and calibrate 3 of our gas meters. Our mooring ropes are OK, we turned 2 ropes forward last month. The AB on my watch and I had
planned to do the safety round on deck after lunch.
The AB was in my cabin 10 minutes after 12 and we had aquick coffin nail before we left for deck. Well, it looks good on deck.
The only thing is the hook for our deck crane, but I will order a new hook and this problem will be solved and we're keeping a clear record. Well, to have a good AB on deck is very important when you're the Chief Officer and you want to keep the ship in good order.
The AB on my watch is a very good and experienced AB and this helps me a lot. Otherwise I would have to run around doing a lot of extra work. Now I can stay in my cabin drinking diet drinks and scratch my behind all day long.
GOOD TO BE THE CHIEF OFFICER!
We were in the pipe trunk when the AB on the 12 to 4 watch came passing us on his way forward
to the stores. He needs to change the wire brush on his machine. He is chipping rust on the superstructure. And we're in a hurry to get the ship ready or the owners will be grumpy.
to do a safety round, check our mooring ropes and calibrate 3 of our gas meters. Our mooring ropes are OK, we turned 2 ropes forward last month. The AB on my watch and I hadplanned to do the safety round on deck after lunch.The AB was in my cabin 10 minutes after 12 and we had a
quick coffin nail before we left for deck. Well, it looks good on deck.The only thing is the hook for our deck crane, but I will order a new hook and this problem will be solved and we're keeping a clear record. Well, to have a good AB on deck is very important when you're the Chief Officer and you want to keep the ship in good order.
The AB on my watch is a very good and experienced AB and this helps me a lot. Otherwise I would have to run around doing a lot of extra work. Now I can stay in my cabin drinking diet drinks and scratch my behind all day long.
GOOD TO BE THE CHIEF OFFICER!We were in the pipe trunk when the AB on the 12 to 4 watch came passing us on his way forward
to the stores. He needs to change the wire brush on his machine. He is chipping rust on the superstructure. And we're in a hurry to get the ship ready or the owners will be grumpy.
Most of the summer had disappeared in the rain. And today we have water spray on deck when we're heading against the wind and sea towards Sunk pilot.
And before going to bed, I was on the last hole in my belt when coming on my night watch. So the
Before
After
And of course, the 250 US$ I have to pay our Cook every time he caught me eating helps a lot. Yeah, I was ridden by agony the other day when things got out of hand So I burst in to our
Cook's cabin.- I'M VERY DISAPOINTED AT YOU! MY DIET IS GOING DOWN THE DRAIN!
I had to offer him something to get my diet back on track.
- OK, I give you 250 US$ every time you see me eating.
Wednesday 29 th of July 2009 and the summer weather had not improved much during the night. The wind had decreased a bit, but it was raining and painting was not to think about. Our OS was chipping on deck and when the weather improves he can cup brush and paint. AB on my watch is greasing and I'm on the bridge drinking tea.
15:00 is our ETA to the anchorage and latest berthing prospects is for the 1st of August. Hopefully
not later, then my flight will be by chance. But my reliever is arriving to Sweden on the 2nd of August and he will have a night of rest after his long flight. So the handover should be a very quick one. My reliever has been on the ship for a very long time
and I'm pretty much stand-by to leave as soon as he sets foot on deck. But will there
be time to buy birthday gifts for my Teacher?
But as I said to the AB the other night:
- Better to stay well clear of any birthday parties. You never know if you have a glass of wine to manyand you make a complete tit out of yourself. Then you have to start look for a new school and I like this school very much.
My friend will come visit FUNKY TOWN on Friday the 7th of August and I'm better off making a fool out of my self at some disco where I never have to go again.
and I'm pretty much stand-by to leave as soon as he sets foot on deck. But will therebe time to buy birthday gifts for my Teacher?But as I said to the AB the other night:
- Better to stay well clear of any birthday parties. You never know if you have a glass of wine to many
and you make a complete tit out of yourself. Then you have to start look for a new school and I like this school very much.My friend will come visit FUNKY TOWN on Friday the 7th of August and I'm better off making a fool out of my self at some disco where I never have to go again.
And thanks' to my friend Björn, always with his camera stand-by. He never misses an opportunity
to get a picture of our “A wee bit tipsy” Hero.Impossible to forget all the pictures he took outside my hotel in Göteborg at the evening of the 29th of May this very year. And of course, he wasn't satisfied with 1 picture. So now I have a photo treasure to last me an eternity.
Plenty to choose from, our Hero with snus in all his face, our Hero with out the snus in his face and our Hero when he is taking a power nap. No end to the ghastliness and once again:
THANK YOU FOR HAVING YOUR CAMERA
STAND-BY AND MAKING IT POSSIBLE TO MAKE A TIT OUT OF MYSELF ON THE INTERNET!! - NEXT TIME LEARN TO SEE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DRUNK AND MOTION SICK!
Nota bene, I was suffering from a severe jet lag
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- Hmm, I might be better off waiting for a few weeks. I have to admit that I look like a sandglass right now. So there is plenty to go before I achieve my goal with the V shaped torso, but
it's the last hole.We were anchored when I came on my night watch. But no news or any berthing prospects. Bit Okland is anchored not far away from us and we will discharge after her.
During the night the sky became even darker and it stated to rain and we had gale force in the gusts. So it's a very nice summer evening.
Thursday 30 th of July 2009 and we're still anchored. Internet is a goner, OK, can't say that its a
surprise. What a waste of money this internet. Sending Technicians around the world trying to repair the darn thing. And then the monthly fee on top off that.We have one more drill for this month. A MOB boat drill, but the weather left a lot to wish for and
it's not possible to launch the MOB boat. But it looks like we have to stay here for a few days and maybe the weather improves.Sitting anchor watch and suddenly our internet kicked in. I got an, well, actually 2 e-mails from a guy in Norway. He had been an AB on M/T Bituma with me back in 1993. He had his
cousin from USA visiting him in Norway and they were searching for Bituma on the internet. What a surprise to find himself on the internet and his cousin was impressed.1993, that's 16 years ago and DARN! Time turns quick! And I remember it like it was yesterday. And who can forget the drama in Dunkerque?
I went ashore with the other 2 ABs. We went to the
beach, there are plenty bars along the beach road. We had a few drinks while talking with the locals. It was a niceFrench pub with good music. Of course, this was way before the dawn of my French Hip Hop era.- I will order a submarine, my friend said.
A submarine is a shot of Jägermeister or something and you drop the glass in a big glass of beer. I think it tastes like s... There's no accounting for tastes. But I think this is a Scandinavian thing and I don't think they know what it is in France. Well, I'm pretty sure they don't know by the look on
the waitress face when we ordered the darn submarines.- Well, good luck explaining this for the French bartender, I said.
First they dropped an empty shot glass in his beer. Well, then he got a shot glass of J�germeister in a big glass filled with ice. Not exactly what he wanted.
Well, anchor watch and the time turns slow. By mistake, yeah, and I ended on yet another stupid
“DATING SITE”. At least time turned quick while lying about my self. Andthe beauty of it? I can always blame it on my sausage fingers slipping on the keyboard.I get nervous, especially when it comes to age and weight and then it's easy to slip with my fingers and thus making a mistake.
Do we get back in Sweden in time for my flight to FUNKY TOWN? I heard M/T Fure Nord taking Pilot at the end of my watch and Bit Oktani is still anchored. Maybe I have to leave the ship here in London in order to make it back in time.
Coming on my night watch and we had the latest berthing prospects from our Agent. 3 ships ahead of us and we�re looking at early morning the 2nd of August. So it looks like I will have to fly home from here on Sunday.
Friday 31 st of July 2009 and the wind was gone when I came on my morning watch. Some swell, but otherwise the North Sea looked like a mirror. So maybe we can launch our MOB boat today.
We're delayed and no way we will make it back to Sweden for the 2nd of August when my reliever will arrive to Göteborg. Captain sent a message to the crewing agency in Manila and asked them to change the ticket to London. Well, obviously England (The backward bastards) isn't a member of schengen and my Pilipino reliever can't come to relieve me in London.
Well, I guess this is the time when they get use for their expensive Personnel Manager at the office on Donsö. I expect some KICK A** action. Captain came on the bridge asking me to call the office.
- They wonder if you can change the ticket.
They can call me, it won't help if I call them and they know this is about my dead line for the student visa. The ticket is good for 1 year.
- But all this should be clear to them as we discussed this back in May, I said.
Our Personnel Manager called and, well, looks like I have to stay until Brofjorden and my flight are by chance only. If we, at best, will be back in Brofjorden midnight 5th of August. And that is if all
goes well. But it's good for me, I don't have to waste time in Göteborg. Driving straight from Brofjorden to Göteborg Airport. Well, with a quick stop for buying a birthday present for my Teacher.Well, if we're delayed I will have to get more diet drinks. I got a case from Captain and after lunch my fridge was filled with diet drinks.
August 2009
Saturday 1 st
of August 2009
and August started the same way July ended, anchored waiting for berth. At least I have diet drinks to last me until it's time to sign off.Hopefully
this will last until the 5th of August. But more important is that I'm off the ship at 7 o'clock Wednesday morning so I can be in Göteborg 9 o'clock. Latest berthing prospects, late PM on the 2nd of August and I will be a NO SHOW for my flight Wednesday afternoon. Unless, of course, something dramatically is happening.
Sunday 2 nd of August 2009 and today should be the day we're going alongside. Or I can as well
forget the visa business and stay here until October. More days more dollars as we use to say in the business. But easy come easy go so I would not mind being off the ship Wednesday evening no matter how much money I would make to stay.It was pretty nice weather when I came on my morning watch, and 2nd Officer told me that we were on the Port of London�s web page for going alongside in the evening. So I was in a good mood.
We got news from our Agent. Berthing at 19:00 L/T (20:00 S/T). Finally some good news and I sent my ticket number to the company so they can change my ticket. And as I wrote:
Dead line is Thursday. If you don't get a seat you can as well send my reliever to another ship and I can stay until October and you can reimburse me for my VISA expenses. Missing my Teachers birthday? Well, there is no
way to make up for that. And well, I already missed it.
After my watch I was down to my cabin to collect my empty diet drink bottles. One of our ABs is collecting them. He is home now, but when he
comes back he will bring them ashore for recycling and he will make a lot of money out of the empty bottles.And when collecting my bottles I could as well start to prepare my bags for going home. My suitcase is full of hats and birthday presents from my friend and his wife. A few bottles of wine and the stuff we got for my friend in Norrköping.
So there isn't much space left so most of my shirts was thrown away Socks and stuff will be left behind on my hotel room when leaving for the airport.
I had my lunch tuna and cheese in my cabin while deleting my profile from the stupid dating site. I don't have the time to sit and send stupid messages. Yeah, we remember Balloo and all the other stuff from Bro Promotion. It was pretty much the same here.- Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii Yeah, nothing to write and you try to stretch the Hi for as long as you can.
- Hi, how are you? Where do you live?
- Yahoo, you have?
- What is Yahoo?
- Send messages
- I'm too old to sit and send stupid SMS on the computer.
- Number mobile me XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
- OK, why don't we just realize that it will never be us?
- You are very strict!
Strict??!! Me??!! Obviously she haven't seen the pictures of me outside my hotel and unnecessary to say, I stopped right there and I deleted my profile. There was an 18 year old that showed her interest. What the hell? OK, I might have been a wee bit careless when I entered my age, but not that careless! Why would I want to meet with an l8 years old? Would at least to say be embarrassing to walk around town with an 18 years old. Well as I said to my friend:
D e ju bara trollen som är intresserade och inte trollungarna
Then we expect to be in Brofjorden on Wednesday if all goes well. Hopefully
, yeah, I really hope they can get me on a flight on Thursday so I will be home on Friday.I relieved 2nd Officer on deck and we had first line ashore at 20:05 and all fast at VOPAK 2 @
20:25. Back on the bridge we did the paper work while I had the house music blastinghigh on the Richter scale.We started discharging at 22:30 and hopefully
we're out of here tomorrow night. But at VOPAK anything can happen, but no stops are planned according to the Loading Master. At 23:20 I had topped off all our tanks 1 by 1 in order to deactivate the 95% alarm. 3 pumps @ 90% and we reached the maximum allowed 7 bars. Rate, around 800m³/h.Monday 3 rd of August 2009 and discharging was in full swing when I came on the bridge at 8
o'clock to relieve the 2nd Officer. A gorgeous day with sunshine and the summer feeling was back. The first thing 2nd Officer told me when I came on the bridge was:- You should call the Personnel Manager
- What the......??!!
- He can not reach the 2 numbers in Thailand to change your ticket.
- But he should call LUFTHANSA in Sweden.
I will call him later on, first is time for breakfast and I have the time, one and a half hour until we have to strip the first tanks.
I put on a kettle and while waiting for the water to boil I tuned in a nice radio station. I enjoyed the beautiful morning while eating my tuna and drinking my tea. And of course, good music on full blast from the entertainment centre.
- Why are you calling Bangkok?
- To change your ticket.
- You should call LUFTHANSA in Sweden.
I told him once again that he had to call LUFTHANSA to change my ticket and 2 hours later my new flight details came with e-mail.
confirmed and a hotel between Wednesday and Thursday in GöteborgLooks like we will be ready to leave around 8 o'clock tonight if we can keep this rate and of course, without any stoppages. We had to make a short stop while changing our gangway, but this was only for 10 minutes so it should not delay us too much.
2 plates of salad for lunch and I had some laundry in the
machine while eating. I will have to do one more machine with laundry tomorrow and I'm pretty much ready to leave.Well, it's the same on all ships. Last trip is so boring! You don't want to start anything new, not
even start to read a new book. So I'm spending the afternoons in my cabin alleviating the boredom with my Thai books.When I came on my night watch it was only paper work left to do and we departed from VOPAK jetty 2 at 20:30. I have to spend the whole watch with the Pilot on the bridge.
Tuesday 4 th of August 2009 and it was nice weather when I came on my second last morning watch
before going home on Wednesday. We're making 15 knots and we will be alongside in Brofjorden 2 o'clock tomorrow afternoon. All goes well.Captain had his coffee on the bridge and when we were
ready with our Cock-and-bull stories he relieved me so I could go down in cargo tank 1 Starboard to get our sampler. Yeah, the sampler is stuck in the tank again, this time in 1 Starboard.AB and OS were waiting for me at the tank when I came forward. The tank had been force ventilated since 6 o'clock this morning
and there was no gas when we measured the gas. I took the opportunity to get some action picturesfor my web page. And of course they were happy.- YES!! ON INTERNET AGAIN!I and the AB went down in the tank and we took up the sampler.
Before leaving I took a few pictures of the pump.So now you will know what a Svanehøj cargo pump look like. And should be clear from the pictures that this is not a deep well pump. OK, I will throw in a picture of a FRAMO deep well pump so it's easier to see the difference. Deep well, one pump in each tank and one of our Svanehøj pumps is serving 2 tanks. It's easy to understand that one Svanehøj could have served more than 2 tanks if we just connect the suction pipes to the pump.
The Svanehøj is no where near the well. Pretty much the same as having a pump room.
Jaja, Björn. Dags att åka hem och väskan är packad.
Och på bilden framgår det ju med önskvärd tydlighet
vilken ordning det blir i den gammle resväskan med sko och “laundry” påsarna.
Skulle gärna tagit med dom till Seoul och visat, men då blir d nog bara den gammle hederlige “weekend baggen” man tar med sig.
Ska fan gå o bära på en massa skit när man e ute o far. Långa resor ska vara snabba och bekväma.
Och som den raske nautiker du är så noterar du ju kvickt att väskan också är full av tok roliga hattar, elkontakter, ättika (Skånsk), ansjovis, en massa vit vin och en apelsin press.
Och på bilden framgår det ju med önskvärd tydlighet
vilken ordning det blir i den gammle resväskan med sko och “laundry” påsarna.Skulle gärna tagit med dom till Seoul och visat, men då blir d nog bara den gammle hederlige “weekend baggen” man tar med sig.
Ska fan gå o bära på en massa skit när man e ute o far. Långa resor ska vara snabba och bekväma.
Och som den raske nautiker du är så noterar du ju kvickt att väskan också är full av tok roliga hattar, elkontakter, ättika (Skånsk), ansjovis, en massa vit vin och en apelsin press.
We expect our reliever to be here around 2 o'clock in the afternoon and then we have to take off with smokin' and screamin' tyres in order to be at the first pit stop in a jiff.
Coming out from the shower and I discovered a pleasant surprise. I opened my fridge to get a cold diet drink. There were more than I had expected. So if I dink 4 today I can have 3 tomorrow.
- Hmm, or if I drink 5 today and I can still have 2 tomorrow.My bags are packed and I did my last laundry in the evening and it will be dry tomorrow. I have a set of cloths that I will use tomorrow and when I leave my hotel for the airport they will be left behind in the garbage bin.
I spent the evening watching a movie on my computer. Computer, that's the best way to watch computer. I can do my web page at the same time. I'm too impatient and restless to be able to sit down doing noting. So after a few minutes of watching the movie I switch over to Dreamwaver and my web page. But it�s soon time to go on my last night watch.
Wednesday 5 th of August 2009 and I discovered a beautiful summer morning when I came on my morning watch just North of Skagen, Denmark. I can't remember a day like this for at least a month. The sea was like a mirror and the sun was shining.
My last watch and we were making almost 16 knots. ETA Pilot station 15 minutes before 12 o'clock. Time was turning slow, yeah, the last watch is always short. But Captain spent most of my watch on the bridge and that helped to alleviate the boredom.
- HEY! TAKE OVER HERE FOR A MINUTE! I told Captain and I rushed down to get my camera.Our 2nd Engineer was on deck shaking my carpets.
- I need a picture of this.I was in my cabin on 2 steps and I grabbed my camera. 2 seconds later I was on deck. I missed when he did my first carpet, but I caught him doing my second carpet.
- That's the spirit! Finally we found some use for you! Smile! You're on internet.
I got my pictures and I returned to the bridge. we will drop anchor at arrival and we will go in to the pilot station with
our MOB boat. Relievers expect to arrive between 1 and 1 thirty.I went on deck where the AB was waiting for the Pilot boat. Pilot stepped onboard and the first thing he said was:
- Aren't you in FUNKY TOWN?
- How do you know about FUNKY TOWN?
- I read you web page every now and then.
- How do you know about my web page?
- It was the Seagoing Personnel Manager at Broström
that told me about it.When our Pilot and I came up on the bridge it was almost time for me to go on my watch below.
Low on the diet drinks and I had been careful drinking them in
order to make them last as long as possible with the result that I had plenty diet drinks in my fridge. Well, coming down to my cabin after my watch and I had to drink diet drinks like there was no tomorrow.And, well, there is actually no tomorrow because I'm leaving today and I had hardly time to finish my
last diet drink when it was time to leave at 1 o'clock.I came down with my first bag and the MOB boat was prepared.
- Our relievers are arriving to the Pilot station in 5 minutes.
- Why didn't anyone tell me?
I was back in my cabin to get my computer and last bag. We left the Tärnvåg 10 minutes after 1 o'clock. Motorman was driving the MOB boat. It was 2nd Engineer, 2nd Officer and I signing off. So there was not much space left in the MOB boat with 4 persons and luggage.
Agent left my reliever in the port. A misunderstanding and our Agent delivered my reliever at Lysekil Pilot station 5 minutes later.We had a few suitcases with us and while waiting for my reliever I went to
get the rented car down to the Pilot station.They had parked the car 500m from the Pilot station and it's better to bring the car to the bags than to carry the bags to the car. My reliever arrived with the Agent a few seconds after we had loaded our luggage in the rented car.
We have to take the way around Trollhättan to leave the 2nd Officer at the lock. He is signing on a small boat travelling between Göteborg and Stockholm. We will go to Göteborg and 2nd Engineer will leave me at my hotel before continuing to his home in Kalmar.
OK, finally, I'm off the ship heading for FUNKY TOWN
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OK, it has come to my knowledge that we have senior citizens at 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!
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 g'ng vi träffas.
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.
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” sopraSprechen 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 g'ng vi träffas.
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