Another lockdown… another commute

[Edmond]

In your 30 years, have you ever experienced a man overboard situation, Mendy?

[Mendip]

^ Not an official one, no.

An ROV guy once went over the side at Immingham but that was alcohol related and very much hushed up.

He was lucky to survive and would have lost his job if management had found out.

[armstrong]

I would like to amend my entry to 16.00 on Thursday 7th

Yeah I want to change mine as soon as he lands

[armstrong]

Topper:- Thursday night at 11:22 pm
happynz:- 08/10/2021 at 06:45 AM
mudcat:- October 8, 7:09 AM

malmomike77:- 09.00 on the 8th
JPPR2:- Oct 8 @ 9:38am
nidhogg:- 10:35am on Friday October 8th
Mendip: I'll kick it off with 10:45am on Friday October 8th (included as the marker).
Saint willy:- 10:46am on on Friday October 8th
Joe 90:- Friday, 8th at 12 noon
Shutree:- 14:15 hrs Istanbul local time on Friday, October 8th.
Headworx:- 16:37 on Friday
David48:- 07:10 pm on Friday October 8th
helge:- Oct 9 -0200 (helge, ever the optimist)
Shy Guava 9.00am 9th.

Armstrong: the boat sinks

[malmomike77]

Yeah I want to change mine as soon as he lands

Nid!!!!!

[reddog]

Put my oar in the water here.
Friday 8th at 11.23 am

[nidhogg]

Dunno who died and made me thread skivvy.

here you go:

Thursday 7th
malmomike77:- 16.00 on Thursday 7th
Topper:- Thursday night at 11:22 pm

Friday 8th
happynz:- 08/10/2021 at 06:45 AM
mudcat:- October 8, 7:09 AM
JPPR2:- Oct 8 @ 9:38am
nidhogg:- 10:35am on Friday October 8th
Mendip: I'll kick it off with 10:45am on Friday October 8th (included as the marker).
Saint willy:- 10:46am on on Friday October 8th
reddog: Friday 8th at 11.23 am
Joe 90:- Friday, 8th at 12 noon
Shutree:- 14:15 hrs Istanbul local time on Friday, October 8th.
Headworx:- 16:37 on Friday
David48:- 07:10 pm on Friday October 8th

Saturday 9th
helge:- Oct 9 -0200 (helge, ever the optimist)
Shy Guava 9.00am 9th.


Armstrong: the boat sinks

[malmomike77]

Erm, Mendip can you ask the skipper to push forward on his little throttle, say 15 knots?

[David48atTD]

Dunno who died and made me thread skivvy.

I think this was the defining moment ...

I am obviously way more OCD than I thought.

[David48atTD]

Erm, Mendip can you ask the skipper to push forward on his little throttle, say 15 knots?

Mendip, belay that order ... 8/10 knots is a safer speed in these troubled times ... I got my 07:10 pm on Friday October 8th to consider

[ootai]

Still an awesome thread this really enjoying it.whenni logged on this time I found myself thinking of a kiwi mate of mine who I have known for about 20 years or so.
My mate Greg's a Greaser. Meaning he's down in the engine room . Greg's hearing is shite and in fact a couple of times we've had to fight our way out of bars coz people thought Greg was obnoxious and loud. He was neither but the volume definately went. We didn't give a fuck.

My missus says the same about me. I tell her its not that I can't hear I just switch off cause I can't understand what the fuk they are talking about so I just don't listen.
And same as with you I couldn't give a fuck either.

[nidhogg]

I think this was the defining moment ...

Fair point. My thread bitch position is noted.

[Looper]

I've long been a fan of Nelson and have a superb model of his HMS Victory at home.

The bloke that sold me my comparatively modest little HM Bark Endeavour, replete with tiny Captain Cook and Jake the Peg, said he was working on an HMS Victory and was going to get in touch.

I might have to dig out his details.

[beerlaodrinker]

I had captain cooks ship the endeavour that was about the same size bought it on one of our roadies to Vietnam. Had to sell it before moving back to oz they don't like wood products. The attention to detail was amazing

[ootai]

I had captain cooks ship the endeavour that was about the same size bought it on one of our roadies to Vietnam. Had to sell it before moving back to oz they don't like wood products. The attention to detail was amazing

Yes they don't like wooden stuff because of the risk of borers etc. but you can still bring that stuff in you just have to pay to have it spend time in quarantine and undergo fumigation.

[Shutree]

There were three little dolphins riding on the bow wave. The plopping splashes were caused by the dolphins jumping and playing.

That is a great shot. There are worse places to work.

[Joe 90]

I had captain cooks ship the endeavour that was about the same size bought it on one of our roadies to Vietnam. Had to sell it before moving back to oz they don't like wood products. The attention to detail was amazing

Thought I saw you on endeavouring to transport it...

[malmomike77]

because of the risk of borers etc. and undergo fumigation.

Nail on head, TD could do with some fumigation to get rid of some borers.

[Mendip]

That is a great shot. There are worse places to work.

Yes, there surely are.

The weather is warming up nicely now and I spend an hour on the helideck after my shift. I'm the only person on this night shift so it's just like being at home... I sit alone. No dogs or Ja Dong though.

The sea air has done my feet the world of good and they're looking better than ever!

Cool to see the stars showing in your phone pics.

Is there much light pollution from the ship when out in the middle of the ocean in the dead of night, or do you get views of the Milky Way in all its glory?

Here ya go... I don't know how the stars look from land but last night they looked pretty twinkly from the Med.

Erm, Mendip can you ask the skipper to push forward on his little throttle, say 15 knots?

No can do I'm afraid... which is good because the sooner we get there, the sooner the new project gets started and I'll have to start earning my money. I'm in no rush.

The economic speed for this boat is around 7 knots and we're now doing a steady 11 knots. I guess there's a trade-off between fuel economy and taking an extra week to make the transit. The mobilisation will be a lump sum so it's in the contractor's interest to get on site soonest to start earning again. To get some idea of the cost of these transits, several years ago I transited back from Rio to to Aberdeen and the fuel cost was around $100,000 US... it was slightly further than this voyage but on a much smaller boat, so maybe the cost is comparable.

I barely want to mention this because I'd hate to be the cause of a flurry of new estimates, but I had a small ETA update from the skipper today. Put it this way, if I was a betting man I'd say that Headworx and Dave are the favourites just now, closely followed by Helge and Shy Guava. Dave may be be the red hot favourite...


I never realised how big Algeria is and we seem to have been off the Algerian coast for ages. I was a bit late for the sunrise this morning, I guess because as we head eastwards the sunrises are getting a bit earlier every day.

You really notice the subtle difference between each sunrise at sea. The boat seems to be listing slightly to starboard at the moment and I really hope that the engineers are just fukking about with the ballast... or else maybe Armstrong is in with a shout after all.



Just now we're passing the Algerian-Tunisian border and then onward between Tunisia and Sicily. Unless we suddenly get a spectacular eruption from Mount Etna I very much doubt we'll see any evidence of land until the Greek islands.

[Saint Willy]

bludger!

And that sky pic doesnt really show any stars.

[malmomike77]

The boat seems to be listing slightly to starboard at the moment

Asking for a friend, which side of the boat are you standing on

[ootai]

Y

I was a bit late for the sunrise this morning, I guess because as we head eastwards the sunrises are getting a bit earlier every day.

Mendip I actually expected better than this from an educated fellow like yourself.
Sunrise is sunrise just set your clock forward an hour and the sunrise (according to you) will be late.
Or better still throw your watch in your bag and just look out the window, sorry porthole to see when the sun is rising above the horizon.
have you ever thought about why they have at least 24 different time zones around the world?

So after not being very keen on doing the transit voyage what is your opinion now?
For me I am very envious.

[David48atTD]

Asking for a friend, which side of the boat are you standing on

Aft

The backside

[malmomike77]

The backside

The one you are up, with your insider knowledge. I demand another comp to guess on !!!!

[Mendip]

Asking for a friend, which side of the boat are you standing on

Tell your friend that if he look at the pic, he'll see I was standing dead centre.


^^^ Yeah, I should have worded it better Ootai. Relative to ship's time the sunrise is a little earlier every day... very noticeable during a long voyage heading eastwards. I set an alarm every day to remind me to go and watch the sunrise but was late today. So what's this time zone theory you have? Pray tell.

I barely want to answer your question for fear of being called a moaner... but you did ask. A transit is better than spending a trip in the Norwegian Sea, mainly because the boat is empty and I can suit myself regarding shifts. But it's still 12 hour shifts on a boat with nothing but sea to look at. Had I been allowed to work in the Norwegian office I'd be earning considerably more money and could have an after work pint or two every day.

There really is nothing to be envious of... the horizon is the horizon, whatever sea you are in. I guess it's like someone who's never flown being envious of a person going on a long haul flight. It may sound good until you do it.