Another lockdown… another commute

[Headworx]

I am so looking forward to the day when I can just get on a flight and go somewhere without having to do all this shit.

Has Brexit affected you in any ways?

[Mendip]

^ Apart from losing a load of work due to it no longer being possible to work onshore in Norway, being limited to 90 days work in any 180 day period elsewhere in Europe, now spending hours in the 'All Passport' queues at European airports, having to visit immigration offices when joining/leaving a vessel, filling up passport pages at a rate of knots due to all the extra stamps now given and watching my pound slump... hardly at all to be honest.

[Headworx]

Yeah but besides all that, has Brexit had any real affect?


Sorry mate, couldn't help myself

[David48atTD]

Perhaps it’s Bob?

Bob Down(e)

[Shutree]

imagine being able to fly back to the UK and getting treatment because you have an NHS number.

Technically, he can't. I am lifelong fully paid up on my NI but if they realise that you are not ordinarily resident you have to pay. It sucks.

Economic migrant refugee, free. British born and fully paid, pay again.

[Saint Willy]

Bob Down(e)

more like this Bob

[katie23]

@shutree or any UK person - is there a residency requirement (how many days per year) for a UK citizen to be able to access NHS services? Just curious... TIA...

(It was via TD that I learned that the UK pension is index-linked in PH, but not in TH. Prior to that, I didn't even know about "index-linked" pensions. TD is still a fount of info.)

[Mendip]

On another matter, I studied your Black Sea nearly-a-dolphin picture and realise that you are now vying with me for the TD Wildlife Photographer of the Year title.

Vying with and surpassing!

All it takes is perseverance Shutree...



The Black Sea Common Dolphin!



We had a big pod around the boat this morning.

[malmomike77]

Definitely a job in the BBC wildlife unit in Bristol waiting for you

[Shutree]

@shutree or any UK person - is there a residency requirement (how many days per year) for a UK citizen to be able to access NHS services? Just curious... TIA...

Sorry, I don't know the exact details. According to the Interwebby, if you are a UK national who has lived outside the UK for 3 months in the past year then you can be charged.

Entitlement to Free NHS Hospital Treatment by Non-Resident UK Citizens
This leaflet has been compiled to explain the entitlement requirements for free NHS hospital treatment in the UK for Non-Resident UK Citizens
• The NHS does not normally provide free hospital treatment for people who do not reside in the UK even if they are UK nationals.


https://www.essexlmc.org.uk/wp-conte...UKcitizens.pdf

That doesn't mean that I'd automatically be charged, some doctors make a point of not asking. Emergency care in A&E should still be free. Cancer treatment, I'd probably have to pay.

[Reg Dingle]

Cancer treatment, I'd probably have to pay.

I very much doubt that, . Anyone can get life saving treatment here for free...If you state you are back in the UK to stay you won't have to pay for anything.

The covid vaccines are free to anyone who is in the UK. Mendip just wants it all in one place on the NHS app, I believe...of which he will need an NHS number.

The surgery waiting times aren't as bad as Mendips mother says and if he just registers at a doctors he will get one.

I think it was about a week or 2 weeks for the wife to get an NHS number after I registered her with my GP.

Although I did have to pay 1300 pounds to the fukkin NHS for her.

Filthy swashbuckling whoremongering Bremoaners should be charged too, I reckon

[Shutree]

The covid vaccines are free to anyone who is in the UK. Mendip just wants it all in one place on the NHS app, I believe...of which he will need an NHS number.

Yes, Covid jabs are free to anyone. There are walkin centres my children used and I doubt they know their NHS numbers. It will probably be on the computer.

For Mendip, I took my NHS number off one of those letters they sent to my past address, forwarded because I pay the Post Office. I think it was an invitation for routine screening. Does your mum ever receive anything like that for you?

[malmomike77]

Mendip, the NHS app provides a lovely PDF with your details on for each jab and a nice QR code. That's where the good news ends. The ThaiPass site which i have been playing with asks you to upload all docs as jpegs. How many of us get our travel insurance in jpegs, NHS COVID docs etc . Its going to be fun

[Mendip]

^ That's strange... for my CoE I uploaded all documents as PDF, but I guess it's no problem to convert everything to Jpeg, or just print everything out and take a decent picture. I'll have to remember to print all my documents before leaving the boat.

Further research leads me to believe that getting a second Pfizer jab in the UK will be no problem. Today we're just off the Russian coast and I got mobile phone signals enabling me to register on the NHS app. I used my past Post Code etc and it all seems OK. I had to upload a picture of my UK Driving License and then record a little video of me saying some numbers which I also had to upload and now I have to wait a day or so while it's being processed for proof or ID.

My plan is to get a jab, have it uploaded onto this app and then print it off... that'll give me two paper copies. I'll try and see if I can get my Norwegian jab uploaded but I don't think that'll be possible. Regardless, things are moving along nicely.

Yes, Covid jabs are free to anyone. There are walkin centres my children used and I doubt they know their NHS numbers. It will probably be on the computer.

For Mendip, I took my NHS number off one of those letters they sent to my past address, forwarded because I pay the Post Office. I think it was an invitation for routine screening. Does your mum ever receive anything like that for you?

Thanks Shutree, I've got no letters but I emailed the doctor's surgery asking if they can send me my NHS Number, and also when I registered with this NHS app it let me see the last 4 digits of my NHS number, so it seems to be out there and linked to my name. Hopefully I'll be able to see the rest of the digits once I've passed the ID process but all said and done it doesn't seem like I'll need it. I think that I'll be heading back to Thailand early December fully jabbed up, no problem!

Definitely a job in the BBC wildlife unit in Bristol waiting for you

Wouldn't it be great to follow in Johnny Morris's footsteps! I've been considering a change in career path for the past 20 years or so.

Yesterday I took this shot of some Black Sea jelly fish.



Last night we broke off work and headed towards the Russian coast to clear immigration to allow us to work in the 12 nautical mile limit. We've got quite a few days work scheduled within the Russian territorial waters.

This is where we are.



We first headed in to Novorossiysk and then on up the coast to Anapa. There's very strict corridors that foreign shipping has to adhere to. Here's the Russian coast in this part of the world.





Prince Charles would be well impressed with the sympathetic architecture that just blends into the landscape.



This looks a bit ominous...



On we headed to the north.



I took a little peak off the front of the helideck and there were more Black Sea Common Dolphins riding on the bow wave. I'm starting to think these aren't quite as rare as I at first thought. They're bladdy everywhere!



We've seen quite a lot of dead dolphins on the seabed but it's hard to know if they're dying off regularly or whether once dead and lying on the seabed they just stay there without decomposing. The anoxic conditions at the seabed in the Black Sea stops anything rotting, preserving the dead bodies seemingly forever. Guys I know who have worked on the Bluestream Pipelines, also across the Black Sea between Russia and Turkey, say that every year they see the same dead dolphin that's been there at least since 2005.

These guys were very much alive and having a whale of a time.



Pictures don't do them justice. They effortlessly ride the bow wave with no signs of any movement.



And another... just cos I can!



But enough of that. We had some good geology on the way up to Anapa to divert my attention away from the dolphins.



We just had to round this headland and get into the bay. The dolphins left us about here, maybe the water gets a bit polluted?



And then we reached Anapa and had to wait out in the bay for the immigration officials...

... and wait...



And wait...

Anapa is apparently a Black Sea resort for Russians in the summer. Nice beaches.



And a well protected anchorage as well.



I bet those beaches would be packed in the summer. Do the Russians sunbathe topless I wonder?



Eventually a boat turned up with a gang of Russian sprayers. They went around our ship spraying everywhere against Covid.

After this the immigration people turned up, a whole load of 'em. We had to do what they call 'Face Time', comparing everyone to their Passports and Seaman's Books. Once this got going it actually went quite fast which was good for yours truly on the nightshift. Now we just have to wait for clearance to start work. There's a big Russian holiday on for 5 days which won't help, neither will a lot of lockdowns currently in place in Russia which has a huge Covid problem just now. We could be waiting for ages.

Still, at least we're sheltered and the sea's nice and calm.



This is where we are... just east of the Crimean Peninsular.



This is just about the furthest east we'll be on this project and once the Russian coastal work is finished we have many hundreds more kilometres of pipeline to inspect between Russia and Turkey.

That's not all my problem though... just two more weeks to go for me. November 17th is my crew change when I will finally step on dry land again for first time since getting cold and wet in Haugesund, on the west coast of Norway back in September.

[malmomike77]

I have to wait a day or so while it's being processed for proof or ID.

Fingers crossed

[Headworx]

Do the Russians sunbathe topless I wonder?

They most certainly do when in Thailand, one might assume they do at home too.

[Mendip]

^ Nice.

We don't get action like that up in Korat. In fact the closest I get is my old Ja Dong neighbour who tends to go braless. She's nearly 80 and is so stooped over when she walks I can't help but see down the front of her baggy tops.

[bsnub]

We don't get action like that up in Korat.

[Saint Willy]

^ Nice.

We don't get action like that up in Korat. In fact the closest I get is my old Ja Dong neighbour who tends to go braless. She's nearly 80 and is so stooped over when she walks I can't help but see down the front of her baggy tops.

Perving on grannies! You oughta be ashamed, Mendy!

[Topper]

Perving on grannies! You oughta be ashamed, Mendy!

Well, not everyone is up to the task..

[malmomike77]

She's nearly 80 and is so stooped over when she walks I can't help but see down the front of her baggy tops.

Have you considered the mental anguish you've caused the poor lady. Bending over in your silk wicking sweat stained skids with all those folds exposed and more hair than a soi dog, she probably thinks two can play at that game.

[Mendip]

Filthy swashbuckling whoremongering Bremoaners should be charged too, I reckon

You seem to know some unsavory types.

But just on the off-chance you're aiming those insults at me, I can refute every one... although I'll go along with 'swashbuckling', I don't mind that.

Fingers crossed

Just to show the power of perseverance...


Tonight at the start of my shift I had two emails waiting for me.

One from the NHS...

The information, photo and video you sent us passed our checks.
You can now use your NHS login to access NHS App.
You may need your NHS number to use some services.
Your NHS number is xxxxxxxxxx.


And the second from my doctor's surgery, where it seems I have been registered for the past 40 years, although I'd imagine there are new doctors since the 1980s.


Thank you for contacting Mendip's Doctor's Surgery.

You are still registered with Mendip's Doctor's Surgery and your NHS number is xxxxxxxxxx.

The easiest way to get booked in for your vaccine is going to be to call 119, they will be able to book you in for any of the clinics locally.

Kind Regards


So, it's all systems go. All I have to do is stay sane for another two weeks on this damn boat, get meself back to the UK while avoiding any Turkish stamps in the passport I'll enter Thailand on, get a second Covid jab as soon as I arrive in the UK and then sit back to eat pies and drink cider while waiting 14 days to get my fully vaccinated status.

Oh, and sort out my entry to Thailand on this Thailand Pass thingy.

[Saint Willy]

All the best Mendy

[katie23]

@mendip - safe travels. Hang in there, it's just 2 more weeks. Btw have you said "maganda ka pa sa umaga" (you're more beautiful than the morning) to the Filipina stewardess? If you're planning to make a move, you should do it soon I think!

@shutree - thnx for the answer. Re: being eligible for the NHS (or other countries' govt health services), I think if one paid for the contributions then one should be able to access it.

IIRC, Crackerjack/ Jandajoy flew regularly to Australia to get cancer treatment (pre-covid). Then covid happened & he was unable to go to Oz for treatment. May he RIP.

[Reg Dingle]

have you said "maganda ka pa sa umaga" (you're more beautiful than the morning) to the Filipina stewardess?

If you put that into Google translate it comes out as "You are still beautiful in the morning" not "more beautiful than the morning"

Sounds like something Mendy would jovially utter on one of his passport runs at dawn to some chew your arm off ladybloke munter with one eyebrow, run make up and raging boner.

Uudelleenohjausilmoitus