Another lockdown… another commute

[OhOh]

If your course transits the Strait of Messina shut those portholes and plug your ears with wax.

[Mendip]

So long as the skipper stays off the grog we should give the Strait of Messina a wide berth.

I worked there many years ago as there's a few subsea pipelines between Messina and the mainland. I didn't notice any sea monsters but I do remember there being piles of plastic water bottles caught against the sides of the pipelines for hundreds of metres. I've never seen so much litter underwater since.


This morning we had a nice Portuguese sunrise. Tomorrow we'll have another Spanish sunrise which will herald the start of a very special day for me.

[malmomike77]

Strap in Mendip, the skipper has got wind of you doing a reverse migration, hopping over the side at the straits of Gib and making a swim for the dark continent and all those dusky maidens.

[Edmond]

Cracking sunsets.

Must be heaven getting to warmer climes after the North Sea.

Do you know what you and the ship will do after the Black Sea gig is done and dusted?

[Topper]

I'm going for Thursday night at 11:22 pm.

[helge]

Oct 9 -0200

[Mendip]

Well, you wouldn't want to be winning your own competition, would you?

I don't see why not... I've always fancied a Fez!

Must be heaven getting to warmer climes after the North Sea.

Do you know what you and the ship will do after the Black Sea gig is done and dusted?

It's nice, you can feel the weather getting a bit warmer every day. I must admit that as my work goes, it doesn't get much better than this.

My plan is to do the first 6 weeks of the Black Sea work and then call it a day. That will have given me a 12 week trip, which is definitely long enough on a boat. Then around mid November I'll head back to the UK to stay with my mum for a couple of weeks, get my second Pfizer shot and arrange a CoE, or whatever is required by then. The boat has 8 weeks work in the Black Sea and already a 5 day follow-on job on in the Adriatic. The company are bidding for more work in the area but it's already looking as though next year's Equinor work in Norway may start up as early as January, so the boat will head back straight after the Adriatic. The company has to tread a line between getting extra work in the Med but not pissing off their steady clients. Next year is looking extremely busy... but I also thought that in the Autumn of 2019 and look what happened... I just hope travel is possible so I can take advantage of it.

At least... I say that's my plan but I'm currently battling with the HSE department. They've just got wind of my schedule to stay onboard for 12 weeks and aren't happy... want me to take a 2 week break. They usually only allow 4 or 6 week trips and I'd avoided their attention since my work will be split across two different clients. That's the problem with Norwegians... they think that everyone else can only do 2 week trips and live a short flight away from work. They don't realise there's a big wide world out there.


Anyway, tonight we're rounding Cape St Vincent at the southern tip of Portugal... and then on to the Strait of Gibraltar and in to the Med. It's looking like bad timing for me and I'll have to stay up late after my bedtime if I want to see Gibraltar.

[Saint Willy]

I say that's my plan but I'm currently battling with the HSE department. They've just got wind of my schedule to stay onboard for 12 weeks and aren't happy... want me to take a 2 week break.

Bugger.

Good luck with that.

[Stumpy]

I must admit that as my work goes, it doesn't get much better than this.

I gotta say Mendy. Its like being on a small cruise ship with awesome views, albeit marginal food and zero entertainment. They need a skeet shooting or golf ball driving platform out back and at least a small sky lounge with a few beers on Tap.

[ootai]

I must admit that as my work goes, it doesn't get much better than this.

I gotta say Mendy. Its like being on a small cruise ship with awesome views, albeit marginal food and zero entertainment. They need a skeet shooting or golf ball driving platform out back and at least a small sky lounge with a few beers on Tap.

Unfortunately JP some people have to actually work and can't just laze around by the pool drinking beer and whisky like someone I know.

[baldrick]

HSE department. They've just got wind of my schedule to stay onboard for 12 weeks and aren't happy... want me to take a 2 week break

health and safety - ask them why they want you to hop off the boat in a covid infested country ? tell them that for your own safety you want to stay on board

[Headworx]

^Or, do the world a favour by stabbing the worthless cvnts in the neck with a pair of rusty scissors and throw them overboard. Assuming you think you could get away with it, obviously.

[malmomike77]

Careful on the lash in the Nople Mendip

Drunk Turkish man reported missing joins search party and ‘finds himself’ in forest

​A drunk Turkish man who was reported missing “found himself” after inadvertently joining the search party sent out to look for him

Beyhan Mutlu, who is living in Inegol in the northwestern province of Bursa, was reported missing on Tuesday.


His family alerted authorities after he failed to return home from a drinking session with friends and didn’t return phone calls.


Officials said Mr Mutlu, 50, wandered into a forest and could not be found by his friends, Turkish media outlet Daily Sabah reported.


A search party was dispatched to the area and Mr Mutlu ended up meeting them in the woods, according to the report.


Officials reportedly had no idea that Mr Mutlu was the man they had been looking for and he joined the search party for several hours before “finding himself”.


Reports say Mr Mutlu became aware that he was the one the search party was looking for after they began shouting his name.


Authorities reportedly took a statement from Mr Mutlu before taking home to his loved ones.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/drunk-turkish-man-search-party-b1929897.html

[Stumpy]

Unfortunately JP some people have to actually work and can't just laze around by the pool drinking beer and whisky like someone I know.

Wait just a minute there Mr. CRT. Mendy doesn't work 24/7 so a ship of that size should have some sort of employee recreational area. A small Gym is nice but there should be other things to do.

[Saint Willy]

a few beers on Tap.

The key!

some people have to actually work and can't just laze around by the pool drinking beer and whisky like someone I know.

Don't forget BBQs...

[Shy Guava]

I have been on the blower with the skipper and am plumping (no pun intended) for 9AM arrival, or shortly after, on the 9th October. What was the prize again?

[Shutree]

What was the prize again?

I'm pretty sure it had something to do with exotic dancers.

[Mendip]

health and safety - ask them why they want you to hop off the boat in a covid infested country ? tell them that for your own safety you want to stay on board

Exactly... that was one of my points.

They judge everyone by their own staff... so if a crew change goes one day later than the two weeks all hell breaks loose. When I started doing this you stayed onboard until the job was finished, regardless how long it took.

They are desperate for personnel... the industry's become very busy this year and a combination of Covid and Brexit has made it extremely difficult for Norwegian contractors to find people. I mentioned to the OM that if they insist on me taking a break from the boat, then they can just fly me direct to Gothenburg. That Swedish company I worked for last year has loads of work as well.

^Or, do the world a favour by stabbing the worthless cvnts in the neck with a pair of rusty scissors and throw them overboard.

Sadly they are in the Haugesund office many miles away. I doubt many have even seen a boat, let alone worked on one.

[Mendip]

Wait just a minute there Mr. CRT. Mendy doesn't work 24/7 so a ship of that size should have some sort of employee recreational area. A small Gym is nice but there should be other things to do.

You've gotta make your own entertainment when working on a boat JP... all you need is a bit of imagination.

By the way, what does 'CRT' stand for?

[Mendip]

I have been on the blower with the skipper and am plumping (no pun intended) for 9AM arrival, or shortly after, on the 10th October. What was the prize again?

I had a chat with the skipper yesterday, and told him if anyone calls just give some bullshit time to get rid of them.

He mentioned you called SG... we had a good laugh about that. Good luck with '9AM'!

The prizes, although it's not as though you have a chance, will be a Fez, a box of Turkish Delight or a pair of Turkish ear hair clippers. All subject to availability of course.

If you want an erotic dancer it looks as though you'll have to call Shutree!

Another beautiful sunrise this morning looking eastwards across the Gulf of Cadiz.



Well, slightly south of east, to be exact.

[Edmond]

^ cracking sunrises/sunsets.

you stayed onboard until the job was finished, regardless how long it took.

Sounds like prostitute customer service training.

They are desperate for personnel.

Don't suppose that stretches to people with zero geological education and experience, and a penchant for manicures.

[malmomike77]

Don't suppose that stretches to people with zero geological education and experience, and a penchant for manicures.

Pop to the UK and pass your HGV test, i'm sure you could get away with a booster cushion

[Edmond]

HGV test

Already done and came back negative.



Praise the lord.

[ootai]

By the way, what does 'CRT' stand for?

Mendip I had to ask him the same thing. It stands for "cathode ray tube".
I think he was trying to be funny insinuating that I could see his oversize pictures because I had an old monitor.
He won't admit that its his problem not mine I just have to put up with his inability to understand that not everyone has the latest and greatest.
My computer monitor is barely 6 months old and the display resolution is set the same as his monitor but there you are a manager who blames everyone but himself.

[Mendip]

^ cracking sunrises/sunsets.

Don't suppose that stretches to people with zero geological education and experience, and a penchant for manicures.

You were doing well until you mentioned 'manicures'.

Too much fancy personal grooming and you'll get some unwanted attention. It's all rough and ready types out here.

No sunsets, it's all been sunrises so far. I'm doing this strange 2am ish to 2pm ish shift, although if I want to see the Strait of Gibraltar I'll have to stay up late today.