Quick update
Just a quick update, not much to write about really, same ole same ole etc.
We are now en-route to our next load port. The discharge in Hawaii was eventful, we had to abandon mooring when one of the buoys developed a hole and sank. It was quickly repaired though and after just a day at anchor we returned and discharged the cargo.
We now have a new Captain on board and its interesting for me to see how the mood on the ship changes. Not for the worse. I have been able to practice using the sextant on the stars in the last few days, I was pleased to get 6 the other night with two of them calculating to be 0.0 (A) and the other all 0.2/0.3 etc. The end fix was 2NM from the DR position. Just a lucky go perhaps. The C/O also observed the same stars but was not as accurate.
I get the blog comments forwarded to me, good to see its still popular even though I am unable to update as often as I'd like. When I return home next month I'll be far more attentive and read through all the comments again. Thanks for the explanation on GHA, LHA etc. It makes a little more sense to me now I am learning how to take a star sight. The Almanac is certainly a real maze when first opened but I think with plenty of practice I ought to be able to navigate through it ok. I have started to learn the rules; I find them a little long winded. They are certainly written with the law in mind rather than the user. Perhaps when I start to apply them it will be easier.
There isn't much traffic out here in the pacific! As the new Cap would say, Ciao!
posted by Rob @ 7:25 am
13 comments
13 Comments:
Hey thats real cool man, and indeed the change in atmopshere may be significant but not necessarily so.
Look forward to "meeting" you again in that domain where it all started - when you return to Hampshire.
pp
thumbs-up.
Wow - that sextant sounds good - maybe not so useless as some might suggest that it is. Keep your hand in in relation to using it for practise and more practice is the essential element there - no more and no less - so I am told.
Besides you should get good results, you are young, you have a keen eye, and what is more you should have a steady hand - all important when "swinging" the sextant and correlating those heavenly bodies with the observed horizon. With continued practice you quickly become an expert - and you don't have to be a rocket scientist in that field either.
Best of luck with your celestial observations - for the sun and the stars will always be there - the aids to navigation may not.
boyscout.
27th Feb 2007.
Hi there young fella - it's me.
You sure sound like you are doing real good.
But what about steering - have you done much of that yet - you should have in my view and that of the elders. Too much auto pilot - no good - for one day you find quite suddenly - no men can steer any more. Suez Canal Pilot - and many others including Captain - they no like that at all.
Should be sure you have steering certificate before going home.
Safe Sailing.
Luv Dorothy.
STEERING BY HAND.
Dorothy is right - you need to get that steering certificate from the Master - 12 hours aggregate, if my memory serves me correctly.
Best start in open waters with a reasonably calm sea and work up to the rougher stuff.
Remember this, look at the lubber line at the top of the compass repeater (if vertically mounted) or facing forward (if horizontally mounted). YOU ALWAYS have to take the lubber line to the desired heading on the compass repeater. YOU DO NOT try to take the desired heading on the Compass repeater TO the lubber Line. You will go the wrong way if you do.
Another way of looking at it is if you are going from one heading to a "higher" heading ie from say 030 to 050 the turn is to Starboard or clockwise. Beginners tend to forget the forgoing and turn the wrong way.
When steering, it is your job to bring the ship back to the desired heading when it wanders off. Use small amounts of wheel frequently and take it off again as soon as you see it is having the desired effect.
Once again it is just a matter of practice - you'll soon get the hang of it.
It is good watchkeeping practice to test the hand steering at sea, ie switch off the auto-pilot and engage hand steering for a while.
If conditions permit remain on hand steering for say 10 minutes - that way, even when you are the OOW you can easily keep your hand in and will always be able to jump in in those emergency situations when something goes wrong with the auto pilot just when it is most unwanted.
If you don't do a bit of steering now and again - you soon become rusty and that is not desireable when the emergency situation arises.
I used to insist hand steering was tested in the manner outlined above, at least once a day, and I always encouraged it to be done once per watch - conditions permitting - that way it didn't become a task to be performed by one designated watchkeeper - they could all keep their hand in - that way. Once you learn to steer, 10 minutes per day is adequate enough to keep your hand in - you will not become rusty that way. In fact just 5 minutes per day is probably sufficient to acheive that objective - but why not go for 10 if you can - conditions permitting - of course.
You'd be amazed at the number of OOW's who have lost the art, become too rusty, - don't let that happen to you.
If you are going to give helm orders to a helmsman - you should be able to steer competently yourself - at all times - so keep your hand in - always. It really does not take very much effort at all.
Capt. Ret'd.
STEERING BY HAND.
Dorothy is right - you need to get that steering certificate from the Master - 12 hours aggregate, if my memory serves me correctly.
Best start in open waters with a reasonably calm sea and work up to the rougher stuff.
Remember this, look at the lubber line at the top of the compass repeater (if vertically mounted) or facing forward (if horizontally mounted). YOU ALWAYS have to take the lubber line to the desired heading on the compass repeater. YOU DO NOT try to take the desired heading on the Compass repeater TO the lubber Line. You will go the wrong way if you do.
Another way of looking at it is if you are going from one heading to a "higher" heading ie from say 030 to 050 the turn is to Starboard or clockwise. Beginners tend to forget the forgoing and turn the wrong way.
When steering, it is your job to bring the ship back to the desired heading when it wanders off. Use small amounts of wheel frequently and take it off again as soon as you see it is having the desired effect.
Once again it is just a matter of practice - you'll soon get the hang of it.
It is good watchkeeping practice to test the hand steering at sea, ie switch off the auto-pilot and engage hand steering for a while.
If conditions permit remain on hand steering for say 10 minutes - that way, even when you are the OOW you can easily keep your hand in and will always be able to jump in in those emergency situations when something goes wrong with the auto pilot just when it is most unwanted.
If you don't do a bit of steering now and again - you soon become rusty and that is not desireable when the emergency situation arises.
I used to insist hand steering was tested in the manner outlined above, at least once a day, and I always encouraged it to be done once per watch - conditions permitting - that way it didn't become a task to be performed by one designated watchkeeper - they could all keep their hand in - that way. Once you learn to steer, 10 minutes per day is adequate enough to keep your hand in - you will not become rusty that way. In fact just 5 minutes per day is probably sufficient to acheive that objective - but why not go for 10 if you can - conditions permitting - of course.
You'd be amazed at the number of OOW's who have lost the art, become too rusty, - don't let that happen to you.
If you are going to give helm orders to a helmsman - you should be able to steer competently yourself - at all times - so keep your hand in - always. It really does not take very much effort at all.
Capt. Ret'd.
The foregoing is correct.
Let me add this:-
The compass card remains still, or static. The ship revolves aroun the compass card - not the other way round.
Of course, to the observer, it may appear the compass card is moving, but in reality, that is not happening at all.
Just a small point, but nevertheless, I feel it's worth mentioning - for the benefit of novices - it helps.
Boyscout.
Mood Change on Board:-
Well you did raise the issue, and it is indeed significant.
Consider it well for you are now well and truly touching on a major grey area.
Which "mood" is best you should ask - considering all things.
If the mood becomes less "relaxed and informal" is it because the new Captain is a bit stricter than the last. Does that raise "tension" on board.
For example - Does the new Captain insist upon a better COW performance, does he insist that tanks are both clean and gas free prior to permitting crew members to enter. Does that insistance make life more difficult in any respect.
Well in the short term it may indeed do just that, but in the long term the difference can be of major major significance when considering the welfare and health of personnel on board.
You have to decide which way you prefer it - and at this stage you may not see the "picture" very clearly at all, but 10 or 15 years from now it may well be just all too apparent to you then - when there is nothing you can do about it.
Of course the new Captain may be the other way round - the question is which way do you prefer it to be.
Under such circumstances your answer in 10 or 15 years, may well be very very different to the answer you come up with today.
I hope that is not the case - but you should at least consider it.
Just a thought - something you should think about for sure, but like everything else - don't get hung up on it - its just a hypothetical question - Maybe.
BSS
Just to let you know I shall be unavailable to respond to your on line journal for a few days.
I'm off to check just how many ships are out there in the Pacific in order to verify your claim.
You can be sure there are more than you may imagine - there were a few days ago, at least, between longitudes 140 and 163 East.
C ya when I get back.
LOL
Shipmaster Ret'd.
wink wink.
Hi Rob,
I'm back.
Just as I thought - there are indeed many more than you think.
In fact there are some fifty or more, too many to count, within a radius of 7 miles centred on
21 13 South - 148 25 East.
Quite shocking really - Seldom have I seen the likes of it before,
but of course that's what they call "efficiency" these days.
But, like everything else, you'll just have to make up your own mind, and I don't doubt for a minute that you will.
Stick at it kid - but start planning ahead - plan for your future - no one else's.
Shipmaster (Ret'd)
5th March 2007
The Nautical Almanac
Well sure it looks like a maze when you open it for the first time, but when you get used to it, it becomes really simple and you find it becomes automatic to you after a short period.
BUT if you don't use it - of course you will find it confusing.
Do you use Nories Tables on board, or have they been consigned to the scrap bin.
A sextant, a chronometer, the Nautical Almanac and Nories Tables they are all you need to accurately determine your position when out there in the Ocean.
If you cant use them, then you will never be a navigator - just a computer operator no more. What happens when the computer is broken, or devoid of power supply or even devoid of required input information for any number of reasons.
Learn to navigate by celestial observations - then keep in practice by repeating the process on reasonably regular occassions.
A Friend
Collision Rules
Thats the way to go young fella.
Once you have learned them word perfect (Nos 1 to 20)- then and only then will you really start to understand them, and I hope appreciate just how effective they can be in acheiving their purpose - provided they are adhered to - which again is a very good reason to learn them - real well.
Commodore Bond.
Thats right Rob - consider it well.
For indeed has there ever been a collision upon the waters to which the rules apply, which cannot be attributed to one party or the other having failed to comply with those rules - for whatever reason.
I know of no such case.
However the situation might be different in the case of a "Pile Up" like you get on motorways, but we don't have Pile Ups at sea.
PTSM
Hey Young Fella,
You are overdue if history is anything to go by.
Where are You ?
Dorothy
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