eeee-news!

You will be pleased to learn this blog is about to start taking up more of my time as it has received a "plug" in the Marine societies E-Newsletter and will be appearing as a link on their website. I may be over estimating the readership of said E-Newsletter however it is possible I shall see a sharp increase in traffic!
Talking of traffic I have just recalled an amusing episode we had in Hong Kong. Well at least I found it amusing/interesting having only been on board 3 weeks and never having experienced such a thing before. As we approached the anchorage at Hong Kong we were in a lane of traffic all heading in our direction. Astern of us a container ship doing 20 knots or so, on our port side traffic moving in the opposite direction and to the starboard side, islands and shallow water. The container vessel was closing on our position (closing range - before you ask) and was coming to overtake us on the starboard side, then port, then starboard, then port again. It couldn't decide but definitely thought it wise to pass one way or another. We attempted to reach the vessel, who was not responding on the VHF, to ask her intentions. We called the local VTS and requested they contact the vessel to "request she does not pass us". They did so, warning the vessel to adjust her speed. She responded affirmatively but failed to make any adjustment. Despite numerous calls the vessel continued to weave along behind us rather like an impatient driver on the outside lane of a motorway. Eventually and without warning she swung hard to port and proceeded to come around 180deg on to a reciprocal course, thus crossing the other traffic lane. She undertook this maneuver to cries of "Do not cross my bow" and "what are you doing"(the impolite version) resonating from the VHF. Meanwhile the VTS had an interesting time conveying other rather angry vessels messages to the container vessel. Once at anchorage I noticed on the AIS that the vessel proceeded to play the same game again, perhaps in order to arrive somewhere at the correct time, or perhaps just to piss off every other ship in the area?!
Anyway, I thought I would share this with you as I am very bored indeed waiting to return to college. Having time off is great, but its no fun when you're a poor deck cadet with no cash/car etc! Never mind I shall enjoy it better when I am third mate no doubt(?!). Really looking forward to going back to college where I shall be occupied. R

Some answers

Right, time to have a go at answering those comment questions, I will have to be a little short and sweet or I could go on for several pages!
1. Capt (Ret'd) - "Can you list your cargo and ballast tanks?" - Yes
Only kidding, Cargo tanks 1 to 7, with no's 2, 4 and 6 split into port and starboard tanks and the rest as centre tanks. Additionally two slop tanks (port and starboard).
Ballast tanks forepeak to #8. Numbers 2 and 4 being split into two wing tanks each, the rest all "u" tanks. Additionaly where #'s 2 and 4 are situated there are aditional smaller tanks which are used to control the list when stripping (required starboard for ballast and port for cargo)
2. "eyespy" - I dont think I was sailing with "operators only" and I cant think of what I have said that may have made you think that - All the officers I encountered were highly professional.
3. Commodore Bond - I will try to answer most of your questions, cant say I have the info for all of them though.
By "H.O" I assume you mean heavy fuel oil.
50 tons per day when underway
unsure of the other consumption figures, I did notice them when I was on the ship but did not make note I am afraid. - (in for a "telling off" there after being told to make those databases I think - well I do have them just not quite that detailed)
Deadweight was 135,000.
Gross registered around 80,000
4. snifferdog - I am amazed that the blog has been so popular, I started it thinking it would save be some time from e-mailing all my family and friends seperately about my progress. I think now it takes up more time than it saves but I shall continue to keep it up to date - even more so now I am back.
"Would you do it all again?" -I presume you mean go to sea for 4 months, the answer of course is yes and infact I shall. In july. I really enjoyed my sea phase, but I am now really keen to get learning more at college.
Continue asking those questions if you like, otherwise this will become rather boring for the next few weeks until I return to college on April 16th.
Here are some photos from my trip.

missing it already (really!!)

Right, I've caught up on some sleep, popped to the pub for a couple, spoken on the phone to the family etc and read through 4 months worth of blog comments. So time for a new post I recon.

I am beggining to miss life on the ship already, I've been wondering what they are all up to and how the discharge and COW went. Most of the crew could still be there when I go back in july (if I go on the same ship again) which just goes to show what long contracts they have (9 months).
Chevron now have a new "cadet ship" with 6 deck and 6 engineering cadets on their own designated deck. Just launched in February. It looks like a lot was spent on learning facilities etc and there is an extra deck and engineer officer on board to take care of the cadets. The ship has a slightly depleted crew in the thought that the cadets will be doing most of the work. I am not sure what to think of this, my feeling is that I would prefere the more realistic atmosphere of a normal ship where I am the only deck cadet. After all, once qualified there wont be another 5 third mates and 6 third engineers on the ship with me. - although you never know, a manning miracle may occur.

I have a few weeks before I go back to college but I am looking forward to learning some more. Whilst the officers on the ship were willing to show me things they didn't always express it in such a clear way as the lecturers at college do. Someone mentioned in a comment the possibility of being a warsash lecturer some time in the distant future. Sounds interesting and I am sure very rewarding. But I think i'd like to retire to a foreign land (NZ or Aus) and live the life of a marine pilot. I am sure I will have some other idea when the time comes.

For the first 5 weeks back at Warsash we will be doing only maths. Although I loathe maths I am looking forward to improving my skills in that field. I think understanding it will certainly be paramount when i'm at a more advanced stage of my cadetship. Then we begin phase 3 and hopefully it will really begin to get interesting. Certainly 'more work' - 'less partying' this time!
Well i'm really not sure what else to write. erm, any questions?


R

Back in good ole blighty!

After 28 hours of travelling I am back in England now. Had a great trip and kinda missing it already! still not long and i'll be off to college and then back to sea in the summer. I am really tired now so i'll post some later.

R