"ANCHORAGE WATCH "
JUNE 17th, 2013, Monday
Anchored at Morocco.
Anchor watch went along fine in the early morning (1am till 6 am), and as usual the whole anchorage area here on morocco is peaceful. A few small fishing boats came nearby or close to this ship, however to my dismay they don't conduct business and whenever I approach them just went away. I'm not sure why this is happening because three years earlier, fishing boats always approach ship nearby to conduct business and do barter stuff. Hmm probably it may be on the port terminal security thing why local fishermen here refuse to conduct business.
Early morning after my work shift A.B. "Patrick" came knocking on my door asking where did I put the Morocco Flag. I said to him that It was in the work shop rather than the safety locker, unsure I went down to the main deck from my cabin and check the flag on the safety locker and there it was. I told "Patrick" that I made a mistake and it was in the safety locker instead of the workshop and even showed him the location. Later I found out that the reason why "Patrick" searched for the flag was that he got into trouble with the third mate.
In the afternoon I got confused as to whether or not there was work, since it was Saturday. I did saw O.S. Hall doing work in the morning and when I got outside, I saw an indication that there was maintenance work being done at the workshop. Immediately dressed with my coveralls and saw BOSUN AMICAN near the workshop he said that I should go to the portside life boat. When I reached the life boat we (along with the Pump man) worked on a few maintenance work, me on the usual greasing of the wires. It was about 4pm when I saw A.B. "Patrick" and had a chat with him about his recent gum infection, He says he'd be alright now. At 5pm I heard from A.B. "Patrick" that dinner is already been served early. I hurriedly went to the crew mess to have a chow and didn't even bother to remove my coveralls thinking that I was still on anchor watch. To my horror when I went to the crew mess, everyone (including the engine crew) was surprised to see me still in coveralls. A.B. "Malorca" said to me he was about to tell me that I shouldn't have been off on work by 3pm but he could find me on his cabin, I saw O.S. Hall obviously displeased and said that I shouldn't have been off by now. Me embarrassed on the situation hurriedly went to the locker room to remove my coveralls. When I got back to the crew mess and ate dinner I avoided question from my co-workers on why I was still in coverall's during that time. Yeah it was a dumb situation being caught in coverall and still at work when in fact, I should have been resting at that time
On the early morning of Sunday, wasn't exactly sure whether or not there was a working shift since its Sunday. What I do know is that there is an anchor watch every night based on the safety meeting made by our chief officer, I intentionally waited and saw O.S. Hall in the morning at the hall way saying that there is still an anchor watch. I hurried to get dressed up and immediately went to my anchor watch station at the poop deck to replace O.S. Hall guarding the area.
While at anchor duties I took the time to take pictures on the Main Deck area of Cape Tallin. Haven't made a complete look on this ship ever since I joined last month , so I seized the opportunity in roaming around and taking pictures. A.B. "Ronald" even saw me taking pictures on the forward part of the ship. In late afternoon of Sunday I took the time in repairing the 2 working coveralls and inserting a zipper on it, I figured that my coveralls will be better off with a zipper than buttons. Took me at least 6 hours in putting zippers because I'm not good sewing those zippers. When I woke up ,I wasn't feeling good and had only two hours of sleep from all the modifications I made on my coveralls and yet I got off my bed. I was heading towards the ship C.O.C to check my emails when I saw O.S. Hall and greeted me good morning, Followed him on the crew mess were Oiler "Donald" and 3rd Engineer "Cranz" was also there. From the conversation I heard on the crew mess O.S. Hall tells to everyone about A.B. "Patrick's" and his relationship problems. A few minutes came by and I left them and head to the deck crew locker room to change into my coverall's and went back to the crew mess to ask any info O.S. Hall to say before I relieve him on his work.
There isn't anything significant that happened on the anchor watch, only the part were A.B. "Ronald" told me that the door entrance on the accommodation block were not properly bolted from the inside and that the 2nd mate didn't knew it was not locked at all. Of course "Ronald" and I agreed that were going to made an excuse on the radio to the second mate that I was just simply having a coffee break and was headed inside, but in reality I was going back for the doors to be locked so that the second mate wouldn't notice. (based on the ISPS security plan we have here on the ship , supposedly the only entrance going in and out of the ship should be the bridge.)
During 4am to 6am on my anchorage watch, I was severely feeling the effects of lack of sleep and was getting dizzy every now and then, even when I was doing a search patrol from the aft to the midship (done every 30 minutes on anchorage watch) I couldn't even walk straight from the dizziness. After the shift I hurriedly went to my cabin to take a nap and relieve me of my head ache and dizziness.
