July 05, 2013 Saturday to July 10, 2013 Wednesday.
Been quiet a while since I had been here although on a very different circumstances, almost been nearly 2 years since I went here and I was working on a chemical tanker ship , Now I'm here again - This time in a Crude Product Tanker.
On Friday I was waiting for the whole morning as what I latesty heard from the crew that berthing operations will be on early morning , I got up early and woke up unfortunately there was no berthing that happened that morning and it was rescheduled to be happening in the late afternoon. From what I heard on 3rd Mate Corales the Berthing mooring arrangement will be 3 : 2 : 2. Which obviously meant 3 headlines , 2 breast line and 2 spring lines. I waited for the whole morning till evening but no news came in. Until on Friday midnight BOSUN AMICAN knocked on the door of my cabin and said "its time to heave the anchor" , I knew at that moment that berthing operations will be followed soon. I hurriedly dressed up on coveralls and once I got inside I didn't realized that it was still terribly cold in Rotterdam during this time. I hurriedly came back to my cabin to get my sweaters and some wool trousers as insulation beneath my coveralls .
As the usual procedure in heaving up the anchor , the forward ship lights were lit and we removed the bar lock for the hawser so that the anchor chains can freely move , next was to switch on the switches for the winches, followed by the winch being "engaged" then unlocking it.
A few minutes came by and the order to heave the anchor was put up. I hurried went to the lever and pulled it towards me to heave up. Heaving up the anchor wasn't really that bad and just keep my eyes fixed to the BOSUN and the machinery always and pay attention to what the BOSUN is hinting. After the anchor was heaved up the anchor ball was lowered and the forward deck lights were unlit , we went to the starboard side pilot access gangway to heave up the heavy pilot ladder. An hour came by , I received an order to the radio saying that its time to wake up everyone for the mooring operation.
After everyone was woken up , the forward mooring team which includes me BOSUN AMICAN , A.B. Ronal CALDONA and 3rd Mate Corales, immediately went up to set the mooring wires . I later found out that the mooring arrangement will be 2 : 2 : 2 , Meaning that all mooring wires will be used and no loose ropes at all. Mooring operations went smoothly. That the spring lines were given first, Followed by the headline then the last was the breast lines, I had a hook with me to keep them filed and its always with me whenever I go into mooring operations. Its very important to have a hook , if the mooring equipment used on the ship are wires and not ropes , as holding and filing up the equipment using hands to the winches is dangerous when using wires. The main problem I could see whenever we use the mooring wires is that axel grease is always littered around the deck area (near the winches and leads) and that I have to remove them later on using diesel fuel , a laborious process to be honest.
Immediately after, we proceeded to setup the fire fighting equipment as standard S.O.P. procedures onboard each ship. The part I got to fix up and align was the foam monitor equipment and point it towards the port side manifold area. After that I was immediately put up as gangway watchman in the gangway and will log everyone on the ISPS Logbook that comes in and out of the ship, (More like a security guard in a check point), Immediately after an "Ship Agent" went to board the vessel along with the 5 on signers who will replace Fitter Gil, A.B. Ronald, Pump Man Nilo, Oiler Gian, and 4th Engineer Gonzales. A CSM Superintendent also went onboard , probably to delivery cash to the Captain here. A hour later Fitter Gil, A.B. Ronald, Pump Man Nilo, Oiler Gian, and 4th Engineer Gonzales disembarked on the ship and assisted them in carrying their luggage and the new joiners went immediately put up to their work. Pump man Nilo told me that he left me some spare socks to use for winter and that it may serve well on that time , He said he left the bucket in front of my cabin door containing these socks.
The sunrise was very beautiful today and when I saw it coming up , perhaps it was the most beautiful scene on this day - that after a long cold night the sun will come up to bring hope and send a message that everything will be alright.
On mid morning all of the crew were busy with the working equipment provisions that came in plus after it the mooring of an "SCF Pechora" ship (A small product tanker roughly 11,000 to 8,00 GRT ) coming alongside on the port side of this ship. They were very busy working on the huge black fenders that are to be put up on the portside, these fenders are huge black oblong shaped rubber objects the size of a human that serves as a form of cushion to keep the hulls from both ships to connecting. These types of fenders I saw today are very different from the fenders I used on my previous ship as they are very heavy and huge and only a mooring boat could delivery it from one place to another. During the ship to ship mooring operations , 4 line men from the shore ship came by to assist the crew in the mooring of the ropes , they immediately left after the mooring operations were finished.
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| Ship to ship mooring operations in Amsterdam netherlands with SCF Pechora ship |
Next part both of the crews on the ships went to connect cargo hoses for the loading. On my end I was retained on my work up until 10 am given the urgency on both ship to ship mooring operations and Loading of working equipment provisions. After my shift I only had barely 2 hours to rest, sleep and eat a meal , after that I'm going back again to my working shift. It's not easy being a sailor and not easy also working 12 midnight till 10 am in the morning then going back 12 noon till 6pm in the evening , Anyway this is the situation I have to deal with for now.
In the afternoon during my working shift at the gangway , I heard from A.B. Patrick that a "cash advance" was already set up on the crew mess for people who want to get their hard earned money. ( Funny the term "Cash Advance" in CSM Career is not exactly a "Cash Advance" at all. ) When I came to the crew mess , Mess man Ferdinand advised me that he already filled up the form that I'm going to make a cash advance of 300 US Dollars , I replied again that I need to sign up again because I'm not borrowing 300 USD but 500 USD Instead, when I saw the cash advance form I latter found out that the CSM captain only delivery 5,000 USD and the cash advances are just limited to that amount. After getting the 500 USD , I gave the 200 USD to Mess man Ferdinand as he already request to borrow from me earlier (about a month ago) , I kept the 300 USD for personal unannounced expenses I might be doing here in Holland - Maybe even buy some needed items perhaps.
Late afternoon I was advised by A.B. Homer Mallorca , that it's about time I get my External Hard drive from the crew mess - after all he says that its my right and my own personal property and let them buy their own external hard drives if they want to watch something, My hard drive is for my personal use and not for the public to view. He added also that they have a much larger salaries compared to us and yet they could not even bother to buy one and instead uses other people's property for public use. I said to myself that Homer Mallorca has a point , and I'd get my hard drive back by midnight.
SECOND DAY OF LOADING OPERATIONS
July 07 Sunday
For some reason I was late on my watch , mostly likely because I over slept again anyway , Honestly I'm now glad that my co-worker A.B. "Patrick" is now my watch partner from 12 midnight to 4 am, Therefore we could have an endless chatter to almost everything and we could talk on more private conversation regarding our co-workers and ship related work matters. From what I heard on "Patrick" there will be six barges that will come along and load their cargo on Cape Tallin, As expected it's a ship to ship operations.
Late on my watch , when A.B. Mallorca was my watch partner at that time (4am to 6am) . When we were ordered to close the drop valve , preferably Blue and Red Drop valves, which I later found out that it was the three big valves at the bottom of the manifold area - I had no idea it was a drop valve since drop valves in chemical tankers (namely stolt and Odjefl) are very different from this one. Aside from that I did also figured out the crossover connection on were the hell it was. Experience is a good teacher indeed compared to word of mouth coming from my co-workers
On my afternoon to evening Watch, A business man came onboard and it was from sunny euro. I was thrilled that its was sunny euro and I had some items that I need to be bought with like the Swiss army knife (as permanent replacement to bosun's knife) and pelican headlight (as permanent replacement to a safety flashlight), I took an Immediate break and A.B. "Patrick" saw me run-like-the-wind as It was like I'm trying to chase a movie star for an autograph. I made my purchases to the sunny business man and he said that orders will be received after four hours. I immediately went back to my assigned station and saw "Patrick" saying that he never saw me run that fast before.
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| Some of the working equipment i bought on sunny euro store (website is http://portal.sunny.be) , |
The Ship SCF Pechora finally finished its ship to ship loading and casted off , the next ship to arrived was a small barge roughly I think less than a few thousand gross tonnage.
THIRD DAY OF LOADING OPERATIONS
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| Pretty cool picture i saw in BOTLEK store , interesting really |
July 08 2013 Monday.
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| Captain Slabada along with the chief engineer on botlek store |
In the afternoon to evening work shift. My chat with A.B. Patrick Dondonilla urges me to take an licensure exam for sailors, saying that its not for ambition and financial reasons but for Personal protection against maltreatment from co-workers especially to fellow Filipino's because chances are some sick old bastard out there is going to challenge you every now and then. He added also that people like us are not meant for deck maintenance but are meant to command grunts on the deck.
Early in the evening , I finally got a chance to go to " Booth leg" . Serious I wasn't planning to come along but I found out on the latter that the captain and the chief engineer is going out and it would be unwise to decline their offer ,so I decided to come along. Out of my confusion and panic (since I'm not planning to go out until tomorrow with Mallorca and Patrick) I forgot to wake up Patrick, I was the whole time quiet during my visit with the "BOTLEK" store (it was spelled BOTLEK and not booth leg ) probably because I don't know how to start a conversations with the soviets. If they were British or Australian people I would have no problem starting a conversation with them since I'm well acquainted in their culture. Anyway what I did bought on BOTLEK ? Well I bought a souvenir , a multi tool pliers and a garrison belt.
In other news related to BOTLEK, I had no idea that the ship BOW OMARIA and BOW HERON pictures were posted there. It brings back the memories on my time during deck cadet years, but like I say I was casted out on my former company
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| These are the pictures that i saw in "BOTLEK" store in netherlands, Small world eh ? |
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| Another picture i saw in botlek from seacap shipping |
FOURTH DAY OF LOADING OPERATIONS
So far I got 160 USD on my wallet but I don't have to worry about that since the items I bought on "Botlek" store are souvenir items, proof that I had been on Amsterdam, Netherlands. For the record I nearly got late again on my watch this midnight , I was this time 5 minutes late and this is the third time in a row that I had been late.
About work related matters, well first off I had finally learned to work on how to operate the pilot access ladder. I learned on how to operate it when simply by just looking on what A.B. Mallorca does in bringing it down for the barge representative. On our late watch me, A.B. Mallorca and A.B. Patrick discussed if we are going to the "Botlek" store and but some stuff there this early morning. A.B. Mallorca wasn't sure if he'd make it , but me and "Patrick" expressed great interest in going there.
Before going to Botlek Store, I saw Patrick to be very furious over some reason , I asked what seems to be bothering and he said that it was about Chief Cook Roberto Cervantes Peneranda accusing him of draining his call credits on his sim card. "Patrick" was so furious that he slammed his cabin door in fury and said he's going to confront chief cook and call the Customer Service Representative about this one. A few minutes came by and I saw "Patrick" again and said that he slammed the chief cook and the CSR rep on the other line confirmed that there is still 10 euro's left on the sim card as opposed to what chief cook accuses him of draining the call cards.
Going back , it's a shame that "Mallorca" didn't went along but nevertheless I'm glad that when we went to the "Botlek" store I could see that "Patrick" is very happy that he got out from the ship once in a while. I could see in his eyes that he was happy, I guess he needed that relief since depression is badly affecting him onboard cape tallin , to the fact that its already manifesting in him via aggression on his personal life and relationship on his girlfriend. Besides a little dose of life civilization outside is not bad right? being onboard this tin can for many months has a suffocating effect. That is the reason why I understand some people working onboard has to go on shore leave on ever port every now and then because they have a lower threshold of the suffocating environment here. The thing I regret most about my shore leave along with "Patrick" is that we do not have enough time to go around and enjoy the surrounds , like explore the area's around "BOTLEK" store wander off, Our shore leave lasted only for about an hour and that its was only pure business that we had to buy some stuff. To be honest I think this is one of the best moments I got in cape tallin so far , that is to go out and explore the surroundings.
On my visit to "BOTLEK" I bought some AAA and AA rechargeable batteries for my working gadgets, plus an alarm clock (So I get to wake up early) and a small Flask (one used for drinking liquor ). I had regrets not buying the gloves (leather and chemical) for I need it badly onboard, maybe on the port I'd get to buy some along with the Rambo knife.
For some reason my cabin is locked without my knowledge and the worse part the keys are inside it , I don't know what's going on but its highly impossible for me to "Lock" myself out on my cabin without my keys. Could have someone searched my cabin and looked for evidence ???
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| Rechargeable batteries i bought in "BOTLEK" both AAA and double AA batteries |
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| I bought in an alarm clock and a a liquid flask as well |
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| The botlek service van |
FIFTH DAY OF LOADING OPERATIONS
This morning is the most busy morning I had for quiet a while , First off there were a lot of people going in and out of the ship , So I was basically busy writing a lot on the log book and radio to the CCR that this person has arrived .Another thing is that I get to operate the cargo crane given that the deck area was short handed at that time , to make matters even busy the ship will cast off by afternoon.
On the morning I was momentarily delay and nearly got into trouble with the two surveyors as they refused to help me out get a cargo sample , One of the surveyors said "I should get it myself" - BASTARD SICK OLD FUCK, would I be asking they're help if I could do it myself , those bastard Dutch bitches better get they're act cleaned because its their job getting cargo samples.
At the crew mess there was a number posted there at the white board , apparently a cell phone number from the Philippines. According to what I heard from the crew this number was used in calling the IMMARSAT communications and from the looks of it was the call cost about a few hundred dollars since its 4 USD per minute and the call lasted for 25 minutes , I wonder who's number is it ? Some rumors say again that this was from "Patrick" but hell I don't believe it and I think he's not capable of doing such a thing.
Before unmooring operations , I was approached by BOSUN AMICAN and told me that I should be careful on my emails (probably Blogging) and that there is one incident that O.S. Hall read them and distributed it to the crew mess behind my back. He told me that I should be very careful and that I am stirring trouble between the rift of Patrick and rest of the crew.
I do understand that BOSUN AMICANS concern about this issue and I said to them that if they have any problems with me then they're free to file in a report to the chief mate and I'd face the accusations , heck they could even file it to Captain Galang and see what he will say about this issue. BOSUN AMICAN told me that I should be careful not to stir up trouble as it could hurt my career here, and that we should settle this before it before it gets up to the chief mate and captain..
First off , I'm not stirring trouble and the trouble they created on "Patrick" is already long there before I arrived here onboard, Now "Patrick" is really pissed off and seeks vengeance on what they done, Now they're putting the blame on me for something I wrote on my blog so that they can escape the responsibility of starting trouble with "Patrick" and even accuses me of being a gossiper , WHAT THE FUCK !!! . Yeah these is the kind of Filipino sailors we are currently living at onboard , a true example of how ill mannered they are , they have the guts to start trouble and yet don't have the balls in taking responsibility on the trouble they make - They have a lot to answer for to "Patrick" and they knew they had it coming.
Mooring operations went smoothly as expected with the new crew and Messman Ferdinand help out also.
