Retardo Clocks

Well today we retarded clocks to GMT-2. That means instead of going on watch at 0000, I go on watch at 0020.

At 0200 we move the clocks back to 0100. That means I go round the bridge changing all the clocks. We have onboard a "clever" clocks system, when I change the time on the bridge the clocks around the ship change.

Now resuming my watch I continue till 0340, when my relief turns up 20 minutes early.

This means all the watch keepers (Spoons, Tim and Myself) do an extra 20 minutes at work in order for the dayworkers to get an extra hour in bed!!!!

How rude!

At midday the vessel was:

Position 26 33.4'S 025 00'W
Days Run162'
Steaming Time 12.43
Average Speed 13.0
Total Distance 6217
Total Steaming Time 532.1
Overall Average Speed 11.7
DTG 2096
Rio de Janeiro 102 x 1023'

While the watchkeeper work....

"The needs of the many out weigh the need of the few" according to Doctor Spock in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

How wrong he is.

In the world of Bridge Watchkeeping the needs of the few (Tim, Alec and myself) are what its all about.

People having fun in the bar is bad.

Loud music is bad.

Noise in general is intolerable.

Fun is issued in rations

Outbreaks of morale will not be tolerated.

These photos show Daywalkers (Day workers, incase you hadnt worked it out) "enjoying" themselves in a spot of bar olympics/twister in the bar on an evening.

Some of us are working dont you know!

Position 23 51.5'S 025 00'W
Days Run228'
Steaming Time 18.22
Average Speed 12.5
Total Distance 6055
Total Steaming Time 519.7
Overall Average Speed 11.7
DTG 2258
Rio de Janeiro 093 x 1009'

TFB???

I thought that people might not actually be down with the lingo so here are a few TLA's (Three Letter Abbreviations).

In order to appreciate them you must use the Phonetic Alphabet.

TFB = Time for bed

ThereforeTFB is Tango Foxtrot Bravo and not Tuh Fuh Bu in common Grimsby parlance.

DTG = Distance to go
LLD =Little Lye Down
BZ = Well Done

Now Ive come to write these down Ive completely forgot everything I use so you will have to wait for another day when Im feeling more inspired.


Position 12 55.1'S 025 00'W
Days Run241'
Steaming Time 19.9
Average Speed 12.1
Total Distance 5441
Total Steaming Time 469.8
Overall Average Speed 11.6
DTG 2872
Recifie 121 x 686'

TFB

Today I have been mostly feeling ill due to not enough sleep on Friday and not eating much yesterday.

When you are several weeks into a routine that involves both working and sleeping twice a day like clockwork when it changes even slightly you end up a bit under the weather.

Doh.

Fool.

My own fault.

TFB

Position 09 55.0'S 025 00'W
Days Run232'
Steaming Time 19.9
Average Speed 11.6
Total Distance 5200
Total Steaming Time 449.8
Overall Average Speed 11.6
DTG 3113
Recifie 100 x 600'

Monday

Position 09 55.0'S 025 00'W
Days Run232'
Steaming Time 19.9
Average Speed 11.6
Total Distance 5200
Total Steaming Time 449.8
Overall Average Speed 11.6
DTG 3113
Recifie 100 x 600'

At Midday the vessel was:

Position 05 58.8'S 025 00'W
Days Run262'
Steaming Time 21.7
Average Speed 12.1
Total Distance 4968
Total Steaming Time 429.9
Overall Average Speed 11.6
DTG 3345

King Neptunes Court

Polis

King Neptune & Queen
Barber at work on a victim

With crossing the line comes the visit of King Neptune to collect the dues of those crossing the Equator for the first time.

King Neptune sets up Court on the ship and all persons who have not crossed the line before are rounded up, charged with offences committed on the ship then sentanced before being given the freedom of the seas.

This includes hiding to avoid being found, a little resistance with the Polis trying to find you and take you down to the court, a hair cut, shave and wash.

Luckily Ive done this before, back on the Fort George while in the Indian Ocean on passage to the Seychelles for Christmas and New Year. That was my first trip as a Cadet in December 2001.

My charges:-

1. Having a disgraceful bombsite of a cabin


2. Wearing cheap aftershave and claiming it is Dieso


3. Throwing chairs across the bar when drunk


4. Looking like "Jake" from the blues brothers

At midday the ship was:-

Position 01 37.7'S 024 59.6'W
Days Run236'
Steaming Time 19.2
Average Speed 12.3
Total Distance 4706
Total Steaming Time 408
Overall Average Speed 11.5
DTG 3345
Recifie 036 x 708'

Crossing the line.

At 0100 this morning we crossed the Equator and entered the Southern Hemisphere. No sign of Neptune but Im sure he will be about later.

Friday 23rd November

Position 01 53.7'S 026 15.3'W
Days Run238'
Steaming Time 19.9
Average Speed 12.0
Total Distance 4470
Total Steaming Time 389
Overall Average Speed 11.5
DTG 3607
Recifie 041 x 790'

http://www.sailwx.info/shiptrack/shipposition.phtml?call=ZDLP

Thursday

At noon Today:-

• 01 53.7'N 026 15.3'W - Recife 041 x 790'nm
• Days Run 238'nm
• Steaming Time 19.9hours
• Average Speed 12.0knots
• Total Distance 4470'nm
• Total Steaming Time 389hours
• Overall Average Speed 11.5knots
• DTG 3843'nm

Wednesday

Well Wednesday is much like Tuesday but with added biscuits. We have seen a few flying fish skimming the surface however trying to get a picture of the little buggers is very difficult. The dont exactly keep still!

At noon Today the vessel was in position :-

• 05 12.0'N 028 26.0'w - Recife 026 x 886'nm
• Days Run 181'nm
• Steaming Time 15.07 hours
• Average Speed 12.0 knots
• Total Distance 4232'nm
• Total Steaming Time 369.1 hours
• Overall Speed 11.5 knots
• DTG 4081'nm

Tuesday

Well there's not much going on at the moment. We are due to cross into the Southern Hemisphere on Friday so until then there are watches to do (0000-0400, 1200-1600) and chart corrections. :(

At noon Today the vessel was in position:-

• 07 43.5'N 030 06.3'W - Recife, Brazil 017 x 990'nm
• Days Run 234'nm
• Steaming Time 19.38 hours
• Average Speed 12.1knots
• Total Distance 4051'nm
• Total Steaming Time 354.03 hours
• Overall Speed 11.4knots
• DTG 4262'nm

3 days from the Equator

Well I am starting to feel like I've got to grips with the way things work on here! That means more time for blogging, learning Spanish, guitar and exercising. Infact we had circuit training session as the sun went down tonight. The legs are feeling a little sore right now, but wandering around the bridge for four hours will hopefully mean Im not sore when I get up later today!

This morning we had a talk on entering into enclosed spaces. The dangers of enclosed spaces have been highlighted this year with the deaths of 6 seafarers in the last few months. The Doc then showed us some CPR on the dummy to refresh peoples memories. However after seeing Kev our Scouse AB doing CPR if I wasnt dead already I would be after he had stove my chest in.

Later in the week we should be visited by King Neptune as we cross into the Southern Hemisphere (ah Summer time!) to collect from those who havent paid their dues to travel the oceans.

When he's gone it means BBQ and beer! Fingers crossed that should be just as I come off watch at four.

Its been a while since I put some figures up but will try to do so a bit more often so you can see how far we actually travel and how far away from something recognisable we are!!

At noon today:-

• 10 56.9'N 032 15.1'W - 540nm SW of the Cape Verde Islands
• 232nm covered in the day
• 19.1 hours steaming (the rest was science time)
• Average Speed 12.1knots
• Total Distance Steamed 3817nm
• Total Steaming Time 334.65 hours
• Overall Average Speed 11.4knots
• Distance to go (DTG) 4496' - nearly half way!

Well its twenty five to five in the morning and TFB.

Cheers

GB

Carry on Doctor

Here is our Doc Nerys doing a bit of steering. For a first attempt she was not too bad as the ship is quite hard to steer well, however if anyone walked onto the Bridge her attention went and the ship started swinging one way or the other. Only 9 moure hours to go for a steering ticket!

Immingham Lock

Here's another pic I've just found, entering the pen at Ming Ming. The tug Svitzer Kathleen can be seen up forward and Biff, Coxy and Dennis got a bit of a shock when my head appeared over the bulwark when making fast.

Alec "the Sextant" Spooner

Here is Alec demonstrating ye olde art of navigation using a sextant.

Bridge Biscuits

So here its is, the Holy Grail of Smoko treats.

No pursers individually wrapped jammy dodgers with naff all jam here!

No digestives with yummy written on suggestively!

RFA employees behold, biscuits commercial stylee!!

TEAM JCR

Well this was taken during loading in Immingham but have only just got it of the ships computer system!

Im on the left (as if you didnt know) with Tim in the middle (the Mate) and Alex on the right (the Third Mate) making up the trio of watchkeeping elite for this Antarctic season.

Fishing for water!

This is what science onboard looks like. When I understand what things mean and what they actually do I will pass on the appropriate knowledge. Until then I believe we are just fishing for water!!!!!

Quick update!

Well its Friday and I've had a busy week. I've been watchkeeping, had a fire excercise, engine room safety tour, and chart corrections.

Doh, at least the weather is improving. We've hit 20°C and its only gonna rise for the time being.

While the ship is on transit South to Stanley we are undertaking science operations. That means using the midship gantry (a bit like an old Fort boat RAS rig) to put a CTD (not sure what that means) over the side to take water samples at 300metres and 500 metres. We also put out a sensor on the starboard quarter to look at the light in the water. We do this at 0400 and 1230 everyday. I have to put the ship on DP (Dynamic Postioning) to keep the ship over the body of water being sampled. When thats done we continue down the line heading South. I will try to get some pictures up of this but as Im either in bed (plus its dark at 4 in the morning!) or driving the ship when they are doing science then it makes it a little difficult.

If you want to ring me then I can give you a number to get through to my cabin. My mams rang so its does work!

Catch you later,

G

I see no ships!

Well after gales we have fog. Excellent. Eventually when we get away from the UK coastline I might relax my obsession with the weather. I know it will blow a gale everyday in the Falklands, its what it does down there.

We changed the clocks last night which means the JCR is now running on GMT, an hour behind you back in Blighty.




Being the well organised sailor I am I thought I'd try on my survival suit. They come in two sizes, universal and extra large. It will be no surprise to many that I have a universal, its a very close fit. Took all of a few minutes to get on and about 15 to get off! When I'd finished it had felt like I'd had some mad yoga work out. Had to inch my right hand up the arm so I could stand on the cuff to pull the shoulder off.

Im off for a snooze, back on at midnight.

At 1200GMT today we are 261° x 191'nm from Bishops Rock (Lat 49°22.7'N Long 011°16.0'W).

Day Run 246'nm

Steaming Time 21h28mins

Average Speed 11.5knots

Overall Distance 722'nm

Steaming Time 67h36mins

Overall Ave. Speed 10.7knots

Aunty Shirely has just overtaken, I think.

Well the SW'ly gale is begining to die down however last night was rough!




The visibilty was horrible as wind, sea and rain battered the ship meaning at one point we where only doing 3 knots.

Im pretty sure Shirley and Pete over took me on their cruise between 0100 and 0200, ish, and I suspect there may have been a few brandy's needed before bed on that ship. There again at twice the size of our ship they probably didnt notice the weather too much!

One of the ship's I passed on watch in the channel was no other than the R.F.A Larg's Bay. The very ship I had been promised to be joinng by my appointer! How strange, she's off to the Carribbean and I'm heading for somewhere cooler. Mistake?? I hope not!


The picture is us sticking the bow(thats the front bit, the pointy bit) into some of the big swell left by the Atlantic depression that has brought Gales to out passage so far. Hopefully the coming week brings fairer weather and some better photo opportunities (may'be my survival suit in true "Deadiest Catch" stlye).


At lunch time today we are 143° x 14.8'nm from Lizard Point (Lat 49°45.7'N Long 004°58.8'W).

Day Run 163'nm
Steaming Time 22h28mins
Average Speed 7.25knots
Overall Distance 476'nm
Steaming Time 46h08mins
Overall Ave. Speed 10.8knots

Noon Figures

Been a bit bumpy since sailing Immingham yesterday. Passed through the Dover Strait last night on my watch at around 0200. It was a clear night and there where only of couple of ferries to watch out for!

At 1200 each day I have to get a position of the ship plus a range and bearing of a point on land to enter into the log. I also have to work out how many hours the ship has been steaming for(excluding science time and entering/leaving Port) plus the distance travelled and average speed for that time. Ill try to stick those out so people can have a lok on google maps and see where we are and how far we've gone.

The little picture is me overtaking a small coaster just South of the Isle of Wight around 1300 today.

At 1200 BST today I was in the English Channel, 53nm to the South West of Beachy Head (Lat 50°20'N Long. 000°01'W)

Steaming Time = 23h40m

Distance run = 313nm

Av. Speed = 13.2 knots

Total Distance = 313nm

Overall Av Speed = 13.2Knots

Since there has been quite a bit of interest about me going to sea this time I thought I'd try some of this blogging. It means I'll be able to keep in touch with everyone and show you all what I'm upto, so if everyones sitting comftably let me begin.............

This is all a little strange, my whole cabin is creaking and moving! This doesnt happen in the R.F.A much. For the first time in 10 months I am actually at sea and what a shock to the system that is!!!

The last ship I was on was R.F.A Lyme Bay and the thought of returning to that very same grey ship doing the very same job I did last year for 9 months provoked a desire to change my working environment. Luckily for me the position of Second Officer onboard the Royal Research Ship James Clark Ross was available and that is where I am now, sat in my cabin after completing my first 12-4 watch of the trip keeping my fingers cross the lines I put on the charts (my first passage plan) carry us in the right direction, down the North Sea, through the English Channel, out into the North Atlantic then South, South and a little further South to the Falklands.

The James Clark Ross is a Scientific Research ship that operates in the Antarctic durning the months of October to April and the North Atlantic in other months of the year. My main jobs, as Second Officer are to passage plan for the ship and keep a navigational watch on the bridge for 8 hours a day. I also look after the ships stationary and help the Chief Officer with cargo work.

I am going to be on the JRC until the middle of February so there is lots of time to work on my blogging and my Spanish. Hopefully you will be able to see a little bit of the Antarctic thought the blog and may'be, if you're lucky pick up some "sailor speak" so conversations in the pub can be understood a little more!