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19th December 2006

So, back in port for 24 hours; just time to get back home, get the washing done and get some sleep in a stable bed before heading back to the ship in the morning. Kind of odd being back home, as it feels like I've never been away, but I know it's just a fleeting moment, and I will be gone in the morning.

When we arrived at Yarmouth, there was fog on the land, and even that town looked quite beautiful; although I know what grimness was hiding underneath that veil of mist. Just got the pre-trip blues again, as I don't want to sail in the morning, just want a simple life, really. It'll be fine when i get on the boot in the morning and get working. Should be off to Denmark this time, I think; or that could be the job after next. Not that it matters, one bit of sea looks the same to be honest.

21st November 2006

I think it was Jack London that made the idea of foggy ports romantic; well, I can tell you it's rubbish; just makes them cold and damp, and the thought of a rampaging sailor hiding in any one of dozens of dark alleys. We had hoped that the fog would not lift, as it would have meant another day in port; but, just as departure time approached, it lifted enough for us to sail. Before then we had all met in the nearest pub, and some of us tried to force as much beer down their gullets as possible in the hope of some sleep. There were the usual cast of oddballs in such a hostelry, and it was interesting to look at them and wonder about their stories, and just how long they spend in there. One old soak was getting through as much hot mulled wine as he could; for some reason it's being pushed this year. And he seemed quite happy with it, and I guess it would make his nose redder in due course. At the last minute, we dashed for the boat to make the 8 o'clock deadline, and then the crew made ready to sail.

Funny thing happened earlier in the day; the tanker driver from the chemical company pulled up alongside us, and I managed to have a few words, and told him to tell the MD of Raw Chem. thanks for sacking me, as I am now earning double, and the life on the sea for me. It sounds as though things are even worse there now, and he himself is leaving next week for a new job.

Amazingly, I had the best nights sleep so far on board, and work up well after 9 refreshed and ready for the days toil. Our shift took over at midday, and we continued to deploy the hydrophone; it was a real pain to do, doubly so when I managed to get my hand trapped between the cable and the boat, crushing my hand. Oh how I laughed. Well, not really. It swelled up, and was pretty warm to the touch, but all is fine now, and I am sure I will have a lovely bruise there for a few weeks. That was a warning to me on how dangerous this job can be.

The hydrophone array is some 600m long and about 15cm across, and inside the tough plastic coating are pressure sensitive things that can hear the waves that our high pressure air guns generate to make the waves that penetrate the seabed. Not the best choice of words, but I think you get the idea.

And once that is deployed, we retire to the recording room to play with the computers and then set up a run and record the data; and that is what we have been doing for the past 8 hours.

I have been working with Tommy Tourette, and although he does not do the swearing, he does pull some odd shapes at times, and is a little off-putting to say the least. At least it's free entertainment I guess. We have probably 24 more hours of this, before the less difficult other surveys take place. By that time it will be Christmas, and we will still be out here; latest estimate of a return is the 29th.

22nd December 2006

Just to make things a little clearer about my little accident yesterday: I did crush my hand, not badly, no broken bones, although I think it will bruise quite badly, which will make me look like a bare knuckle fighter. It was due to me lack of experience really, and trying to do too much without thinking, and I have learned my lesson, and will be careful from now on. It did swell up at the main point of impact as big as a boiled egg, and I was worried, but as time went on the swelling went down, and anyway, I had full movement at all times. I was just worried that I had done something to hurt my full time employment chances. But, as Tim made light of it, I think all is well, and I am looking forward to the next job which will be based on deck, helping get soil samples from the seabed, and getting £20 a day extra, which also helps, and will see me through to the end of the month on board ship, raking in the cash.

As for today, our next shift begins in about 50 minutes, and that should be the last for this complicated digital phase, then it is a short analogue phase before several days of taking environmental samples, which will be deck based work, and not too difficult by all accounts.

So, until next time, bye

With less than 6 hours to go, our seismic guns have broke, and our crack team of Russian techs are trying to fix them. Which means for the rest of us just more waiting around.

When its light, we can see several gas rigs on the horizon, and when the sun sets behind them, they look somewhat like the At-Ats in Star Wars, a geeky reference for you; and now, at night, you can just make out the lights in their accommodation blocks. All else is dark, and it is impossible to tell where the sea ends and the sky begins. How glorious it would be here with a clear sky!

As is usual, the breakdown has happened at mealtime, and the worry is not if we get the job done, but will we get fed?

More later...... Saturday morning has arrived, and work has just finished in that the other shift have taken over. The hardest part is nearly finished, and it should all be quite easy if the techs can get the equipment working. In fact, it's down to us, but as i am new here, it does not fall on these narrow shoulders.

It's funny, watching TV and it all being about Christmas and last minute gifts, and queues for Kings College in Cambridge and the suchlike; not sure if it's because of the perspective, but it all seems pretty meaningless to be honest, all the gifts and all the rubbish that goes with Christmas these days. I have felt for many years like it is just another day and I guess this year just backs those thoughts up. I guess it's still special for children, but the sheer commercialism of it is just depressing. I saw a story about families going into debt is dropping as hopefully they have seen sense. But do we really need to buy friends and family so much to show we care?

Shouldn't they know that already? Although, the pleasure of giving in me is even stronger this year, and I wish I could have done more.

It's a right mix of people on the boat, and they complain about the job like everyone else does. But, they fact that they all work tax-free and have so much time off seems to make up for that, but maybe I'll feel like that after a few years? Most of the people I have been working with are going to get off at the next port call; which will be a relief; I would write more, but they could be looking over my shoulder.

Anyway, time for bed, maybe a cup of tea, and then, tomorrow is another day; Saturday apparently. Feels like it could be any day, even Christmas.

23rd December 2006

We have now finished the geophysical part of the job, and all that remains is the environmental part; which does not sound so bad until i tell you it consists of dropping a scoop over the side letting it fall to the bottom and dragging it back up and conducting experiments on the sand and minor animals we get. Sadly, we do not even get to do the scientific bit, that for the environmental techs we now have on board; the rest of us are just employed to operate the crane and winch or just stand around. And it takes ages. We have 244 samples to take, and we can do just 4 an hour; which means we will be here for days. At least till the 27th or maybe even beyond. We did just two hours it tonight, and man the time dragged; what is it going to be like tomorrow for twelve hours? And then on Christmas Day; not how I planned on spending my Christmas, that’s for sure.

The environmental techs are both female, and both Italian, both chatterboxes, and both are lusted over by some of the tech staff and most of the crew. Rafiella is ok, kind of plain I guess, but the other one has three feet long dreadlocks, and is the dead spit of Ari Up from the Slits. And Tommy Tourette is trying very hard to chat them up; which I guess is quite sweet. But then again, I have had to work with him for the previous 10 hours, and he has not shut up; either complaining or imparting advice to anyone who might be listening. No, on second thoughts, he just carries on talking anyway. He leaves the ship when we get back to port; can't wait. I mean he means well, but he is just like an eager puppy around Tim, and Tim is getting more than a little fed up.

Anyway, it's now Christmas Eve, technically, and it's time to relax and get some sleep before the twelve hour shift lifting sand from the seabed begins again. Once again there were no stars out tonight, and the only light coming from the gas rigs scattered around.

26th December 2006

Well, we had an unexpected surprise on Sunday morning, the company's server went down, and we could not get on line; and being Christmas, no one went into the office until this morning to fix the problem, or press yes on a keyboard somewhere. So, we were cut off for the duration.

So, when I was not working or sleeping, I read Charles Dickens’s American Notes; I am now more than half way through, and very good it is too, and much better than 13 moons, as the events actually happened of course. The travels by train and steamboat especially evocative.

I know my spelling is not good, but there is no spell checker on a blog, and I just don't have time to write it as a word document first.

Thoughts came to mind of several Christmases past over the past few days; the first one 1984 when two of my best friends were killed in the early hours of Christmas Day in a car crash. Somehow, it does not seem possible that 22 years have passed, but they have; and for me not having any money, and not going out with them, I could have been in the car too. So, James and Chris will always be 20 years old, and taken away from us so cruelly. And their funerals were the last time that all of us school friends got together before scattering on the winds to the four corners of the earth.

1995 was the last I spent with my Father; a wonderful Christmas as we had just started speaking again after years of strife. I had three weeks at home on leave from Germany, and we also had my friend Andrew(Rambo) staying with us, and we had a great time; and it was that year I learned the joy of giving to see the look on their faces at the gifts I had brought. Sadly Dad passed away some 4 months later, and those days are gone for ever now; but the memory still lingers.

And 1999, when at nine thirty at night, I walked out on Estelle, my second wife, and Matthew her so. It was not a spur of the moment thing, but something that had to be done, for my sanity. And as I drove back to base I played Amanda Marshall's first album, and the second track is called Birmingham, and if you get the chance, listen to that, because as I drove through Birmingham, England, it seemed to connect. Just love that song.

Anyway, Christmas here was ok, we stopped work for an hour whilst we all had turkey and pulled crackers. We have satellite TV, so we got to watch the Christmas specials on TV; or rather they did; I spent Christmas with Mr Dickens in America, and enjoyed it immensely. We have some 14 different nations represented here, and with all their customs; but we all got into the spirit of things.

I missed not seeing Santa on Norad this year, but we had a nearby gas rig venting gas all Christmas Eve, and lighting the sky up to the clouds; not sure why it was doing that, but it was some sight I can tell you.

We are due to finish here on Thursday, and then once crew change has happened, head off to Denmark and Norway; if the weather holds; the weather we have been having, thanks to the high pressure over Britain is almost unheard of in the north sea, and we have made the most of it. At the weekend Atlantic storms head in, an we might be in port several days; maybe for new year, now that would be a thing

Tommy, who I have mentioned, does not have Tourettes; if he did I would not find that funny, not expect anyone else to either. He has a nervous tick about cracking every joint in his body, and looks like he is twitching. He also complains, all the time, about everything. He has several chips on his shoulder; one, he is Scottish, chip! two, he is short, Chip!!! And he wants to be thought of as useful, and will put anyone else down to make himself seem better. The fact he is very good at his job does not seem to register. Anyway, just to clear that up; and he leaves us in less than three days, and I might not see him for years, if ever. So, sorry Richard if I have bad mouthed you, but really, time would go quicker if you stopped complaining.

We have been in this area for some six days now, and have done nothing except pulling various amounts of sand from the sea bed, day after day; that or run the sonar in straight lines up and down for days on end. So, these seagulls, have been following us for all six days now, at no point have we pulled up any fish, and yet they hang around just in case; either optimistic or stupid; I'm going for the latter.

We now are on the final stretch of the job; but all is not going well as we have software issues with the kit we are using; or more likely, the keyboard finger interface as used by the environmental tech, as she is scratching her head as to why the probe did not work. Again.

So, two hours off now, time to surf the net, and then just two final hours before bed. Life has settled into the sleep, eat, work sleep routine pretty well now, and the days are Billy whizzing by quickly. Been on board three weeks now, and all is well. And the Atlantic storms are lining up in time for us to be in port for new year.

Hoorah, hic.

Ok, excuse my language, but Tommy's a cock; instead of working, he thought he should go and watch match of the day, whilst leaving someone else to take up the slack and do a four hour shift. As for me; as I'm new here, just carry on working. Grrrrr.

Now, we are sampling water; from 30m metres down. With a heath-Robinson contraption that is as temperamental as either of my ex-wives. So, there was an Englishman, a Portuguese gentleman, a Lithuanian and an Italian, all trying to get this thing to work, and not having enough hands to cock all the levers and whistles; give me a 117 tail, never thought I would ever say that, eh Dave?

Thought for the day; imagine how much deeper the seas would be if there were no sponges?