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Aladdin's adventure aboard M/T Richard Maersk


Sunday 14th of July 2013 and I woke up at 6 thirty with a head ache. I had an Ibuprofen and I managed to fall asleep again. They called from the CCR at 8, some problem with the priming system and I went down to see what it was. And it looks like we will be ready around 2 o'clock in the morning. And that means a full night in my office again.

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maersk
Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maersk
Cleaning the kitchen

I had planned to go for a power nap after lunch, but plans changed. I went on a tour on deck with our new Pump Man and our off signing pump Man and it was 3 thirty in the afternoon before I was Aladdin's adventure in Fos du Mer with M/T Richard Maerskin bed. And of course, I didn't manage to fall asleep. But I stayed in bed and I must have managed to fall asleep because I woke up at 8 thirty in the evening. Good, now I'm ready to take on a full night in my office.

I went to the CCR to see how things were working out and I took a few additional pictures of our Riken Keiki GX-2009 for my new YOU TUBE video about calibrating the Riken Keiki GX-2009 gas detector. Something to look forward to.

So I kept myself busy, first I completed my “Evacuation with helicopter” video, this will be a real blockbuster. I also completed half of the gas detector movie before I went to the CCR to complete the loading.

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Monday 15th of July 2013
and we completed loading at 02:06 and we were ready with ullageing and calculation just after 4 o'clock. Cargo documents was onboard a 6 o'clock and our Pilot was ordered for 7 thirty. But then I was very tired and I was half asleep. And imagine if I would not have been able to catch my power nap yesterday evening, I just don't dare to think about it.

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Tuesday 16th of July 2013
and we were steaming on course 152° towards the South pont of Sardinia where we will change to 127° towards Sicilly. One of our cargo computers broke down in Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard MaerskFos and we spent the afternoon trying to repir the computer. Well, it is not the computer, it is the interface between the computer and the cargo equipment. So the cargo program dosen't receive any information from the tank radars etc.

I was back in my cabin at 5 o'clock in the afternoon and my rest ours was yet again red. I had a shower before I went for dinner and it was soon time to go on the bridge again. We expect to arrive to Larnaca, Crus early morning on the 21st. We will do the immigration formalities at Larnaca anchorage before proceeding to Dhekelia Power Station about an hore from Larnaca.

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Wednesday 17th of July 2013
and I woke up to a gorgeous morning, almost no wind and a blue sky. I started by checking the gyro error with the sun. A stupid task in the year 2013. But hold on, I came on the bridge Monday evening and I checked the gyro error by the sun. Gyro bearing 317° Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maerskand 2 minutes later I had the LHA and Z from the books and I was more than 20° off. Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.st What the Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.st is this?

I checked my calculation again, I might have got the GHA from the wrong date in the Nautical Almanac, but even if it is a day or two difference won’t make that much of a difference.

Calculation was correct and I went to check the baring again. Now it was 321° and I did the calculation again, same again, 20 to 30° off. I checked the gyro and I discovered that the repeater showed 20 to 30° too much. So thanks to the gyro check we discovered that the gyro didn't work.

Well, anyway, I was enjoying my tea while watching the guys working on deck, preparation for Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maerskvetting in full swing. I gave one of our Painters to the 2nd Engineer and he will get a second painter in the afternoon.

I keep one on deck to pain the fishplate around poop deck tomorrow, the last panting job Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maerskbefore the vetting. Thursday afternoon and we will close the paint shop, just clean up and paint the deck in the paint shop so it looks nice for the vetting.

So our Painters are almost ready on deck and on the vetting day they will have the day off, we don't want to have too much people running around annoying the vetting inspector. But the painter Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maerskhave been doing a good job and a day of relaxing will do them good.

But that is for ONE DAY ONLY, as soon as the vetting inspector is off Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maerskthe ship we will continue to kick ass on deck. Just a few days to go now and they are busy cleaning up and doing housekeeping on deck.

I had my lunch and then I went with our Pump Man to check our P/V breaker, he had cleaned the sight glass and I was very impressed. We tested the valves for the ODME and we did an inspetion on deck.

I had planned to make a Pump room and bow thruster room inspection with the Maersk representative on board in the afternoon, so I made a enclosed space entry permit Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maerskand we went down the pump room 20 minutes before 3 o'clock in the afternoon.

We went from the pump room to the bow thruster room and were out of the bow thruster room around 3 thirty. They called me on the radio and they were waiting for Pump man in the steering engine room.

An emergency steering drill had been planned for 3 thirty and I went to check it out when I was ready on deck.

I had already participated in one of the drill and I knew how to do, but when the vetting inspector is on board there is no excuse for having forgotten so I went for a refresher. It is the same on all ships, but I'm better off making it one more time, when someone is asking you how to do it is easy to give the wrong answer even if you know the right way. And mistakes are not allowed.

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maersk
Emergency steering drill

It was 4 o'clock when I was back in my cabin. I was tired even though my rest hours weren’t red, the first day without becoming red for a few days by now. And I can't remember last time I had time to Learn Thai with Mod and the Alif Silpachai videos. I'm almost 100% sure I read my Thai Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maerskbooks yesterday. But I really can't remember.

So I was looking forward for some time with the Learn Thai with Mod and the Alif Silpachai videos before the dinner. But I had to write something on my web page, seems like there is a second Russian revolution going on.

I haven't had time to update my page for a few days now and it sounds like half of Russia is in an uproar and our 2nd Officer is complaining and his nephew is crying.
- What's wrong with your web page?
- I don't know
- No updates
- No time
- My nephew are very “UNPLEASED”

Well, I'm in the middle of making an EPIC video about our Riken Keiki GX-2009 (This is something to look forward to) and this is quite a long movie about calibrating and maintaining the Riken Keiki GX-2009 personal gas detector. And when this one is on YOU TUBE you will soon know how to calibrate and change sensors in the detector. So yes, something to look forward to.

But now I will have to update my web page in order to calm down our 2nd officer and his nephew. And half of Russia that is sitting waiting for updates.

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maersk
Checking the bearing to the sun
And we can see the compass in the mirror at the bottom, B= 297°

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Thursday 18th of July 2013
and it was yet another gorgeous morning when I came on the bridge at 8 o'clock. I put on the kettle while waiting for the crew to come on the bridge for today's work instructions. 2 days to go until the vetting and our extra painter will put the last layer of paint on the fishplate around poop deck, when he is ready he will help the crew to wash the deck.

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maersk
AB painting on the bridge deck

I was in our 2nd Officer's cabin after lunch and he had Gothenburg Anthem on full blast.
- Very good music, I have it going of full blast for 24/7 on repeat, he said while doing the internationally recognised sign for “FUNKY MUSIC” FUNKY MUSIC

Of course, it was my music treasure and he asked if I had more good Swedish Hip Hop. He is always scanning my iPod for music, an easy task, every click and there is a new “HIT” Well, it was soon 8 and I went to enjoy a pot of tea on the bridge. It was a beautiful evening and time was YOU TUBEpretty quick. And I was in a hurry to meet our 2nd officer, I had to ask him what he thought of my new “blockbuster” Calibrating a Riken Keiki GX-2009 gas detector. I had finished the movie and I gave him a copy in hope for him to find any mistakes. And you just relax, the movie will soon be available on YOU TUBE.

The only complains was from our 3rd officer, he had not been exposed enough on the video. But 2nd officer was satisfied with HIS appearance on the “SHOW”

Our 2nd officer's favourite tune
And hold on to your hat!! It is 17 minutes and 49 seconds long

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Friday 19th of July 2013
and we had just changed course to 090° at Crete when I came on the bridge. It was a beautiful day, a force 5 blowing from the North, but the wind was soon gone. I Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maerskput on the kettle and I instructed the crew on the work for today. They will clean deck and the pump room and I will Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maerskadjust the gas detectors in the pump room after lunch.

And I have plenty other things to arrange in my office and I will see if there will be any time to Learn Thai with Mod and the Alif Silpachai videos today. I also have a project I need to finish, and yes it is a new video for YOU TUBE. The blockbuster “With the Supertanker Argo Pallas in dry dock in Bahrain” When this movie is ready I have 15 movies and I will get back to do some uploads on my web page to Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maerskplease our 2nd officer's nephew. But this will be after the vetting, now I'm too busy and I'm mostly tired every day.

And as usually, when coming back to my cabin I fired up my computer and I kept myself busy with my videos until 2 o'clock in the morning. Same every time I star something, I can't finish until it is ready. But it is better to do something than to spend the night tossin' and turnin' in bed. But now I won't waste any more times on stupid videos, at least not until I see the response.

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Saturday 20th of July 2013
and I continued to prepare for the vetting after my lunch. And I was pleasantly surprised to discover that it was Saturday, I had lost the track of time and what day it Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maerskwas. I had a few sausages and 2 or 3 slices of pizza Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.stbefore I went to prepare a entry permit for the pump room.

They had mopped the pump room yesterday, but I wanted to make sure it as real good so I sent down two guys with rags. Yesterday they managed to Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.stmop up half a bucket of water and today it was nothing.

I cleared some paper work, calibrated all our gas detectors and it was soon past 5 in the afternoon and I went for a shower before the dinner.

I didn't have time to Learn Thai with Mod and the Alif Silpachai videos, and I didn't feel like open my Thai books. But on my way to the Black Sea there will be time. Yes, next cargo is Fuel Oil from Novorossiysk. Erislisi, Turkey FO and as Erislisi is just after Istanbul after passing the Bosporus from the Black Sea. So I guess they want to positioning us there so we can discharge somewhere in the Mediterranean.

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Sunday 21st of July 2013
and we were anchored on the roads of Larnaca when they called me at 7. It was something about the garbage. When I got out of bed at 7 thirty I heard banging from our gantry crane and when I came down in the mess room at 8 I discovered that they were discharging garbage. There was a small wooden boat next to us and the boat was full of garbage.

My mood instantly swung from GOOD MORNING GRYMPY to very good, we're having a vetting and I had, well, not been worried about the garbage. But it was very nice to get rid of it. And when I Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.stfilled up the garbage record I wrote “ A man in a small wooden boat” on the line for VENDOR. And yes, the vendor was “ A man in a small wooden boat”

We were waiting for the bunker boat and I did some pre arrival checks while waiting so I could concentrate on other things at arrival to Dhekelia Power Plant

Aladdin's adventure on Cyprus with M/T Richard Maersk
Larnaca anchorage, bunker boat Bonnie coming towards us

Aladdin's adventure on Cyprus with M/T Richard Maersk
Larnaca anchorage, bunker boat Bonnie coming towards us

Aladdin's adventure on Cyprus with M/T Richard Maersk
Bunker boat Bonnie alongside

Aladdin's adventure on Cyprus with M/T Richard Maersk
Motorman open the valve so we can start bunkering

The bunker boat arrived around 9 and I did my pre vetting rounds on deck before going on the bridge, at 10:28 our anchor was aweigh and we took off towards Dhekelia Power Plant a few Aladdin's adventure on Cyprus with M/T Richard Maerskkilometers away from Larnaca.

It was a beautiful morning and we were steaming slowly towards Dhekelia Power Plant. We will moor to 3 buoys, 2 aft and 1 forward. And we will use 2 anchors forward in addition to the mooring ropes. So this looks to be an exciting operation. Our Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.stVetting Inspector will arrive to Cyprus at 11 and we expect him to be on board in the afternoon.

We dropped starboards anchor at 11:19 and we Aladdin's adventure on Cyprus with M/T Richard Maerskdropped port anchor at 11:20 and we turned around and we sent the mooring lines to the mooring boat.

I was on the bridge when we swung around and I saw a lot of garbage in the water and something Aladdin's adventure at Dhekelia Power Plant, Cyprus with M/T Richard Maerskthat looked like a plastic bag turned out to be a turtle.

It was not all that easy to put us in position and the time passed by and I got hungry. And it was hot and I just wanted us to finish with this so I could get down to my office.

We were in the middle of the mooring operation when they called and told us that the launch to pick up the Vetting Inspector would come in 30 minutes. And by the look of it we would have a long time to go before we would be ready with the mooring.

Finally, at 13:14 we had all fast and I went to my office. Loading Master and Surveyor was on board shortly after together with the Vetting Inspector. An onslaught of paper work was coming my way and we had not completed the paper work when our Vetting Inspector was ready with the ship. He only had the CCR remaining on the list. They went for coffee while I did the remaining paper work, he could not complete the inspection report before we had started discharging.

Aladdin's adventure at Dhekelia Power Plant, Cyprus with M/T Richard Maersk
Dhekelia Power Plant

Aladdin's adventure at Dhekelia Power Plant, Cyprus with M/T Richard Maersk
Sending mooring lines from the poop deck

Ek-Star, discharging in Rotterdam and the barges was alongside waiting. Vetting inspection, ZERO Aladdin's adventure at Dhekelia Power Plant, Cyprus with M/T Richard Maerskremarks but it was not a valid inspection because orders were changed and no cargo operation took place in Rotterdam.

And we had to fill 150m³ water to flush the line with before we could start. We had been asking for information about this line flush several times. Only answer is that this will be done after discharging. But now it turned out that we needed this water to flush the line if we needed to stop the discharging. So it was about 2 hours later that we could start discharging and when we discharged our Vetting Inspector took the launch back ashore.

And it was a good vetting, only 1 remark and this was the ship construction, so it was as a ZERO remark inspection. They had been walking around on Aladdin's adventure Marabou Schweizernöt on board M/T Richard Maerskdeck and when the Vetting Inspector finally said something it was that the ship looked very nice. I knew that the painting would pay off.

And of course, our 2nd officers passage plans got Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.stthe THUMBS UP. I knew this already before the vetting, can't remember having ever been working with a better and more interested in his job 2nd Officer before. So off course, when the Vetting Marabou SchweizernötInspector had left and the discharging was up and running I went to our Cook's fridge to get us a Schweizernöt.

I was back in my cabin at 11 o'clock and my rest hours had been red since I started this morning. But now I will sleep for many hours, Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.st hopefully

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Monday 22nd of July 2013
and I woke up 5 minutes to 12, just in time for lunch. I spent the afternoon in my office with requisitions and I spent time with my videos after dinner. A pretty relaxed day on board Richard Maersk, for a change.

I added a LIKE button to my page today and I could see the first like 10 minutes after our 2nd Officer went off his watch at 22:00. Instant disappointment when I realised that I had clicked the “like” button myself, by mistake, of course.

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Tuesday 23rd of July 2013
and when I woke up I went to the CCR first thing to ask our 2nd Officer why he hadn't clicked the “like” button when he went off the watch yesterday.
- I was tired and I needed some sleep.
Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.st - Where the Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.st is the spirit??!! Sleeping when there are buttons that needs to be clicked!

We completed discharging 12 minutes past 4 in the afternoon and Pilot was booked for 20:00. Very good, we were worried that we would have to stay here overnight at it is DAY LIGHT arrival and

The layout on your page is off. In July part 3. It scrolls to the right for about 500 screens! Boo

And a few minutes later:
Never mind. I fixed it here. It was my fault.
departure only. And every second extra o Cyprus is a second too much. And as I said to the Surveyor, they live off the tourists and they behave like...

I got two e-mails today, with a few minutes between them. I don't know, but maybe someone is having a drink Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.st in front of the computer. And while sitting in Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.stAladdin's adventure at Dhekelia Power Plant, Cyprus with M/T Richard Maerskfront of the computer

Maybe take the time with a few courtesy clicks on the darn like thing. Still only 1 like, but as our new 2nd Officer said
- It is the quality off the clicks that counts. My click is the same as 50, maybe 70 ordinary clicks.

And yes, he is so right, 1 QUALITY click is better than 1000++ clicks no one gives a shit about. Well, except for me.

It was so nice when the Loading Master left and I went to my cabin to relax for a few minutes before the Pilot came on board.

Aladdin's adventure at Dhekelia Power Plant, Cyprus with M/T Richard Maersk
It was pitch dark when we left Dhekelia Power Plant

Aladdin's adventure at Dhekelia Power Plant, Cyprus with M/T Richard Maersk
It was pitch dark when we left Dhekelia Power Plant

Aladdin's adventure at Dhekelia Power Plant, Cyprus with M/T Richard Maersk
It was pitch dark when we left Dhekelia Power Plant

Aladdin's adventure at Dhekelia Power Plant, Cyprus with M/T Richard Maersk
Pump Man heaving up the anchor

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Wednesday 24th of July 2013
and I started my day with red rest hours thanks to the safety Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maerskround after midnight. Never mind, I enjoyed my tea and a beautiful morning

Time passed pretty quickly and I was waiting for the 2nd Officer when I saw something red in the water. It was quite far away and it looked like a rubber raft or a rubber boat. I took Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.stthe binoculars.

Yes, it was a rubber boat and it didn't look like a toy, maybe something from a ship. And someone can lie on the bottom dying of thirst.

Something you read about in the magazines. I called the Captain and we put hard to starboard, Captain on the bridge wing and I had the wheel. When I was 30° of the target I changed to autopilot.

We stopped the swing at 080° and I put the auto pilot on 090° and last course alteration was to 100° and we passed just next to the boat.

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maersk
Wheel hard to starboard

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maersk
We're coming straight on to the rubber boat

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maersk
Captain looking out for the rubber boat

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maersk
Luckily enough the rubber boat was empty

I sighted the rubber boat 10 minutes before 12 and we were back on the original course 288° at Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maersk12 o'clock. Our 2nd Officer came in to the bridge a few minutes before 12. He burst in on the bridge with ice cream in his left hand and he held up 2 fingers on his right hand.
- NOW YOU HAVE 2 QUALITY CLICKS ON YOUR SITE!!

I told him that we were in the middle of an SAR (Search and Rescue) operation and that this was more important than the clicks. I went to fill up the log book, and I our 2nd Officer was green of envy Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.stwhen I started to write about out SAR adventure.

I pointed to the log book and I said “Here we have Chief Officer's entries in the log book, excitements from the beginning to the end” Then I pointed at his entry from earlier this morning.

And I asked him what he thought would be the most exciting thing to read about when they find this books in 200 years.
- Your “Look out posted” entry or my description of an exciting SAR operation

I'm pretty sure they will jump up and down in excitements when reading about our SAR adventure, Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maerskbut his “Look out posted” Who cares? Our 2nd Officer went out on the bridge wing to see if he could see the rubber boat.

By now the rubber boat was quite far away, but we could still see it and there were still marks in the water after us. And it was a perfect circle around the boat.

I had my lunch and I wanted to go to bed after lunch, but we had to make a few enclosed space entries before I could return to my bed at 2 thirty in the afternoon.

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maersk
One AB and Pump Man watching the man hole

We will try to inspect two of our void spaces tomorrow and we need to prepare ducts for ventilation. I managed to get 30 minutes of well needed sleep before the dinner. I told our new 2nd Officer Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maerskthat I had 2 clicks, quality clicks by now.

Our 4th Engineer told me that he had clicked.
Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.st - Then I have 3 and it will soon be a million or 2
- But I shouldn't have clicked!
- Why?
- There was no picture of me!
I left my seat and I took a picture and I told him that I would up load the picture first thing, when and if I can find the time.

We were steering course 288° towards Rodos when I came on the bridge at 8 o'clock. A beautiful evening, at least the first 2 hours. Then the wind started to pick up and we were soon having a force 7 head wind. We reached the South point of Rodos at Midnight.

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maersk
The sun is setting over Rodos

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Thursday 25th of July 2013
and we were steering toward NW when I came on the bridge at 8 o'clock. I just had time to put on the kettle and it was soon time to change course towards NNW. I changed course and I passed between two islands, one of them Nisos Amorgos on my port side. We’re in the middle of the Greek Archipelago with famous tourist destinations like Kos and Rodos.

All islands seems to belong to Greece, even the islands just off the Turkish cost and if I remember my history lessons right it was because the Ottoman Empire choose the wrong side during World War #1. The Ottoman Empire was divided in to Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.st hmm, 6 countries or something like that.

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maersk
Nisos Amorgos on our port side
We're facing plenty South and North bound traffic

We had plenty traffic and we had to ZIZ ZAG our way North due to some firing exercise the Greeks Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maerskheld in the area. I thought they were going to save money, not wasting it on ammunition and military drills.

Well, it is easy to put fire to other people’s money and the tax payer in the North of Europe have had to pay a lot for the fiasco with the Euro and the new European Union. And I understand that it sounds crazy today with the new winds blowing.

But back then we had a referendum about joining the Euro and xenophobe and Nazi was not the worst thing they called us “NO” voters. We were nothing but worthless Nazis Nazi and they took turn promising us how good everything should be. Even the trade unions promised us cake if we voted YES.

And today we have the final result:
The still call us xenophobe and Nazi, the government, but it is a different tune from the trade unions. Now they are on strike for the poor safety records. I don't know the name of the Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maerskcountries, former Soviet Union. Just put a few u's and z's in front of -istan.

They work for a few € a day and no safety required. The Swedes are un employed, no one pay tax and the school and health care is down the foocking drain. From #1 in the world to in ZERO POINT FIVE.

Our Painter finished the pool and the rest of the crew were on deck chipping flanges on the pipes on deck. Even though we passed the vetting with flying colour we need to have our flanges looking good, this is easily turning in to a vetting remark.

Plenty traffic and course changes and time turned really quick and it was almost time for lunch when we were changing course to 000° when we passed Nisos Ikaria on a gorgeous day, 26 to 28°C. It was nice until we
Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.streached Nisos Ikaria, it started to blow a force 7 when we approached Nisos Ikaria. But it was OK with the wind, just to hold on to my cap.

I have had to chase my Port of Rotterdam cap a few times due to the wind. Yes, we can imagine a cubic ton of Aladdin coming rushing down the deck chasing his cap.

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maersk
Nisos Ikaria from the bridge

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maersk
Nisos Ikaria on the chart

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maersk
Nisos Ikaria on the chart
School book example on how the “NIMBLE” Officer on the watch compares GPS position with true bearing and range

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maersk
Nisos Ikaria on the radar

Nisos Ikaria and I changed course at 11:25 and we were steering true North when 2nd officer came on the bridge. He wanted to join me and the Pump Man in the void spaces in the afternoon. But he didn't dare to ask anyone to cover for him on the bridge.

I asked around in the mess room during the lunch, our new 2nd Officer and Captain was fighting over the opportunity to relieve 2nd Officer on the bridge. I called him.
Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.st - I have 2 guys here fighting over the chance to come and relieve you
Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.st - Thanks!
Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maersk

We started in #2 void space after lunch. Our 2nd Officer and Pump Man followed me down to the void space and it look like new. we tested the bilge alarm and we returned to deck. We checked # 1 and 2 today, 4 more to go.
I hope we can do 2 more before arrival to Novorossiysk in the Black Sea on the 28th of July.

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maersk
Pump Man and 2nd Officer follow me down to the void space

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maersk
Pump Man and 2nd Officer follow me down to the void space

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maersk
Pump Man and 2nd Officer follow me down to the void space

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maersk
2nd Officer in the void space
And we can see that it looks like new down there

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maersk
2nd Officer and Pump Man in the void space

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maersk
2nd Officer is about to leave the void space again

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maersk
Pump Man is coming up on deck again

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maersk
2nd Officer is coming up on deck again

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maersk
2nd Officer is coming up on deck again

I was back in my cabin just after 2 o'clock and I went to bed. Well, I checked my e-mail and it
FB Like

Yo mr A

If you’re wondering who the 4th like click came from, well guilty as charged.

G
seems like I have 4 quality click by now. That's the spirit we're looking for.

When I had 3 clicks our 2nd Officer told me that it was the same as 1 million seventy three clicks. His click was an even million, the new 2nd
The Dardanelles

(/dɑrdəˈnɛlz/; Turkish: Çanakkale Boğazı, Greek: Δαρδανέλλια, Dardanellia), formerly known as Hellespont (/ˈhɛlɨspɒnt/; Greek: Ἑλλήσποντος, Hellespontos, literally "Sea of Helle"), is a narrow strait in northwestern Turkey connecting the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara. It is one of the Turkish Straits, along with its counterpart, the Bosphorus. The strait is 61 kilometres long but only 1.2 to 6 kilometres wide, averaging 55 metres deep with a maximum depth of 103 metres. Water flows in both directions along the strait, from the Sea of Marmara to the Aegean via a surface current and in the opposite direction via an undercurrent.

Like the Bosphorus, it separates Europe (the Gallipoli peninsula) from the mainland of Asia. The strait is an international waterway, and together with the Bosphorus, the Dardanelles connects the Black Sea to the Mediterranean Sea.

The Turkish name Çanakkale Boğazı is derived from the major city adjoining the strait, Çanakkale (which takes its name from its famous castles; kale means "castle").

The name Dardanelles derives from Dardania, an ancient land on the Asian shore of the strait which in turn takes its name from Dardanus, the mythical son of Zeus and Electra.

The Greek name Ἑλλήσποντος (Hellespontos) means "Sea of Helle", and was the ancient name of the narrow strait. It was variously named in classical literature Hellespontium Pelagus, Rectum Hellesponticum, and Fretum Hellesponticum. It was so called from Helle, the daughter of Athamas, who was drowned here in the mythology of the Golden Fleece.

From Wikipedia
Officer's was about 70 clicks and the 4th Engineer's click was equal to ONE click. So now I have 4 and Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.stthis must be equal to .....
Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.st - Hmm, many

I put my alarm to 16:20 but I didn't manage to get out of bed and it was 17:30 when I got out of bed. It was very nice with some well needed sleep. I went for my dinner before returning to up-date my web page. And as we will arrive to the Dardanelles tonight, around midnight I will split this month in to a fourth part.

I will start this part with a picture of our 4th Engineer as a thank you for the click. And I really hope that I will have more time to Learn Thai with Mod and the Alif Silpachai videos that I have had the last 2 weeks. But before we leave this page we will have a look at the preparations for the Dardanelles.

I was on the bridge at 8 o'clock in the evening and I turned on the kettle first thing. We were steering 008° and it was a gorgeous evening. We were listening to the VHF radio CH 16 and 13. We have to report to Kumkale VTS on VHF CH 13 two hours (30 miles before) the entrance to the Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard MaerskDardanelles, or as early as possible. Captain heard the ship ahead of us calling Kumkale VTS on CH 16.
- OK, they are calling on CH 16, not on CH 13, I said. Then we can guess the flag of the ship and about how much salary they get paid on board that ship.

Yes, it is NOT a sign of quality shipping calling everyone on CH 16 disturbing all the other ships on were the guy on the bridge might be enjoying a quiet cup of tea and some music. Especially when working channels are clearly given in the ALRS. We have to monitor CH 16 all the time so you can imagine how fun it is to listen to Farmer John calling Pilots, VTS and other Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maerskstations on CH 16. And yes, it is NON STOP even though they have working channels.

Well, no one cares when as long as it is cheap. Well, anyway, we could hear Kumkale VTS replying and we decided to try to call them, ON CH 13!

We had no information about the transit so we didn't know if we were going to transit the Dardanelles or if we were going to anchorage waiting for the convoy. We would get our Pilot at 01:30 and as our ETA was midnight we slowed down to make it to 01:30.

If we forget to hoist the Yellow flag there is a fine of 0,4$, yes, that is 40 cents. multiplied by the gross ton multiplied by 3 or 4 so it is like 75,000 dollars or something. So we made sure we Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Richard Maerskhad the right day and night signals displayed before arrival.

We put up the flags even though it will be dark when we arrive, but we will need them as soon as the darn breaks and they are easy to forget. So better of having the flags ready. We turned on the night signal, a red light over white and we were pretty much ready for the Dardanelles.

And there was plenty traffic, I have not seen so much traffic since we left North Europe in the
Re: FB Like
Yo mr A

The trouble I had to go through to click on that like button, I don't even have a Facebook account, pity you can't make it a bit bigger, seems to get hidden so far down, bigger is better !!!!
beginning of June. Non-stop action + 2 buckets of tea and time flied by.

And I was in a very good mood as it looks like I will never have to meet the Pilot. And we will pass Istanbul during day light like it looks now. Well, hang on, The Dardanelles next!


       
                  

OK, it has come to my knowledge that we have senior citizens visiting my web page. How hard can it be? So it's not very easy for them to see the blue coloured links to the next page.
Jiffy (also jiff)

noun [in SING.] informal a moment: we'll be back in a jiffy.

ORIGIN late 18th cent.: of unknown origin.

So as you understand, in a jiff pretty much depends on your internet.
So I put a “Next” button here and I hope that there isn't any problem to understand how to use that one. So just CLICK the “Next” button on your left hand side and you will be on the next page in a jiff!

Marunong ka mag-tagalog? Walang problema! Magpunta sa kabilang pahina pindutin ang “NEXT” button sa itaas

Faites vous parlez le français? Pas de problème! Pour arriver à la page suivante faites s'il vous plaît un déclic le bouton “Next” ci-dessus!

Haga usted dice el español? No hay problema! Ver la siguiente página sólo hacer clic el botón “Next” encima!

Farla parla l'italiano? Non problemi! Per vedere la prossima pagina lo scatto per favore giusto Il bottone “Next” sopra

Sprechen sie Deutsch! Kein problem! Wenn Sie die folgende Seite sehen wollen gerade klicken der Knopf “Next” oben!

คุณพูดภาษาไทยได้ไหม ไม่มีปัญหา ถ้าคุณต้องการไปหน้าถัดไป ให้กดปุ่ม “Next” ข้างบนนี้

Вы говорите по-русски? NJET PROBLEMA! Просто нажмите синюю кнопку "Next" с левой стороны и Вы моментально переместитесь на следующую страницу!

E ni Svenskar och inte förstår Engelska så ska ni skämmas. J och Björn, med det menar jag inte att alla mina stavfel ska ältas varje gång vi träffas.

Flag of Skåne / Skånska flaggan Well, the flag of Skåne, just a BONUS flag.




                                       

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