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“The postings on this site are my own and don't represent Maersk Group's position, strategies or opinions. All views are my own”
  Thursday 1st of November 2018 and we start the month of November as the month of October ended. We´re waiting for m/t Red Sea to have space so we can discharge our fuel oil to her. Friday 2nd of November 2018 and our Superintendent and I was down in ballast tank 3 and 4 on the port side. I pumped out the ballast from ballast tanks 6P/S so we can inspect them tomorrow. But I have lost the interest for this dry dock. As they say, in Maersk the dry dock is a paper exercise to have something to show that they have been in dry dock. To fix the ship has no priority. Our Superintendent want the crew to to the whole job and when he asked what the navigation Officers did all day long it just confirmed what I already knew, no jobs will be done in the dry dock. The dry dock solution is to send the navigation Officers to chip and paint in the ballast tanks and Captain can be on the bridge. Seriously, Danish company 2018. Fix the ship once and for all, should have been done years ago, especially since they have been black listed due to rust on deck, just after last dry dock.   Male Pied Wheatear
 Male Pied Wheatear
 Male Pied Wheatear
 Male Pied Wheatear
 Male Pied Wheatear
 Male Pied Wheatear
 Male Pied Wheatear
 Male Pied Wheatear
 Male Pied Wheatear
 Male Pied Wheatear
 Male Pied Wheatear
 Male Pied Wheatear
 Male Pied Wheatear
 Male Pied Wheatear
 Male Pied Wheatear
 Male Pied Wheatear
 Male Pied Wheatear
 Male Pied Wheatear
 Male Pied Wheatear
 Male Pied Wheatear
 Male Pied Wheatear
 Male Pied Wheatear
Saturday 3nd of November 2018 and we went down to ballast tanks 6 port and starboard. We had a management meeting at 11 thirty and the Superintendent told us that we were not working. This ship was so simple, he had been on a supply vessel and that was very advanced and they did everything very quick. So on board Ribe it is like no work at all. Just sitting down looking at a list. 2018, and this is the Superintendent they send to the ships, and they want to become the best tanker company in the world. He make a big deal that he is from Denmark complaining about the Indian Superintendents as they only think if it is cheap it is good. Now he expect all the ballast tanks to be chipped and painted before the dry dock, in 2 months’ time. They have cancelled our test gas so soon we´re out of test gas for the gas detectors, and gas was ordered a long time ago.  We had an abandon ship drill in the afternoon and by the time we were ready it was time for my afternoon watch. Plenty birds came to the bridge but I only managed to get one picture of the birds, my friend the Pied Wheatear. I had one yellow and black bird sitting outside the window looking at my camera. But by that time it was too dark.  Male Pied Wheatear - Winter plumage
Sunday 4th of November 2018 and the guys went down ballast tank 3 P for painting in the morning. And still no news from m/t Red Sea, they say that we will leave Djibouti on the 8th, but I have my doubts that we will leave according to their schedule. Monday 5th of November 2018 and the team continues in ballast tank 4 Port and we had to use a portable ladder so they could reach the rust. Heavy rust along the welding seam. Starting 7 meters up so a portable ladder was required.  The team in ballast tank 4 Port
 Chipping in ballast tank 4 Port
Tuesday 6th of November 2018 and we continue with the ballast tanks and it is not a job that will be completed in one or two days. It will take quite some time to finish this job.  Pump Man on the bridge during our good morning meeting
Wednesday 7th of November 2018 and we got a message that the charterer will release us on the 13th. That means that m/t Red Sea will come here on the 13th for the last cargo lift. But, well, we have got many dates before and delays is expected wise from previous experience. They completed ballast tank 4 starboard today and they can start with 6 port tomorrow.  Coming up from ballast tank 4 Stb
 Coming up from ballast tank 4 Stb
 Pump Man
 My friend the Pied Wheatear come to visit me on the bridge in the evening
Thursday 8th of November 2018 and we are starting to chip in ballast tank 6 port. They managed to get started, of course, there is plenty to chip so they will not be ready today. Maybe on Saturday or Sunday if all goes well.  Chipping in ballast tank 6 port
 Chipping in ballast tank 6 port
 Pump Man
Friday 9th of November 2018 and we killed yet another day at Djibouti anchorage and the crew were busy chipping in ballast tank 6 port. Saturday 10th of November 2018 and Pumpy discovered a couple of what I thought was some kind of Pond Herons when we were on the bridge for our good morning meeting. We did the paper work for tank entry and I did a few stowage plans for the next voyage, maybe Mumbai to Singapore or Fujairah But we will stop in Fujairah for stores and hull cleaning and I will sign off. Anyway, back in my room and I started to look for different Pond Herons from Africa, and all the Pond Herons I have seen have white wings when flying. Bitterns have patterns on their wings, but according to my list of birds in Djibouti they only have the Yellow and the Little Bittern, looking nothing like my bird.
But thanks to the Bird forum I got an identity of the bird, a juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron. And I managed to get a poor sound recording of the birds, they were quite noisy when they flew around, but strong wind destroyed the recording.  Juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron
 Black-crowned Night Heron
 Black-crowned Night Heron
Listen to the juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron
Sound from www.xeno-canto.org
 The Night Herons took off and the crew was on deck working when I spotted the first bird using my bird drinking pool. I put it there not long after I joined the ship. And today I had a Pied Wheatear coming to drink water. Of course, when I brought out my video camera the bird disappeared. Would have been nice to have a video of the bird drinking.  Male Pied Wheatear come to drink water
Sunday 11th of November 2018 and when the day break I discover a bird of prey sitting in the deck crane. I´m pretty sure that it is a Western Osprey, but I will have to confirm the identity with bird forum. I was kind of satisfied with the pictures, but I would love to have been able to get closer to the bird.  Western Osprey come to visit us
  Western Osprey
 Western Osprey
 Western Osprey
Monday 12th of November 2018 and we got confirmation that m/t Red Sea will come along side tomorrow afternoon. Good, we can finally leave Djibouti and I hope to sign off in Fujairah. Afternoon and I was told not to book any ticket to Oman. I have planned for some bird watching in Oman and UAE when I sign off. But now they are asking for stowage plans to go load in Mumbai, India. Tuesday 13th of November 2018 and 30 minutes after having sent the boys on deck for another day of hard work one of our Thai painter came back on the bridge. He held a Lesser Crested Tern in his hands. He put it down in front of me. The Tern was for sure either sick or exhausted and we put the bird at my bird drinking pool. The bird wasn´t interested in any water and we moved it to the top of the console on the bridge wing. We cut up a fish and the bird tried to eat, but the bird was soon asleep.  One of our Painters with a Lesser Crested Tern
 One of our Painters with a Lesser Crested Tern
 We offer the bird some water
 The bird don´t want any water
 The bird don´t want any water
 We put the bird on top of a console, easier to take pictures
 We put the bird on top of a console, easier to take pictures
 Giving fish to the bird
 Giving fish to the bird
 Giving fish to the bird
 Not showing much interest in the fish
I was back to look how the bird felt when I came on my watch at 4 o´clock in the afternoon. The bird had moved 20 meters and it looked a little better. 5 minutes later and I could see the bird take off. A wee bit wobbly in the start but it was soon hoovering looking for fish and it looked good so no need to worry for the bird anymore.  Our new friend takes off and disappears
Wednesday 14th of November 2018 and m/t Red Sea called me quarter past 6 o´clock in the morning. They would come alongside in one hour. I could see them tied up to a tanker just next to us on the anchorage. m/t Red Sea was alongside at 08:12 and now we had to wait for the Surveyor so we can do the paper work before start discharging.  m/t Red Sea is coming for us
 m/t Red Sea is coming for us
   Thursday 15th of November 2018 and we completed discharging at 00:42. I could go to bed at 6 thirty and I slept for about 90 minutes and I went up for a cup of tea. Still tired, but if I sleep to long I cannot sleep tonight. So I will spend the day in my room being tired. Friday 16th of November 2018 and we were entering the International Recommended Transit Corridor when I came on the watch at 4 o´clock in the morning. It will take us about 48 hours to pass the corridor and to get out of Gulf of Aden. We had adjusted the speed to reach here at 4 o´clock as this was the time the 10 knots ships group was scheduled to start the transit.
 International Recommended Transit Corridor
We had an Osprey landing on the crane in the late afternoon. When I was going to take a picture the bird moved to the mid ship mast. And it was getting dark and the bird looked to stay overnight. So I might get a picture of the bird with at the sunrise tomorrow morning. Saturday 17th of November 2018 and the Osprey had changed from the mast on the star board side to the port mast during the night. I saw the Osprey taking off but it was too dark for any pictures of the bird. The sun came up and we spotted two whales swimming in the opposite direction, maybe bound for the Red Sea  Two whales swimming towards the Red Sea
 Two whales swimming towards the Red Sea
 Two whales swimming towards the Red Sea
I had maybe 10 White-throated Bee-eaters flying after us in the evening. I saw one of them perching on the razor wire in the aft when it became dark, so if I´m lucky I can get a picture tomorrow morning before the bird takes off. Coming out on the bridge wing later on and I was almost hit by a big bird looking like a Gannet. It was a giant seabird with a yellow head, at least it looked like that in the dark. The bird landed in the starboard side deck mast and it prepared to sleep there overnight, so I might get lucky to get a picture tomorrow morning when the sun is coming up. Sunday 18th of November 2018 and we left the International Recommended Transit Corridor 6 o´clock in the morning when I changed for 072° to 071°. The what I think was a Gannet was leaving with the first light, so no pictures. The White-throated Bee-eater was still sitting in the razor wire in the morning, but the bird was gone when it was enough light for a picture.
Monday 19th of November 2018 and we were about 100km SSE of the island Al-Qibliyah in Oman. I spotted a Masked Booby, thanks to Birdforum for confirming the identity for me. It is a huge bird and it is beautiful flying over the water looking for fish.   Masked Booby
 Masked Booby
Tuesday 20th of November 2018 and I see more of the Masked Boobies flying around our bow, but by the time I reach the fo´c´s´le they were gone. So today no pictures of any birds. But we still have some time before arriving and I hope to get up close with the birds again. Wednesday 21st of November 2018 and we´re steaming north east of Oman and not much sign of any wildlife. Well, we were joined by two Masked Boobies for a while, but they were soon growing tired of us and left. I saw another group of birds, first I thought it was flying fishes but when they changed course I realized that it was birds.  Two Masked Boobies joining us early morning
 Two Masked Boobies joining us early morning
 Two Masked Boobies joining us early morning
 Two Masked Boobies joining us early morning
We had one Brown Booby flying by but the bird was too quick and it was gone before I could, well, even before I even had time to think about taking any pictures. We left the Arabian Sea entering the Gulf of Oman in the evening. Thursday 22nd of November 2018 and we´re steering towards Fujairah with super slow steaming. We should have been in Fujairah already yesterday but as there is no cargo we slowed down and I expect to sign off on the 24th of November. I have booked my hotels in Oman and Dubai. I have bought my ticket to Muscat and I will leave Dubai on the 25th of November. The Filipino on signers will be delayed as their flight had been cancelled due to some technical difficulties.  “SMOKEY” approaching Fujairah
Friday 23rd of November 2018 and we´re approaching Fujairah anchorage with 4 knots. No sign of any wildlife until it was almost time to go down from my watch. I spotted a single bird far away and I was lucky, the bird came flying over us to check us out. I got a picture and it is either a Black or Brown-headed Gull in winter plumage. And I went straight down to check the internet after my watch to see if I can learn to see the difference. And I found the photography & birds web page. It is one of those web pages that you just know that you will revisit already at your first visit.  Brown Headed Gull vs Black Headed Gull
Picture from photography & birds and excellent page well worth a visit
 Black-headed Gull
 Black-headed Gull
 Dolphins
 Dolphins
We dropped anchor just after 12 o´clock and we had the first service boat with provision and stores here around 2 o´clock in the afternoon. The second boat came around 18 thirty when the other boat left with the off signers. The second boat brought the delayed on signers and more stores. And the new Chief Officer brought some Swedish snus for me. They were on board just after 6 o´clock and the new Chief Officer came to the bridge at 7. We talked for an hour before we went down to the CCR to make a few stowage plans.  Full moon over Fujairah anchorage
Our relievers arrive
Saturday 24th of November 2018 and I never had to call the Chief Officer at 05:45. He stepped in to the bridge quarter to 6 and at 6 o´clock the rest of the crew came to the bridge for tool box meeting and good morning gymnastics. And we were plenty people, all the new crew was on the bridge and none of them had ever experienced good morning gymnastics on a ship before. The new 2nd Officer came on board around 12 thirty, last on signer to join here in Fujairah. We will go ashore with this boat and we left m/t Ribe Maersk just after 1 o´clock and we expect it to take about 1 hour to reach the port of Fujairah.  Time to leave the ship
 Time to leave the ship
 I´m on the service boat
 We are on the service boat leaving Ribe Maersk behind
 Leaving Ribe Maersk behind
 Leaving Ribe Maersk behind
 Leaving Ribe Maersk behind
 Leaving Ribe Maersk behind
We stepped ashore just after 2 o´clock in the afternoon. The Agent was waiting for us with 2 drivers. Me and the 2nd Engineer will stay at a hotel, he will fly 3 o´clock in the morning. The Filipino crew will go straight to the airport as their flight leaves 8 o´clock tonight. We drove to the immigration and when we were ready there we walked next door where they x-rayed our luggage. They asked me to open my back pack and I took out my stuff and I put it on the table, my e-cig never made it to the table as I put them in my pocket and I was soon on my way to the car. Now we had to wait for them to copy our passports and one of the ABs had a fishing knife in his luggage. BIG PROBLEM!!! He is a fisher man and he likes fishing and he have used the knife when we fished on board Rita Maersk. So this delayed us and it was very nice when we left Fujairah. - FIRST STOP TO BUY A MILK SHAKE!!!! I said to the driver when we left for Dubai where I will fly to Oman tomorrow for a few days of bird watching. Click HERE to find out if I make it to Muscat, Oman.
    
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