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 June 2011
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Wednesday 1st of June 2011 and June starts as May ended, anchored at Saint Brides Bay in the Celtic Sea waiting for jetty at Chevron's terminal in Pembroke.
It was sunshine and nice weather when I came on my morning watch. Still anchored and the latest news is that we will get the pilot at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. Well, we see about that. I got an   e-mail from a mate back in navigation school. He had found my web page and he felt like it was 100 years ago we went to Paris when he saw the pictures. Yes, this was back in February 1990 and I have not seen him since we finished school back in 1990.
 Well, he was on a ship outside Africa waiting for them to be ready for his cargo while reading about our adventure in Paris. 21 years, time for sure turns quick and I guess he is the  lucky one when it feels like 100 years ago for him. For me it feels like yesterday.
Milford Haven Port Control called me on VHF channel 12 at 11 o'clock. The want us to be at the Pilot station at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. But they were not sure about the Pilot boarding time. We started to heave up our anchor at 12 and 20 minutes later I went to knock on the 4 to 8  Officer's door. He had not come up on the bridge at 12 for our lunch tea.
- HEY!! MOTHERF@CKER!! I opened the door and he was half asleep when he replied.  - I'm comin'
- WHOA-WHOA! Hold your horses! Do you want to eat boring food or should we eat in the mess room? - We eat our salmon on the bridge - IT IS YOUR LAST LUNCH ONBOARD! - OK, I see you in the mess room in 5 Our 2nd officers are signing off and the 2nd Officers that left us 5 weeks ago will come back. They will land in the afternoon so we went to my cabin to send SMS to them after our lunch. “Please bring Diet MAX” So I hope they read their messages at arrival to the airport. Well, anyway, I had  borrowed a book from 2nd Officer. “Hjärnkoll på maten” , yes, it is yet another diet book. I handed it over to him.
- Have you read it? - No, but I get the picture. - But read it - You are leaving today. - You can keep the book - Well wasn't that a gift (what a gift) from your wife? - Yes  - Well, it doesn't require much imagination to imagine her reaction  when you are coming home without the book.
 - No problem, but you have to put a picture of the book on your page
- Well, we will take a picture of you handing me the book!  - GREAT!
He started to take off his shirt and I asked what he did. I have noticed that he usually took off his shirt when my camera was out. - My wife doesn't like these shirts  - What the 
Of course, I had to have some pictures of this,  but as soon as I brought out the camera he got nervous. He threw the shirt on the floor and he refused to take the shirt when I handed it back to him.
We got the picture of him handing me the book and he had  to leave because I needed my POWER NAP. But I was stand-by with my camera when he was picking up his shirt from the floor.
But what the ? He looked at my camera and he just left without taking the shirt.
He left my cabin and he closed the door behind him, I  opened the door and  he was sneaking outside my door.
- You forgot your shirt! He refused to take his shirt and I had to run after him to  his cabin.
- HEY! YOUR SHIRT! Your wife might think it is my shirt! I gave him the shirt and I returned to my cabin for my POWER NAP. I don't know for how long I slept, but it was not easy to  fall asleep even though I was tired. I got out of bed at 3 thirty and I   had a shower while they were mooring the ship to Chevron's jetty #8.
I was on my way up to the bridge for our afternoon tea and salmon when I ran in to the 2nd Officer on the 4 to 8 watch outside the bridge. - Where are you going? - To the mess room - What about the tea and salmon? - I will go check if there is something to add in the mess room. COME ON! Well, there were smoked salmon in the mess room and I  made a pot of tea. We ate salmon and drank tea in the mess room, nice with a change from eating on the bridge.
We started loading at 17 thirty ships time and we expect to stay along side for 18 hours. Well, expectation doesn't count for much around here. +++++++++++++++
Thursday 2nd of June 2011 and the cargo arms were still connected when I had my GOOS MORNING look out my window. I had expected us to be on our way to Dublin by now. Especially after all the trouble to move the cargo arm from manifold #3 to #5 after completed the ULSD B7 parcel. We finished the B7 parcel at the end of my watch and they wanted to continue load the B0 parcel with 2 arms.
2 arms would give us a rate of 1600m³/h and we would have been ready in a jiff. But everything was ready when I came on the bridge and the arms were disconnected at 08:35 ST and we were
 o'clock, we left when I had my lunch in the mess room.
Yes, lunch with a new 2nd Officer, our other 2 2nd Officers left for the airport early this morning and they will be home for 5 weeks. I felt asleep after lunch and I didn't woke up until 5
Looks like we will drop the anchor late tonight and we will get our Pilot at 02:45 tomorrow morning. Good, I can spend the afternoon in Dublin looking for a avocado  peeler and diet drinks. Nice to get off the ship for a few hours, of course, all depending on the weather. But as I write this we have sunshine and no wind so it looks good.
  was almost like a mirror except for big, yes, almost like whirlpools on the sea caused by the tide. So I was in a pretty good mood even though I had a minor SET BACK with my diet during the day.
Well after all the Bank Holiday and “LAST DAY ONBOARD” festivities it will be like getting off a speeding train to go back to just the black  bread. But tomorrow.....
And I had my food prepared for tomorrow in my cabin, so yes, I was in a good mood while enjoying my tea and the good music. We passed Codling just before 9 and I changed course to 330° (T) towards Dublin approach   
 Irish time. Well, back in my cabin and I got an e-mail and there had been an accident at Chevron's Refinery. 2 road tankers had collided inside the refinery
Well, that must have been just a few hours after we left Pembroke earlier today. And I might extend my contract for a few months. I'm seriously doubt that I can live up to all expectations. And I'm reminded about the failure almost every day with e-mails like: “When you come back, you will be handsome and young so let start finding the beautiful and young Thai lady now.” 
Well, I don't want to call it a failure, but for sure, it has not been the success that some people seem to think it has been. +++++++++++++++
Friday 3rd of June 2011 and I discovered that we were alongside Top One's jetty #2 when I had  my GOOD MORNING look out my window. But no cargo arm connected. I had my shower and Loading Master and Surveyor was onboard when I came on the bridge 5 minutes before 8 o'clock.
They left 15 minutes past 8 and they expected us to start discharging around 9 o'clock ship's time. Good, I  have time to enjoy my “TUNA & ONION SURPRISE” ® and tea before it is time to kick arse.
It was a gorgeous morning, no wind and blue sky. We started to discharge the first
I had finished the topping off tanks one by one at 11 forty and I could  increase discharge rate to full. I put on a kettle and I prepared my black bread and salmon.
Not the same to have my lunch “MYS” all by lonesome. But I can't give up my diet just because I'm alone. I finished my lunch tea and I went to change clothes and I was off to Dublin. I had planned for a constitutional  but I realised that I had forgot my iPod so, well, maybe I see a taxi or a bus.
But I started to walk and I had walked for hundred meters when a car stopped. It was the Loading Master and he had a guy with him in his car. They got out and the Loading Master introduced the guy as the Technician that would test the automatic closing valves on the shore line. They had asked me if they could test their valve while we were discharging. - You want to close the valve when we're discharging full rate??!!
Well, this was nothing I thought was a very good idea. - We can do it against one pump running on 60% They wanted to do the test right now, but as I was on my way ashore I told them to be back  during my evening watch.
- I want to monitor this test, I said. I asked them where I could find a taxi or a bus to town. The Loading Master asked me to get in to the car and he took me to the tram. Well, when I arrived to the tram stop there was a  tram and a taxi to choose from and yes, I choose the taxi and I was in down town Dublin 5 minutes later.
Looking for a Diet MAX first thing, but they only had small bottles of Coke  ZERO and big bottles of Diet MAX so I continued my search up and down the streets of Dublin until I found a place with small bottles of Diet MAX for sale.
Then, while enjoying my Diet MAX I was looking for a camera shop. Canon D60 was everything between 1300 and 1400€, and that was with a Scooby Doo lens. So it was very expensive and I  decided to buy my camera elsewhere. But I had other stuff to look for.
Captain had asked me to buy a pair of those plastic shoes. - If you can find any. - OK, as long as there isn't any beautiful girls nearby believing I buy  them for myself.
I passed Marks and Spencer while looking for the plastic shoes and I went inside. They didn't have any plastic shoes, but they had an avocado peeler and I bought 4 packs of socks. I left Marks and Spencer in look for the darn plastic shoes. I found them and I almost fainted when I turned them upside down to check the price. 50€. Who  the is paying 50€ for a pair of plastic shoes? I had expected around 5€ so I checked the next pair, still 50€. Is this a joke?
Well, I continued my search, obviously there were ripping off people at this shop. There must be a pair of 5€ shoes with the price tag 5€ and not 50€. How much does it cost to make a pair of these shoes, 50 cent? Well, my search for shoes brought me to some strange areas of Dublin. I got a hair cut, yet another day light  robbery in Dublin. 10€, 20 seconds of work and I had to redo it when I came back onboard. Well, the lady must have been 80 or something and half blind.
Sometimes it was like walking in down town Kingston or Cristobal. What have happened to Europe.  Beggars all over the place and when I passed them.
- Do you have any spare change? - PLEASE!! HELP ME!! I NEED MONEY!!  What the is going on. And the shops were selling everything from mobile phones to hair extensions. Fortune  tellers in every street corner.
Seriously, what happens with Europe? For sure it doesn't getting any better by the year. The same tax and everything is going down the drain. If it was getting better by the year I could understand the level of the taxes, but it changes for the worse  every year and I can imagine how it will be in 10 years.
 Fortune tellers and beggars everywhere and the Politicians spending money on, well, wasting tax money on unbelievable stuff. Sweden send money to China, yes, CHINA to teach them democracy. What the !!??
It is not like they don't need the money at the hospitals and schools in Sweden. They should be sent in jail to waste our money. And while they spending money like back in the days when Europe was rich. For sure it is expensive and the salaries are high, but after tax and the high prices it counts for nothing. At the same time we import people from SE Asia to pick berries in the forests and they gets cheated year after year and the Government do f@ck all to stop it. They just issue BLUBERRY VISAS even if they know that the people coming here had borrowed money with their land and house as security. SHAME ON THEM! And at the same time we have immigrants in Sweden with no jobs, but to be in the forest picking blue berries isn't good enough for them or for Swedish students on summer leave. Well, good luck with the future of Sweden. So the last guy working in Sweden is supporting all these people and of course, he sends a share to China so they can learn democracy. And at least the trade union have realised what is going on. So  now they have offered the ship owners to have as many of the crew from the third world onboard their ship as long as they pay the member fee to the Swedish trade union. Of course, the ship owners refused and I'm just laughing at them. These trade union people can go North to pick the darn blue berries. But that is not good enough for them.
Well, I didn't find any plastic shoes and I had to start thinking about returning to the ship. But first some food. I passed the place where I ate last time, the Church. But I didn't feel like eating there. I had passed an Italian restaurant earlier. Of course, now I could not find it again so I ended up at a place called Shanigans, Lanigans or Fanigans. Seems like all the places have the same names. 
I ordered salmon and tea to start with and I finished with fish and chips. But I skipped the
I paid 24€ for my dinner and I left to look for a taxi. But first I needed to stop for a “FEW” bottles of Diet MAX. There is the shop next to the taxi stand and as they didn't had any small bottles of Diet MAX I had to buy the JUMBO size. I hopped in to a taxi. - Alexandra Road We took off with smokin' and screamin' tyres and I was back onboard just after 4 o'clock in the afternoon. I went to bed trying to get some sleep but I gave up after an hour. 
Well, now I have my avocado peeler and my kitchen is complete. Can't wait to come home and try the little “wonder” and I will try my avocado smoked salmon SPRING ROLL first thing coming home. I think we remember when I bought the socks onboard  M/T Ek River, I ordered happy socks from Sweden, 1000 US.
1 pair of the happy socks was more than a pack of 7socks at Marks & Spencer and the Marks & Spencer socks  are much better. My happy socks, well, they are not so nice after a turn in the washing machine.
And with my latest sock purchase I can fill up yet another thing on my list of things that “I will never have to do in my life again” 1) Buy shaving soap 2) Buy socks Yes, I already have 2 things that I will never ever have to worry about again. They will last me until I'm dead.  And last time eating salmon at SCAN DELI in Bangkok I told the guy from the Swedish Embassy that if they found me dead, just a matter of time, they should just burn me and throw me in the river.
Well, anyway, I can't wait to put my third item on my list of things that “I will never have to do in my life again”. You will find out as soon as I know.  On our way to the shipyard in Odense, Denmark and I will start making the ship gas free, exciting! +++++++++++++++
Saturday 4th of June 2011 and we had leaving Dublin behind when I came on my morning watch. We were steaming North towards the Sea of Hebrides and the AB on my watch started to prepare  deck for tank cleaning and gas freeing.
We started after lunch, yes, I had some fish in the mess room for lunch and I went to check deck before I returned to the bridge. I put on a kettle and we were pretty much ready to start. We finished around 2 o'clock and I went for a “POWER NAP” while the AB was blowing the lines. When he finished with the blowing he drained all the lines and super stripped the tanks all going to Port SLOP TANK.
And did I have a “POWER NAP”? I didn't wake up until 7 o'clock in the evening. My shitty wrist watch was showing 18 thirty, yes, another purchase in Dublin and, well, I will never buy anything in  Dublin again. My new hair cut, 10€ and our 2nd Officer felt to the floor wetting himself when I came back with my new haircut. It took him several minutes before he could pick himself up from the floor and then it took him a few minutes to be able to speak.
 - WHAT THE F@CK!!?? AND YOU PAID 10€
He went on and on about my new haircut. - You were f@cking robbed, you should have called the police! +++++++++++++++
Sunday 5th of June 2011 and we were steaming on an course towards North East and the Cape Wrath. I reached Cape Wrath at 08:35 and I changed course to 088° towards Pentland Firth.
    We were approaching the Pentland Firth at the end of my watch. I reported that we had 1 hour to go to Pentland Firth to Aberdeen Coast Guard at 11 o'clock  Tor Ness on Orkney Islands on the left hand side and Dunnet Head in Scotland on the right hand side
I went for a POWER NAP after lunch, I had asked 2nd Officer to wake me up at 3 o'clock so I  could measure the gas in our tanks. It was darn cold on deck even though the weather was nice. But our tanks were gas free according to our instrument and I returned in to the accommodation. Just in time for dinner at 5 o'clock. DARN! But it is Sunday so it is OK.....
Well, UK is a big country, like Sweden. Winter in the North and summer in the South. I got an e-mail with a picture of  Gwil sailing in the Solent, Southampton in 24°C and here we are in 9°C. So it was nice to get in from deck, I only wish I had me some Diet MAX
Yes, just as we thought we had enough of my Dublin adventure my last purchase it me stright in the face. I filled a few bags with Diet MAX at the convenient store next to the taxi stand just before hoping in to the taxi. - Do you have small bottles of Diet MAX? - No, we only have small COKE ZERO. But we have big bottles of Diet MAX, she said pointing to a shelf.  I went over to the shelf and I took as many bottles I could carry and I left Dublin with smokin' and screamin' tyres.
OK, now imagine me waking up at 7 thirty in the morning.  I had so much tea the previous evening  so it was impossible to fall asleep before 5 o'clock in the morning. Spending the night tossin' and turnin' in bed so I was not jumping out of bed, but I manage to find the way to my desk where I poured a glass of Diet MAX.
- WHAT THE F@CK??!!
It tasted like shit and I started to scrutinize the bottle for an expiry date. I was half  blind just coming out of bed so it took me a while to discover that I had bought ordinary Pepsi. Luckily enough our AB on the 12 to 4 watch is drinking Pepsi so I gave the bottles to him.
Well, anyway, good bye Dublin and I hope it will be long before I return.  +++++++++++++++
Monday 6th of June 2011 and we were approaching Skagerrak and the TSS SW of the Norwegian coast when I came on my morning watch. The weather left very much to wish for. We had rain  when I came on my watch and the wind increased during my watch. When I got of my watch we had a force 6 or 7 blowing from East. And it was not warm.
I don't know, but it has been bad weather every day since  we arrived to Kalundborg, Denmark on the 14th of May. It started to rain when we walked to town and it had pretty much been shitty weather ever since.
It started in the Kiel Canal on the 13th of May with the Pilot complaining about the weather. - We have not had rain for 8 weeks and it is very dry. 
Yes, and here we go with rain and storm every day. And it is like M/T Ternvik is coursed, nice weather all over Europe, except for the area M/T Ternvik is in. And I don't know id it is because we're stuck in the shit or if the shit is following us.   Sun set over Skagerrak, soon midsummer and the sun is in North
Well, coming on my night watch was a nice surprise. Skagerrak was like a windmill pond and the sun  was actually shining. Well, over cast and gloom as long as I could see. But we could see the sun breaking through the clouds at times.
We were approaching Skagen and there were plenty traffic. And of course, this time of the year, plenty  sailing boats. 16° C so it was hot,  hmm, strange, when I was in FUNKY TOWN they had 18 and it was freezing cold. Here I find 16 ° C very comfy.
I reached Skagen and Kattegatt at 10 o'clock and I had to change course earlier then expected due to traffic. The T route was pretty busy during the night and we were almost at Anholt when I went of my watch. Not day light, but it was not dark at midnight and if it had not been for the black clouds it might have been day light. 
Thunder and lightning in the horizon so we will have to see what kind of weather we will get tomorrow. Well, anyway, I had a few hours of nice weather this evening and that is not bad. +++++++++++++++
Tuesday 7th of June 2011 and we were South bound in Great Belt when I came on my morning watch. Gloomy and grey morning, but no wind, so I guess it was OK.
I enjoyed my morning tea and “TUNA & ONION SURPRISE” ® while discharging ballast from DB #7, maximum draft when we're going in to the dry dock is 5,8 meters so I have to lift the stern a bit. Pilot boarded us at 08:50 and we reached Odense Shipyard at 10 thirty and we were in the dry dock around 11 o'clock.   workers positioned the ship in the dry dock with the help of a scuba diver  in the dry dock.
And of course, I could enjoy my tea and salmon while pumping the ballast. They pumped out the water from the dock while the diver gave instructions via radio to the guys on the winches adjusting the wires. As soon as the ship was on the block on the bottom of the dock I started to discharge our ballast.     coming to measure our tanks for gas tomorrow morning.
The tanker taking our slop water had left so we got two containers for the tank cleaning water from the ship yard. We placed the containers on our manifold and I flushed the Port side Slop tank while pumping the water to the containers. We got about 1,3m³ of tank cleaning water that they lifted ashore. And of course, when I was going for my shower I discover that we don't have any water. They have removed all the bottom plugs from the ballast tanks. And Lo and behold, they had removed the bottom plug  on the FW tank by mistake. DARN!
I had planned to go ashore with our 2nd Officer, a quick walk up to the village to have a look. Well, I had to give him a shopping list, I don't feel  like going shopping without a shower first. I had not got my shower when our 2nd Officer came back one and a half hour later.
He gave me a JUMBO bottle of Diet MAX and the shower was never mind.  Odense Shipyard
 Odense Shipyard, picture by MaerskGroup
 Odense Shipyard, picture from www.marexpo.balport.com
Well, so far Odense Shipyard has been nothing but a disappointment. I had expected to be able to
I had expected some high speed internet experience during our stay in Denmark. Sending e-mail and up loading my web page, and of course, listening to Swedish radio. So I was disappointed. Well, I spent the evening in my cabin and we will see what happens tomorrow. Maybe I take a walk to the village during my lunch break to see what they have to offer. I must get to Odense to get my STROH Rum, Captain had checked with the Ship chandler and he had 80% STROH, but that is not allowed on the airplane. +++++++++++++++
Wednesday 8th of June 2011 and I didn't get out of bed until 8 thirty. No one woke me up at 7 thirty so I got a bonus hour of sleep. Good, but coming in to the shower was not a nice experience.  No hot water. Motherf@.....! I must have had the shortest shower since I joined the ship. Well, I'm talking time under water here because I spent 30 minutes in the shower. Slowly soaping and rinsing small areas at the time.
And I never washed my hair, or more correctly to say, the top of my head.   from yesterdays work. I was busy when our DNV Inspector  arrived onboard and we started to do inspections of all our cargo tanks.
He wanted to do the cargo tanks first and then he wanted to do all the ballast tanks. - OK, no problem. We started with Starboard side SLOP TANK and it was more or less just 2 steps down to the bottom of the tank. I asked the AB to secure the hatches when we were back up on deck after a few minutes. Our Inspector suggested that we should do this later so we could continue with the tanks and thus be ready in a jiff. - That's the spirit! I said.   didn't wanted to drink water.
- It is very hot! - WATER!!?? Let's get this over with.
After a few of the cargo tanks we had time both to secure hatches and open hatches. Must have been all my “SQUAT DOWNS” on the bridge because I was running up and down the tanks like there was no tomorrow. When we were on the port side the Inspector suggested that we should take the ballast tanks tomorrow.    very good time doing the tank inspection. We were talking about  everything and the DNV Inspector was very nice to work with. And he had humour so we were cracking jokes on our way up and down the tanks.
No ballast tank inspection and our DNV Inspector were going to make a bottom survey of the ship. So when we were ready with the cargo  tanks I went for a glass of water and a quick coffin nail  in the duty mess.
 when we went down the dry dock. The Ä will be changed for an E as in TERNVIK. Port of registry is Skagen,  Denmark. When it was Swedish flag the ship was registered on Donsö.
The old name was just covered with pain, but now they remove the welded name and they are welding SKAGEN under the name.   Well, our DNV Inspector was impressed by the ship. First the cargo tanks, they are like new and the bottom of the ship is like new. Just fresh pain and she will look like she brand new.  
  the day after to have a look on the ship. He was so impressed, he had told his friends that he could have  been eating his meals from the floor.
And when he came onboard he told me that he was, well, I don't want to say that he was astonished. But he was impressed when we came up the River Mersey and we turned around and went alongside the jetty. - Looked like you were turning around a coin.
Yes, we can actually swing the ship around a coin by means of our bow thruster. A propeller forward working sideways. And of course, the rudder helps. You can see the size of the rudder on the pictures above and we can put it in an angle of 70° so we can move sideways just by means of the rudder. Top of the line equipment onboard M/T Ternvik. (Former Swedish flag)   the dry dock I went to the end of the dry dock to take  some pictures before going for my lunch.
M/S Vikingland is waiting for new propellers at the shipyard. She will have to wait for 4 weeks and when I  walked along the dry dock I saw her old propellers. Only one blade remaining on their starboard side propeller. Port side is totally destroyed and  this happened last winter when driving in the ice. Propellers and rudders destroyed.
I went to check the progress with the valve on #1 X-OVER when I came back onboard. They will finish the valve today and I returned to the bridge for paper work. But first my lunch “MYS”. Well, afternoon is more like it, it was 2 thirty in the afternoon.     inspections. Well, paperwork is OK, at least better than running up and down cargo tanks.
But as I told the guy from DNV - After all this running up and down we can have an extra sandwich tonight without feeling bad about it. I finished my paper work, well, there are still plenty for  me to do tomorrow. I went on deck to check out the progress with the valve on the X-OVER. The valve was in place and we tested it. It worked just nice, at least with the manual pump. But we will test it when they have started the hydraulic for the remote valves again.
I told the guys to go get a shower. - They will pick you up at the gate 18:10 - For what? - You're going for dinner with the company - Are you coming? - I will stay onboard. Someone must stay behind while you're having a good time.    - PLEASE! Don't tell the DNV Inspector.
He was so impressed by me running up and down the tanks. And anyway, someone has to stay onboard watching the ship, and that will be me. No Diet MAX and I had to try to enjoy myself with mango juice. Nothing close to as good as the mango juice in Manila. But it has to do. I went down to check on the guys. The ABs were getting ready to go ashore and I need to check how they dress before they can go ashore. I could not beleive my eyes, one of the ABs were going ashore with plastic shoes.
- What the is this??!!
He just gaped at me. - You must understand that you can't walk around in shoes like that. He went to change his shoes and I went in to the other AB's cabin. - Have some Pringles! He handed me a tube of Pringles. He had a bag full of snacks that they had bought when they went  ashore yesterday.
 - I'M ON DIET!!
Hmm, I must admit that it was very close that I had left with a tube of  Pringles. I had taken 2 DVS in the dayroom and I had planned to watch a movie tonight. Yes, I was watching my first movie since I came onboard back in March.
I heard noise around 22 thirty and I went to investigate. I discovered a bag outside my door. DARN! I was tired and on my way to bed. Now I will have to sit up enjoying a Diet MAX before going to  bed. And the Diet MAX was way better than the mango juice, and most likely a healthier alternative.
Imagine a Diet MAX with a vitamin tablet. There you have a winner, no calories and all the vitamins you need. +++++++++++++++
Thursday 9th of June 2011 and this day will go down my history books as the STROH RUM DAY. I had decided to go in to the city of Odense during the afternoon to buy me some STROH Rum. But first there were a few arses to kick at the ship yard. I had a cubic tone of paper  work to do from yesterday and as this was not enough there were another cubic ton landing on my desk during the morning.
The Inspector from DNV was in the ballast tanks doing inspections and I had an AB to go with him today. I tried to change an oxygen sensor in our  fixed gas detection system for the ballast tanks, but the power is cut so I will see if I can do it tomorrow.
Our DNV Inspector was on the bridge when he was finished with the ballast tanks. He had a few questions to ask and when we were finished I went to get some Danish Scooby dollars from our Captain. Then I went for a shower and the water is still very cold so it was a quick shower. I had a  change of clothes before taking off to Odense. STROH Rum or bust!
I got addresses to shops with STROH Rum from the Danish importer. So  Iripped a page out of SUNNY RADIO's October 2010 magazine and I wrote down the name and addresses. A 5 minutes walk to the gate and the security guard called a taxi.
The Security guard complained a wee bit because I had taken the short cut over the lawn going from the ship to the gate. - What? - Nothing. What are you going to do in Odense? - I will buy STROH Rum - For the main engine? I heard the security talking with each other. - They are not allowed to bring onboard alcohol while on the ship yard. Must be delivered by an approved ship chandler They were just talking between themselves and they never said anything to me so, well, never mind. •Worst case scenario; I can't find any STROH Rum. •Second worst scenario: I fins STROH Rum but can't take it to the ship. Well, then I guess I will have to put my STROH Rum at the gate and ask our Agent to bring it onboard. But this will be a later problem.  - Where is Vinets Verden? He pointed across the street. There was nothing with the name Vintes Verden. Well, Vinets Verden was located at Slotsgaden and I was looking for Vinoble on Overgaden. Well, they didn't have any STROH at home. - We can get it for you tomorrow. I left the place and at Vinets Verden they only had 80% STROH Rum, not allowed to bring on the flight. I was pondering over the problem. They only had 80% and if I can put the bottles in a bucket of water the labels will fall off and no one will never know that it is 80% STROH Rum in my bags. Well, of course, they will find out if we crash and the plane burst in to flames thanks to my STROH Rum. - Hmm, maybe I will try another place. But if they don't have 60% STROH I will be back
I asked if they knew another place with STROH Rum and they directed me to the walking street.  This was a shop I hadn't on my list and they didn't had any STROH Rum. But they were very helpful, they checked the internet for the phone number to one of the shops on my list. He called the shop.
 - Do you have STROH Rum?
 - Yes
- Do you have 60% STROH Rum?
- Yes
- OK, I will send him over
- HOLD ON! I will go check what we have!
They had all STROH Rum and the friendly shop assistant called me a taxi. I was really impressed by the service at the shop. I don't remember the name, well, hold on, I will  check the internet.
It appears as the name of the shop is HJ Hansen Vin A/S, I even found a picture of the shop. If you're looking for other stuff than STROH Rum I can recommend the place. Impressive service. They called a taxi and I went outside to wait for my taxi. Took about 5 minutes for the taxi to arrive and we took off to Johansens Vinhandel at Rosengårds  Centret. A big shopping mall 10 minutes away in a taxi.
I found the shop and I stepped inside asking for STROH Rum. - Ah, you're the one with the STROH Rum, she said. She had to call a guy from Henri Lloyd shop next door when she left to check her stock. I bought all her STROH Rum and she only had one bottle in the shop. Well, she only had 5 and a half litre of the 60% STROH Rum. And she didn't had plastic bags big enough for the boxes so she went in to the  Henri Lloyd shop next door and she returned with a plastic bag.
- Did you only bring one? I have 2 boxes.
I went in to the Henri Lloyd shop next door and I got a plastic  bag. And the payment, same problem as in Liverpool. They  didn't accept AMEX and as I didn't had my pin for the MasterCard I was in deep shit.
- Where is the darn ATM? I asked. I left for the ATM and I was back 2 minutes later. Before I paid I emptied her fridge from all her Diet MAX. Can as well take them all when I have taken the whole stock of 60% STROH. For sure, I had been hoping to put a third item on my list of stuff that “I will never have to do in  my life again”
1) Buy shaving soap 2) Buy socks Never mind, I left Johansens Vinhandel with my STROH 60% and Diet MAX bottles and I went out to wait for the taxi that the lady had booked for me. Talking to the taxi driver and it turned out that we had ended up in an area of FINE DINING in Denmark. Who would have thought that. Odense shipyard, in the middle of nowhere. Munkbo, a village of 300 or so. Obviously Munkebo Kro is on the top 10 or 20 list in Denmark. A few kilometres away in Kalindmine or whatever the name of the village is there is a restaurant. One of the best in Denmark and the Danish Queen is eating there when ever she is in the village. I decided to check it out, Munkebo Kro, already tonight. I was back onboard around 6 o'clock with all my plastic bags ripped to pieces, but I made  it onboard. My bottles of STROH 60% had set me back by 3000 Scooby Dollars and that's about 15000 Baht, so it is a good night out in FUNKY TOWN.
Our 2nd Officers were going to take a walk up to Munkebo and I decided to join them. Well, as I told them, if I had been living here I would have ended up as a drug addict or an alcoholic. There was nothing to do. 3 convenient stores and a pub. I bought some Danish for Captain at one of the convenient stores before we continued our constitutional. I was lucky that I had our 2nd Officer with me, 350 US in a fine if he caught me eating. And if he had not keeping watch over me I would have bought plenty “UNHEALTHY” stuff. Now I got 90  minutes of constitutional out of it. We passed Munkebo Kro and I just had to stop to check out the menu. Maybe I will be able to sneak away without our 2nd Officer one  of those days.
I asked the Waiter if they had smoked salmon and new potatoes. - No, we have the stuff on the menu I checked the menu, duck and veal chops or something like that. Nothing exciting so I will most likely never eat at Munkebo Kro. Back on the ship and I went to hand the Danish to Captain before I started to write about today's adventure on my web page. I also took a DVD in Captain's cabin. DARN! I should  never have watched the DVDs yesterday. I don't have time for this and when I get started it just goes on and on. Well, one more and then it has to be enough.
+++++++++++++++
Friday 10th of June 2011 and there was hot water for my morning shower. Very  nice and I enjoyed my shower for a few extra minutes.
Well, I started my day with a can of tuna and tea on the  bridge. Then I got right on with my paper work. Tank inspection reports and test of our loading  computer.
And of course, I was interrupted by  the DNV Inspector and his questions.
I changed the O2 sensor in our fixed gas measuring equipment for the ballast tanks  and the time went  pretty quick and it was time for lunch before very soon. Salmon, lettuce and black bread on the bridge. And of  course, a bathtub of tea to chase down the food with.
We have had millions of yard workers on the bridge and every single one of them have made a remark about my tea cup. And this is a small cup comparing to the beer  mugs our 1st Engineer bought for me at Wal-Mart when  onboard M/T Barcarolle.
We started to bring onboard stores after lunch and then I had two of the ABs to tight some bolts in the ladders to the cargo tanks. Busy busy and when I returned to the bridge for a quick cuppa the Electrician from the ship yard needed my help. We have earth faults so he needed me to check an indicator  while he switched on the fuses one by one. At first I thought it was something complicated so I asked him to get an Engineer. But he told me that it was no problem for me to do it.
He showed me the instrument on our emergency switch board and on the way there we ran in to our 2nd Officer. He is everywhere, that's the spirit! Well, as soon as the electrician had showed me the ropes he went back to the bridge and I was checking the instrument when he switched on the fuses. I reported every movement on the instrument to him via radio. It took is 10 minutes and I had learned new stuff.   The afternoon went on and I had one AB in the dry dock marking the anchor chain and the other two were tightening bolts on the ladders in the cargo tanks. I also learned new stuff changing the O2 sensor on our fixed gas detector in the ballast tanks. Yes something new every day and this is the stuff that I will hopefully  remember.
- Of course, go ahead, knock yourself out! He went down on the port side and he was disappointed when he was back on deck. - Are all the cargo pumps on Starboard side? He asked. - Yes He asked if he could go down in a tank on Starboard side to have a look at a pump.  - Do you want me to go with you showing you the pump.
We plunged down the tank and when we were back on deck our 2nd Officer knew everything about the pump. I had decided to go and try the restaurant were the Danish Queen used to eat in the evening. I had two plates  of salad for dinner and I went for a shower.
I asked my friend in the gate to call a taxi. It would take 20 minutes for the taxi to come so I asked him to tell the driver to pick me up on the way. Just hanging around waiting for 20 minutes would have been unbearable so I decided to start walk. I was all the way to NETTO in Munkebo before I meet the taxi and we could take off.   walking street with plenty people.
The taxi driver that took me to the ship from Odense the other day told me that there were only the famous restaurant and 1 pub in Kerteminde. No shops or anything like that,  pretty much like a ghost town.
So yes, I was surprised to discover all this. I asked the driver where the restaurant was and he showed me the place on the other side of the bridge crossing a small creek or whatever they call it leading to the small lake between Munkebo and Kerteminde. I got out of the taxi and I went to the   walking street and there were obviously some  ballyhoo going on in town. Plenty people and there was a small stage where they played music. And of course, they were drinking beer. But as this is Denmark that doesn't mean f@ck all. There are always people drinking beer.
I walked up the walking road and it was very crowded. There was a red carped in the  middle of the walking road stretching from end to end and there were, well, I don't know what it was. But it looked like a costume ball.
Captain had asked me to buy a nose spray to cure cold if I could find something. I was surprised to find all the shops open at 7 o'clock, or well, just past 7. I found something that looked like a drug store and I  went inside. All personnel were dressed like Pirates.  Of course, I had to ask them what was  going on. Music and the streets are crowded like it is a festival.
- And please tell me why you're all dressed like Pirates! They told me that it was Friday when all the shops were open to 10 o'clock in the evening AND that's the reason for the music and all the ballyhoo. And there were people shopping in the drug store when I was there. But I don't know why, suddenly at 7 they realised that they needed a soap? Would have been better of being on the street drinking beers and listen to the music.    I decided to come back to the walking street after my dinner. I need a bag of Diet MAX and I can buy it on my way back to the ship.
I took a few pictures of the restaurant while walking there. It really looked nice smack on the water front. I arrived to the restaurant and I was almost stepping right in to the fire place when I entered the restaurant. It only took a second before I had a Waitress welcoming me to Rudolf Mathis. - How many people? - I'm all by lonesome. - We only have table outside, it is full inside. - No problem! We went outside and I had a seat. I even had to change to the chair on the opposite side of the table to avoid getting the sun in my face.   - Do you have new potatoes? (Nye Kartofler in Danish) - Oh yes, we have - Can I please have a bowl of new potatoes. - There are new potatoes with the main course! - I need a bowl of new potatoes. - You want new potatoes through the whole dinner. - Exactemento! Just bring it on! She left the table to attend the other guests and I just had to ask her: - I heard that this is Denmark's best restaurant. Is that right? - Well, I don't know, but it is pretty good. All the other guests were looking at me and they were smiling and welcomed me to Denmark. I asked the Waitress if they had smoked salmon. - No we only serve smoked salmon for lunch. - But then you have smoked salmon lying around in the kitchen??!! If this is Denmark's best restaurant you must be able to serve Smoked salmon. Now all the guests had turned around and they were looking at me. - Smoked salmon is so good with the new potatoes. They were all agreeing and the Waitress left us. - I will see what we can do  Please observe the last item! Strawberry “En surprice” Maybe I should start call it “TUNA & ONION EN SURPRISE” ®
              The snack disappeared like an aspirin and the smoked salmon and new potatoes didn't last much longer. - Where is course #1? Damn, it took quite some time before I got my starter, the shrimps and they disappeared like an aspirin, it was not like there were very much food on the plate. But the food was excellent. There was a pumpernickel, in thumbnail size with shrimps and some sauce. DARN! This was very good and I wish they could serve me 500 gram of this little wonder.  I asked for more bread and a second pot of tea, well, the tea pots were very big so that was very good. 9 o'clock and I was starting to get restless. - Where the f.... is the food? 9 o'clock and they started to bring out the blankets. The Waitress asked if I wanted a blanket. No, it was still very OK and the sun was shining. We got our third course, scallop and mussels were OK, but the oyster, well, I will never order oyster it tasted like 
It must have been almost 10 o'clock when the third course arrived to the table. Lobster, there were some lobster cream in some crisp stuff. Holy cow, that was very delicious. Took me 2, 3  minutes tops to finish this course. By now I had been there for 2 and a half hours and I was worried that I would have to spend the whole night.
- What time do you expect this to be over? - The clock is 10 to 10 - No, what time will the dinner be over? - You only have the main course and dessert to go Good, I could see the end of it. Until I heard the Waitress serve the cheese to the couple behind me. - Blimey, the cheese, I forgot the cheese so it is 3 courses to go. As soon as the sun disappeared behind the church the temperature plunged from 30°C to sub zero. Well, not  sub zero, but it was not more than 5°C. I was freezing and the guest came out to ask me how I was holding up in my shorts. Yes, I spent most of the time walking around and of course, I spent a lot of time inside the restaurant.
I was blue by the time the main course arrived. It is summer according to the calender, but I think the criteria for summer is that the maximum temperature difference between night and day is 5°C. By now it must be 20°C difference so it is winter.  I usually spend 30 minutes to one hour at a restaurant. And I ask for the bill when I get my food because I'm too restless to be able to sit around waiting. My cheese disappeared in a jiff and I asked the Waitress to bring my bill and to call me a taxi when the dessert arrived. I had half of the restaurant involved in the problem to find a place open to buy Diet MAX. - What time are they closing? - At 10 o'clock - Ah, one hour ago The dessert came on the table at 23:25 and I was in a taxi 5 minutes later. The food was EXCELLENT! But 4 hours, 4 HOURS!! I didn't spend more than 10 to 15 minutes eating and I was  lucky to have nice people on the other tables to speak with. But I was on the verge of going crazy when I finally could leave the restaurant.
I asked the driver if there was a place to buy Diet MAX on the way to the ship yard. He called a colleague and NO, there were no place open to buy Diet MAX  
And I'm not sure, but Kerteminde is Sweet memory in English. The food was a sweet memory, but the 4 hours. Jeez, never again. Give me Laxbutiken any time. +++++++++++++++
Saturday 11th of June 2011 and things are starting to get back on place and we will start fill water in the dry dock 5 o'clock on Monday morning. We will start to fill ballast 6 o'clock tonight via hoses from shore. The painting is almost ready and everything on deck will be ready during the day
 
 water in the ballast tanks and when this was up and running I had a shower and I walked up to Munkebo.
I need Diet MAX and some smoked salmon, and of course, I need my constitutional.
When I came up on the bicycle path outside the gate I saw two guys walking towards Munkebo. They were in the horizon and I guessed it was 2 crew members on their way in to Munkebo. I had full  ahead and it took me 15 minutes to reach the guys and I discovered that it was our 1st and 2nd  Engineers on their way in to Munkebo.
I could not believe my eyes, outside the kiosk in Munkebo. Who would have thought that I would discover the remedy for obesity there? Not me for sure, but I guess it is just a trick to sell more news paper and I never bought any. I'm already pretty sure that KiMs is not the remedy  for obesity.
We had our pictures taken and then I continued to SPAR to buy my salmon and Diet MAX. I bought a bag of KiMs Spröde Flæskesvær for  Captain, well, I found 2. Never know when I will find use for an extra bag of KiMs Spröde Flæskesvær.
I bought all the smoked salmon and Diet MAX in the shop before I walked back to the ship yard. Took me 15 to 20 minutes and when I  was onboard I checked the ballast while making a cup of tea that I brought to my cabin.
I started to watch a movie and that was fun, for 20 minutes. Then I turned off the movie and I found other stuff to do.  +++++++++++++++
Sunday 12th of June 2011 and I woke up at 9 o'clock. A hot shower before going to the kitchen to prepare my tuna. I ate the tuna on the bridge with my tea. We're more or less ready with  everything on deck. Just a load test of our gangways during the afternoon and then it is just to prepare  everything for the sea and loading in Brofjorden.
We will load 2 parcels of gas oil for Hamburg and I hope to get confirmation tomorrow. Our DNV Inspector came onboard in the middle of my lunch  “MYS” on the bridge. So we were talking about the good ol' times when he was living in Sweden while I ate my ham sandwiches.
Yes, our DNV Inspector was a very nice guy and it was fun talking with him and we ended up in interesting discussions, and of course, we didn't agreed on everything, then it would have been pretty boring. +++++++++++++++
Monday 13th of June 2011 and they were filling the dock when I came on the bridge 5 minutes before 8 o'clock. Pilot ordered for 3 o'clock in the afternoon and that means Trubaduren  Lighthouse in the middle of the night for bunkers on our way to Brofjorden.
I spent the morning filling ballast and at 2 our 2nd Officer relieved me so I could go down to get some tomatoes and onion for my salmon sandwich. And we were pretty much ready with the ballast when I finished my lunch. I went down to check our draft, 5 .4 meters aft and I called 2nd officer on the radio. I asked him to open to DB 7P/S to fill them by gravity until 5. 5 meters draft. I went forward to check the draft forward and to get some pictures of the ship when she is freshly painted. And when I was back aft we had 5. 5 meters draft aft and we stopped the ballast.    Well, I'm better off splitting the month of June in to two before it gets out of hand with the down loading time. I must try to go easy with the pictures.
    
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