Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria



Thursday 16th of June 2005 and we were ready with everything when I came on my morning watch. Captain called me at 0740 and asked me to sign my “Crew Declaration Form”. Immigration was onboard and I had forgotten to fill up my declaration.

I filled up the form, they ask how much alcohol and cigarettes I have. There is one form so I can declare how much cash I'm having. This must be a relic from the “Good old time” when there was a black market for foreign currency in Eastern Europe.

We were lucky to leave at 08:50. The sail ship Crusenstern was about to leave Kaliningrad during the morning. Our Pilot told me that it was the biggest sail ship in the world.

The plan was that she should leave before us and then we have had to wait for her. Hmm, I don't know if I would have got a kick out of waiting alongside the whole day.

Well, anyway, 2nd Officer is in a hurry home for midsummer so she's happy that we left. Motorman wouldn't mind waiting together with his new love from the department store.

Captain relieved me on the bridge after lunch. I had to continue our annual inspection of the ballast tanks. Today I wanted to inspect DB 1 P/S. I changed cloths before going on deck.
- Should I bring my camera? I thought for myself.
- No, there isn't anything interesting going on, I thought.

I went down on deck to the waiting AB without my camera. When coming forward to the DB Steward, Cook1 tank on Port side I saw our Cook on deck. What the foock!!?? Our Cook on deck! I never seen this happen before.

He had his camera with him and I took a picture of him from down the ballast tank. He took 1 picture of me Ballast tankwhen I was down in the tank.

Both our DB 1 tanks looked good, but there were mussels and sea acorn grooving in the bottom of the tank. I returned to the bridge with a Diet Coke after a hot shower.

During my night watch our Cook came to the bridge with his camera so I could copy the pictures to my computer.
And the pictures are now on www.aladdin.st for you to see.

While climbing around in the DB (Double bottom) I was happy that I had lost more than 30 kg. Only salad for more than 2 months and I feel better than never before.
Today our Cook had fläskpannkakor for dinner and I didn't feel peckish at all. 1 month ago I could have kill for an fläskpannkaka. I can just imagine how I will feel in 2-3 months.

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Friday 17th of June 2005
and today it's 4 month since I gave up snus. Well, tonight it will be 4 month. And it's almost 3 months since I ate a real meal last time (except for my birth day).

We arrived to Porvoo pilot station at 15:50. It was a beautiful day with no wind and I went straight on deck for my walk after my watch. We arrived to jetty #2 at 5 o'clock and I left deck for my salad. I didn't want to walk around on deck while the crew was working with the mooring.

Taking on board Pilot in Porvoo

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
AB waiting for the Pilot

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
AB waiting for the Pilot

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
Pilot boat is coming

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
Pilot boat is coming

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
Pilot boat is coming

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
Pilot coming on board

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
Pilot coming on board

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
Pilot coming on board

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
Pilot is on board



I went to my cabin and my video from yesterday. I was on watch discharging and at 2200 I saw our new 2nd officer coming onboard. He will double with our 2nd Officer this trip and then he will take over next time in Porvoo when our old 2nd is going home.

He was just in time for stripping our tanks. When he came on the bridge we started to strip 1+3+5+slop P/S. It was good timing, he could start to learn immediately.

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Saturday 18th of June 2005
and our new 2nd Officer came on the bridge just after lunch. He went to bed after departure at 02:40. He had been up travelling all day long and when coming onboard he had stripped cargo tanks and stuff. To make it short, he had kicked a••.

With this early departure time we had an ETA to Baltiysk Pilot at 05:30 and it looks like we can go Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoriaenter Kaliningradskiy Morskoy Kanal at arrival. Maybe we can go ashore tomorrow afternoon again.

During the afternoon our old 2nd Officer showed our new 2nd Officer around on the ship. They ended the tour on the bridge around 15:30 and I could take a picture of them.

Well, they were going for a shower and they decided to look Malmö FF, MFF, soccer, fotbollat the ISM binder and the other stuff on the bridge during their night watch. So I could not take any picture of the ISM binder this time. But I think we can survive the missing picture.

I was down on deck for my constitutional at 16:00 and after the dinner I watched 10 minutes on a video and I had a Diet Coke. The boredom stroke me suddenly and I went to bed.

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Sunday 19th of June 2005
and 2nd Officer told me that we should arrive to the jetty at 8 o'clock when she woke me up for my morning watch.

I went straight from bed to my shower , nice with 15 minutes in a hot shower in the morning. I Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoriawent straight from the shower to the fo'c's'le ( of course I got dressed after the shower) and the mooring operation.

We had all fast at jetty 34 in Kaliningrad at 08:25. Our new 2nd Officer should spend the day with MIF, Malmö ice hockey, Redhawksme loading and we started to do the paper work when the Surveyor came onboard.

Our new 2nd Officer did the paperwork while I watched over his shoulder. Must have been a dream come through for him. We started to load at 09:20 and our new 2nd Officer did all the work with me hanging over his shoulder.

Malmö FF, MFF, soccer, fotbollChief Engineer and Motorman went ashore at 10 o'clock. We agreed to meet each other outside the record shop between 16:15 and 16:30.

My best man was in charge on the bridge so I was down to take them off. I passed our Chief Aladdin's adventure on board M/T AstoriaEngineer's cabin and he was hiding behind the curtain while preparing to go ashore, we were Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.stsurprised to learn that he was suffering from a severe agoraphobia

Our 2nd Officer stayed on the bridge during the entire cargo operation. Only time he left me alone on the bridge was at 12 o'clock for 20 minutes of lunch. That's the spirit we're looking for.

I had already noticed that he had been annoyed by the cameras onboard. He told me that there were pictures taken every where onboard and that people were taking pictures of people taking pictures.
- I never been on a ship with so many cameras before, he said.
- BELIEVE ME! YOU HAVE SEEN NOTHING YET!!!

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
New 2nd Officer discharging in Kaliningrad

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
New 2nd Officer discharging in Kaliningrad

It was nice to sit with our new 2nd Officer during my watch. We had plenty to talk about, we had both been working on M/T Framnäs. And of course the story about all the picture taking. When I came on board first time I discovered the same Konica camera I had given to J.

But no one was taking pictures, now the whole crew have bought the same Canon camera as I have. And they keep them stand-by around the neck or in the pocket all the time. Well, I'm used to it Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoriaby now. On all the ships I'm on it don't take long before everyone starts to say Miljarder as I do it: Miiiilljaaarrrrdeeeer

And of course, Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.st the Aladdin whistle, so no, I was not surprised that everyone was taking pictures making web pages.

At 15:00 he took over the watch and I called a taxi. I was earlier than expected so I took a tour to the market before meeting our Motorman and Chief Engineer. I bought a new belt on the market and I took a walk to our rendezvous and they were sitting there waiting for me.

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
Motorman outside Viktoria department store in Kaliningrad

It was a nice day and they enjoyed themselves in the sunshine. Captain had asked me to buy a Pink Aladdin's adventure on board M/T AstoriaFloyd CD for him so I went in to the record shop while they were waiting for me outside.

They didn't have the CD Captain wanted, but I bought a Bowie remix album so that I didn't have to leave empty handed.

When I was ready we took a taxi to the department store “City center” to meet Motorman's Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.stnew love. Chief Engineer dropped us outside and then he returned to the ship.

At the entrance to the department store there is a phone shop and Motorman bought a prepaid SIM card for his mobile. We found out that the price for GPRS was 20 cent/ MB. Very cheap, so I bought a card as well. But when I came back to the ship I didn't get it to work so I have to go ashore next time again.

Well, anyway, we walked to the home appliance store where his new “girl friend” was working. They were babbling away while I was looking at CD's.
I bought around 40 CD's and I had to go down to the ATM machine at the entrance to get cash so Aladdin's adventure on board M/T AstoriaI could pay the CDs. I had to pay 5040 Russian Scooby dollars for the CDs.

Motorman had asked the girl out for dinner next time we Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.starrived in Kaliningrad and they said goodbye to each other and there was not one single dry eye to be seen.

We left for another department store around the corner. We were looking for cloths and a watch for the AB on 4-8 watch.

Motorman called her back less than 3 minutes after we had left the shopping mall. I bought 2 pair of shorts and Motorman bought underwear and a watch at Viktoria and then we returned to the ship. I had time for salad and to try my new SIM card before my night watch.

The Surveyor came on board with the density and his paper at 8 o'clock and a little later the Shipper came with the cargo documents. We left Kaliningrad at 21:45.

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Monday 20th of June 2005
and it looked like there wouldn't be very much to write today. I was happy about it because I'm under a lot of stress to produce daily text for my web page. If there are no updates every few days I receive e-mails:
- There haven't been updates for several minutes already!
Very stressful.

But when Captain relieved me after lunch so I could go and inspect DB 2 P/S I got a pleasant surprise. When I put my new belt (I bought a new belt in Kaliningrad yesterday) in my trousers it was too small for the trousers. It fitted me but, I tried it on when I bought it, there were no more belt when I should thread the belt through the last belt loop on the trousers. I had to pucker my trousers in order to get the belt on.

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Tuesday 21st of June 2005
and we were anchored when I came on my morning watch. They said that our jetty will be available around 2 o'clock in the afternoon. Quick changes, last night they Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoriatold me that our jetty should be available around 8 o'clock in the morning.

I reduced our speed to be at the pilot 06:30 and then we would have 1,5 hours until arriving to our berth and thus be there at 8 o'clock.

We are changing crew today so we have to use our MOB boat. But it's a gorgeous day, sunshine and the sea looks like a mirror.

We will get a new Captain and AB and our 2nd Officer is going home together with the AB and Captain and I will take the opportunity to upload
Jocke!!! Nu funkar den Finska GPRS. Jag lämnar korten till dig när jag åker hem. Dom sitter ner klämda i tavel ramen över sofan.

Nu kan du ringa för 48 respektive 27 cent/ minut och surfa för 1,5€/MB.

Får vi igång det Ryska kortet kan vi surfa för 19 cent/MB o d e US cent så det blir mindre i EURO.
my web page while waiting at the anchorage.

Yes, Captain is going home after a short while on board to replace Captain Dead Drunk that we left in Aladdin's adventure on board M/T AstoriaSlite, Sweden on the way from Kaliningrad to Porvoo.

They wanted me to become Captain so that's why I have trained with our Captain. They have the Captain that was here during last Christmas. But they didn't want him back so they asked me.
- What about the Chief Officer that is home?
- Oh, no no! That's not possible! HE US USELESS!
- But it is OK with a Captain that is drunk all the time?

Last time he was on board one of the ABs had to drop the anchor because he was drunk and this time we had to lift him ashore, but the Chief Officer home on holiday was not good enough??!!

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T AstoriaAnd they were not even embarrassed telling me that these 2 wasn't good enough when we had to lift one dead drunk Captain ashore 2 weeks ago

They were looking for a new Chief Officer and they asked me if I knew anyone, but I didn't know anyone so they had to take the Captain that was on board with me during the Christmas. Well, for Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoriame it is good. We had a good time and everything was working good. And I never had to spend time carrying him around the ship on a stretcher.

I called our Agent when I was ready with the uploading. I ordered refill card for my Finnish network.
- Can you please arrange refill card for 40€? I asked.
He told me that he would bring the card for me. He also told me that our jetty will not be available until 1700 now. Yeah-yeah, we have heard it all before: 08:00 - 14:00 - 17:00 - who know? Or as I use to say:
- We see what's happens.

Our off signers left the ship with the MOB boat at 11:10. They were all happy to leave the ship and they disappeared with a roaring engine.

Our Cook brought my daily bowl of lunch salad to the bridge and we had a chat while waiting for the on signers to come back with the MOB boat.

On signers came onboard around 12 o'clock. Just in time for lunch, but that didn't made them smile any more. It's a difference to sign off and on. When the Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.stoff signers left there was a band playing on the poop deck. And when the on signers arrived it was gloomy atmosphere. And of course you understand that I mean the mood of the off and on signers, not the crew onboard.

We, the crew onboard is so happy to receive the new crew onboard. And we're not sending anyone Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.stoff with party whistles and a band playing. Well, some people are best seen off the ships. But generally speaking, it's nice people working on ships. I hope that was diplomatic enough.

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
Off signers in the MOB boat

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
Launching the MOB boat

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
MOB boat in the water

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
MOB boat in the water

I went down on deck for my constitutional after my watch. I had a break for salad and I was out on deck again. It was very nice weather. When I returned to my cabin and my shower Captain told me that they had changed our berthing time to 23:30.

I had been on my night watch for a while when they called from Helsinki VTS and told me that pilot boarding time was 2330.

They called me again at 22:30 and they confirmed 23:30. I called 1st Engineer at 22:50:
- Can you please have the engine running at 23:30?
At 23:30 the Pilot boarded us and at 23:50 our anchor was up. First time our new 2nd Officer starts up discharging so I stay up with him when we start up discharging.

The 21st of June is over, this was the longest day of the year and now we're moving towards the dark time of the year again.

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Wednesday 22nd of June 2005
and I was on the bridge when we arrived to jetty #2. We had all fast at 00:45 and I was hoping for them to start discharging soon, then I can go to bed. We did
Why do we top of the tanks one by one in the start? The reason is to prevent over flow of the tanks. Surprise!!

We have high level alarms in our tanks at 95% and at 98% filling. When the tank is full all the high level alarms are activated and thus there will be no alarms to go off if we over fill the tanks.

If there is a leaking valve or if 1 pump is in poor condition it's easy to fill one tank when you're pumping ashore oil from one tank. Alarm is already activated and if you're thinking of something else it's easy to get the cargo to come out of the PV valves.
This is nothing we wish for!
the paper work with the Loading Master and we were ready to start discharging. We had to wait a little because they were connecting the bunker arm as well. We were going to get about 150 tons of Heavy Fuel Oil.

We started to discharge at 01:20 and I was off to bed at 01:40 when we were discharging with full rate.

We started discharging slowly by topping off tanks one by one and when the tanks were topped off we could start discharge with full rate from cargo tanks 1+3+5+Slop port/starboard.

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
Arriving to Porvoo just after midnight

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
Arriving to Porvoo just after midnight

We were still discharging when I got on my morning watch. Pilot was ordered for 10:30 and I completed discharging 5 minutes past 10 o'clock. We left Porvoo at 10:45 and a sunny morning became a gloomy and grey day. When I came on my evening watch we were just about to leave the last TSS in Gulf of Finland and at 20:40 I changed course to 201°, towards Baltiysk anchorage. ETA tomorrow afternoon between 1 and 2 o'clock in the afternoon.

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Thursday 23rd of June 2005
and the sun was shining when I came on my morning watch. We had a few hours to go to Baltiysk Pilot station. I called them quarter to 12 on VHF ch 74.
- Baltiysk Traffic, Astoria calling in channel 74.
I told them that we had 2 hours to go. I asked if we were getting our Pilot at arrival or if we had to drop anchor and wait.
- You will get your pilot at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, they said.

Well, as you figured out our ETA to the pilot was 13:45. We decided to reduce speed and adjust it for arrival 3 o'clock instead of dropping our anchor.

I went down on deck quarter past 2 o'clock. I showed our new AB around a little on deck and we rigged our pilot ladder. And when the pilot ladder was ready I went to the workshop to see our Motorman and our Engine Apprentice and I kept myself busy doing new holes in my belt in the work shop while waiting for the pilot to come onboard.

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
Motorman in the work shop

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
Motorman in the work shop

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
Motorman in the work shop

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
Engine Apprentice

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
Motorman and Engine Apprentice
Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria

Our pilot boarded us at 15:15 just outside the breakwaters. I could hear us coming along side when I was sitting in my cabin. We had all fast just before 7 o'clock and I went up to the bridge to see if our new 2nd Officer needed some help with the paper work.

Our new Captain brought Diet Cokes for us on the bridge. He's drinking more Diet Coke than me MIF, Malmö ice hockey, Redhawksand I have noticed that I'm drinking more and more by the day.

I hope we're running out of Coke soon. We have 3 cases of Diet Coke in the store on board (I have 3 in my cabin, but no one knows about them so don't say anything ) and it's soon time to order more for the slop chest.

So it doesn't look like we're going to run out of Coke while I'm onboard the ship But its ZERO calories so it's never mind for my diet. But it's like drinking pure poison so it's not very healthy.

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
Pilot boarding us at Baltiysk

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
Pilot boarding us at Baltiysk

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Friday 24th of June 2005
and it's midsummer. Well, the real midsummer is 21st of June. That's the longest day of the year, but they celebrate it on a Friday so everyone can party and Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoriasleep tomorrow. This is the time of the year when the strawberries and the new potato is ripe and they sell Skåneflagit in the shops. Well, we have had new potato and strawberries in Skåne since early May and in the north part of Sweden they will get strawberries and new potatoes in August.

I don't know, but I think midsummer is the #1 reason to celebrate in Sweden. Everyone is drinking and having a party but as we're on the ship there is no party for us.

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
Our Cook with strawberries

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
Our Cook with strawberries

We left Kaliningrad at 11:25 after having had to wait for the pilot for an hour and I took the Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoriaopportunity to inspect our ballast tanks DB 3 P/S while waiting. I even had time for a quick shower before departure.

We left our Pilot at 14:35 in Baltiysk. I had just changed course to north when it was 16:00 and I was relieved by 2nd Officer. I didn't go for my walk on deck today. I took a shower and I got dressed for our midsummer dinner.
- Puh!!! Nu ska d ätas igen!

I was full like a boa constrictor when I returned to my bed at 18:15. I hadn't been eating this much since my birthday. Now I need to get back to m y diet routines in a jiff or a will sell up like an anti aircraft balloon

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria

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Saturday 25th of June 2005
and we had about 1 hour to go to the first TSS in the Gulf of Finland when I came on my morning watch.

I have about 320 hours of MP3 music on my computer now when I'm ready with all the CD's I bought in Kaliningrad. The last week I have been ripping music and I have been sorting out bad music from the MP3 collections I bought. The music went straight to the garbage bin.

I found a CD with all Nina Hagen's records among others. I must have bought more than 400 hours of music last time in Kaliningrad and I kept maybe, well, not very much. I got maybe 40 hours out of the CD's I bought.

But I only have good music in my MP3 collection. I don't want to mention any names, but I have seen people ripping everything just to be able to say that they have 200000 MP3 songs on their computer.
- Oh! Impressive! What is that?

It turns out to be 200000 tracks with Robert Pontare (Björn, var det så han hette?) and Elvis Aladdin's adventure on board M/T AstoriaPresley. Oh yes! A real dream comes through ending up on watch with a guy with a music collection like that.

I remember my first ship and I was on watch with Chief Officer. He had 1 tape with country and western music. Nothing “FUNKY” with this guy and after about 17 minutes with his music I was ready to jump overboard

Yeah yeah, that was long time ago. But today when MC Aladdin
comes on watch the stairs to the bridge is crowded with “Music lovers” that wants to come up and listen to good music. They know that there is always good music during my watches.

During the afternoon we got information that our jetty is occupied by M/T Palva and they expect us to go alongside 23:30 tonight. We have ETA to Porvoo pilot 1835 so that means that we have to drop anchor at arrival.

We had just dropped our anchor when I came on my night watch. Latest news about M/T Palva was Malmö FF, MFF, soccer, fotbollthat she's leaving around 11 o'clock in the evening. I went down to my cabin to get a few Diet drinks and I talked away 1 hour of my watch with 2nd Officer and Captain.

It was a nice evening, the sun managed to break through all the rain clouds and we enjoyed our Diet drinks.

When they left me alone on the bridge I had time to send my e-mails. AmongHoliday others there was an e-mail from my friend with a 600kb picture attached.
Yeah, bring it on!! I'm connected with my mobile phone and I just love those big attachments.

Well, I could see that they were spending time around the swimming pool, but not where and when.

I had time to update and upload my web page before going along side. Next update will be next time returning to Finland if I can't get my GPRS to work with my Russian SIM card.

Malmö FF, One of the best soccer teams in the world!
MIF, One of the best hockey teams in the world!
HIF, One of the best soccer teams in the world!
Landskrona Bois, One of the best soccer teams in the world!

Helsinki VTS called me on the VHF radio and told me that our pilot will be onboard at 23:00. We will have our engine running by then and if there are no delays with M/T Palva we can start heaving our anchor by then.

Our Pilot came onboard at 21:45 but we had to wait for M/T Palva to be ready before we could start to heave up our anchor. While waiting we could see some action over at the jetty. But it was a ship leaving from another jetty.

Well, at 23:20 we had our anchor up and we gave Malmö FF, MFF, soccer, fotboll30 minutes notice to the crew for mooring. They need time to wake up and to drink a cup of coffee before they should start to work. I was relieved by 2nd Officer just before midnight and before going to my cabin I had time to take a picture of the crew.

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
Our mooring team on deck just after midnight

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Sunday 26th of June 2005
and we completed discharging at 09:25 and we left Porvoo 10 minutes after 10 o'clock. We had planned for a fire drill, lifeboat muster and an oil spill drill in the Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoriaafternoon. At 15:15 the fire alarm went off and we mustered at the fire station on the poop deck.

The scenario was a leaking manifold with a small fire. One AB had tried to extinguish the fire with a portable fire extinguisher. He had felt and broke one of his legs and could not move out from the area. We should send in 2 smoke divers to rescue him.

We could not hold the fire drill due to technical problem and we returned to the bridge and we held a lifeboat muster. 2nd Officer interrogated us about our tasks in the lifeboat and when he was ready we held an ISM meeting. I went down to my cabin after the drill. We had received new videos in Porvoo and I turned on a new Swedish movie.

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
Life boat muster on the bridge

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Monday 27th of June 2005
and we started the day with a fire drill. Well, we started at 08:30 so I had time for a quick cuppa before we started. It's nice to start your day with tea and flaxseed. It was the same scenario as yesterday. One injured AB at the manifold. He had broken his leg when trying to extinguish a fire at the manifold.

Our smoke divers worked their way to the manifold behind a cooling shield of water. When reaching the injured AB they started the foam monitor and they returned with the injured AB.

Back in safety our Paramedics (Cook and Engine Apprentice) was waiting. They put our injured AB in a stretcher and they brought him to our hospital where 2nd Officer (Ships Doctor) treated him with oxygen. We completed the drill and all the equipment was returned to their places.

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
Fire fighters ready to attack the fire

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
Fire fighters ready to attack the fire

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
Fire fighters ready to attack the fire

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
Fire fighters attacking the fire

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
Fire fighters have saved the AB and are going back

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
Fire fighters have saved the AB and are going back

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
Fire fighters have saved the AB and are going back

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
The AB is back in safety and the Fire Fighters have to attack the fire

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
Medical team take care of the AB

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
Medical team take care of the AB

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
AB in safety and the fire fighters return to extinguish the fire

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
AB in safety and the fire fighters return to extinguish the fire

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
AB in safety and the fire fighters return to extinguish the fire

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
Fire is out

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
Drill is over

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
Follow-up discussion on poop deck
Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria


The air bottles for the smoke divers had to be refilled and the firemen's out fits had to be dried. Helsingborg IF, HIF, soccer, fotbollThey were all wet from the water used for the cooling shield.

I was soon back on the bridge for my watch. I put on a new kettle and soon I had a hot cup of tea in my hand. I was hungry after all the action and it was long time until lunch and my salad. I had a “flaxseed” surprise, but it didn't helped me very much.
Well, as I use to say “You have to suffer if you want to look good.”

I called Baltiysk Traffic 12 o'clock to give them our 2 hour notice. They told me that we will get our pilot at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. We reduced speed a little to be at the breakwaters at 3 o'clock. 30 minutes later they called me and they told me that we would get our pilot at 16:00. We made a circle just outside the anchorage at dead slow ahead. Then we steered towards the breakwater and the pilot boarding area at slow speed. We had all fast at jetty #4 in Kaliningrad when I came on my night watch and we started to load at 20:35.

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
He is drinking a lot of Diet Drinks and he force me to join him

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
He is drinking a lot of Diet Drinks and I try to give up

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Tuesday 28th of June 2005
and we were waiting for our Surveyor when I came on my morning watch. We had completed loading at 06:25. Shipper, Pilot and Immigration came onboard at 09:55, but no sign of the Surveyor. He came onboard after some 10 minutes and we were ready to leave Kaliningrad at 10:35 and we left quarter to 11.

When we came out from Kaliningradskiy Morskoy Kanal it was blowing force 6/7 from NW and it was rough sea. Well, a boring day became a boring evening and it was time Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoriato go on my night watch. The sun was shining and the wind was gone (with the wind). We were rolling slightly for the swell, but not enough to annoy us.

Our Captain came sneaking up on me with two Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.stice cold diet drinks. I will call it diet drinks from now on until I receive my sponsorship money.

But things have gone out of hand since we got this Captain onboard. I'm up from 1 to 6 diet drinks per day and we have agreed that we will not drink any diet drinks before lunch time.

We made an inventory of our diet drink stock a few days ago. We had about 6 cases and we agreed that we would not order any more of the “Liquid death ”. But now our Captain have ordered more of the “Liquid death ” without my knowledge, there are no limits to my disappointment. Here I am trying to give up and Captain just order more and more diet drinks.

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria

+++++++++++++++
Wednesday 29th of June 2005
and we had 1 hour to go to the first TSS in the Gulf of Finland when I came on my morning watch. After 30 minutes I asked Captain to relieve me for a few minutes. I went down to our scale and I had lost about 3 kilos in 10 day. 10kg/ month now, that's good concerning the midsummer party a few days ago.

I was in a good mood after my adventure on the scale, but things were about to change. I was on MIF, Malmö ice hockey, Redhawksthe bridge drinking tea and minding my own business when Captain came with two ice cold diet drinks. It was only 10 o'clock and we hadn't had our lunch yet. It was a little too early according to our agreement.
- What the foock!!!?? We had an agreement.
- It's way past lunch time in India, he said.
- Well, maybe we should have a gin and tonic, I suggested.

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria

I went for a nice walk after my watch and at 17:00 it was time for salad. I sent some e-mails after my dinner and I tried to sleep a little. But I had no success with the sleeping so I continued with my e-mails.

We had all fast at 19:50 so I started with the paper work first thing when coming on my night Malmö FF, MFF, soccer, fotbollwatch. When I was ready with the paper work and the Loading Master was ashore I called Captain in his cabin.
- I had enough! I give in my notice.

I asked Captain to send an e-mail to the company with my notice. I had talked with my reliever earlier during the day and we agreed that he should come onboard in september. I would be down to 100kg by then.

I had got other alarming information during the afternoon and I called the company. Captain drunk had called and he told me that we would see each other in August.
Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.st - What the Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.st

Something is wrong here, I will stay here until September so how can I see him in August. For sure, I will never set foot on the same ship as him again. Not that I expect him to set hiss foot on a ship again, ever! I talked with him a week ago and he said the same thing.
- See you in August!

Then I thought he was drunk, I mean after what he did, does he really expect to get on board another ship again. And any normal human being would not get on board any ship in order to avoid any disasters. But not this guy. I called the company and the confirmed that they were sending him back on board in August.

And note! This is a company with a long story of drunken Captains. Even making headlines in the news papers. Well, I got angry and everything turned black in front of my eyes.
- If I see this guy 10 meters from the gangway I will stop the ship, pack my bag and I will walk off the ship. I will stop at Neste's office and tell them why, I said and I slammed the phone

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
Does this sound like a Captain you want to have on board an oil tanker?
Swedish part on top of e-mail: Have told the Agent to throw away the bottle and the narcotics.
Arrange a few bottles for next time arriving to Kaliningrad. We pay the hospital from the company.


Well, to make it short, I had enough of the nuisance now. Oil shipping 2005, I could not believe my ears and I don't want to have any part of this and I will go home. Yeah, I'm an ass hole!

Right? But think like this, I liked the Captain and maybe I'm his only friend trying to prevent him from coming on board again. He can be responsible for a disaster and I'm the only one trying to help him avoiding this. Any thanks for that? No, now I was the ass hole. And did anyone else support me? No, but believe me, when a drunken Captain leaves a disaster behind there will be more people responsible for not preventing this. So I really don't want to be on board a ship with this guy. For sure a drama I can live without.

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
Trying to hide his diet drink

Aladdin's adventure on board M/T Astoria
Yeah, go ahead! Better to have a diet drink knowing what you're doing
than to ram all the narcotics up your arse

+++++++++++++++
Thursday 30th of June 2005
and the first thing I did after my watch at midnight was to upload my web page. I stayed on the bridge talking with our 2nd Officer while uploading my page. Well, this is the last day in June and next upload will be in July Will we have any Diet Drinks left?


       
                  

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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