Nautie Randomness III

May 23, 2014 by Nautie Mermate in Nautie Randomness, I See At Sea, Being Nautie

I don't have too many random things to say. That's pretty random.

It was an incredibly foggy trip from Alaska to Asia. I've said it before I'll say it again. Fog makes people crazy.

I haven't taken Big Bertha out at all this trip. What's wrong with me?! I miss that old girl. I gotta get back in my groove!

When we were up in Alaska the Captain and some of the crew caught tons of fish! We had fresh fish tacos and ceviche for dinner - yum!

I am getting kinda into weather. I've been having fun printing out the weather maps and putting them up on the board to get a good feel for what's to come. Pretty much what came this trip was fog, rolling and then lots of wind. I'm looking for sunshine!

That's about it for this random post....where's the action?! Where's the excitement?! Oh boy...you're not the only one wondering this! I've got some bold moves coming soon...so I'm saving up some energy...I'll keep you posted Nautie Friends!

goodbye.

May 07, 2014 by Nautie Mermate in Being Nautie, I See At Sea

About twelve days ago I was somewhere south of Japan. I was right off the coast and could see lights of fishing boats and some city lights in the distance. I happened to look down closer at the water and saw that it was glowing blue with phosphorescence so, I grabbed my camera and raced to the stern to try to take some long term exposure photos of our wake.

I could see the fishing lines in the water stirring up more glow, a lighthouse swooped around periodically and I frantically adjusted my camera settings scared I wasn’t going to be able to capture the moment.

I stood on the stern snapping away, oblivious that the moment would hold so much more meaning the next morning.

Back home in Hilo one of my dearest friends was quietly slipping away after suffering complications during surgery.

You know those people in your life you don’t have to keep in touch with? Whose history is so intertwined with your own that distance and time changes nothing? The people who keep you real by simply accepting the real you? That was Caryn.

Pulling into Yokohama the next day I eagerly anticipated cell reception. Sitting on the bow I got my first signal and received the news. I hoped my sunglasses would hide my tears and got myself together in time to tie up the ship.

Memories. I’m lucky to have so many good ones. Caryn doing my make up for junior prom – I requested mermaid eyes – and man did she deliver. Sassy haircuts, hot pink streaks, platform heels and style. Making sushi in the fellowship hall. Gossiping in the bathroom.

It’s hard to say goodbye but, I’d say fluorescent blue waters off the coast of Japan is a pretty amazing send off.

I’m gonna miss you something fierce.

Wordless Wednesday

March 05, 2014 by Nautie Mermate in I See At Sea, Sea Days

Craving Ocean

March 04, 2014 by Nautie Mermate in land lubbing, I See At Sea, Being Nautie

I am craving ocean. Like bad.

I would love a coffee on the bridge wing. I'd like a brisk breeze. I'd like an unobstructed horizon.

I'm jonesing.

Boobies. Of the Bird Variety.

January 13, 2014 by Nautie Mermate in I See At Sea, Sea Days

The men around town are tired of talking about Boobies. The blog hasn't exactly been gender neutral lately so let's cut them some slack, shall we?

Let's talk about Birds. Of the Booby variety.

Somewhere off the coast of Mexico (during my last rotation at work) we got birds. Lots of them. There was A Bird....and then there were Many Birds. I loved them. They dipped and soared and reminded me of one of my favorite poems.

I took Big Bertha out on deck and took as many photos as I possibly could - before I started feeling like they were looking at me - like the kind of looking at me that made me feel like my skull was going to get pecked open.

I managed to take hundreds of photos and was in full on Many Bird Love Mode.

Then day two point five of Many Birds rolled around. Someone commented, 'who spilled a bucket of white paint on the bow?!' to which I had to reply, 'ummm shipmate....that would be bird shit....'. Riiiight, needless to say Many Bird Love Mode was over. These birds destroyed the deck. When we finally rid ourselves of them I said to the Bosun, 'lets get some scrubbers and tsuji the deck' (this means scrub with soap and water.....nautical lore says that back in the day sailors sourced a soap called 'tsuji' overseas...my guess is Japan....this would be WWII era....anyways, scrubbing the deck has been called 'sugee-ing' ever since...and I roll with the Japanese spelling....). Turns out this bird shit was potent stuff - the deck gang had to literally scrape it off....as in with a scraper!

I spent some time on the interwebs and best I can tell these are Boobies - possibly Brown Boobies - and you guessed it - the booby jokes were alive and well onboard - can I tell you how many times I heard, 'I loooove brown boobies!!!!!'.