Spandex, Stars and, Smoothies.

I got off watch at 1800 and immediately put on my work out clothes for a walk around the deck. Yep, I speed walk in circles when at sea.

This does several things for me....it lowers my stress levels, it gets me some fresh air and most importantly it helps keep me fit.

I could write post after post about how hard it is to stay fit at sea but, I won't.

I also speed walk around the deck in spandex.  I KNOW.

I had a super duper best friend at Maine Maritime.  I was feeling shy about wearing my swim suit at Old Orchad Beach in Maine.  He said, 'Megan, I'm pretty sure everyone knows exactly how chubby you are even if you wear shorts.'.  He changed my life.

Now I wear spandex on deck.  

I was on my fifth or so lap when I came head to head with the Electrician.  He took one look at me and turned and walked the other direction.  I think he is convinced that I will be the downfall of the US Merchant Marine.  You should have seen his face.

I kept walking....and rocking out to a little Brit Brit, a little Christina, a little B.E.Ps....you know.

As I was coming into the house it was just getting dark.  BOOM.  The stars.  Right over head was Ka Hei Hei O Na Keiki (Orion) and my favorite Makali'i (Pleiades).  Sometimes, you just absolutely can't beat a Persian Gulf sky.  (Albeit most times its hazy and the stars are barely visible...sandy air and all that jazz...)

I headed straight to the galley (everyone else had already finished supper) and made a smoothie.  Almond milk, frozen strawberries, a banana and some hemp hearts.  (I brought most of these items from home.)

I still had my ear buds in and the Cadet walked up behind me and scared the crap out of me!  Apparently the Captain had been looking all over for me because we got word to heave anchor.  He had even paged me over the ships intercom.

I ran up to my room, threw my work clothes back on and then, ran down to the Deck Change Room to get my boots on.

Then, I ran up to the Bow (with my smoothie in a mason jar of course) and commenced heaving the anchor.

I realized once I was heaving the anchor that I didn't know if we were going home or going to Kuwait.

The good news is we're homeward bound once more.

Oh Boy.

We were homeward bound.  We had taken the last of the bunkers...we heaved anchor....we were headed for the Suez Canal...and then the Satellite Phone rang. We turned around and are anchoring awaiting orders.  Apparently, there is a potential cargo back in the Persian Gulf.

Oh Boy.

This is the life of a tramp vessel.  I get it.  I do.  It was exciting to feel like we were homeward bound...even if it only lasted for a day.  Who knows, maybe the cargo won't pan out.

In the meantime, daily onboard life chugs along.  Reports to be sent, jobs on deck to get done, ordering supplies for a stateside re-stock....breakfast, lunch and dinner!

I'm trying to survive life without my iPhone.  I've realized exactly how many photos I'd been taking on my phone and how few with Big Bertha.  I tried to find 20 photos to post....and couldn't.  Sad, sad days.

Here's a photo I took with the Third Mate's camera in the last port.  Yes, it's that desperate around here.

Salty Sea Hag

I got an e-mail two days ago that said: 'Ohmygah - love this!!  Megan - you are beautiful and powerful and I am in awe of your bravery!!' 

It majorly made my day but, it got me thinking too.  Am I brave?

(I've also been saying 'ohmygah' every chance I get...)

Do you want to know what my number one fear has been during my years at sea?

I've been scared of turning into a Sea Hag.  

I didn't want to be in my Thirties shipping out single...or shipping out with a failed marriage.  I didn't want to be so socially twisted that I preferred my times at sea to those at home.  I didn't want to be so incredibly crass that my friends were embarassed to invite me places.  I didn't want to be a Sea Hag.

With my 30th birthday looming on the horizon I've been unusually introspective.  Instead of staring out the bridge window and spacing out I've been thinking about life.  I know.  Deep.

All this introspection has led me to write posts about how I meow.  It's also led me to think about where I am and where I want to be.  It's led me to think about being a Sea Hag.

Nautie Friends, I'm here to tell you:  I don't care if I turn into a Sea Hag (or if I already am one).

I like shipping out.  I like being at sea.  I like showing up in random ports and taking pictures of camels.  I like standing on the bridge wing at 0600 sipping coffee with hot cocoa in it.  I like my vacation periods where I can go places and do things.  I like joking around with the Deck Gang about who farted at the morning meeting.  I like my slip on Red Wing boots.  I like when the Deck Gang feels proud about doing a really good job cleaning the Foc'sle and, calls me to come take a look at it.

Do you know what I know now that I didn't know before?

I enjoy those things because I can.  Because I'm thirty (or will be in two months) and I'm single.  I enjoy those things because I'm free to enjoy them.

The dudes and dudettes who have a girl or guy at home...they don't go home and talk about how much they love their jobs.  Know why?  Because it pisses the person at home off.  It specifically pisses The Ladies At Home off.  That's why they go home and talk about how hard it is and about how much they wish they could get a job that pays what this one does shoreside.

Wanna know a secret?  This job is fucking awesome. 

Does it have drawbacks?  Of course.  It's a job.  Yes, when I miss things at home I get bummed.  But, don't you feel bummed when you miss things because you have to work?  It's hard sometimes.  It is physically demanding.  The climate can wear on you (read:  Persian Gulf in the summer or Northern Europe in the winter).  It's hard to make new friends when you're gone all the time and it's also hard to maintain relationships.  But, don't you find that those things are hard in life in general?

There you have it.  I'm a Lady Sailor.  I like to go to sea.  I enjoy the adventure.  I think it's fun to pack up and move on a whim.  I like being a Gypsy with a Nice Car.  I have tattoos.  I swear a lot.  I can discuss West Coast vs Gulf Coast freight rates.  I've had the priviledge of having some awesome shipmates and I've gotten into bar fights with shitty shipmates.  I have peed down the Hawse Pipe.

Mother, I apologize but, it's official.  I'm a Sea Hag.

*Mom, I love you....I hope you still come visit*

Suck Up and Be Nice

Nautie Friends, it's been a doozy of a few days.   This is a story about:  A hard port stay, an iPhone in the water, and the Suez Canal.

We departed a port that shall not be named...I know, that makes you feel like I'm keeping secrets...and I am....sorta.

What I will say about said port stay is that it was a lot of work.  The crew did the majority of the rigging and they also did the majority of the 'difficult' lifts.  This meant that after three days we were tired.

Every night, they made us shift to a different berth at midnight.  Do you know what you don't want to do at midnight?  Shift to a new berth.

During one of the shifts I dropped my iPhone in the water.  I'm sure this seems like no big deal.  Except, I'm addicted to my iPhone.  I am now without a means of taking pictures on a whim while on deck and I am also without an alarm clock.  This is a big deal.  I also don't want to talk about how I had just activated my very pricey international data package.

Once the hard port stay drew to an end and after I cried about my phone (I didn't really cry but I could of if I had had the time) it was a ten hour transit to the Suez Canal.

Throughout the last week I've had an Ani DiFranco song lyric stuck in my head.  It has gotten me through the days.  It helped me modulate my tone of voice on the radio when I'm really cranky but know the other person doesn't deserve crankiness.  It helped me remember that everyone is tired.  It helped me remember that it might suck but it will suck more if people stop being nice.

'Maybe you don't like your job, maybe you didn't get enough sleep, well nobody likes their job, nobody got enough sleep.  Maybe you just had the worst day of your life, but you know, there's no escape, there's no excuse, so just suck up and be nice.'

I was so nice in the Suez Canal it isn't even funny.

Thank Goodness at some point I decided to sit down and write all about how crazy the Suez Canal is.  Thank Goodness I've also written about how it sucks going from a port really close to the Canal straight into the canal.  (Also, just fyi the previous link is missing some photos...I don't know where they went...my bad...)  Because seriously, the last thing I feel like doing when I get out of the ditch is write about it.  

I wanted to pretend like the last few days didn't even happen and just provide you with some old posts to read!  But then I decided to suck it up and be nice....so I provided you with some old posts to read and some new photos!

A mini gallery for your viewing pleasure:

[nggallery id=34]

A Tiny Valentine

I LOVE VALENTINES DAY. In Intermediate School I used to make my Mom send me balloons and flowers to the school office.  Then I'd get a note in class that I got a delivery.  I'd go pick them up and then I'd tell people that I didn't know who they were from.  Dork.

If I'm off the ship I always get a Valentines outfit.  Something cute, pink and, heart inspired.  I also have many, many pairs of heart shaped earrings.  Win.

Today I wore a pink jacket that is stained and has tattered sleeves but it's L.L.Bean so you know....I'll wear it foreva.  I also wore sparkly red dansko clogs with my work pants.  If that isn't a shipboard Valentines outfit I really don't know what is.

Valentines is also my Besties birthday.  Shout Out!!!  Hau'oli La Hanau...love ya like a sista...Hilo girls represent!  (Okay fine...that was a little over the top but stop it....you loved it....)

My Third Mate gave me a Dove heart shaped dark chocolate today.  It was awesome.  My wrapper said:  Watch the sun come up.  Unfortunately sunrise was cloudy.  So Sunset will have to do.

The 500 Foot Photo Safari

Here's what I've been up to the last few days...think of it as a photo safari limited to 500 feet!

The water has been the best blue.  

No, one blue water photo wasn't enough...

This is the spare anchor.  (This is actually the first ship I've been on that had a spare anchor.)  I stood behind the anchor for quite some time waiting for a wave to make a big splash near the bow...and then it happened and I caught it...awesome.  FYI, that's really, really high.  Probably 30 feet over my head.

No More Blue Photos.  Moving on...

There are officially 400 cranes folded.  Only 600 to go (oh-my-god...I'm never going to finish in time...)!

I'm still Actively working on my plans for 2013.

I'm still obsessed with trying to get photos of light hitting my jars.  

All photos were taken with my iPhone...