Nautie Friends Ask :: Exactly how many people do you get to boss around?

Just Kidding!  Bridget really asked:  What is your current position?  How many crew are aboard?  What is your watch rotation?  Are there different levels of ABs - what is the pecking order? Thanks for all the great questions - and thanks for being so patient waiting for me to answer them!

First off, you're correct.  I have my Chief Mates license but I am not currently sailing at that rating.  I'm sailing one rating below - as Second Mate.  Getting the ticket doesn't mean an upgrade - it means you get to start looking for a new job!  Typically, Second and Third Mates are referred to as 'Junior Officers'.  To put it bluntly, Junior Officers are a dime a dozen.  We're very, very easily replaced.  (The term Junior Officers refers to the engineering department as well - Third and Second Assistant Engineers.)  Once you become top four (Captain, Chief Engineer, Chief Mate, First Assistant Engineer) you are much more difficult to replace.  Of course I hold the license and can now sail as Chief Mate but, would I be as good of a Chief Mate as the guy who has been sailing as a Chief Mate for 30 years?  Probably not.  Good Chief Mates are not a dime a dozen.  Also, the attrition rate is very high in Junior Officers.  They decide that sailing isn't for them and go back to school, or move into shoreside positions.  Which means that there are always jobs opening up.  Once you become a Chief Mate or Captain you're usually in it for the long haul (or at least longer haul).  In a nutshell:  I'm waiting for a Chief Mates spot to become open - In the meantime, I'm happy sailing Second Mate.

We are slightly undermanned considering that we're a tanker however; this subject really gets me going and before we know it I'll be ranting and raving.....so I'll save it for later.  Here is the breakdown.  The deck department consists of the Captain, three Officers, one Bosun, and five AB (Able Bodied Seaman).  The ABs are all equally ranked and they report to the Bosun - he leads the unlicensed deck department.  The Engine Department consists of the Chief Engineer, three Officers, one QMED (Qualified Member of the Engine Department) and one Pumpman.  The Stewards Department consists of the Steward, the Chief Cook and GVA (General Vessel Assistant).  The other two crewmembers are actually Cadets from one of the Maritime Academies.  In a nutshell:  My ship has a crew of 21. 

The pecking order works something like this:

The Captain is responsible for the overall safety and well being of the vessel.  Technically, the Captain is not a member of the crew - he is a management representative - meaning, he represents the shipping company aboard the vessel.  The Captains word is law.  Everyone takes their marching orders from him.  The words Captain and Master are interchangeable - the Captain may be referred to as the Master of the Vessel.

The Chief Mate is responsible for cargo - essentially anything on deck is his domain.  The Junior Officers take their orders from the Captain and the Chief Mate.  Mostly a Captain will allow the Chief Mate free reign on deck - although every now and then you run across a micromanaging Captain who can't stay off the deck.

The Second Mate is responsible for navigation - anything on the bridge falls under my domain.  This refers to all voyage planning, chart correction as well any maintenance to bridge components such as radars, etc.  (For the larger components that I can't repair - like a radar - I am responsible for creating service requisitions.)  The Third Mate is responsible for Safety.  This includes lifeboats, fire stations, life jackets....the list goes on and on.  Both Junior Officers are responsible for the safe navigation of the vessel while standing a bridge watch and safe cargo operations while standing a cargo watch.  They are also responsible for their watch standers (ABs) assigned to their watch.  While on watch the ABs take direction from the officer on watch. 

On deck the pecking order shifts a bit.  I think of it like this - The Bosun runs the Chief Mates deck.  It is wise to let the Bosun run the deck.  When I need things done on deck I always go to the Bosun first.  I'll usually mention to the Chief Mate that I plan on going to the Bosun.  Usually letting the Bosun run the deck means things unfold much more smoothly.  Sailors love routine - it is always best to keep things the same day to day.  By allowing the Bosun to manage his men everyone knows where they stand all the time.  (On a sidenote this also goes for disciplinary issues as well.  If I am having an issue with a sailor I like to let the Bosun know - this way if the situation worsens then he's been in the loop from the get go.)

In a nutshell:  It's the Captains ship - the Chief Mates deck and the Bosun makes it happen.  The rest of us are minions.

(There is slightly more to it because I haven't mentioned the importance of the Engine Department or the Pumpman. I also haven't mentioned the fact that we belong to different unions - there are different levels of ABs but it doesn't play a large role aboard the vessel - the levels are associated with their seniority within the union and their eligibility for sea time.  This can be quite complicated so I decided to leave it alone.) 

Most US Vessels do standard watches - four hours on with eight hours off.  This is normally broken down into - 4-8, 8-12, 12-4.  Esentially you'll stand two watches during the same hours of every day.  Most sailors work four hours a day of overtime in addition to their watches.  (I am personally on a salary which means I'm required to work 12 a day because that is what I'm paid for.)  I'm on a modified watch schedule.  We call this watch schedule 'European Watches'.  I stand a 6 hour watch and a 2 hour watch.  It's broken down from 00-06, 06-08, 08-10, 10-12, 12-18, 18-24.  (I realize that looks a little complicated.)  The benfit to this schedule is that you have off a large chunk of time.  I basically end up working 00-12.  I stand watches from 00-06 and 08-10.  I do my overtime in the other two hours.  Granted it is very rare that I end my day exactly on time.  The reason we do this schedule is because we're undermanned.  A tanker in the US would have two Third Mates allowing the Chief Mate to be a day worker.  Here, we have only one Third Mate which means the Chief Mate has to stand a watch.  That is why I go to 6 hours on and 6 hours off so often - the Third Mate and I will stand all of the watches allowing the Chief Mate to be on deck. (In fact, I'll be on 6 and 6 tomorrow!  Yippee!)  In a nutshell:  I work when I have to and sleep when I can however; I always wake up at midnight.

Again, thanks for the questions!  I honestly have fun answering them!  Also, I hope I didn't make the answers too long winded!

p.s. I didn't edit this at all - it may or may not happen tomrrow....I'm sure you understand...

p.p.s. The title is a joke mostly for my Mother.  She always jokes that I was such a bossy little kid that she knew I'd turn into a bossy adult.  She also says that she doesn't understand how my watch standers could possibly enjoy standing watches with me since I must be trying to boss them around all day long!  She might be right....   

Freezing In Russia!

Snow Day!!!!!!!

Black Sea Smoke

 Well Nautie Friends....it's freakin' cold out.  I mean really cold.  It's been stormy, stormy, stormy.  Our port isn't taking any ships due to Gale Force winds and so we (along with every other ship imaginable) have been drifting waiting for the weather to clear.  By drifting I mean getting blown sideways by 50 knot winds. Last night it finally got well below freezing and things started to ice up.  I haven't seen ice since I was fresh out of school sailing in Alaska!  It was borderline exciting....until I remembered that pretty soon I'd be turning valves instead of standing in a toasty bridge....and that they'd be frozen.....and I'd be cold and cranky.

The term 'toasty bridge' may also be relative.  I'm currently on the bridge wearing long underwear (tops and bottoms), a tank top, a polo shirt and, a jacket....and my Uggs.

When I was a cadet I was on a containership that crossed from Hawaii to California - it was the middle of the summer but as soon as we'd hit the open Pacific it would be chilly.  I had one measly fleece jacket.  The Second Assistant Engineer took me to task and said, 'Let me tell you something cadet....SHIPS MOVE!  You always, always, always pack cold weather gear!'.  I've never joined a ship without long undies and smart wool socks since. 

Let me tell you what, those undies and socks have been necessities of late.  Who knew a Mediterranean winter was so much colder than a Mediterranean summer! 

Last night we had sea smoke.  Tres cool.  This happens when the air temperature is substantially colder than the sea temp.  It's eerie....but gorgeous.  Wispy fog curls off the ocean....it literally looks like smoke.  I saw it quite often up in Alaska - and it's been fun to see again.

The other thing about the Black Sea?  It's dark!  This sunrise occured at approximately 0900.  Seriously.  Sea smoke, ice and darkness?  I'm glad this is only going to last for another week or so!

For the record....to take these photos I'd run outside snap two or three and then run back inside....FRIGID!  Enjoy more in the gallery below!

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I See At Sea :: Days and Days of Sunrises

After days and days of drifting I've spent days and days scrambling......I know that I've said that over, and over again...but, I really don't like scrambling! I've kept my camera up on the bridge with me and I've been taking pictures every morning (and sometimes in the evenings when I've worked a FULL day).  My shipmates have figured out that I like sky photos and they've started taking pictures for me when I'm not on the bridge.  The photo of the sun sinking with the promise of a green flash is courtesy of a shipmate.  I'm always leery to leave my camera unattended...some day there will be some sick crotch shot for me to find later...but for now I'll count my blessings and take green flashes!  The Sea of Marmara had a lovely pastel sunrise.

Here it is days and days of sunrises...and a photo of our chart with our drift pattern charted....kinda cool.

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Nautie Friends Ask :: Who decides where you go?

Marilyn asked:  Who decides where you will go next?  Are you on a commercial venture? The short answer is:  She's a tramp....and she does what she's told.

Have you ever heard of a tramp ship?  Back in the day there were a lot ships that were considered tramps.  Back when the majority of cargo was loaded by hand in exotic ports.  For example, a ship going to South America may load bagged grain and it may have taken three weeks.  Ships used to get cargo orders that would take them to said port and they may not know when they were loading cargo where they'd be discharging it.  Sometimes the cargo orders were split - go to this port load this much then go to this port and load the rest - discharge this much here, here and here.  While the vessel would be accomplishing their tasks the managers would be desperately looking for their next cargo.  When they were moving between ports it was called 'tramping around'. 

Tramp ships still exist - there just aren't too many of them in the US Flag fleet.  Containerships would be considered a 'liner'.  Vessels in the liner service know for months ahead of time exactly when they'll be in which port.  There is very little deviation from their schedule - in fact a deviation from the schedule is a really big deal.  If one containership is behind schedule then all the containerships are behind schedule.  Large containership terminals move 'em in and move 'em out like clockwork. 

In the United State most tankers operate 'coast wise'.  Meaning they'll stay along the coast.  For example load in Alaska discharge in Washington, Oregon and California then back to Alaska.  This is because these tankers are built in the states and are considered 'Jones Act Vessels'.  In order for a ship to trade between two US ports its keel must be laid in the US.  Tankers that are on runs like this are almost like liners.  They tend to be on long term charter with an oil company.  For example when I ran on the West Coast my ship was chartered to Tesoro and we carried product for Tesoro.  We knew what ports we'd be going to for about two months ahead of time.  There are a lot more delays associated with tankers so we couldn't bank on the exact day but for the most part we knew when they'd want us there.

While tankers in the states don't usually tramp around it is fairly common in the foreign fleet.  It's called the spot market.  Tankers will often time anchor until prices are just right then you'll see five tankers leave the anchorage at the same time.  I witnessed this a lot in Fujairah, UAE.  Sometimes tankers would anchor there for over a month until their operators could find a cargo for them.

The tanker I'm on now is not a Jones Act Vessel which means we can never trade stateside.  I am as close to a tramp ship as a US Flagged tanker will probably ever be. 

When operators pick up a contract for their vessel it is called a charter or a charter party.  The person who owns the cargo - or who has arranged for the cargo to be moved is called the charterer.  There are a different types of charters but I've only dealt with three:  voyage charters, time charters and bareboat charters.  A voyage charter is exactly that - only good for one voyage - pick up cargo here and take it there - then you're done - this makes you a tramper.  A time charter is good for a specified amount of time - in that time period you will move whatever they tell you to but, you'll probably receive a schedule.  A bareboat charter means that the charterer receives just that a bare boat.  They will find the crew and they will operate it.  I've been on ships that have had the company do very complicated things like bareboat chartering the ship out - the bareboat operator will then charter it back to the company for technical management.  You are essentially being operated by the original company but the in between company provides crewing and payroll services.  Complicated, right?!    

Operating overseas we stay busy with a mixture of time and voyage charters.  We very rarely receive a time charter that is more than 75-90 days long (when I was chartered for Tesoro they were much longer time charters).  Lots of times our time charter will be for about 30 days with about 14-21 days until the next time charter is available.  To stay busy in the interim our business unit will look for voyage charters.  For the most part, our time charters come from the government however; we still retain our commercial status.

This trip to Russia is courtesy of a voyage charter.  Pick it up drop it off....no prob!  I'm still not sure where the cargo will be dropped off.

While going to Russia and transiting the Black Sea is very exciting it's an insane amount of work.  To say that it is a navigational challenge is putting it mildly.  Most times, when we receive orders for a voyage charter I don't have the charts.  We will order the chart locally and then I will scramble around creating a voyage plan. 

For this specific trip the Captain received a phone call at 1800 saying proceed to Russia.  He woke me up at 1815 and by 1830 we were underway.  Needless to say, it is almost impossible to dot your i's and cross your t's.  I've managed to stay 24 hours ahead of the ship on the charts but just by the hairs on my chinny chin chin. 

On that note....I need to go dot some i's and cross some t's.

30x30 :: Drink a cup of coffee with no milk and sugar...in Italy!

On January 10th 2012 I drank black coffee.  In fact, I took it to a whole new level and had some espresso in Italy.  Oh snap! I got off the ship as quickly as I could in the early afternoon and spent about 3 hours ashore.  I told my cruising buddy, 'we have one mission....let's drink some espresso'!  He jumped right on the band wagon and we found a quiet cafe in which to partake.

We ordered two espressos and a pastry.

You know what?  It was disgusting.  You heard me.  Dis.gus.ting. 

It was just so strong....and bitter.  I kept thinking if only I could add a little milk and sugar to this...

Thank goodness we ordered the pastries!  We needed chasers!

What I will say is that the experience was lovely!  It came in cute little cups.  The wait staff looked at us like we were crazy Americans.  The place was pretty empty and then we sat outside anyways.  We got out our phones and cameras and documented the occassion.  Then we both cracked up because we agreed that it wasn't delicious at all.

After walking around town for a bit we had a nice meal....and get this....we did it again!  We guzzled our second espresso of the day!  Oh yeah, I'm an espresso bad ass.