The shipboard
cadet
When I was first starting out on this
professional journey, I had little understanding of what lie ahead. My
imagination ran wild with horror stories and aloft with unreal expectations.
Some mystery of course is fun, but if your are like me, you like to reduce
the level of anxiety by becoming familiar with a procedure.
While on the CCGS Tanu, I had the
opportunity to work with some of the up and coming engineering types. The
schools, BCIT's PMTI and the Coast Guard college, had assigned us with the
training of four engineering cadets. One of the unique aspect of this six
month aboard the ship, is the requirement of the cadets to document their
experience aboard. I ask one of the cadets if she would mind sharing her
diary with us, she has agreed to, and I am very pleased to posted it on Martin's
Marine Engineering Page.
I hope for two things from this evolution:
-
Older engineers
involved in the training, which is almost all engineering officers,
appreciate the expectations and views from the younger cadets.
-
That persons, aspiring
to become engineers, appreciate the task they wish to take on. And
that they appreciate some of the challenges that the people training
them have already gone through.
One additional perspective, which I had not
anticipated, was the point of view from a female onboard a ship. A ship has
traditionally been a male dominated environment, so it was interesting to
read a female's view.
Praise and comments for the cadet, which is
welcomed, may be sent by email, or
by using the comment form. These comments
will be forwarded to her.
Martin Leduc
On with it . . .
Sunday, 10
September 2000
I
did a lot of schoolwork today, worked on signing off for my cadet book and
used the computer to type up some of my assignments. Earlier this afternoon
JL and I exchanged a grease nipple and took a scheduled oil sample from the
hydraulics on the anchor windless. Were in a pretty neat area right now,
there�s this mountain, and the top of it is very pointy unlike any other
tops I�ve seen on the coast. On our way here we half filled the ballast
tank it took about an hour because it is gravity fed. That�s about all.
Monday,
11 September 2000
Today
was a short day, we tied up in Tahsis, of which I had never heard of, and
was surprised when I phoned home and my Dad told me that he worked there for
a couple years. It�s amazing every time I call my Dad he has a story for
the place I�m at, Bella Bella was another place. We were relieved of our
duties shortly after dinner and went ashore for a little while. My homework
is coming along, bit by bit. I have done about 5 versions of my bunkering
essay.
Tuesday,
12 September 2000
The
first part of the afternoon we were sailing so I organized my workbook and
discussed a bit of my cadet book with the Engineer. Once we shut down the
engine I went up and cleaned No 1 stores, as part of our end of trip
cleaning. That took me till after dinner, and then as soon as I was done we
started on the stand-by sewage plant. The over flow alarm kept going off. We
disconnected the supply and discharge pipes and unbolted the cover of the
tank, then came the fun part we had to lift the lid with attaching
submergible pump out of the tank and into the bucket. We then proceeded with
carrying the pump to the aft hold emergency exit hatch so we could lift the
pump out onto the aft deck with the crane so we could test the pump by
lowering it into the water to see if it pumped. We eventually concluded that
the pump impeller would not turn unless it was given a nudge. After cleaning
out the tank we then returned it. That was the end of a productive day! Who
knew you could have fun with sewage?
Thursday
14th September 2000
Well
I replaced the gasket on the inspection window for the vertical drive, on
the port engine. I had previously inspected the drive however when we ran
the engine oil was leaking a huge mess from the cover. Now it�s all fixed
up. I also took a break after lunch and went to the beach it�s beautiful.
After running around like a little kid exploring a foreign place, I
proceeded in my childish endeavors by chasing the waves. Before I knew it I
was up to my waist in water, loving every second. Of course except the two
other crewmembers, I was the only one on the beach. After that I felt a bit
better. As much as I love being on the water and love what I�m doing,
sometimes it can seem to get a bit repetitive. Work, sleep so you can get up
for work again, then you have a day off, but what are you getting up for?
Well it�s all a part of having those times on a deserted beach, watching
the surf. And being out in rocky seas sitting on the aft deck just breathing
the air and looking at a horizon of nothing. It�s the greatest feeling I
know. That�s why I drag my self out of bed on my day off.
Friday
15th September 2000
Today
wasn�t a very busy day, however there was a problem with the sewage plant,
must be the special this month. The float switch in the discharge tank
wasn�t working and we blew about three fuses. I spent most of the time
receiving the alarm in the control room. However a couple times I got a
chance to check out what was going on. Well they managed to rewire it so
that we could use our heads. It just so happens that it was all the
engineers heads that were down and being a girl and not having your own
heads can some times be a pain. So in the middle of the night traipsing all
over the ship in my flannels and hair like Cindy Lauper in the 80�s, I
find a the heads in the crews quarters, usually occupied by men with
magazines with beautiful women we all wish we could look like, which I
really don�t mind, but why is it that when ever you go to use a bachelors
washroom they never have soap? And if they do they don�t have toilet
paper? Don�t they believe these items to be necessities?
Saturday
16th September 2000
Day off! I slowly crawled out of my bunk after sleeping in for an
hour, though it took a bit longer to leave my cabin I was so comfy in my
PJ�s I didn�t want to get dressed. When I finally finished reading Star
magazine and made myself presentable, I sauntered down to the crew�s mess
for a little social time all by my self so I decided to watch a girl movie!
�A Smile Like Yours� a way cute movie. Well soon the stewardess joined
me and we ended up rewinding it after supper because she misses half of it.
Of course the guys come in and have a chuckle over the sappy movie, but hey
they were all watching �Ever After� the Cinderella story. Other than
Movie Day I did some homework and worked on my sketches. Oh and shaved my
legs, you don�t get a lot of chances to do that out here.
Sunday
17th September 2000
Okay
well so far I have done tones of homework perfecting once again my Bunkering
essay, and elaborating on the exciting explanation of the fire and boat
drills. This afternoon we worked on the new and improved FLOAT SWITCH it�s
one of a kind I�m telling you! There is only two switches and they extend
horizontal then we have to have some sort of protection for them so that no
junk or toilet paper can get stuck and create a malfunction. So we made
containers of plastic pipe and plexy glass stuff and drilled holes into it
so the water could fill it. It actually is pretty cool, just kind of looks
big.
Monday 18th September 2000
Well today we had to install the float switch, which turned out to be quite the experience! I was christened to the world of dirty work with a nice spray of sewage from the strainer I was draining. I was relieved immediately for a shower. The process turned out however to be a success.
Tuesday 19th September 2000
One day till crew change everyone�s ready to go home I�m just excited to go to port hardy. I can�t wait to talk to my family and friends. We didn�t get a lot of chances. I also want to go shopping; I haven�t been shopping for two months ahhh! I packed in the summer so now I don�t really have a lot of warm cloths.
Wednesday 20th September 2000
Today is crew change day so the last crew is back on board. It was good to see everyone only three new faces. We have the day off so all we�ve really done is help with groceries.
Thursday 21st September 2000
Yet another lovely day of sewage 101. It wasn�t that bad because we had already cleaned out the tank. What we had to do was fit a new pipe on the new submersible pump to go into the tank and still fit the same fittings as the old one. It worked out pretty good with a little modification because my measurement was too long. But you can always make something smaller but you can�t make it bigger. I banged my thumb now it�s swollen and painful, however it�s all part of it. I also checked all the overboard discharge valves. I checked the No 1 generator engine mounts. I can�t wait to get back to my old shift cause I�m supper tired of not sleeping!
Friday 22nd September 2000
Well tomorrow I have the day off and I go back onto nights, can�t hardly wait! Today was a busy day. I worked on a broken vanity light. I had to change the ballast; it was my first real electrical job. However I did get the engineer to cut the live wires for me, I was a little nervous. Later on in the day we worked on number 1 generator, because it was waving in frequency amperage and kilowatts, so we pulled off the covers and checked all the wires, everything seems to be okay.
Sunday 24th September 2000
Yesterday was my day off so all I did was sleep so I could change over watches. Tonight was a bit hard because I was a bit tired about breakfast time. We didn�t do much cause we were steaming. But in the morning I entered the numbers in the log and I did the steering tests from up on the bridge, it was a little different then from the engine room a lot quieter.
Monday 25th September 2000
Well today I was super tired I got up at 1900 and couldn�t get to sleep. We cleaned the cooler on number two generators. I did some work with the deck department on the inspection of safety equipment and pyrotechnics. Later on we just did a little work dismantling the boiler and then I finally get to go to bed. Zzzz
Tuesday 26th September 2000
Well we cleaned up the huge mess left after the cleaning of the exhaust ports. I participated in a first aid drill, and this morning we did inventory on fuses.
Wednesday 27th September 2000
Today was a pretty good day we cleaned the intake ports and checked the piston rings. After breakfast we were sailing so there wasn�t a lot to do. We left
Tahsis.
Thursday 28th September 2000
Well this morning consisted of doing a lot of homework and after that I typed up an inventory sheet for the chief. Other than that I fished for the first time today! It was fun, but I didn�t catch any fish. Hopefully I�ll get another chance and have better luck. As for the no sleep situation it�s still ongoing I thought it would be better on the evening shift but so far no luck, I had to resort to gravol last night.
Friday 29th September 2000
Today is the last day till my day off not much happened just the routine stuff worked a little on the exhaust ports and got really dirty.
Saturday 30th 2000
Day off went into port hardy and made some phone calls.
Sunday 1st October 2000
Today we did some first aid roll over and spent the rest of the day on the bridge observing what went on during the running hours. I plotted positions and talked over the radio.
Monday 2nd October 2000
Well first up today we had a SAR call for a broken down 20� Aluminium boat, were going to pick it up and bring it in. So far I have observed a valuable lesson not to check the tonne dish whilst you�re clutched in, we had to clutch
out to put the lid back on, we almost had to start up the starboard side.
Tuesday 3rd October 2000
Today we traced the gauges for the coupling cooler and aux coup cooler and labelled them correctly. The morning pretty much consisted of doing pipe inventory.
Wednesday 4th October 2000
This morning I reconstructed the readings board. Then in the morning we sailed to the goose Islands.
Thursday 5th October 2000
Well today I worked on the deck side. I did a little bit of helms men, painting, first aid and navigation.
Friday 6th October 2000
A continuation of yesterday we did some seamanship and first aid I also helped with the line handling when we came alongside in port hardy. All together it was a good experience but I am looking forward to going back to the engine room.
Saturday 7th October 2000
Today was my day off, I found out I was doing two more days of deck stuff and that I wouldn�t be changing shifts until next trip, I was a bit relieved. I did a lot of fishing and caught a rock cod. I gave up after that because I couldn�t bring myself to touch it, I had to get someone else to do it.
Sunday 8th October 2000
Well another day on deck. We did a first aid scenario in the shaft tunnel in the engine room. It was pretty tough. We also went over to the fisheries dock to see if anyone could pick up his or her stuff.. I worked the crane when we put the boat out of the water, and helped launch it in the morning. Not a whole lot else is going on. Oh ya I also observed the procedures when anchoring or bringing it back up.
Monday 9th October 2000
Last Day on deck, I spent the first part of the night on watch up on the bridge and then did an inventory of the SAR locker. We sailed at 8:00am and I washed down the anchor. Then I relieved the helmsmen for a little while. After we anchored we started up painting the waist.
Tuesday 10th October 2000
Finally back to the engine room, it�s like going home; I didn�t realize how much I had missed it. We replaced the copper drain tube on the Winslow filter with a flexible fuel line. In the morning we steamed till about 11, the bracket on the #3ssg was broken and was temporarily fixed with large washers. We received water in
Klemtu, which was of concern so we chlorinated the tanks with 312ml of bleach just before we filled them. I
suggieed the starboard main it was pretty dirty from blowing through the port main.
Wednesday 11th October 2000
We didn�t do a lot of other stuff today we sailed at 7:00am and the night was spent working with the engineer on my cadet book. We found out today that were probably moving to the Tully. I guess well know for sure tomorrow.
Thursday 12th October
Did a lot of homework today preparing to go a different vessel.
Friday 13th October
Well I found out we are staying for refit. We worked on the stern gland and started making brackets for the switches in the generators.
Saturday 14th October 2000
Today was my day off and I slept all day, the night before I went and played pool on shore and had a lot of fun.
Sunday 15th October 2000
Today was a cleaning day. We started out on the steering flats and then cleaned the generator flats. Quite exciting! The stern gland was the last of our adventures. There were also loose ends for my cadet book to tie up and I observed the seamen going over emergency steering procedures. Over all a productive day.
October 16th ,17th 2000
Today we started sailing down to pat bay we didn�t
do a lot just maintained rounds.
October 18th 2000
Crew change day it�s always a little hard to keep up
the turmoil and say goodbye to everyone.
October 19th 2000
Well today we started working on refit stuff I helped
the engineer do the clearances on the blower they didn�t all come into
specs however this may be okay considering the age of the engines.
October 20th 2000
I get to go home today!!! Well before I go home, I
worked on cleaning up the gasket surfaces on the parts on the cat, and I
also packed up the fuel pump to be sent off. see ya in 2 days.
October 23rd 2000
Well today I worked on pulling out the CPP pump and
removing the mechanical seal, we are now waiting for parts. I also covered
the exhausts for the mains and search for a tool for the blower backlash
test. However of course I could not find it and after an hour of looking for
it we discovered it wasn�t even stored on the ship.
October 24th 2000
First thing this morning we started doing measurements
on the liners for the cat, and then moved onto the connecting rod, pin and
piston. It was hard work but we got it all sorted out, so far the only part
that is out of specs is the #1 cyl, piston bore for the pin. The last thing
I did today was the backlash on the blower for both main engines, they were
both within specification.
October 25th 2000
Well it turned out that we didn�t have the right
measurements for the blower so we had to do it all again, this time we
clamped a different gear and it all turned out okay. We also measured the
crankshaft and camshaft.
October 26th 2000
Today was a wonderful day. After sorting gaskets in
the morning, we went shopping! Yes it was for parts and stuff none the less,
it was fun. Sometimes it�s nice to get away for a break. We also got to
see a bit of Victoria, that was really neat. As we were going by the other
Coast guard base we noticed the Laurier was there so we had the chance to
have a bit of a tour. We made it back just in time for dinner.
October 27th 2000
I did a bit of work this morning removing the Fresh
water preheat pump for the Stbd engine. The shaft was crocked and the
impeller was wearing on the housing. During this operation I injured my hand
and the rest of the day was icing filling out papers and watching from the
fiddly because I wasn�t allowed down the stairs.
October 28th 2000
Well my hand is a lot better now. We went to the
museum today it was really neat; we spent about three hours there. We did a
little shopping and took the bus back to Sydney and walked the rest of the
way back to the ship. About an hour and 15min walk. We were beat when we got
back.
October 29th 2000
Today I did a lot of homework. Some laundry and
cleaned my cabin, other than that it was just another Sunday.
October 30th 2000
Captain Kitching came to visit us today we gave him a
tour of the ship and he took us out for lunch, it was very nice of him. It
was pretty neat to have someone interested in how we were doing. After we
got back Brian and I worked on the removing the front cover on the main
engine.
October 31st 2000
Happy Halloween, today we continued to try to remove
the front cover. John and I went to the doctors and stopped in at finning
for the trust bearing. When I returned brain had managed to remove the
cover, and it was time to put it back on. Once we found the gaskets we were
able to proceed successfully. The nurse also came to the ship and gave
everyone TB tests
November 1st 2000
Today we checked and adjusted the chain gears, and put
the cover back on. We finally finished with all that. In the afternoon, I
made up some signs and laminated them for hearing protection in the engine
room. It seems simple however it took me a while I had to go through three
computers and reload the lamination machine with $44 cartridge that I did
not want to screw up.
November 2nd 2000
Well this morning I re checked the clearances on the
fire pump and made up a chart for the results. Most of the people on board
went to a first aid course. So I did some work for JL. First I worked on
testing the air receivers for there capacity before the safety went, then
the stand-by air receiver for which I had to rig so that the air would not
blow through a tube, that it self took a good 45min. Once I completed that,
I had to make a chart on the computer with the results for the chief. After
that I took a nice little walk up to stores and received a parcel we have
been waiting for. The parcel was a mechanical seal for the OD pump, so once
I got back I started making gaskets so we could reassemble the pump.
November 3rd 2000
First thing this morning we worked on the OD pump and
once everyone went to first aid I pretty much got to do it by my self, with
the help of JL. After several times of putting the pulley on and taking it
off again it was ready to go. The fun part was getting the pump from the
workshop to the steering flats. But I managed it�s kind of like walking a
dog. Attach a leash and have some one on the other end guiding it. Sometimes
these are the best learning experiences, because there�s no manual to
explain how to do it. Well we got it in place then I lined her up and bolted
her down. At the end of the day they started up #3 SSG, and it ran well. So
over all a successful day.
November 4th 2000
My best friend and her boyfriend came over from the
main land yesterday so today we went to the wax museum and went shopping in
Victoria. It was nice to get out I haven�t been shopping like that for so
long, but I�ll tell you something I had sore feet! After words we went to
the keg for dinner it was delicious, however if I had eaten on the ship I
would be $25 richer. I died my hair back to my natural light brown so I�m
not a blonde anymore; I also gave it a trim it was getting pretty hairy!
Haha. Anyway that night we went to the sharks club for a bit, it was pretty
fun but its nothing like the one in Langley.
November 5th 2000
Today I did a bit of homework. Then Lisa picked me up
and we went shopping I got 2 new pairs of pants for only$49.99 at smart set.
After that we went to see Charlie�s Angels, it was awesome, I came out of
the theatre and I couldn�t stop smiling.
November 6th 2000
Back to work today. This morning we cleaned up the
hold, the mess left by the guys who rebuilt the cat. Then after that we had
to put the cat on a load but every time we put it on the fake load the shore
power would cut out and we would black out the ship. So we ran the generator
on the ships load and a bit of the fake jobby. We ran in the generator for 4
hrs as close to 150kw as we could get, my job was to monitor the KW gauge
and tell them to add or take away load. No it wasn�t that slack, your eyes
get tire and you miss coffee!
November 7th 2000
Today I worked on my wrench project. I have to make a
handle for the sea chest. It�s all cut out after fighting over and over
with the ban saw because the blade kept slipping off; I ended up finishing
it with a hacksaw! Well now I�m filing it up nice and pretty to be
destroyed in the bilge.
November 8th and 9th 2000
The last two days I spent completing my wrench. The
greatest frustration was finding the right tools. I managed with what we had
and have built a successful pulling device that is also decorated on the
handle to prevent sore hands.
November 10th 2000
Today I filed around with the new lockout station,
making a note board and sign. After I went shopping with John, looking for
brushes hydrometer and coveralls. Then we went in this one store and I ran
into an old friend that I hadn�t seen in about two years, we knew each
other from cadets it was really weird talking to him.
November 11th 2000
Remembrance Day, probably the first time I haven�t
been to a remembrance parade for a long time. This morning I wired the
junction box in the CO2 room even though it�s my day off. This afternoon
my parents are coming so I�m pretty excited.
November 12th 2000
Today was back to work. I worked on changing the oil
on #3ssg and then after that I did the end of trip soundings and made sure
all the appropriate extended spindles were open. Then I made up a computer
sheet for the soundings.
November 13th 2000
Well what a day! Started this morning working on
cleaning the steering flats and the aft hold. Then after completing the
emergency generator room, I did piping on the flush side of the sanitary
system for the officer�s heads. It doesn�t sound like much, but I
didn�t even take all my breaks. Busy!
November 14th 2000
Last day with white crew another busy day cleaning up
and getting ready!
November 15th 2000
Crew change today this morning we went out for a trail
run and the cpp pump wasn�t working the pulley was right up on the shaft
so we pulled it out again. The rest of the day I had off.
November 16th 2000
Well today I�m supper sick and I had the day off
because I have to start at midnight! Again.
November 17th 2000
First day back at work with red crew, it was pretty
slow at night I fixed a toilet and sanded the rag box. During the day I
replaced a crane flush mechanism with a zurn, now it works and doesn�t
leak, yah!!
November 18th 2000
Saturday it�s my day off, but I did go down and
check out the engine room this morning when they were testing the pitch, it
seems that it I only the port engine that is having the problem.
November 19th 2000
I saw Richard today he came over to say hi and then he
showed me the tour of the Tully; it was nice to see someone familiar. Just
one of those days you know? We set sail at 10:00am and were headed for open
bight, were going up the inside.
November 20th 2000
We�re still heading toward open bight, so most of
our routines today were monitoring and readings. We did little assignments
that the engineer gave us learning this that we may not be exposed to
everyday. Like finding all the safety devices and mechanisms on the
machinery.
November 21st 2000
We sailed to mahatta river today, this morning we
checked the sewage blower drained the fuel tanks for water, and checked the
cranes and windless for there hydraulic lines. Then did a bit of homework
research.
November 22nd 2000
Were still in mahatta river I did a lot of piping
diagrams today. Last night I did some conquesting and oil inventory.
November 23rd 2000
Well today I did a lot of piping diagrams. I painted
the red gear cooler. Then in the afternoon we went for a hike up to the
waterfall it was beautiful and a lot of fun because there was no real trail.
We were taking pictures at the waterfall and I got distracted and half fell
in. by the time we were picked up by the boat we looked a mess.
November 24th 2000
Well today I did my homework for the first half of my
shift. In the morning I cleaned the emergency air compress including the
brass. Also the fire pump. I wire wheeled some of the dirty deck plates, and
did some more painting.
November 25th 2000
Today was my day off I went for another hike, this
time it was much farther, and a lot of fun. I also helped out in the galley,
made some fruit and veggie platters and also made devilled eggs.
November 26th 2000
Sunday today we went to jeune landing, walked into port
Alice and made some phone calls.
November 27th 2000
Today was my first day on noon to midnight; all I
really worked on was cleaning the sea bay strainers and then continuing to
polish the railings.
November 28th 2000
Well today started out with as another exciting day
photocopying. But later on I got to remove explosion lights and put in new
RABS. Remember what 3301�s are.
November 29th 2000
Today we pretty much just sailed so not a lot went on.
November 30th 2000
We sailed around for a while then decided to anchor in
port hardy the engineer let us go ashore. I talked to my best friend on the
phone, and met up with a bunch of people from the boat.
December 1st 2000
Today is Friday thank god! All I did today was finish
up receiving lube oil. And painting the valves on the steering gear.
December 2nd and 3rd 2000
Well its finally the weekend, were in Keith anchorage
today and I got to go to the beach it was beautiful! The sand was beautiful
and white just like the beaches in Australia, there was small surf and the
cook and I went for a walk through to the other beaches. They were quite
rocky but the view was amazing. I helped the cook serve today for the
barbeque and thus come to the end of my weekend!
December 4th 2000
Today wasn�t too busy, we sailed most of the shift,
the day was beautiful and I got a few nice pictures.
December 5th 2000
Well today I�m feeling much better then I did
yesterday, I had a little bout of homesickness. Today I changed one of those
little tiny lights in the wheelhouse and checked all the rest. Later in the
day we tried to adjust the relief valve on the Stbd lube oil pump because it
was making an awful racket.
December 6th 2000
First thing first this morning I am sick and tired of
flushing my toilet with a screwdriver, so I fixed my toilet, successfully I
might add. After that we switched the relief valves on the lube oil pumps to
see if the noise would go away however it didn�t, so we changed it back
the good news is it does work. The rest of the time before supper I spent
cleaning the control room. Later today we set sail, and I changes a halogen
light and learnt not to touch the bulb, what a nerve-racking experience.
December 7th 2000
Well today I started a project making a wire splicing
hand, However before that #2 generator was playing up, so we took off the
covers and found a broken wire. Once we had fixed the wire the lobe oil
pressure shut down light wouldn�t go off.
December 8th 2000
Today we continued to work on #2 and found the wires
were loose once we fixed it about an hour later a funny noise started coming
from it so yet again we have shut it down. I also worked on my project; I
started doing some milling.
December 9th 2000
Today were tied up in klemtu again, it�s Christmas
dinner! We helped serve and made up some candy trays. Later on in the
evening we got a call to go out and fix a repeater up north at about one
o�clock in the morning.
December 10th 2000
Well this morning I woke up and started my Sunday
morning cleaning. I threw in two loads of laundry, cleaned and vacuumed my
cabin, and cleaned the heads.
December 11th 2000
Back to work this morning, I continued my project. I
finished milling and then did some electrode welding, of which I hadn�t
done much of, so it was a little harry. However the final out come seemed to
work well, and wasn�t too sorry to look at.
December 12th 2000
Last shift till crew change, consisted basically of
cleaning. The galley crew were loading groceries and so on, so the steward
called down and asked my to help. I set the tables and served dinner, there
wasn�t a lot going on in the engine room. After that I was sitting with
the captain and he asked if I had the rest of the night off, I told him that
I had this that and another thing to do, so he summons the chief and gets
him to give me the rest of the night off, I still stick to the fact that it
was not my idea, and I have witnesses. Oh well I had a nice night, some of
the crew and I went out for a bit in port hardy, sometimes it�s just nice
to get off the ship and recall that there is still life going on out there.
December 13th 2000
As you well know by now I hate crew change day,
however this one is even worse because I will never see them again. It was
great to sail with them it was my very first crew and I�ll always remember
them, but with some nice goodbyes, good lucks and big hugs, it�s on to a
new crew. This crews well too, but it takes a while to get used to a whole
new group of people in the same place you�ve been with totally different
people for the last 28 days.
December 14th 2000
Started the same noon to midnight watch today, and one
of my classmates came from another ship and is working the same shift with
me. We started out the day and I showed him how we usually do the round and
the readings. We did some PM�s; we tested the sewage blower and purged the
kamewa header tank. Along with a little sailing and filling oil and such
that was about our day. Oh wait except the Lube oil circ pump started making
noise again, and the temperature started going up. We switched it over to
pre lube to check the pressure and it went up, but then after a second it
started going down. So we took off the relief valve and switched it with the
port one and tried it out but it didn�t do anything. We switched them back
and the really bad noise was gone, but it still noisy.
December 15th 2000
This morning we started up the emergency generator and
let it run for a while. After that we went around checking all the fire
dampers and familiarizing my classmate with the fire zones and procedures.
We also checked the crane hydraulics and had a little bit of a snow fight.
After dinner the oiler and I drained the fire main and pumped it over board,
after we closed the suction valve the process went by quite fast.
December 16th 2000
Well today was the start of yet another exciting
weekend. However it was nice to get some time to catch up on my assignments.
I spent a bit of time down in the engine room polishing off my switchboard
sketch, and listening to the promising words of the engineers on the
politics of the Canadian government.
December 17th 2000
I tried to sleep in a little today however I was
unsuccessful, we were in a bit of weather today, and however I didn�t get
sick, I was just attacked by my novel flying at me. Most of the afternoon I
spent hiding in the engine room, the best place to be in that kind of
situation. Yet again listening to encouraging words, this time of all the
horror stories in the industry that I am embarking. Don�t get me wrong
they do talk about nice things to they just don�t seem to stick in my head
as long.
December 18th 2000
Back to work today were in mahatta river, but set sail
at 1400. The first part of the day I spent doing rounds, changing light
bulbs and securing for sea. I had the privilege of starting up the main
propulsion, and trying to show the other cadet what I was doing at the same
time. After we shut down at about 2100, we had to tighten up the belts for
the shaft driven CPP pump, because they were slapping around. After that we
once again had to fish out the broken zincs from the Jacket water cooler and
replaced them with zincs screwed in with non removable lock tight, Take
that! After observing my brilliant colleagues check the valve lash on SSG#2,
and putting 3L of oil in #3, we were off!
December 19th 2000
Today we started out the shift already heading for
Nootka; along our journey we recorded the firing pressures on the port main
engine. After shutting down, we swept the engine room deck plates and mopped
the main walkways. After being forced to go for coffee, I completed the
preventative maintenance check of draining the fuel tanks of water. Later
the engineers went to a safety meeting, while my much more brilliant
classmate watched over the engine room.
December 20th 2000
Well today I started work on the galley hot plate, it
hadn�t been started in 5 years! So I checked all the wires and tried to
see if it held water, however of course at 2345 it did leak!
December 21st 2000
Today were off to Tahsis to pick up some groceries.
First up today we found out that the hot plate was actually a dry plate and
didn�t hold water, so that was kind of a bonus! After trying it out, I realized
it worked all along but it was a good experience. Well I also cleaned the
sight glass in the shaft tunnel and checked out the wiring on the deep
fryer. I got to call home today which was kind of sad because my friend from
Australia that I haven�t seen in 12 years is there and he�s leaving the
day after I thought I was going home. But now I�m not going home till
later so I probably wont see him. Besides the fact that it�s Christmas new
years and both my best friends birthdays, lets just say this Christmas
isn�t exactly the cheeriest.
December 23rd, 2000
Well it�s Saturday so we have the day off. However I
decided to do a little work on my breaker box assignment. Though Matthias
and I went for a hike in mahatta river. We went up too the water fall it was
beautiful. It was a good chance for us both to get away for a bit.
December 24th, 2000
Christmas Eve, I worked in the galley today acting
kinda as steward, and the steward was the cook, the cook was ill. Everything
went smoothly. I called home and talked to my family, but I�m trying not
to think about it too much. It was nice this evening we all sat around
joking and listening to music.
December 25th, 2000
Merry Christmas what can I say I�m away from home,
I�ve been away for 5 months and I have another to go. We had a nice
dinner, lots of treats, and watched a movie with pretty much the whole crew.
Guess what the movie was? The perfect storm, appropriate don�t you think?
December 26th 2000
Well lots of stuff is going on right now, and the sum
of it has me working on my own from 0600-1800, pretty much doing computer
work updating our ISM book. Today I worked on the breaker database I�m
setting up.
December 27th 2000
I continued to work on the breaker database today. I
went through and re did all the breaker panel cards, laminated them and
placed them appropriately.
December 28th 2000
Today I got Matthias to help me go through all the
breakers in the engine room to make sure that the breakers were labeled
correctly. After that I continued on the computer creating reports from the
database.
December 29th 2000
Today I went around and cleaned all the diaphragms in
all the heads. After that I started the main propulsion, and away we went
off toward coal harbour. When we got there I went along on the rubber boat
to coal harbour to pick up a pipe we had fabricated in port Hardy. On the
way back we checked some prawn traps, that were suspect. After lunch,
Richard and I measured a pipe in the lower heads, then put the deck head
back together. Were sailing to Kyuquot.
December 30th 2000
Toady is a day off, Matthias and I went for a hike on
one of the islands it was cool we saw this whale carved out of stone. The
rest of the night was the usual crib and movies.
December 31st 2000
Well this is the last time I�ll write this year. We
went for another hike today; this time there was no trail. I start work at
midnight 2001. I worked on some assignments and hope to Finnish them
tonight!
January 1st 2001
Well we didn�t do much today being it is new years
day. I went right to bed after my shift I was beat!
January 2nd 2000
Today I caught up on all the PM�s that had to be
done. I checked over the washing machine, checked the blower on the sewage
system and added oil, drained all the fuel tanks of water, and helped do the
soundings.
January 3rd 2000
0800 this morning we set sail for mahatta river, it
was to be a rough ride! I took a travel tab, then Marty told me it�s
better to take two, needless to say I was a bit absent minded for the rest
of the day. However I did manage to fit in the afternoon movie, though I
couldn�t tell you what it was about. I kind of fell asleep. The captain
came in and both of us were sleeping, he said �sleeping or watching� I
woke up a little startled.
January 4th 2000
What a day, a good day though! This morning Marty and
I finally did the hydraulic coupling leak check, all was well. After that I
made some brackets for the rubber seal on the MCR door. In the morning we
tested some CAT injectors which didn�t work at all. The last project of
the morning was the 300hr service on #1SSG. We changed the oil, drained
water from the fuel filter, and checked the air filter and turbo, changed
the zincs and blew out the alternator.
January 5th, 2001
I stayed up until 0300 tonight doing homework! I�m
so going crazy getting everything together for leaving. I don�t have
enough room to pack all the stuff I�ve accumulated during the last 6
months. I keep redoing my assignments, and I can�t sleep!
January 6th 2001
Well needless to say I slept in today. However I did
get a lot of packing done!
January 7th 2001
I had absolutely no energy today. I got up at a decent
hour and wondered around thinking about all the things I should be doing.
Then I watched a movie and went to bed early. What an exhausting day!
January 8th 2001
Today we worked on finishing up homework and cleaning
the steering flats, just getting ready for crew change.
January 9th 2001
Tomorrow is crew change day. We�re heading down to
Port Hardy and it�s a bit rough, but nothing graval can�t handle. I just
put the final touches on the breaker reports and printed them up today.
Other than that I was just getting ready to go.
January 10th 2001
Crew change day. I finished packing and cleaning. It
seems a little weird cause we are actually leaving this time. It was even
weirder when we watched as the red crew went on board with out us. Well I
get to go home for the evening to see my friend from Australia before we go
onto the Bartlett. One of the deck hands and I got the whole plane to our
selves on the way to Vancouver.
January 11th 2001
Well we are working 0700-1900. We pretty much just
walked around and placed things today. We have TV�s in our cabins, but I
didn�t get through half a show before I fell asleep.
January 12th 2001
Today we helped put new dump valves in the fluid
couplings and I fixed the heads in the crews quarters. This ship is a bit
different then the Tanu. We have to eat in the officer�s mess and it�s
all proper and uncomfortable. I don�t really no where I fit, cause I
don�t fit in either crew or officer category. So I end up stuck in my
cabin.
January 13th 2001
We were given the given the day off so we walked into
Sydney, it was a nice break.
January 14th 2001
Today we found out which shifts we were working. I�m
on noon to mid-night. So I watched a bit of TV and went to bed.
January 15th 2001
First day on watch. This ship does soundings every
night @ midnight. After that we greased the rocker arms. The rest of the day
I went with the engineer to try figure out why the doghouses weren�t
heating.
January 16th 2001
Today after sounding, I started working on zincs,
it�s pretty much all I did. Except for the readings. We went up the Fraser
River and replaced the red buoy right under the Patella Bridge.
January 17th 2001
Today was pretty much the same as yesterday. Zinc�s
and readings, however we are sailing out to get an ODAS buoy that has gone a
drift. There is a storm coming. The 2nd Mate explained it as the
high pressure is swirling inward and the low is inward as it�s mirror so
the wind is coming between causing southeasterly winds.
January 18th 2001
Today we started to install the zincs. We also did the
PM�s on the refrigeration compressor up in the galley. This morning I
watched a helicopter use a longline to retrieve an incinerator from the well
deck. It was quite interesting. One of the guys in the FRC got a shock when
the fire extinguisher went off & was all over him, his eyes are okay
now. There was one person a shore; a fire party on the focsle and the first
mate was on the well deck, in communication with the helicopter.
January 19th 2001
Well today wasn�t as exciting as yesterday. I
continued making zincs and installed them into the CPP coolers. Later we
checked the emergency steering, which is easier than on the Tanu because
there is a wheel instead of come alongs. In the morning we were on the
outside so we did some pumping of bilges through the OWS. I was the look out
on the overboard discharge. I also stated the Main engines in the morning.
January 20th 2001
We had the day off today. There wasn�t a lot to do.
I stayed up late and actually socialized for a little bit.
January 21st 2001
Getting up at 0100 in the morning on a Sunday
doesn�t seem that unusual anymore. Well first thing I went up to visit the
2nd mate to get some specs for my book. After that I made my way
down to the engine room and chatted with the engineer and got him to sign a
few checks. Later on in the day I also went to see the chief for the fuel
specs. Other than that we were at this spot open bight at a lighthouse, I
had been there before but not in that spot. The day was beautiful and the
view was gorges. To top it all off we had a slight roll. I spent some time
on the aft deck, then that was a day.
January 22nd 2001
Back to work! I had a great sleep! This morning I
pumped the bilge�s to the holding tank. After that we went up and did
PM�s on the workboat, which has a little Duetz in it. We pretty much
checked all the fluid levels, mounting bolts and belts/pulleys. Then ran it
up to check. We set sail at 0700 and again I helped start up. Then at 0900
we arrived in Port Hardy for fuelling, so the rest of the day was 3 hrs of
sounding tanks. After hitting one more lighthouse we rendezvoused with the
Laurier to trade cargo and we were there for the night.
January 23rd 2001
Today I started my shift with pumping bilges. Later in
the morning we did the 250 hr on #1 SSG, which pretty much consisted of
cleaning the spinner, and checking fluids. We also checked the Main engine
mounting bolts with torque�s at approx. 310-810 lbs. We were still tied up
to the Laurier. At about 0300 a connecting rod blew out the side of the
block and bits of the piston across the engine room, on their harbour
generator. It looked a real mess the piston and rod were in pieces and the
whole on the block was pretty big. The rest of the days I did some cleaning
and helped change the water filter in the crew�s mess. We also had a fire
drill after my shift.
January 24th 2001
This morning I did the boiler water tests again, for
hardness, pH level, conductivity etc. After that I did some cleaning and the
engineer asked me some questions, he was studying for his competition. I
also read up on the Reverse Osmosis, helped start it up and took notes.
January 25th 2001
Today I helped with the RO; we switched the membranes
around and took the bottom one out. Then when that didn�t work we switched
them around two more times.
January 26th 2001
Well today we�re on day shift from 0700-1900. In the
morning I stay in watch and in the afternoon I work with the senior
engineer. First thing we did was go with the bos�n and watch them launch
the FRC from a davit. Later I just carried on with rounds and readings.
Around 1100 we were at the Bonilla lighthouse, it reminded me of a picture
in a fairy tale. In the afternoon the senior set me up with making a bracket
for the captains shower. That pretty much consumed the remainder of the day.
January 27th 2001
Saturday, I woke up in a bustle to get down to the e/r
on time, I made it. But the engineer was tapping his watch after we started
the engine O learnt that he was tapping his watch because I didn�t have to
work today. Well since I was here I decided to stay and worked on my
bracket. By the end of the day I was finished. We tied up in Sandspit so I
decided to go ashore.
January 28th 2001
Sunday, just like home! I slept in and watched Sunday
morning cartoons. Did some cleaning and catching up.
January 29th 2001
Wow today was crazy! We went on to Deck today. We got
all suited up in rain gear and hard hats. Then I went down to the hold to
help hook up bonnets full of gravel to be lifted to the barge. After
everything was loaded we all hopped on and went to a bar where they were
setting the structure for a beacon. We started unloading lumber. Then we
hauled buckets of cement. We stopped about 2 at a time to bite into lunch
and went right back to work. The tide was coming up so we had to stand in
the water to pass buckets. After a while I relieved someone on the barge. I
had to move gravel, cut the wires off, bag the empty bags and help with
getting water or turning the mixer. After a while there was no more land
left so I was a human fender off the structure. After approx. 1630 we came
back and had showers and dinner. After dinner was a bit of a cleanup and put
away.
January 30th 2001
Today was just one of those days where you pretty much
had to fend for yourself. Later however I got to start up the OWS and
transferred some fuel.
January 31st 2001
This morning I studied up on how to change out a RO
membrane. Later I started working on a brass cube on the lathe. This
afternoon we were tied up in Prince Rupert and so did the Laurier. There we
installed the new membrane.
February 1st 2001
Well today I finished my cube. I didn�t have the
heart to punch holes in it though to make it into a die. Later we were tied
up in Rupert again. We pulled apart the sea suction pipe for the
refrigeration. There were about 5 inches of mussels blocking � the diameter
of the pipe.
February 2nd 2001
This morning we cleaned all the condensers on the
fridge�s in the cabins, we also changed the water filter in the crews
quarters. Then we assisted with changing out a front seal in SSG #1.
February 3rd 2001
Well today we were given the day off. Though I did go
down to the engine room and it stunk. The bottom of the sewage tank had
fallen out and the content was swishing around and flowing into the bilges.
Which we couldn�t pump because the pump was plugged. So we went into Port
Hardy and had a sanitary truck come and pump us out.
February 4th 2001
Today I pretty much just did some homework and
wondered around getting my book up to date.
February 05th 2001
Today was a bit of a crazy day. We�re getting so
excited about going home. This morning I did a crankcase inspection on the
#2 generator for it�s 750hr service. After adding 100L of oil I finished
buttoning it all up. Then Kam and I went around and did the weekly routines.
It was a beautiful day and we ended up taking pictures and enjoying checking
oil levels.
February 6th 2001
Yuck! What a horrible day! I woke up this morning
feeling like crap! I�m not sure why but it must have been a different roll
to the ship. I was used to it but not today. I spent the first hour on the
aft deck, and then I took 2 travel tabs, which sent me into lala land. I
ended up being sent to my cabin for a while, I refused several times but was
then tired of fighting. I woke up an hour later feeling a bit better, I went
down stairs and they told me to disappear there is nothing really to do
anyway. So I decided to fix my sink and change the light bulb in my cabin,
that I had been saving for just a time like this. My sink seems to bee
working now; I think the valve was leaking so I tightened it and then
loosened it again and surprise it worked. Other than that it brings me to
right here and now, I�m going home in 2 days!
February 7th 2001
Well yet another surprise, I walk into my cabin and my
deck is flooded! My valve adjustment didn�t work! We managed to fix it by
the end of the day. The rest of the day was getting ready for crew change.
February 8th 2001
I�m home!
This completes this
cadet's six months work experience, spent aboard Canadian Coast Guard Ships
in the Pacific Region. Please join me in wishing her all the best in the
future.