Tag: motor vessel

2nd Term ~ Week 5. 🚢 ⚓️ ⭐️

This week went extremely fast, once again. Last week we left The Netherlands 🇳🇱 for Denmark 🇩🇰 . Another passage through the Kiel channel and up North towards Kolding. The weather was this time nicer so we arrived fast in our next port of call. The Kiel channel was also smooth this time: entering before midnight and exiting around 8 am which made a good night sleep for the captain…. But less for me actually because I came before the locks when the pilot came on board near Brunsbüttel and till Pilot Change at kilometre 55 of the channel. And we had to wait for ages in the big northern lock for another tiny vessel to come in. So a bit less sleep but again, that is the way it is! 😊 Besides, entering the Little Belt in Denmark I had a great surprise with beautiful tall ships sailing ⛵️ . What a nice view! One of them was Hendrika Barthelds. She belongs to one of my previous captains. Nice to see that some are still sailing and looking good.

Hendrika Barthelds through my binoculars

It was then strange weather: big blue sunny sky then suddenly big rain shower 🌧. I was pretty glad I was inside a bridge… two years ago I could have been standing watch outside or helming in the fresh breeze and rain. Some would call that “wet, cold and miserable” 😩 . I guess when it doesn’t happen that often it just toughens you up 💪🏻 and doesn’t make you as miserable as your brains would let you believe…. Another good thing is the number of big rainbows 🌈 that we were so lucky to admire with these rain-sun intervals. It seemed we were heading straight towards the pot of gold in Kolding 😂 .

Rainbows underway to Kolding

The entrance of Kolding is a very narrow channel with not much depth out of it. Actually not at all. We would for sure run aground directly if we sailed out of it. The buoys are also not so big in Danish waters. They are also not lit; so you pretty much have to pay attention to navigation … 🙄 But Danish fjords are really lovely. As nice as the Mariager fjord we sailed into a couple of weeks ago.

The narrow fjord heading to Kolding
On the quay after checking the drafts in Kolding

No swimming this time, probably because the cold water swimming Captain left in this port to go home and our new captain is much more a running fanatic than a swimmer. Or maybe just not a fan of cold water swimming… 🥶 So we just carried on with discharging the fertilizer: the first day only 1:30… then it was raining the whole day. And the next day we did a bit of overtime to be able to complete asap. Their forecast was for us to remain the whole weekend in Kolding and finish the last couple of hundred tons on Monday morning… Well for sure we do not really like that as our next order is waiting for us in Russia. So we did over time and completed really fast on Friday end afternoon.

Early rise for the chief officer: opening hatches and starting up the day

It is strange. Danish working times are like in some Swedish harbours: start at 07:00 and stop at 15:30 with I do not know how many breaks in between. I really think they could be more efficient… But honestly, it also gives us a break if we have had heavy sailing and little sleep the previous days. And I like long sleeps and a walk ashore too! These will still have to wait a few days, till the next opportunity.

Ruyter moored in Kolding, Denmark

To make the ship ready for departure after completion there are still a few steps to do. Usually, the ship would already be in ballast as the water ballast tanks are filled while the cargo is being discharged. By the end, the crane driver hoists a bobcat in the hold to grab all the little piles of remaining cargo and push them to make a bigger one. Easier for the crane driver and the big unhandy grab he as (although crane drivers are usually good! This time he knocked one of our hatches on the top side which made a scratch. I was sad for the freshly painted hatch, but there was no big deal). A couple of men from the team shore go down to the hold with brooms and they sweep the rest of the cargo towards the big pile. In Brugge the sweepers did an excellent job; probably used to the river ships where it needs to be done perfectly. Here it wasn’t as good…. That is where we come in: the AB’s, myself, the trainee, the engineer if he has time and the captain too sometimes, comes in and we sweep the cargo to have a hold as clean as possible before we wash it. The cleaner the easier the wash will be. Obviously. Then it all depends on the cargo: if it is corn, fertilizer, grain…. They do not react to water in the same way. Fertilizer dissolves in the water so the hold will be very clean after it has been washed. When it is corn, we have to pick up all the little grains we see. But for that, we have different type of brooms 🧹 too: harder brush and thinner brush for the smaller dust. Cargos are not allowed to be mixed and in the next harbours hold surveyors come to inspect it.

The last fertilizer cargo
Brooms, brooms and brooms

Usually, once the bobcat is out, then discharge is completed. Then most of the times we have to be fast as we rarely remain alongside in those cases: hatches closed, speed locks secured, gangway back onboard, hatch crane in parking position and secured and all lines cast off. The order varies depending on the weather and if we have a channel or river underway. It doesn’t take long to secure the equipment, it can also be done accordingly, underway.

The bobcat in the hold

This time, eventually after completion, we sailed out of Kolding Friday evening, on ballast, direction Kaliningrad Russia 🇷🇺 with fair winds in our favour. The hold was perfectly swept and the hold would be washed the next morning underway.

Ruyter moored in Kolding, Denmark

My second time in Russia. One year later when I was still new to all of this. I have such good memories! ✌🏻

See you next week! Xxx Sophie 😘 ♥️

Ps: did I tell you that cookie is growing vegetables in the galley?! 🌱

2nd Term ~ Week 4. 🚢 ⚓️ ⭐️

Here we are at the end of week 4. Time flies. It s already 1 month that I am on board, and it honestly feels like a couple of weeks only.

Pilot boot: the Pilot will soon be boarding Ruyter
On the Belgian channel

We ended last week on the Kiel Channel 🇩🇪 heading toward Brugge 🇧🇪 with heavy winds. Speeding up to be on time at the Wandelaar pilot station. And guess what?! We were there on time. And of course, we had to wait for our pilot, which had been postponed also. The winds were still heavy so we did not drop anchor but the Captain decided to make turns in the water till the appointment time with the pilot boat. It was quite foggy but in the end, it all went well, he brought us to the Pierre Vandamme locks, then the last two hours were without pilot till our berthing place in Zeebrugge. Unfortunately, we couldn’t go ashore there which is a pity because the last time I had been there was in 2010 when I was sailing on the French Navy Dundee MUTIN!😍 during the Tall Ship’s Races ⛵️… The architecture there is really pretty and as you all know I am still an architect in my heart, I very much enjoy sightseeing and walking in cities to get the vibe and fill my eyes with beautiful buildings! But we get it. We are used to it by now, not being allowed to go ashore.🦠.

Ruyter alongside in Zeebrugge
Cargo operations in between counting drops

The worst was that we were Monday evening in Zeebrugge and we only started discharging a couple of days later. Do not ask me why. We were ready but they were probably too busy. We had to wait. The funny thing is that Tuesday was a good day to do cargo operations…. The following days were pretty rainy 🌧so more difficult as we need to quickly close the hatches when there is rain. But it is part f the job. And I do not mind it. It often ends up in counting drops and waiting. And doing maintenance when possible.

Even with the rain, I always try to be a happy and smily Sophie 🙂

We have 10 hatches that are decided into top and bottom hatches. Obviously, we have to first put the bottom hatches ( mainly the odd number hatches) then we can position the other ones. This means that in case f drizzle or rain, we try to limit to have either 1 or 3 hatches open at the minimum; depending on where we decide the crane driver should be digging out the cargo. It is not complicated but the first times you are using the hatch crane it happens that you forget it! 😂

A very calm stay in Zeebrugge

In Zeebrugge, a few things were scheduled for us: our annual survey with Bureau Veritas. I think the surveyor worked 2 hours…. We were very ready and didn’t have any items to comment on. It all went smoothly so it was perfect! I like to say that it was because of the female chief officer…. But it would be a bit discriminating for the mal crew working hard on board to keep the ship in great condition and an engine room nice and shiny… right? 😝 We had our annual MOB crane and boat survey, the annual radio survey too. It is safe to say that the bridge was pretty busy that morning! And in the afternoon as the discharging times kept on being postponed, we got provisions on board with a full crate of Carolina Reaper pepper… the hottest small red pepper in the world. Did I ever tell you we eat 2x spicy fire noodles on board as a challenge? Well-led by our not so crazy Captain, between hot food 🌶 and cold showers 🥶…. We just follow him 😂 I do not mind, I pick up those challenges pretty well.

Trying out the very flashy yellow raincoat… Visibility is always important when working in harbour

So… It took pretty long before we completed the discharge of the SBPP. I had the time to be really up to date with my maintenance to-do list. Most of the jobs are either administration jobs ( niiiice paperwork!), checking radio equipment systems, or greasing. So there I am greasing and cleaning on deck the equipment I use the most, but also anything that moves on deck.

And the discharge continues slowly, one hatch at the time!

It is such a big job from every moving part of the crane, the anchor winch, the fire flaps, the ventilation hatches, the watertight doors, the emergency exits, the rubbers, the pipe sounding caps…. It takes hours! That is why in our maintenance program it is split over a couple of weeks to spread it out a little. It works fine like that. The most important is that it is done regularly because with the very dusty bulk Caro we carry, the grease dries out and gets stuck. That isn’t good.
Because of the bad rainy weather, everything got postponed. As soon as we discharged, we had to go to Sas van Gent 🇳🇱 to load fertiliser.

Taking time to do maintenance on deck by greasing any moving parts including parts of the anchor winch

Again another cargo very dependent on weather conditions. The vessel before us wasn’t ready s we had to go out at anchor. I the beginning we thought it would be for the whole weekend, but actually only half a day. Great, but again another strange night with a lot to do: heaving up anchor, pilot onboard, change of pilot, through the locks, mooring…. Sailor’s life, but…. Short nights mean also short sleep 😴🥱. Normally this company doesn’t work on weekends, but to catch up with vessels we continued all Friday night till early Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon till completion. At least we could go and stretch our legs a little in Sas van Gent and have a beer 🍻 in the only café open….. a Saturday afternoon like a ghost city…. Strange 🤨, but I do not complain to have a nice walk in a so quiet environment! 😉 Next harbour, we will be changing captain again. I am not looking forward to that. It is like a piece of the ship that leaves us. I know the next captain, he is nice, but Captain H. is not replaceable. The thought of it makes me sad; sailor’s life. We always say goodbyes and always meet new people. The nice part of it is that we always meet again and that is something very nice to look forward to. always.
Enough talking for this week! ✌🏻

Alongside in Sas van Gent

See you next week! Xxx Sophie 😘 ♥️ @ Brugge, Belgium

2nd Term ~ Week 3. 🚢 ⚓️ ⭐️

I am catching up! Yeah! 🙂 -not- week 3 has finally passed by. Also as quick as it arrived. Discharged the salt in Stockvik and headed directly to Liepaja to load the Sugar beet Pulp Pellets (SBPP). Well…. It doesn’t look like sugar at all! And it absolutely doesn’t taste like it at all! 🤢It looks like black little Weetabix beans.

Discharging in Stockvik
Loading in Liepaja

And taste like old, dry, compact, mouldy Weetabix…. Without any sweetener. They say it is for animals. Well, I tried. I gave some to the ship’s dog, Duschi. She didn’t like it. I mean she ate one, not the others. I was surprised because she is a little bit of a round Jack Russel… probably from not walking as much as she used to (corona times…. Right?), and eating all the leftover meat and sausages the cooks onboard give her… So food for animals, maybe; not for dogs. Apparently.

Duschi, Captain’s H. Dog! All Emily on this picture!

When the SBPP are wet, they expand absorbing all the water; like Weetabix would do with milk, but then it stinks like rotten grain or pig excrements….🤮

This is what Sugar Beat Pellets look like
Almost finished loading in Liepaja!

Okay enough describing. It was really good weather in Liepaja when we loaded: over 20 degrees, short and teeshirt time, enjoying the last bits of summer taste. I hope that when we discharge in Brugge 🇧🇪 in a few days, we will avoid the rainy windy times Belgium tends to have; and hopefully, the quays will smell better there too.

The quayside in Liepaja covered in cargo …

From Liepaja to Brugge, we knew we were going to have another couple of heavy sailing days 💨🌊. The west coast of Europe was going to face very strong N- NNW winds – again – and I was not looking forward to that. Not that I get seasick (although when I am tired, I get a bit more sleepy…) but because of the waves smashing on the ship and when heading into the wind, it is not so nice to sleep either. NNW, when sailing out of the Elbe, with strong currents… oh my God, my colleagues will all know that Around Cuxhaven and in the German Bight it then because a nightmare.
I think we were lucky because the wind veered a little to N then NNE, which was then perfect for us – or let’s say better than expected! At least we keep the speed in the vessel.

Enjoying the warm weather!

Because this is also something very interesting 🧐 : We have to be on time for our next harbour. Ha! You would probably reply to me: “Duh! Obvious!” 🙄. Well yes, indeed obvious. But sometimes it is a kind of “game” between parties: in case of delay, who was ready and waiting first. Most of the times it goes totally fine. But sometimes, you have to make sure that the vessel is not “faulty”: as per contract, she agreed on being in a certain place at a certain time. Heavy weather can slow us down, and even if it is not our fault and there is not much we can do about it, the shore party waiting to receive the cargo is ready and waiting for us so they can claim that we are delayed.
In the same way, heavy weather was this time in our favour: due to the very heavy seas and winds, all pilotage was suspended in the Wandelaar area ( the approaches of Zeebrugge). It is compulsory in that area to have a pilot on board to enter Zeebrugge up to the locks. In this case, all the vessels needed to wait at anchor ( not nice in this weather, trust me! – that is why we didn’t we kept drifting around…). And then it is a “first come first take” when the Pilots can board vessels again…. The idea was that we were there as early as possible to show we did all we could to be on time, despite the bad weather, and that the fact that Pilots or locks are not on schedule is not our fault, so we can edit a notice of readiness from that point (an official notice to say the ship was ready and on time). Usually, this notice is edited when we are alongside and in harbour, speed locks and wedges open and the crane ready to proceed with the opening of the hatches. Sometimes it is slightly different, like this time.

Ruyter in the locks in Holtenau!
Ruyter in the locks in Brunsbüttel!

It was very nice to sail through the Kieler Kanal 🇩🇪 again. I know everybody hates that channel: boring, they say, we need to wake up the crew for the pilot change and to handle the huge unhandy pilot ladder, we need to go through the locks and wait…. I find that channel quite relaxing: people cycling all along, waving at you, trees, the smell of the countryside, Yes! Something you forget about when you are a lot at sea or in the harbour! Well, the Kiel channel often makes me smile, I do not mind it…. If the pilots steer all the way 😉 ! This time we had our trainee… he needed steering time for his task book. 👌🏻
Oh well. Sailor’s life right? But I enjoy it. And the people I work with too. 🤪 we are crazy 😏
Well off I go! Over and out.

Bye from Duschi too!

See you next week! Xxx Sophie 😘 ♥️. @ Stockvik