Tag: travel

INTERNSHIP ~ Week 7 🚢 ⚓️✌🏻

INTERNSHIP ~ Week 7 🚢 ⚓️✌🏻

We are already Wednesday from week 8… and I am just updating my weekly post! This is to show how busy we have been the last couple of days!

Ruyter navigating in fog

Last week was mainly at sea from Ireland to Sweden. 6 days of the same routine every day and you know what? It. Felt. Good. Being on watch, writing reports, having a coffee break all together, studying and resting.

Ruyter navigating downwinds in heavy weather

Yes. 🌊 we had a lot of wind and this seems a bit scary to me: forgetting how it feels like to be outside with 30knots blowing through your hair. I do not want to forget that and feel too comfortable on the bridge… luckily our loading days in Sweden and Finland next week will be way colder and I will enjoy the bridge again. Anytime. 😆

View on our aft trail and waves coming to us!

The main challenge was to try and go as forward on my report as I could. I love learning; I hate studying and dislike at my best most (🤔) writing boring reports. And no there is no way you can make a voyage planning report fun. And I just absolutely hate it when I just have to « suck it up » and those who know me here will recognize me as having a true Sophie Moment here…

A happy trainee, considering all the reports she still needs to write for school!

Probably the best part was having a middle of the night bunkering moment in Skagen when waking uo at midnight to drop anchor and bunker 59 cubics of gasoil and heaving up⚓️ and off again! How to make people enjoy this moment and make it not too bad as it sounds! Those are my challenges! Just put the music on and let the beat start! « Boatsy boatsy boatsy … » 🎵

Taking bearings in the Sound

As often – not so different from Class Afloat’s choice of harbour either 😆 – so not for a big change, we are berthed in no man’s land in Norrköping. To enjoy a good Sunday outdoor activity, we decided to walk to town and two hours later at a good pace, we were there and could have a nice locally brewed beer 🍺 :). Felt great to stretch legs! I just love walking.🚶‍♀️

A good walk with the crew to stretch our legs

Probably important before next week starts and that the touch and go run will start and the only thing we will want to do will be catch up on some 💤… we will see. Challenge accepted!

Local crafted beer
The main shopping street of Norrköping on a Sunday afternoon

But first, let’s see how RDF smells after one week in the hold…. 🤢 not even scared! 💪🏻
Till then! XXXX Sophie 😘 ♥️ @ Norrköping, Sweden

INTERNSHIP ~ Week 6 🚢 ⚓️✌🏻

INTERNSHIP ~ Week 6 🚢 ⚓️✌🏻

Yet another challenging week went by.

We visited two harbours: Warrenpoint in Northern Ireland to discharge, the soja bean meal we had from Russia and with full ballast, sailed to Limerick in Ireland 🇮🇪. It was funny to see how they hoisted a bobcat in the hold to scoop everything! It looks like a fun toy to play with and from the deck like a little lego car! 😂 We said goodbye to our chief officer too.

Entering the river to Limerick with no wind

My first challenge was (and might still be! ) showing who I am and getting used to the new one. I find it difficult to get used to people. I do not share and do not want to because I know it is not going to last long and I do not want to get hurt by sharing, caring, and then leaving again. It always seems like it is all for nothing. Especially the ones I do care for, I can get really deeply attached to people which makes my heart feel sometimes so heavy when I think of them or miss them.

Such a beautiful sunset on the river

Also working wise, once again I have to show that no, I am not like a normal trainee and that I actually have experience… it feels like starting all over again.

There is always a rainbow showing up where there is rain and sun

The other challenge was that I got from school that I still had to do a few reports. Good that I asked. If I hadn’t I probably wouldn’t have known…😑🔫grrr. Always something to do on top of it. And of course, these need to be done before the last month I am onboard so…. for soon haha 😆 but I know I’ll get it done. It’s just… frustrating.

Then, when in Limerick, I was in charge of the loading: like a big girl, emptying all the ballast by myself, loading at the same time, the books, the draughts, and the voyage planning, the hatches….

My first loading operation. : RDF

Well, I had fun in the engine room again with the captain while the others were grocery shopping for the vessel… I learned a lot and even though it wasn’t difficult, and as I am a Sophie, I just want everything to be good from the first time… putting my self-pressure! 😉 but… it went more than good. A good example of my new job!✌🏻

Happy deballasting in the engine room

The last challenge is that I got a year older….. and I am not so sure I like that. I feel young so I am still young. Age. Is. A. Number. 😱 but I got a great 🎂 🙂 ♥️ and I am so grateful for all the messages. 🙂

Happy Birthday ”Sopie”… Where my nickname started…

Now off to Sweden! ✌🏻♥️⚓ @ Limerick, Ireland

INTERNSHIP ~ Week 5 🚢 ⚓️✌🏻

INTERNSHIP ~ Week 5 🚢 ⚓️✌🏻

Oh. My. God. This week went SO fast. I have no idea where it went!

We are underway to Ireland 🇮🇪 with a cargo hold full of Soja bean meel…. as you can see, the ship was filled by a sort of grain blower in the hold… it is pretty funny to see.

The trainee checking out the loading process

It took us a bit long to load in Kaliningrad because of the weather. As it is sensitive, the hatches were closed as soon as there were drops of rain…. so on gangway watch we spent time counting drops… part of the job.. I guess! ☔️

Only a few hatched open to be fast in case of rain

The last days in Russia 🇷🇺 were pretty long waiting for customs and clearance to come onboard and when they finally did they were 13 searching the vessel ! Its Crazy.

Svetly harbour by night

We had to go through a facecheck again and the officer looked at me and my seamans’s book: « so… you are French? » … well yes! 🤔 I was glad he could at read! But just wondered why he doubted I knew I was French haha! 😂

I am glad we are now underway. It is good to go sailing and leave the craziness of harbour behind get some rythm and rest: homework 📚 of course but also sleep 💤…. It is pretty interesting to see the vessel going through 30knots of wind and I then remember how it can also be fun on a sailing vessel ⛵️ but again pretty wet.. I will not be complaining for the few big waves that hig the vessel…. I still slept like a baby! 🌊

Big waves on the bow

The sunset this evening by the south Orkney islands was amazing 🙌🏻. The sky and clouds offered impressive colours! Thank you 🌎 ♥️. This is a good reminder that life can also just « be » sometimes ;).

Calm seas through the Orkneys

This is my last week before being on the dark side of age… I wish i could still postpone it for a bit. 😆 once again it will happen on a ship. I wish sometimes I could stop time. And just transport myself towards the people I want to be with … hmmhmh … 💭 😆 Hopefully no buckets of water or firehoses this time 😉 🚿

A trainee that needs to concentrate on her school reports…

No worries, I am happy onboard and the crew I share my days with are really fun. I am glad I have met them! 🙂 even though I do miss my family and loved ones at home and over the pond(s) ♥️⚓️ 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦🐕 🐈 🦜 please know that I do not forget you. Ever. And I do care about you deeply!

♥️ xxx 😃 @ Kirkwall