Saturday, June 24th, 2006
Ahoy friends and rellies,
I came back to work on Thursday, and we are now under tow, heading to a shipyard in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Our official time of departure from Conception Bay was 06.48 on Friday morning. This has become a whole lot more fun than I thought! Good atmosphere, everyone is psyched up for the change, all is well.
There is a supply ship towing us. It is more fuel-efficient to do it that way. There's a 1km (0.6 mile) cable connecting her to us. We're averaging about 8 - 9 knots / hour (9.2 - 10.4 mph or 14.8 - 16.7 kph). The trip is expected to take ~ 12 - 14 days.
We can't actually see the supply ship at the moment because of the thickest, most dense fog I have ever seen in my 9 long years in this job. We had to dodge a fishing boat this morning, because it was dead ahead of us and not responding to its radio. They must have just thought we were nothing more than a little blip on their radar. I'm sure they'd have responded - or dropped dead - at the sight of a 3-football-field-long ship bearing down on them out of the fog. Tee hee!! There are a bunch of fishing boats out here, but most are giving us a wide berth.
Ahoy friends and rellies,
I came back to work on Thursday, and we are now under tow, heading to a shipyard in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Our official time of departure from Conception Bay was 06.48 on Friday morning. This has become a whole lot more fun than I thought! Good atmosphere, everyone is psyched up for the change, all is well.
There is a supply ship towing us. It is more fuel-efficient to do it that way. There's a 1km (0.6 mile) cable connecting her to us. We're averaging about 8 - 9 knots / hour (9.2 - 10.4 mph or 14.8 - 16.7 kph). The trip is expected to take ~ 12 - 14 days.
We can't actually see the supply ship at the moment because of the thickest, most dense fog I have ever seen in my 9 long years in this job. We had to dodge a fishing boat this morning, because it was dead ahead of us and not responding to its radio. They must have just thought we were nothing more than a little blip on their radar. I'm sure they'd have responded - or dropped dead - at the sight of a 3-football-field-long ship bearing down on them out of the fog. Tee hee!! There are a bunch of fishing boats out here, but most are giving us a wide berth.
The Helideck camera, as seen on my TV in the clinic. Fog, fog, fog.
I have attached a graphic courtesy of our Radio Operator, showing our location as of 06.00 local time today. I will be getting these daily, and can send them on if you want - or not.
A couple of points about the attachment. This graphic ONLY shows supply boats, that's why you don't see one boat following another at our location. All those boats that appear to be piled up over St. John's - those are the supply ships currently in the harbour, and in Conception Bay. The two yellow boats and one green boat just to the southeast of us are the supply ships currently at the Hibernia field, Terra Nova field and White Rose field.
It's all too much fun!
I have my camera here and will send snaps soon!
I am going to go now and swab the decks or trim the mainsail or walk the plank or do something nautical. Maybe dance to the tune of the fog horn. Never a dull moment!!
I'll be in touch soon,
Margaret
It's all too much fun!
I have my camera here and will send snaps soon!
I am going to go now and swab the decks or trim the mainsail or walk the plank or do something nautical. Maybe dance to the tune of the fog horn. Never a dull moment!!
I'll be in touch soon,
Margaret
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