Towing to Hawaii

The first week at sea has been going by pretty smoothly. I stand watch in the tow booth every day from 0800-1000. The tow booth is a booth about the size of a toll both on the stern deck just aft of the towing winch. My job when I am on watch is to monitor the tow and make sure she is behaving properly, monitor the tension on the tow wire, and ensure the proper scope stays out. It’s a fairly simple job. Thank goodness I only have to do it for 2 hours a day.

However, on my first watch, I was filling out the log book, and accidently leaned on the emergency stop for the two winch. Next thing I know buzzers and alarms were going off and all hell broke loose. I had reset the alarm and by that time the Chief Mate and Master Diver were down at the booth to laugh at me and help me restart the winch. I’m sure glad both have a good sense of humor and shrugged it off. I knew I was going to screw up, but just didn’t think it would come so quick. At least I got it out of the way early.

After I get off watch, I go and see the Chief Mate who then tries to find jobs for me to do. It usually involves inspecting some type of equipment for safety, functionality, and expiration dates. I’ve checked things off like life rafts, eye wash stations, emergency float coats for helicopter ops, etc. I’ve also gone through and inventoried and diagramed all the ammo we have on board, which seems like enough to stage a small invasion of Cuba . Any takers? I also went through the big book of ship certificates for everything (things from wire rope tests to firefighting, to machinery certs) making sure all were up to date and replacing ones that had been updating. Not the most thrilling work, but work that needs to be done, and it beats sitting around doing nothing.

I’m usually done for the day by around 1400. After that I may putter around the bridge and check things out. The Capt says she may have us standing 4 hour bridge watches towards the end of voyage. Then I work out, eat dinner, read or watch a movie, hit up some ZZZZ’s and repeat! I wish I had more work to do for the ship, but there just isn’t all that much to do. I asked the Bos’n if I could join in and do some chipping and painting, which he promptly replied ‘ah hell no! You’ve put in your time, you in the khakis now Mate!’. So I can’t do any of the grunt work around here. I’m slowly slowly getting used to being called Mate and being an officer aboard. I still feel so out of place at times.

Speaking of working out, I got a program called Insanity from a friend that’s on my computer. It’s a crazy work out routine that does nothing but kick your ass. It’s amazing! I also mix in a little P90X (similar program but involves more weights which are hard to come by on board, Insanity is more body weight oriented). I’m crazy sore every day at the end but it feels so good. Gotta get this bod back to a perfect 10 for the Hawaiin ladies. At the end of the Insanity workouts, there is a yoga warm down. Yes Mom, that’s right, I’m doing a bit of yoga. Now let the stream of I told you so’s and yadda yadda yadda begin. I’ll admit, it feels incredible after a grueling work out.

We are somewhere off the Baja Peninsula . We’ve been going South all week and have started are Westward turn toward Hawaii today, making a course of 255 now, rounding up to 270 (due West) in the next couple of days. Weather has been great, mostly sunny with patchy clouds. The first few days were calm seas, but they have picked up quite a bit. Swells are about 15 feet with peaks of up to 20-23 feet. The main swell is off of our starboard bow with a secondary off of our starboard quarter (kinda off our starboard stern). This makes for a pretty bouncy ride. We hit a really good one this morning. I was sitting in the galley watching news (we get the armed forces network on board at sea, Direct TV along shore) and we rolled hard. The galley staff wasn’t ready for it and I heard some monstrous crashing and a few yelps escaping the cooking area. A few of us got a few laughs outta that. We are making somewhere around 6 kts, which could mean we make Pearl Harbor a few days early, which would be nice. But if the seas continue to pick up, which is predicted, and they are continue to be unfavorable (which once we go due West the will almost be abeam and really unfavorable) we will have to slow down to planned speed. No sea sickness on board so far, which is great. A couple of colds, but it seems to be contained. I’ve been doing okay.

The officers (deck side)

Capt- she’s a bit of an old timer, but still can crack a smile.

C/M (chief mate)-She has a Capt license, been with MSC 5 years, I’d say she’s 28 or 29.

2/M-Been outta school for a year, from Brooklyn

3/M-Grad last dec. from CMA, lives in Long Beach

3/M-Hawspiper (worked is way up from non licensed ranks), haven’t been able to talk to him much

3-3/Ms (me and 2 other training mates)

Then non licensed deck we have the Bosun who is the most senior AB and then 10 other Abs.

I’m not sure about the engine side, but it’s comparable to officers and non licensed. We also have a Supply officer, cooks, Navy tech attachment on board (6 guys), and 6 Navy Divers and a Master diver on board. Pretty good sized crew.