My Experience as an Engineer, as a Mariner.

[nozzlering]

Thanks all.

@ Sam Dinkar: That would be a nice title for thread. Yes at mid ocean you realise the might of nature.
Have I spotted Moby dick? Yes many times. Though I havent seen any recently.
@ appu and anshuman: Yes its painful to stay away from loved ones for so much time, when others are having the privilege of staying with there family. But the pain turns into joy when we are back home, and we have all the time in the world to spend with our families. Every job has its goods and bads. And I whole heartedly accept my profession the way it is. I would like to point out one more thing. Life is more challenging for a sailor's wife. There have been times when my wife needed me and I was sailing. At this point you realise the importance of being with family. Money becomes secondary. Anyways.
@ Gurrala: Port and stbd. they denote left and right of a ship. stbd is actually short form of starboard. OK. Whats left and whats right? Imagine you standing on the deck of a ship. And you are facing towards the forward of the ship. Port side is towards the left of you and starboard is towards your right side. Aircrafts too follow the same standard.

Well, we have already crossed the Suez Canal. Since I was busy with manoeuvring, I couldn't take pics. So I had given the camera to the Engine cadet. He took few pics. And by the time I was free, we were out of the canal. On our return voyage, I would put more pics, as the ship will stop and anchor at bitter lake for few hours. Also during the canal transit, Egyptians will board the ship and make a temporary bazaar on your ship. They will sell many things like decoration items, items made of camel leather, and some cheap electronics items. Earlier things were good, but theses days its all Chinese stuff. I will try to cover it during my return voyage.
As I said earlier one side of canal is desert and other side is green. Actually its desert on both the sides. But since one side is inhabited, it has some greenery.

Desert


Ships ahead of us in the convoy


A long bridge towards the desert.


The same bridge towards the greener side.


Some kind of security post.


Some random pics. Last one shows people waiting at a jetty for a ferry to cross the canal.

 

[Gurrala74]

Nice pics Nozzle again, I think you will get delighted whenever you see the land I hope

Where is that huge bridge which place is that ??

Thank you for explaining that gauge for me

 

[anshuman8]

Awesome pics, kind of world tour for us. Does this bridge join two countries/continents?

 

[S Class]

Nice pics nozzle. Keep more coming. Good to sea world around from sea.

 

[nozzlering]

The bridge is in Egypt. After Suez Canal we are heading towards France. The port is very near to Paris. We can travel to down town Paris from here. But we have scheduled some major maintenance during port stay. So wont be able to go on shore leave. Else we would have gone for a visit to Eiffel Tower. Any ways next time maybe.
Right now we're passing through rough weather and very strong winds. Today I had some work in ship's forecastle. And the winds were so strong, had I been 10 kilos lesser, I would have flew away.
I have some pics, but net is very slow and it takes ages to download the pics.
After France we would be heading towards Netherlands and Germany. I hope I have enough time for going out.

 

[Highway Ranger]

nozzlering, your photos are great! Keep clicking and posting...

 

[sethumurugan]

nozzlering, your photos are great! Keep clicking and posting...

Shiva Sir,

Are you in chennai or in ship. Hope I missed you last friday meet if you were in chennai

 

[nozzlering]

Hello all. Its been quite some time. Infact a long time since my last update. And no pictures. Fact is we use satellite internet and usage is sort of limited. And most of it goes talking to my wife.
Soon we will have unlimited internet, but till that time, every kb counts.
Anyways we went to Europe. Met my college buddy at Hamburg. Had lots of work, so couldn't go out at any port except Hamburg. On return trip to China, we faced heavy weather. Few days after we passed that area, one of a container ship couldnt bear the forces of nature and broke into two. Luckily all hands are safe.
Once again I crossed Suez canal and no pics. I do have many other pics. But I think I will upload all of them, once I am back.

Tomorrow, 25th of June is celebrated as World Seafarers Day. I would like to share a video on this occasion. Proud to be a sailor. Do watch it. The Day of the Seafarer - Celebrating the Spirit of Seafaring - YouTube

 

[nozzlering]

Today we reached a port in China. Quingdao. Got short time to relieve for daily monotony. Went out with a Chinese colleague. I was surprised to see so many things. I couldn't take fotos, because I had put it in a locker before entering a mall. Later we went out for a stroll. Then my friend took me to a market (something like hawkers market). It was very similar like India. I saw one man making something very similar like dosa. Every one trying to sell his/ her items. We went back to mall, bought few things for my kid and went to a restaurant. The whole kitchen was on display. You chose what you want to eat (Veg and Non veg). I didnt experiment much. Simple sea food. Got a chance to try on chopsticks yet another time. My performance, as pathetic as usual..
Well, I saw a 3 wheeler car and was surprised that there's something in the world less cheaper than Nano. I hired this taxi just for a round. And I found
Decent space for 4 people.
A small parcel shelf behind rear seats.
Noise level similar to Nano.
With AC and heating!
Neater dash than nano.
Price a little less than USD 1000.
We can say a good looking six seater (what do you call the public transport vehicle made by bajaj and Vikram?)
Though inside is decent, 3 wheels make it look ugly.
Few pics from my side. I admit I have not taken good pics this time.

 

[sethumurugan]

Wow, NR, those three wheeler car looks amazing. Do you have any pics of interiors?

 

[anshuman8]

That 3 wheeler is nothing more than our Vikram. Just may be having a molded body shell and doors.

 

[JOHNLORD]

The 3 wheeler car looks like a Robin Reliant which is used by disabled people in the UK. Not sure if it is still sold been a few years since I left the UK.

 

[nozzlering]

Hello Mates
Almost 2 years since last update on this thread.
In the mean time, I have switched over from cargo ships to cruise ships. Career wise it was a big change for me, as things are totally different out there on cruise ships when compared to a cargo ship.
So every day a new port. and not much of sailing in high seas. Will try to keep the thread updated. Hope you like it.

At Ajaccio France


At Venice Italy


At Cotor Montenegro

 

[smooth rider]

good thing that you changed over to cruise ships. do update the thread frequently so that we all can tour the world free of cost.

 

[gearhead2]

Hello Nozzlering, thanks for starting this thread! From the responses I can see that other members too are intrigued by the profession and its vagaries! I wish though, that other mariners too contribute their experiences and visuals (and why only mariners, in fact anyone with interesting material on the subject of ships and mariners should be able to contribute!) and add to the content of our forum.

I have been a member here since 2014, but due to unavoidable reasons I had to take a hiatus for a while. But I'm here again and I was very pleasantly surprised by your thread. 350Z kindly guided me here (in his reply to my Introduction thread). And Akash1886 also encouraged me to contribute to the subject.

I am a recently retired marine engineer (I'm 65, and retired voluntarily, I may add!) and my last stint on blue water sailing was a 10-year tenure as Ch. Engr. on Mitsui's car carrier fleet. We were ferrying cars (mostly Japanese) from the Far East to the US, Europe, the Caribbean and the Middle East, even touching India now & then. Well, more on that later - for now I'll add a few photos from my Mitsui stint. Digital photography had just come into prominence & photographs were much easier to handle from then on.