The Merchant Marine Express

Vol.2,No.3
At Sea

I am finding the benefits of being on this particular Ship as opposed to the LMSR’s with Maersk Line.

There is a feeling of “help thy fellow shipmate”, on here that I didn’t get from the deck department at Maersk Line’s LMSR ships. The general consensus with this crew is that they feel very comfortable with their everyday lives and are a pleasant bunch. This, of course, is due to a laid-back and well managed actions of Chief Mate Glenn. He looks like a revamped Biker kamikaze who just came out of a Bar and roughed up some people- but in reality, seems to have the mindset for caring and supporting for his own people like a Chief Mate should. In this business, if there is one person who you want to have on your side, let it be the Chief Mate.
I have been given tasks on a daily basis by him, and some of the times, he’s stepped in to help. His rationale is- he is trying to figure me out. Some of the jobs have been small and quick “job-e-do’s”, whereas some of the jobs require thinking on my part. These jobs are during the hours of Overtime and outside of my usual Watch hours. I have four valuable and effective hours that I can finish a task that another Third Mate didn’t have time to accomplish, for instance.
But these days have been hot and tiresome! Not only is it darn-right hot outside, but my sinus infection is keeping me up, at night and not allowing me to get the full rest I need in order to work these days- out in the sun. In some sense, I figure working out on deck will help me cope with my sinuses and maybe speed up the healing process.
Oh, and by the way…I am not getting all those headaches that I used to get. I am off some of the medications that were suggested I take due to past “anxieties” or whatnot. I believe that some of the meds have caused me some of the side effects that I’ve been experiencing. One of these days, I will get it right!
In the past, being out at sea, Mariners didn’t get a day-to-day newscast. But nowadays, with the help of the Internet, all one has to do is sign-on and they will find an assortment of subjects at his or her fingertips. As amazing as it seems, this new educational perk may be the reason; in fact, that some ships have collided with “fixed” objects or other moving vessels. You see, if I was to surf the Internet WHILE underway or in the middle of an important job, and not looking where the ship is pointed,then maybe the end results might be catastrophic. So, rest assured..nothing is going on right now, or any time I write these messages.
Have a great day!

Tags: USNS Fred Stockham