Onwards toward Florida!
We finally were able to depart Lake Charles, but not with a lot of delays. It seemed each couple of hours, the refinery had some sort of problem, for which they had to shut down for a couple more hours, at a time. Yet, after nearly 30 hours, in port and loading Jet fuel, we were cleared to depart for Port Everglades,Florida.
We only loaded the two hundred thousand barrel equivalent volume of cargo, only eighty-five percent of capacity and now were ready for the journey ahead!
I finished up the gear test, in preparation to get underway, and then manned the twin throttles;standing by, as is usually the case when under pilotage. For the next five hours,we would transit the Calcasieu river, bound for sea. Monitoring the throttles, and changing them up or down, depending on the experienced pilot’s orders, as well, I took an occasional position fix on our paper chart.
Today, the day after Easter, we’re planning on a fire and boat drill. During this drill, becoming more familiarized at security and safety procedures, is paramount. Otherwise, non eventful day is planned. Easter had come and gone just as any other day. It was evident, quite quickly, that the chief cook didn’t have any reason for celebrating the birth of Christ. Just another day in his eyes, I guess, for there wasn’t any
special meal planned. I skipped on dinner, actually, and drank a V8 juice,instead. I wasn’t in the mood for Enchiladas or dried out game hen.
The seas have swelled to fifteen feet with gusts over 30 knots from the North-east. A slow rolling period has set, and the ship is rocking from side to side like a mother rocking her baby to sleep in its basonet. Temperatures are in the low 70’s, and billowy patches of Cumulus clouds loom close to the horizon.
We should be in port by Wednesday morning.
I hope you have a wonderful day!
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