Captain Jeff Ritter is now in command of the SMT Chemical Explorer!
A seasoned mariner, Captain Ritter has loads of experience, especially as former captain on the sister-ship, the now “layed-up” Chemical Trader. A younger captain at forty-something, he has a medium build and appears with a fresh summer style short-sleeved comfort shirt and pressed jeans. He seems easy going with a calm and quiet voice, almost hushed, at times. [Read more →]
At Sea
I just received word that one of my Mentors has passed away.
Mike Zullo, the family friend whom my father has known since the early nineteen-eighties, has died. He had been dealing with an illness for over a year, yet never fully recovered. He was in his mid eighties and lived a great life, though. Mike helped me figure out what I wanted to do with my life, [Read more →]
At Sea: Course: 270, Speed: 13.3 knots
This past Tampa call occurred during the Irish holiday. We were, indeed, seeing green.
I happened to get the opportunity to make a brief visit, ashore for a few hours during the evening of St. Patrick’s Day. Charles, the ship’s pumpman, and I shared a cab ride and ventured into nearby Ybor City to see if there was anything happening. [Read more →]
At Sea, Course: 116 True, Speed: 13.5 knots
We’ve encountered a delayed sailing leaving out of Lake Charles, Louisiana, but we managed to depart by noontime.
Rain had caused somewhat of a problem during the evening while loading cargo. We had to constantly monitor the puddling of water and pump all rain water, which accumulated on decks, into our reserve or “slop” tanks. [Read more →]
At Sea: Course: 270 True Speed: 13.0 Knots
180 miles south of Mobile Bay, Alabama
The seas have just picked up from being a morning calm of almost still waters within this vastness of the Gulf to a light chop caused by a gentle Easterly breeze. [Read more →]
In Port: Hess Terminal, Tampa.
The ship is sitting idle alongside the receiving terminal awaiting a “berth”, or dock space at the next discharge facility. This “shift, or movement to another dock should already have occurred by the time you read this journal entry. [Read more →]
Course: 090 True, Speed: 13.9 knots
100 nautical miles southwest the “South West Pass” Louisiana.
We’re aboard a happy little tanker enroute to a happy little town folks call “Tampa!” And that’s all I have to say about that! Apart from getting a replacement Able Seaman to fill in for Johnson who left the vessel for family reasons, everything seems to be going alright.
[Read more →]
At Sea, Course: 283 True, Speed: 12.8 knots
120 nautical miles South of Timbalier Bay, Louisiana.
We happened not to see any craft which was reported missing, off the coast of Tampa.
We did receive the distress message on VHF 16 that following night, while underway, and proceeding outbound for sea. [Read more →]
80 nautical miles West of Tampa Bay, Course: 260 True, Speed: 11.3 knots
We’ve managed to depart Tampa, yet with a delay attributed to weather as well as other traffic, among the reasons.
Just as cargo finished up, at the Kinder-Morgan dock and as the hose was being disconnected, the rains began to fall. Large droplets casting a blanketing effect at the turn of the watch, I was relieved that at least, it happened once cargo operations were complete! [Read more →]