A Freshened Ship with a content Crew
The ‘Tern has managed to make a port stop in Singapore and has since completed some much required servicing of vital equipment while in port.
The ship was in need of some replacement pumps and new electric motors from within the Engine Room and the Emergency Fire Pump required servicing, as well. The nature of the jobs entailed the assistance of local shipyard workers and hours of extra labor from many of the ship’s complement. I witnessed, first hand, as the Chief Mate stood extra hours through the night coordinating the lifting and stowage of newly acquired equipment as these pieces of equipment are received using the ship’s own cranes and the pain staking task of loading them require a bit of finesse as it is a delicate operation lowering them down into the lower section of the engine room from atop near the smoke stack, seven stories above. In addition, the (number two) cargo crane’s main wire was exchanged for a complete new set. This job was done cautiously as the old wire cable was neatly exchanged via a large spool on the dock with fresh new wire. The diameter of the wire was about three inch. Nearly a thousand foot of cable was utilized, and the job took over twelve hours to complete. I was on hand to assist, as the crane driver needed the extra eyes and ears to guide with.
We also sent ashore our old and decrepit mooring lines in place of the new polyester hausers we had in our storage as the weather, including the sun’s rays decays the fibers over time.
During the work period, many onboard, including yours truly were able to enjoy some of the sights of Singapore and head ashore for brief periods. I had the luxury of hiring a taxi for a couple of hours and allowing the driver to whisk me away to populous non tourist areas which were teaming with locals as they perused the malls and outdoor food-hawking stands. I had a local Singapore Tailor work his magic and stitch some shirts as this method for individualized service is a dying art back in America. He will ultimately monogram my initials onto the breast pocket to finish the look.
Singapore is a country of change, and much of what I saw during my previous stay in 2002 was slightly altered now with newer highrises or renovated shops.
The weather was hot and steamy, if you want to know. The monsoons brought rain by afternoon time yet, the deluge was only for an hour before lifting and making for a calm evening. My room is like a tent you might find in a place like Morocco as many of my shirts hang from my tables and tacks from the ceiling awaiting the drying out process.
We’re on our way and the crew is in a comfortable mood.
Have a great day!
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