Bermuda bound….sounds nice, pink
sandy beaches, scooting around on the opposite side of the road,
sherry hot sauce,,,but you have to get there first…a week sitting
in Dartmouth, 30 Celsius plus and the easy bake oven galley was more
like 40 plus…..heat rash on my head like a baby’s ass
rash…..salty sweat pours off like shedding pounds but then every
sauce needs a savoury flavour!
So finally week two is nearing an end and we have been steaming south, water temperature is about 30 Celcius but no one has put the bosun swing over board for a dip yet. Many are finding the heat unbearable but today it is starting out overcast and the Ac is back up so a little breather, unless, of course, you are a galley grunt! We get no relief from it along with the odd appliance break down like last night when the flattop burner gave out and spaghetti and meatballs was truly `al dente`….the galley is on a gradient on this banana boat so I walk up hill, or down, all day, the easy bake oven, where I work when baking is one of the hottest places on the ships with 2 deck ovens going…..built in weight loss program……
So yesterday we sailed into St George Bermuda…a great calm morning through sweltering channels slowly dotted with the local traffic as the day begins. We had a 4 am start as watches for the ship stayed the same but I hustled to get things ready for lunch as I was getting off at 1pm and would try to get out early. I did and I left at 11 and was on a scooter by 1130 and off bombing around the narrow island roads, re-teaching myself to drive on the other side again.
All in all a great but hot and busy day as we hot a few different beaches and went all the way to the other end of the island and worked our way back with 2 stops in Hamilton the capitol. On the second stop a nice (but expensive) supper of rockfish tacos and wahoo Bermudian chowder. Had wanted to stay in the capitol for the festival that began that night to celebrate their 2 national holidays (nation day and emancipation day) spread out over a long weekend, and there would have been lots to see and eat but the ride back in the dark being so tired would have been too much. So instead we headed back with a detour down around St David’s as the bridge to cross was one way and we had a red light. Then after dropping the scooters off a detour to the White Horse pub on the waterfront here in old port St George. Just a nice day all round. Tonight I will scurry up over the hill for a hike to Tobacco bay for a swim and walk and swim down the small coast in each bay until I get to the light house, as we sail in the morning.
Menu manifesto veto
long long trip,,,like a sardine baking in a can, sweat though, not tomato sauce…….
Over the years I have written mostly about the trips, things we see, the trials and tribulations of the galley life and this trip has been no different. I came aboard with no expectations other than the usual paradoxical situation of galley life. On the one hand, galley staff are essential to the running of any vessel, and yet in many respects they are often thought of as second class sailors by other crew members. I, after 12 years going to sea now, would have to say that often this life is for the thick skinned.
This trip has illustrated that in various ways from the top down with the chief cook having a daily battle with the higher ups. It has now, in our last week, gotten to the point that our menus now have to be vetted not only through the logistics officer but the captain as well. There are a few reasons for this. Firstly, the chief cook decided a while back that there were certain foods he did not want to cook, and others that he liked to repeat. As we headed south from a very hot and humid Dartmouth he made it clear that there would be no barbecuing in 40Celcius! Even as I volunteered to do it, he would not. So, due to this attempt at rebellion, the chief cook has led us to a rather busy last couple of days aboard.
Quite comical to say the least as he continuously made excuses why we could not do certain things on the menu but in reality it all came down to disorganization, a lack of fore sight, communication and well the usual crap that happens on a ship. The old rules always apply; every one on board is a cook, and you are only as good as your last meal.
Now BBQ in sea going parlance means from the other crew members an easier repast. A time to relax, drink beer and enjoy food while someone else slaves over a hot grill, bad weather, and unruly drunks arguing about medium versus medium rare steak. For the galley staff, BBQ really means a hell of a lot more work when they want it 2 decks up, and of course we do not get to enjoy it. The second class status fits here as no one would offer to help or give us a break( we start at 4 a m and finish around 6, each day!) so, now in the last week BBQ has been ordered by the higher ups, as they want to pat them selves on the back for a well worked voyage. We are lucky tat we are at sea as this will not be a piss up as there is a limited supply of booze. If tied up, things get tangly.
The chief cook also did not want to do pizza, fish and chips and prime rib, all understandable menu options and now we have to fit them in over three days! Pizza is a problem due to the layout of the galley and while a bit tricky it can be done, and well, now will be!
All in all then, the BBQ was a success as I cooked steaks for 60, 2 decks up and as the scientists and a few crew continued into the drunken night I retired below to my cabin.
On a sad note the nurse thanked me for cooking a great steak only to enjoy the evening until notice came that her sister died. The next day was very disturbing to say the least as we had to rendezvous with the Alexander so she could get aboard and be taken ashore…very sad and one thinks a lot about such things in a vast sea….the emptiness of it pales in comparison to her heartache.
We just tied up at Dartmouth and the morning was spent with the customs people scouring the ship, unusual to say the least that so many were aboard….they called each of us to our cabins. I walked down to mind and the guy was standing there in the cabin and asks me to turn on my laptop, why I asked, he would not say. Then he needed the Cmd prompt(?)..he did not find anything but made me and the rest of the crew curious and later on the 2nd engineer was called to his cabin and eventually was escorted off the ship in handcuffs…strange way to end this trip. I am in the bunk and it is so quiet as all the locals have headed home and those needing stimulation have headed out. This trip has been food for thought and I will rethink going to sea again after 10 years.
So finally week two is nearing an end and we have been steaming south, water temperature is about 30 Celcius but no one has put the bosun swing over board for a dip yet. Many are finding the heat unbearable but today it is starting out overcast and the Ac is back up so a little breather, unless, of course, you are a galley grunt! We get no relief from it along with the odd appliance break down like last night when the flattop burner gave out and spaghetti and meatballs was truly `al dente`….the galley is on a gradient on this banana boat so I walk up hill, or down, all day, the easy bake oven, where I work when baking is one of the hottest places on the ships with 2 deck ovens going…..built in weight loss program……
So yesterday we sailed into St George Bermuda…a great calm morning through sweltering channels slowly dotted with the local traffic as the day begins. We had a 4 am start as watches for the ship stayed the same but I hustled to get things ready for lunch as I was getting off at 1pm and would try to get out early. I did and I left at 11 and was on a scooter by 1130 and off bombing around the narrow island roads, re-teaching myself to drive on the other side again.
All in all a great but hot and busy day as we hot a few different beaches and went all the way to the other end of the island and worked our way back with 2 stops in Hamilton the capitol. On the second stop a nice (but expensive) supper of rockfish tacos and wahoo Bermudian chowder. Had wanted to stay in the capitol for the festival that began that night to celebrate their 2 national holidays (nation day and emancipation day) spread out over a long weekend, and there would have been lots to see and eat but the ride back in the dark being so tired would have been too much. So instead we headed back with a detour down around St David’s as the bridge to cross was one way and we had a red light. Then after dropping the scooters off a detour to the White Horse pub on the waterfront here in old port St George. Just a nice day all round. Tonight I will scurry up over the hill for a hike to Tobacco bay for a swim and walk and swim down the small coast in each bay until I get to the light house, as we sail in the morning.
Menu manifesto veto
long long trip,,,like a sardine baking in a can, sweat though, not tomato sauce…….
Over the years I have written mostly about the trips, things we see, the trials and tribulations of the galley life and this trip has been no different. I came aboard with no expectations other than the usual paradoxical situation of galley life. On the one hand, galley staff are essential to the running of any vessel, and yet in many respects they are often thought of as second class sailors by other crew members. I, after 12 years going to sea now, would have to say that often this life is for the thick skinned.
This trip has illustrated that in various ways from the top down with the chief cook having a daily battle with the higher ups. It has now, in our last week, gotten to the point that our menus now have to be vetted not only through the logistics officer but the captain as well. There are a few reasons for this. Firstly, the chief cook decided a while back that there were certain foods he did not want to cook, and others that he liked to repeat. As we headed south from a very hot and humid Dartmouth he made it clear that there would be no barbecuing in 40Celcius! Even as I volunteered to do it, he would not. So, due to this attempt at rebellion, the chief cook has led us to a rather busy last couple of days aboard.
Quite comical to say the least as he continuously made excuses why we could not do certain things on the menu but in reality it all came down to disorganization, a lack of fore sight, communication and well the usual crap that happens on a ship. The old rules always apply; every one on board is a cook, and you are only as good as your last meal.
Now BBQ in sea going parlance means from the other crew members an easier repast. A time to relax, drink beer and enjoy food while someone else slaves over a hot grill, bad weather, and unruly drunks arguing about medium versus medium rare steak. For the galley staff, BBQ really means a hell of a lot more work when they want it 2 decks up, and of course we do not get to enjoy it. The second class status fits here as no one would offer to help or give us a break( we start at 4 a m and finish around 6, each day!) so, now in the last week BBQ has been ordered by the higher ups, as they want to pat them selves on the back for a well worked voyage. We are lucky tat we are at sea as this will not be a piss up as there is a limited supply of booze. If tied up, things get tangly.
The chief cook also did not want to do pizza, fish and chips and prime rib, all understandable menu options and now we have to fit them in over three days! Pizza is a problem due to the layout of the galley and while a bit tricky it can be done, and well, now will be!
All in all then, the BBQ was a success as I cooked steaks for 60, 2 decks up and as the scientists and a few crew continued into the drunken night I retired below to my cabin.
On a sad note the nurse thanked me for cooking a great steak only to enjoy the evening until notice came that her sister died. The next day was very disturbing to say the least as we had to rendezvous with the Alexander so she could get aboard and be taken ashore…very sad and one thinks a lot about such things in a vast sea….the emptiness of it pales in comparison to her heartache.
We just tied up at Dartmouth and the morning was spent with the customs people scouring the ship, unusual to say the least that so many were aboard….they called each of us to our cabins. I walked down to mind and the guy was standing there in the cabin and asks me to turn on my laptop, why I asked, he would not say. Then he needed the Cmd prompt(?)..he did not find anything but made me and the rest of the crew curious and later on the 2nd engineer was called to his cabin and eventually was escorted off the ship in handcuffs…strange way to end this trip. I am in the bunk and it is so quiet as all the locals have headed home and those needing stimulation have headed out. This trip has been food for thought and I will rethink going to sea again after 10 years.
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