Riding the wave in the Gulf of Mexico

Been on the boat for two plus weeks now so thought I would do an update on all the fun of work.
Have a new supply boat that bent the crap out of our side rail when it tried to come along side the first time. That run was called off because of bad weather,, second try the next day went much better and we got some much needed food and replacement parts.

Next few days were spent sorting out and taking inventory on all supplies, in between working on any gear that went down. Once that was all done it was time to secure everything for bad sea's.

That brings us to today, currently riding waves from 14 to 18 foot and just trying not to fall on my face when I walk. Nothing can be done as far as work goes except to monitor what is going on so we know what to fix when it is all over in 48 hours...

Hoping to load a few photos of the Back deck area that I work in, it shows the type of Sea's we are having.

50% trip completed Sunday morning...

Bye, bye Port Galveston

Well it has been a lot of fun... NOT... But we are finally leaving Galveston to go and make some money... Only have a week before crew change so my feelings are split on leaving, I want to get back to shooting so we make money, but at the same time would like to crew change at the dock and not have to take a long helicopter ride.

Did a lot of work on the equipment when in port so hoping it will all work the first time and we do not have to fool with it for the rest of the trip... Have picture of the way in so here are some of the way out..

With anyluck the next entry will be about the trip into Mexico, driving to the Yucatan.... Should be fun and some good photos...

Back to School we go...

Once again I have been sent off for more training. This time for Fire fighting refresher, first Aid and HUET.

Sunday the 7th it begins with being picked up at home to go to the airport, driver gets lost and we have to meet at the Shell Station at a major intersection. Scheduled for a 1pm pickup , got into the car at 1:30 and off we go. Was not worried about the 30 min. my flight was not scheduled to leave until 4:55 pm and the drive was a max of two hours. Made it to the airport at 2:45 pm and checked in. Did the normal airport thing... walked around, played on the computer, and walked around some more. Once on the flight we departed on time and made it to New Orleans as scheduled. Went to baggage pick up got my bag and was met by a fellow student and the driver that took us to our home ( hotel ) for the next week. Driver kept us entertained with the history of the south during the ride. Checked into the hotel, went to the local Wal Mart within easy walking distance, had dinner and that ends day one.

Monday the 8th was a full day of nothing but classroom instruction on firefighting and different ways to fight a fire, depending on the type of fire you are facing. Test at the end of the day when the mind felt like mush, and back to the hotel for the night. Once again went to Wal Mart for food to have for dinner, do not like eating alone in restaurants. So ends the day..

Photo below is my impression of a tea pot.. After all I am about to get boiled.

Tuesday the 9th had us in the classroom for the first half of the day getting more instructions on firefighting. Then after lunch we went out into 95 degree heat and put on full firefighting gear to put out four different types of fires. First was a galley fire, second a paint locker, third was open pit, and the last one was the open pit using foam.

Day three was once again all classroom, first aid, CPR and PSSR. We all know what first aid and CPR is all about so will not bore anyone. PSSR is about not tossing things into the water and why ( mostly ) was not a very exciting day but it is over. Thursday and Friday will be spent mostly in the water doing HUET escape stuff..

Day four June 11th 2009. Today was the water torture, we spent from 11:45 am until 3:30 pm in the water. Did water survival training, then had to do the helicopter escape four times. See video for what I am talking about. I was exhausted at the end of the day.. But it was fun until just before the end when I got a lot of water up my nose.

Last day of school, YES!!!!!!! Today was cold water survival, almost the same as yesterday except it was about using immersion suits ( gumbey suit ) in cold water areas. Took a test and out at 2pm.. Easy day.. Tomorrow I head back home for two weeks before going back to the boat.

Return to the Snapper

I have returned to the boat and it feels different. The boat is almost silent, no joking or teasing among the crew, and without TAP no whistling to be heard at all. Been back five days now and even if no one will speak openly of the loss to the crew, it can be felt in the way we all go about our jobs. Moral is low and the seas are high.

Even with the sun out today the waves are between 7 and 11 footers. It is enough to rock the boot, and if last night was an example toss me out of bed.

So I stay here in the GOM until May 26th when I get to go home for a week before going to school for a week.

Been watching the news about the flu in Mexico and hoping it does not make its way to the states, or if it does it stays clear of me..


check this blog for what is going on at the ranch well I am gone......http://ourtexasranchito.blogspot.com/

Merry Christmas From Geco Snapper

Guess this will be my last post for the year of our lord 2008. I will be spending the Holidays restricted to the boat, thanks to a crew member that got into a fight when in town. Thing is he was not even working for the same company that I work for and has been dismissed from ever working on this boat again.

The good news is when crew change takes place I should get home in less then five hours, bad news is I am less then a three hour drive from home during the Holidays.




Before we got restricted to the boat we did get one day out as a crew. Went to a place called the Spot for lunch, unfortunately it had to be a dry lunch ( no beer ) . Still it was a nice break from the normal on the boat lunch and longer too. We are all hoping that the powers that be allow us to take another lunch off the boat Christmas day.

I was also sent to a small boat course to learn water rescue using a FRB ( Fast Rescue Boat ). As luck would have it the entire time spent in the boats was during three of the coldest, wettest, and foggiest days we have seen so far. At least I still had my winter coveralls from two years ago. We do not have any on the boat because all were turned in last yea, when told we would not be in cold weather. I kept mine just because, and glad I did.

Thats about it for me, will soon be time to go to work on this the 24th day of Dec. 2008. You all have a Merry Christmas now...

At Port Galveston

Returned to the Snapper Dec. 1st this time for five weeks, opps five weeks and a day. Lucky us we had the day of crew change moved just in time for us to stay and extra day, this after we are already scheduled to be here for X-mas and New Year.

Have to say one thing about being in Port, we get to work day shift 6am to 6pm so we are on an almost human schedule. Down side is it is hard to get into a grove so the time goes by slow. We are trying to get the boat upgraded and ready to go back out around the end of Feb or early march. We all hope to be back in production soon staying in Port is costing us money, no production no bonus.

Photos are all taken from the Snapper at pier 41 Port Galveston Texas, lovely place to spend time.

I have not been traveling lately except to and from work because I have been the pet sitter while Kay goes to Mexico to learn Spanish, think she may really want to move they. Really not sure I want to live in Mexico. So will have to look for some land or small home this next time home. Would be nice to also find work that does not take me away all the time.

That is about it from me for now, not sure when I will post again... All depends on how I feel, this is more for me to vent then anything else. I still do not think it is read by many, only know of two, three counting me. LOL... Enjoy life and stay safe, life can be fun...

Return to the Gulf

This is the one I like the best.
This is the boat I work on, Geco Snapper...

Well RV trip is over and I am back at work. The sea state has come down and things are better then last trip. Only problem is each day is the same as the last, for the most part it is a very boring life, that pays well. Some folks on the boat took some nice shots that I am posting, I never seen anything due to working inside the dark wet underbelly of the boat. Enjoy..

Returning to work

Well the time to go back to work has once again arrived. Step one is to drive to the airport intime to make my flight. It has been raining all day so the roads are wet and driving is just a bit slow. Left the house really early to give time to stop along the way to pick up last minute items and eat lunch. Drive went smoothly and arrived at the airport two hours before the flight was to depart.

The flights from Louisville to New Orleans went without problems. Called the hotel I was booked in for a pick up and find out it was already on the way to pickup others. Went out to the waiting area and sure enough here it comes. Problem was it was a van that could hold only about ten people and they were 18 of us.. I took one look around and decided I was not waiting for it to go to the hotel and back again, so jumped on with both bags. Put one bag on the floor between my legs and the other on my lap and I was ready to go.

Hotel check in was the easiest I have every seen it my company had a rep. sitting at a side table with all our keys so I skipped standing in line with the people from the other company and had my key within a few min. Told I was on the late morning Helicopter the next day so did not have to be down until 9am... Seeing that it was already 11pm I was happy to hear this.

The next morning I was down in the lobby at 7 am to go get breakfast and to my surprise found the first group just leaving, seems fog delayed the time of the first flight. Had a good breakfast at a Denny's just around the corner, and returned to the hotel to await my turn to start the final leg back to the boat.

The bus with the remaining 12 going to the boat left the hotel at 09:35 going to the heliport. Before getting on the helicopter we first had to sit through a safety brieafing reminding us of the correct way to board and what to do if something goes wrong. Takes about 30 minutes. Then we all walked out to the heliport taken our bags, we each put our own bags into the cargo hold then boarded the chopper.

The ride to the boat was about 1.5 hours long with one stop to fuel. This to me is the longest of all the flights because you have to wear hearing protecting because of the noise, this also makes it impossible to talk to anyone so you just sit and look at water, lots and lots of water.

Once we land on the first boat ( thats right more to come ) we go into the helicopter room exchange safety grear with the crew that is leaving and wait for our bags. All bags acounted for we go to the bridge for another safety meeting on how we are going to be transported to our boat. The boat I work on has a helicopter deck but it is not certified so we have to go over by small boat four at a time.

When my turn comes to go I head over my bags get in the boat, once all are on, the boat is lowered and off we go. To get on our boat first the small boat has to be hooked up and raised to a level that allows us to step right onto our home for the next five weeks.