Finally putting some new stuff on the blog, after complains from someone (Hi Greet!!:). In contrast with the normal routine of the last month or so I finally went for an offshore survey last week! The whole thing started with a great 9 hrs drive with the van down to south east england and reaching the glorious Great Yarmouth...which can be compared with a decadent Rimini or a smaller and tackier Blackpool! Fortunately time on land was short and we soon got on board of the boat, called by the way Confidante. Given the name, the innate superstition of every seaman grew instantly big and strong in us, resulting in a compulsion to follow the dos and donts and touch wood after every comment on the weather!
After the first inspection of the boat and a chat with the 75 year old captain it was clear that she wasnt really appropriate for our job and we had to work out some modification to the plan and hope for the best sea conditions ever. The first day and half went sailing offshore and waiting for a calmier sea which gave us the time to meet the crew and get used to the unbelievable rolling of the supposely Confidante. As mentioned before the old captain looked like it was taken straigth from a comic book and soon flavoured the meals with his unlikely tales. The rest of the crew was mainly indonesians, hard workers and very helpful.
As the second day approached and the prospect of finishing the survey in time begun slim if the weather was getting any worse, we decided to give it a try. The gear we were deploying weighs some 150kg and is not a really a butterfly when it swings in front of your face in bad weather. Fortunately the swell flattened and we were able to start working, and it was agreed to do as much as possible the four of us on the same shift; this meant 2 and a half days of 18 hours of work each day, stopping just for food. Although resulting in a backbreaking effort it was also extremely efficient and gave us some great moments and scenic sunsets!
The sleep during the way back to Great Yarmouth reached a higher level of satisfaction and by dinner time we were back on land, which at that time seemed to move more than the boat!
After this time spent at sea the only way to end the trip was offcourse to walk through the docks and reach the harbour pub where, together wih the crew, the events of the last few days were transformed into stories to tell by the enpowering effect of cold fermented barley.
