much commentary over 35 hours
I'm going to get my own domain after this blog subscription expires! Can't stand paying 35 US for only ONE page that is managed by the ever slow and stagnant blogger servers. Yeah, I'll host the site on Nico's Server, or perhaps I'll just get one of those web plans and then host my blog using MOVABLE TYPE. After gaining inspiration from slashdot.org, I'll shall get the domain "grokster.org" sounds mysteriously computerized yet amusingly "think twice" kinda thing.
Listening to: Lady Ella Fitzgerald & Duke Ellington - Mack the Knife recorded circa 1970s I think
boating
Traffic to base was surpringly light yesterday. Perhaps I'll only get stuck in terrible jam on Fridays, so that's quite a relief. Mum tried to do a shortcut but it went awry and I ended up coming to base 15 minutes later than expected.
I met my Crew Commander in the changing room. He asked me to quickly get changed so we could go and take the boat.
Before I knew it, I was stuck in the engine room of the boat, learning to check the various meters, tanks and enable the various valves and switches. The boat is so advanced that I can't remember all the steps necessary! Oh well, I guess I'll learn slowly.
It's very hot and stuffy in the engine room. Not to mention when the engine or generator running, very noisy! Worst, the whole place is so cramped and the floor full of slippery oil. I banged my head a few times manuevreing around the engine room and nearly slipped and fell. I hope I never actually end up as a mechanic, because that would be quite horrific a job to me. It was so hot that within a few minutes my crew commander and i were already dripping with sweat. My coast guard uniform was drenched in sweat. Worst, my crew commander accidentally splashed running water from the hose at me!
There are so many lethal fumes on the boat! Stepping on the deck there's carbon monoxide. In the engine room there's coolant, lubricant, diesel, petrol, and all kinds of fumes emiitted by hot metals. If not for the many air-tight doors in the ship, I think we could easy just die of breathing in bad air within the confines of the boat.
Stepping out into the open after being in the engine for sometime felt like walking into an aircon room for a minute! My safety boots gathered so much oil that I had problems walking on the deck of the ship. No joke being in the engine room. Can easily lose your life any second.
patrol
Our engines gave problems the moment we set off from the base. Apparently, it had problems exceeding 10 knots. For a ferry, 10 knots if fast enough, for a coast guard boat, it is a speed that no one moves at. Mockingly slow. My crew commander believed that something was wrong with the Turbo function of the engine, so we would have to make do without that function for this patrol.
One of the regulars went into the engine room to check it out. He said it was terribly noisy. When he opened the air tight doors, we could feel our ears pop! (The engines use compressed air to pump out water at high velocity, giving the boat its thrust) It was quite funny actually and we all had a good time laughing and telling each other stupid jokes and riddles just for the fun of mocking each other's intelligence.
We arrived at the patrol area quite late because of our slow speed, to the dismay of the other boat ending their shift. Heh.
The water was very calm. In fact, I'd say its just has more waves than a lake. Patrol area was slightly to the west of Sentosa, to guard CSI (Classified Sensitive Installations) on the the islands for which I can't metion. Even if I can mention their names, I can't remember as they're so long!
Area of patrol was quite close to Jurong Island at the same time at certain points. With so much background lighting from Jurong Island, we had difficulty making out the various navigational marks, especially in this part of Singapre Waters as there are many rocks that can easily ground our boat.
I saw the "South Cardinal Mark" for the first time outside the textbook. Go to the North of that Beacon if you want your boat grounded. Quite interesting because I never knew how these marks looked in the context out of the seamanship volume. So yeah, I managed to learn some new things on last night's patrol.
Was rather tired, even though I took an afternoon's nap. Ended up sleeping slightly past 12. Of course, being the insomiac I am, I couldn't sleep at all. Only managed to gain about an hour plus of fitful rest.
Was woken up at 4.20a.m by the crew commander to do the 2nd shift of duty on the boat. The first shift could now take their rest. I was so tired but just beared with it. In the end, at around 8, I actually dozed off in front of the radar! No exactly the right thing to do, but my crew commander didn't scold me, he just let me sleep on, knowing that I'm a "new NSman" so yeah, I get more chances to rest and sleep in order to "get used to the schedule".
We chatted the morning away. Came to the topic on JC. They always veer to the topic about JC after asking for my educational qualifications. This was quite an interesting quote from my crew commander regarding SAJC
Crew Commander, "Ya, I think the girls' school uniform looks very nice..."
Here is a 30 plus year old man saying THAT! Ok, so its not just me alone who feels that SAJC girls' uniform is damn good looking!The more apt word being sexy. I really don't know what else to say!
Not long after that, our shift ended and somehow, the engines allowed us to cruise back to the base at about 31 knots an hour. A very quiet patrol indeed.
home
Managed to reach home at about 11.30. Had a quick lunch with Mom who happily declared that she had heard that "I have a girlfriend"! My goodness! Mom won't even belief that I dont have one! Bet my brother has something to do with this!
But I don't care. I'm meeting up with T Squared tonight. Worst, she thinks I'm disguising a date for meeting up with T Squared! How screwed up is this!
I'm like so anti-social already. Worst, I hardly talk to girls in Church, much less school! And now my mome thinks I'm attached? What is the world coming to?
I'm going to get my own domain after this blog subscription expires! Can't stand paying 35 US for only ONE page that is managed by the ever slow and stagnant blogger servers. Yeah, I'll host the site on Nico's Server, or perhaps I'll just get one of those web plans and then host my blog using MOVABLE TYPE. After gaining inspiration from slashdot.org, I'll shall get the domain "grokster.org" sounds mysteriously computerized yet amusingly "think twice" kinda thing.
Listening to: Lady Ella Fitzgerald & Duke Ellington - Mack the Knife recorded circa 1970s I think
boating
Traffic to base was surpringly light yesterday. Perhaps I'll only get stuck in terrible jam on Fridays, so that's quite a relief. Mum tried to do a shortcut but it went awry and I ended up coming to base 15 minutes later than expected.
I met my Crew Commander in the changing room. He asked me to quickly get changed so we could go and take the boat.
Before I knew it, I was stuck in the engine room of the boat, learning to check the various meters, tanks and enable the various valves and switches. The boat is so advanced that I can't remember all the steps necessary! Oh well, I guess I'll learn slowly.
It's very hot and stuffy in the engine room. Not to mention when the engine or generator running, very noisy! Worst, the whole place is so cramped and the floor full of slippery oil. I banged my head a few times manuevreing around the engine room and nearly slipped and fell. I hope I never actually end up as a mechanic, because that would be quite horrific a job to me. It was so hot that within a few minutes my crew commander and i were already dripping with sweat. My coast guard uniform was drenched in sweat. Worst, my crew commander accidentally splashed running water from the hose at me!
There are so many lethal fumes on the boat! Stepping on the deck there's carbon monoxide. In the engine room there's coolant, lubricant, diesel, petrol, and all kinds of fumes emiitted by hot metals. If not for the many air-tight doors in the ship, I think we could easy just die of breathing in bad air within the confines of the boat.
Stepping out into the open after being in the engine for sometime felt like walking into an aircon room for a minute! My safety boots gathered so much oil that I had problems walking on the deck of the ship. No joke being in the engine room. Can easily lose your life any second.
patrol
Our engines gave problems the moment we set off from the base. Apparently, it had problems exceeding 10 knots. For a ferry, 10 knots if fast enough, for a coast guard boat, it is a speed that no one moves at. Mockingly slow. My crew commander believed that something was wrong with the Turbo function of the engine, so we would have to make do without that function for this patrol.
One of the regulars went into the engine room to check it out. He said it was terribly noisy. When he opened the air tight doors, we could feel our ears pop! (The engines use compressed air to pump out water at high velocity, giving the boat its thrust) It was quite funny actually and we all had a good time laughing and telling each other stupid jokes and riddles just for the fun of mocking each other's intelligence.
We arrived at the patrol area quite late because of our slow speed, to the dismay of the other boat ending their shift. Heh.
The water was very calm. In fact, I'd say its just has more waves than a lake. Patrol area was slightly to the west of Sentosa, to guard CSI (Classified Sensitive Installations) on the the islands for which I can't metion. Even if I can mention their names, I can't remember as they're so long!
Area of patrol was quite close to Jurong Island at the same time at certain points. With so much background lighting from Jurong Island, we had difficulty making out the various navigational marks, especially in this part of Singapre Waters as there are many rocks that can easily ground our boat.
I saw the "South Cardinal Mark" for the first time outside the textbook. Go to the North of that Beacon if you want your boat grounded. Quite interesting because I never knew how these marks looked in the context out of the seamanship volume. So yeah, I managed to learn some new things on last night's patrol.
Was rather tired, even though I took an afternoon's nap. Ended up sleeping slightly past 12. Of course, being the insomiac I am, I couldn't sleep at all. Only managed to gain about an hour plus of fitful rest.
Was woken up at 4.20a.m by the crew commander to do the 2nd shift of duty on the boat. The first shift could now take their rest. I was so tired but just beared with it. In the end, at around 8, I actually dozed off in front of the radar! No exactly the right thing to do, but my crew commander didn't scold me, he just let me sleep on, knowing that I'm a "new NSman" so yeah, I get more chances to rest and sleep in order to "get used to the schedule".
We chatted the morning away. Came to the topic on JC. They always veer to the topic about JC after asking for my educational qualifications. This was quite an interesting quote from my crew commander regarding SAJC
Crew Commander, "Ya, I think the girls' school uniform looks very nice..."
Here is a 30 plus year old man saying THAT! Ok, so its not just me alone who feels that SAJC girls' uniform is damn good looking!The more apt word being sexy. I really don't know what else to say!
Not long after that, our shift ended and somehow, the engines allowed us to cruise back to the base at about 31 knots an hour. A very quiet patrol indeed.
home
Managed to reach home at about 11.30. Had a quick lunch with Mom who happily declared that she had heard that "I have a girlfriend"! My goodness! Mom won't even belief that I dont have one! Bet my brother has something to do with this!
But I don't care. I'm meeting up with T Squared tonight. Worst, she thinks I'm disguising a date for meeting up with T Squared! How screwed up is this!
I'm like so anti-social already. Worst, I hardly talk to girls in Church, much less school! And now my mome thinks I'm attached? What is the world coming to?
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