07 December 2008, Tampa.

Well it was very quiet with the wind at the pilot station. At least for Tampa standards. It only blew a wind force 3 that is 10 to 12 knots. So for change it was easy to sail into the fairway and pick up the pilot without drifting all over the place. Checking the real time weather on the computer gave wind still conditions at the dock, so I thought for once all is well in Tampa Bay. However as we say in the Dutch language “the venom always sits in the tail” thus it was also this time. Right at the one location where we really can not afford too much wind, in Sparkman channel, the wind picked up out of nowhere.

In Sparkman channel there are always ships moored and as a result the already narrow channel gets even more confined. We go very slowly through this channel to avoid breaking off the mooring lines of the ships alongside the various berths, which could easily happen as a passing ship creates suction due to the displacement of the water through which its sails. So passing these ships we go slow, very slow and that makes you prone to drift more on the wind. However, sea captains are sticklers for a Plan B. This might be dropping an anchor when things go wrong, or in this case having the ships thrusters on standby with which you can counter act sideways motion as that is what drift is most of the time. Thus while the wind was gusting, caused by a squall that was coming through, we slowly moved through the channel. The forward motion of the ship was with the main engines while we regulated the sideways motion, the drift with the thrusters. Not dangerous, but certainly not enjoyable at 0500 in the morning after a 4 hour standby. Of course when we got to the dock, all the wind was gone again. Murphy was letting us know that he was still around.

Today the ship was invaded by lots of sub contractors who were coming to measure the ship for the coming SOE 2009 dry dock. All being interested in such romantic things, as how a pipe was running under an overhead; where a deck rim exactly ended and or started; or how wide a certain door really was. Also for the planned interior changes things had to be checked. Although all the S class ships are similar in design, there are minute differences in the layout of connecting doors and lockers. When each ship was built in the 1990’s, each subsequent ship received improvements and upgrades. Improvements based on the experiences with the previous ship. Also during the following years changes were made onboard. As a result none of the S class ships are identical anymore. That is not a problem for the ship and its operation but it is a nightmare for repairmen as the original drawings cannot be relied upon anymore. Thus each item is looked at before the final specification goes out.

Now we as sailors are never completely happy with what ever end result, there is always something to improve upon. It is part of our company culture for Signature of Excellence; always striving for change for the better. Thus when these people come onboard to look at items, they are at once inundated with good advice (?), totally different solutions to a challenge and a lot of requests to incorporate more enhancements. (For the same price of course, as we are still Dutch) Many a sub-contractor has sighed deeply after leaving a HAL ship while wishing to be on a cargo ship for some simple work.

Thus I spent most of the day going around the public and crew area’s pointing out where problems could be expected before the alterations would start. I had just time in between to carry my wife’s suitcases on board. I might have 550 crew under my command,but that does not go as far as to delegate the suitcase carrying. I do know when I am the presence of Senior Management, where only the words “Yes Ma’am” will suffice.

We left right on time, with another full house of guests. As it has now been quiet of wind in the Gulf of Mexico for 24 hours, all the waves have subsided and we should have a nice and quiet ride to Key West. The next cold front is expected late tomorrow.