Commercial cruise: first installment

It’s now three days into my commercial cruise with Scripps research vessel: Melville. As I’d hoped, there are some truly friendly people that I get the pleasure of working with, both on the deck side of the operation, engine side, and the science crew. This vessel, R/V Melville is certainly one of the more laid back commercial vessels I’ve ever worked aboard. We’re allowed to stand watch in shorts and t-shirts:even more laid back than the law office in Hawaii (on days when clients came in anyways… I doubt I could get away with board shorts, and NO shirt on watch!).The captain, and a few of the mates even listen to music while they’re on watch. We do have an honest to god hot tub aboard. It’s made of plywood, but it’s got jets, and hot water and the whole thing. I haven’t seen it in use yet, but I’m sure someone will get it going soon enough. There is a mysterious pipe coming up from the engine room where they dump warm water into the tub, then just drain the thing right over board when the soakers are finished.

Everyone has been really helpful and interested in my commercial cruise project. Unfortunately I have not been sent out here with the easy task of: learn a lot, ask questions, and have a great time. I have to document everything, and go through an entire 43 page assignment from school. There are different aspects of this assignment, but primarily they cover: drawings of the ship and her systems, 16 short essays explaining different operational aspects of daily life, and loads of check offs for skills. Now that I’ve started to really get my head into this project, I’m realizing it probably will take the entire 60 days! I’ve got pieced printed out, and taped to the bulkheads (walls) of my cabin so it’s literally looming around me all the time. I’m already taking great pleasure in crossing things out!

Costa Rica has been a very warm climate. Many of the crew have been on board for months already, so they’re always itching to get off the ship and go zip lining or hiking, or simply drinking. I’ve been pining for this trip ever since I got here, so I was  disappointed that they forced me to take some time off and go ashore. It turned out just as well, I’d forgotten my wrist watch and needed to purchase one at a store.

The other part of this commercial cruise is beginning to get a taste of what it’s like to work professionally aboard a ship. Because I’m “cadet Kerlee” it’s okay for me to privately ask the crew what they’re making in their positions. I rare opportunity for sure – but information that I think is important when deciding on where I want to set my sights for after graduation. There are four positions in each engine and deck departments that are below a third mate. For the deck side, they are AB/OS, for the engine side WIPER/OILER. Many of those positions have been filled by recent academy graduates who weren’t able, or willing, to take work aboard a different vessel on their actual third mate license. The two main reasons I chose a research vessel for my commercial cruise are:

1. they have a mission that is based in science

2. diverse friendly small crowd of people to work with

Other ships’ mission may be simply money. Other ships often operate with as small of crews as possible, which usually means the same 12-15 crazy old men day in and day out. Working for a university (University of California, San Diego SCRIPPS) with science as the primary goal is a terrific way to get a start in the maritime field. The way the US Coast Guard licensing works out, once I get my 3d mate license, then 2nd mate and so on, it’s easy to work aboard one ship, then another, and to move around. That gets back to one of the reasons I chose boats in the first place: itchy feet! The world is a staggeringly large place – the ideal job will take me to cool places.

Ah, some of the undergrad scientists have put together a blog chronically their science adventures on our trip. Probably will make for interesting reading as well:

http://galapagos-expedition.blogspot.com

I’ve blathered for long enough – until next time,

drew