After four days with no sleep, it was good to finally get my head down and sleep the sleep of the dead. Took a sauna after shift and actually had a tough time walking back up to my cabin, I was so tired. This morning, after a huge breakfast, I felt almost human. We had a muster drill just after shift started-the sun and wind up on deck felt great.
Two days ago, one of my good friends in the business, passed away at home. He left behind three children. I was informed just after arriving here and it was not a good start to the trip. I've had contact with most of the group we both worked with in past years and it's a tough blow. I feel so bad for his family:( He was a good co-worker, friend, husband and father and will sorely be missed. I can still here him talking about his oldest daughter's success in basketball, going to the championship and state finals.
He and I were part of a small group onboard that read a lot. We would each bring back a pile a of books and trade them back and forth during the trip. It was always a treat to see what he brought-mostly obscure books that you would never choose for yourself, but always interesting and surprising. He favored period novels that were heavily descriptive of certain skills or crafts that have been lost to time and technology.
My favorite was a novel that centered around the exploits of a man who, after making what he thought was a horrible mistake, left civilization to drag a giant keg of whiskey up into the wilds of what is now the eastern border of the US and Canada. The guy made a whole life out of this keg and a slave girl he traded for just as he was leaving. It turned out to be one of the best books I've ever read and and would never of read it if it hadn't been for my friend, first giving me the book, then urging me to keep reading when I tried to give it back after reading only 30-40 pages.
Anyway, today I'm running only a few, small, automated tasks. While they run, I'm out on the back deck working with the in-sea gear, winches and that kind of shit. I need the physical work, so life is good. By the way, has anyone out there been to Angola, lately??
Two days ago, one of my good friends in the business, passed away at home. He left behind three children. I was informed just after arriving here and it was not a good start to the trip. I've had contact with most of the group we both worked with in past years and it's a tough blow. I feel so bad for his family:( He was a good co-worker, friend, husband and father and will sorely be missed. I can still here him talking about his oldest daughter's success in basketball, going to the championship and state finals.
He and I were part of a small group onboard that read a lot. We would each bring back a pile a of books and trade them back and forth during the trip. It was always a treat to see what he brought-mostly obscure books that you would never choose for yourself, but always interesting and surprising. He favored period novels that were heavily descriptive of certain skills or crafts that have been lost to time and technology.
My favorite was a novel that centered around the exploits of a man who, after making what he thought was a horrible mistake, left civilization to drag a giant keg of whiskey up into the wilds of what is now the eastern border of the US and Canada. The guy made a whole life out of this keg and a slave girl he traded for just as he was leaving. It turned out to be one of the best books I've ever read and and would never of read it if it hadn't been for my friend, first giving me the book, then urging me to keep reading when I tried to give it back after reading only 30-40 pages.
Anyway, today I'm running only a few, small, automated tasks. While they run, I'm out on the back deck working with the in-sea gear, winches and that kind of shit. I need the physical work, so life is good. By the way, has anyone out there been to Angola, lately??
2 comments:
I am sorry to hear about your friend.
My condolences regarding your friend. Sucks.
Did someone say Angola?
Post a Comment