Day 37

8 October, 2003

A most wonderful sleep. Helped by half an aspirin, A slate gray but very smooth and mild, almost Pacific sea. A completely gray cloud covering and a light, gentle drizzle.

I woke up late for breakfast again, only I know now that they hold breakfast for the CO who comes off watch at 0800. The Chief first congratulated me about my new teutonic governor. (noooooooooo... oh well, it does make me smile), then when I report my sleep, he allows that they had turned on the A/C again last night. I hadn’t been aware it was off.

I return from breakfast to find one of the captain’s famous knot boards on my doorstep (along with my trip’s total from the slop chest of $118.62). The knot board might be first class garage sale fodder, but it shows how much time the captain has spent... alone..... trying to keep from going... MADDDDDDD. BWA! HA! HA! HA! HA! SNAKES! SNAKES EVERYWHERE! I will cherish it for the memories, and the example of hard learned, old fashion seamen's skills it represents.

Lunch, oi, I really should have brought my camera. To hear Reebo say “boiled pig knuckles and sauerkraut” was worth a lot. A typical German dish, Frank scarfed it up. I did pick at it a bit.

Holy smoke, the chief engineer just took me through the engine room. It was bigger and more complicated then I ever imagined. And a constant work in progress. Maintenance like you wouldn’t believe, oil spurting here, spurting there. The three engineers and a couple of wipers toiling. Too loud to hear anything, too hot to do anything but sweat, except in the air conditioned control room, which needs be air conditioned to keep the computers all running. But she keeps on cookin’! Meanwhile she generates enough electricity and fresh water to run a town.

It seems that many modern Dutch ships are staffed with “Maritime” Officers. That is that all officers are trained and licensed in both engineering and navigating. The huge P&O Nedloyd ahips are like this.

At the moment we are at eighty percent speed to economize on fuel, as we are well ahead of schedule. Still completely gray and rainy. No ships anywhere, but on the charts are big areas of toxic war munitions dumps (disused). According to the chief, sometimes the ship just feels like going, even with the reductions the ship is making twenty-two knots. He says “Point Conception in the morning” . Oh good, if the weather lifts I should get a grand view. “We pick up the pilot at 1500”.

This gentle weather and sea, although frustrating, makes me think of the California coast which does tend to be gentle. In London, driving around with Andy he would often play an old Joni Mitchell tape, which would make me feel both young and frisky again, and yet old at the same time. And when she would sing about coming home to California, I was not sure I could remember that feeling. But this gentleness does reawaken my old fondness.

And after six months I still mourn the loss of cigarettes as companions. I have to say I have not been feeling very good, physically, as a reward for the quitting. But with better sleep last night, I feel stronger today.
Tonight, the moon almost full like my old friend in the mediterranean, peaking out from behind clouds, dancing golden light across the ocean. It is so dramatic, so hard to describe. Truly spiritual, for me anyway. I will miss this greatly, and will return as I always return to Paris and London.

I am not sure where and when this will be finished. I will probably write a bit tomorrow morning. We shall see. I am fed up with the camera. Not only does it not capture the true experience, it denies me from having the experience by my having to worry about it.

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