CROSSING THE POND

1st - 9th Feb 2011

Hello! Spent 9 days incommunicado on 'The Flying Pig' under command of Kapitan Pugwasche. We survived, amazingly. Now in NYC having arrived yesterday at 1100hrs. I made a 'diary' of our crossing but this has largely failed to 'transfer' to the blog ( you may be relieved to hear ), or at least the pics have. But, don't worry! I have managed to salvage most of it, even if a little delayed. If it doesn't work: bollocks.

Life on the Ocean Wave

Atlantic crossing

Le Havre to New York

1st to 9th Feb 2011

HMS TANZANIA

Tuesday 1st Feb. Day spent on ship watching a few French malingerers returning to work on the docks. I think they were slowly off/on loading containers. It was rumoured that we might be sailing that afternoon. After lunch ( pork knuckle and sauerkraut ) we passengers decided to make use of the extensive recreational facilities, vis weight-lifting machine, dart board, indoor swimming pool ( 3m x 4m of freezing sea water ), VHS video and ping-pong table. A French v English ping-pong match was agreed; Mr Oxbridge and me against Claude and Florian. No-one was too sure of the rules but the English won 2-1.

After supper ( 5.30pm - don’t be late or you miss it ) ship was preparing to leave. We sailed at 2000Z. Ship’s time now GMT.

Next morning we were, I think, somewhere off Land’s End. Weather was still remarkably calm. Holding fire on the seasick pills. Kapt P said we would be taking a more southerly route due to storms up north; similar to weather avoidance in ‘planes I suppose. I wandered up to the bridge. Only Ivan, the chatty Russian 2nd officer responsible for navigation, ship’s documents, and medic, was there. He was busy writing. No-one was at the controls because these ships operate like aircraft in that the navigation ; way-points, report points, turning points, is all pre-programmed into a GPNS system coupled to the steering. The power lever was set at ‘Full Ahead’ and heading still 245 degrees. I was tempted, again.

‘Tea’ in the recreation room followed by a return ping-pong match. The French won this time;          2-1. By golly I don’t know if I will be able to handle the excitement.

Tea mit Kapitan Hans-Joachim Muthwill ( aka Kapt Pugwasche ). L to R: Claude, Florian, ‘Oxbridge’ ( making notes ) und der Kapitan.

Woke at 0400hrs next morning because the engine had stopped and there was a loud graunching/screeching noise from outside.  The engine noise is normally just a muted rumble with a gentle vibration, but now silence....apart from the bloody loud screeching. We found out at breakfast, where graunching/screeching was now quite deafening ( but at least the engine was going again ) that there had been ‘ein kleine probleme’ mit an oil filter which had to be replaced, hence engine shut down. The noise was coming from containers scraping together because the ship 'bends' in the water. It was, apparently, normal. They didn’t warn us about this! Our position: 45.19 N 19.32 W, somewhere west of Finisterre. Weather and waves ( 4m ) and OK.

Tea again, and ‘practice’ ping-pong session because Oxbridge had not turned up. Probably studying something.

Funny thing, but the container noise stopped as suddenly as it had started. They must yell at each other during the night because the next night they were at it again. Actually managed to wake me up! Then, just after breakfast they shut up. Perhaps somebody feeds them.

Left: Die Motor ( a bit of it )

Today we were given a tour of the ship’s engine und transmission. The whole thing takes up 5 decks of space below and to the rear of the bridge/accomodation block. Der chief ‘Spanner’, Herr Lutzke, gave us a detailed description of each vast noisy kontraption und  blasensaugenmaschine, mit der grosse propeller on die ende. Trouble was, his English was a little ‘broken’ at the best of times and we had to wear ear-defenders against the noise of the machinery, so he just stood there in front of us opening and closing his mouth and we heard.............the engine. I think I gathered that each of the 9 pistons weighed 5 tons. It was all, however, enormous, extremely complex and very loud. I expect Oxbridge had it all worked out in under 5 mins. The rest of us were baffled. 

Left: Oxbridge with handy ship’s spanner

Right: propeller drive shaf

Below: Chief ‘Spanner’ describing the complexities of the engine control room. I was amazed by the scars and burns he had all over his hands and arms! I think he enjoyed his bier too.

Before lunch ( huhnebraten mit sauerkraut ) went to the bridge to check our position.  (42.22 N 27.42 W, north of the Azores, heading 241 ). Apparently we are going further south to avoid some more ‘weather’.

Read ship’s newspaper. Somehow the HQ in Rostock or Bremerhaven puts together a daily news-sheet which is transmitted by satellite. I learnt that despite appalling storms in New York and against all meteorological evidence, Punxsutawney Phil had emerged from his burrow to announce that spring in USA is just around the corner. Good on Phil. I suspect he is much more reliable than the buffoons in the London Met Office.

                            

                                                          Right: Punxsutawney Phil

Saturday, and the containers were remarkably quiet during the night. We were told at breakfast that there would be a ‘fish smoking’ outside on B deck today at 1600hrs. Whatever that might entail. Went to check our position at 1100hrs; ( 39.13N 37.29W, half-way across, heading 249 deg ). The weather was still calm and even a bit warm and sunny.  Then went for shower before lunch consisting of sausages. And I’ve been dying to say this......... ‘ going from Bad to Wurst’. Hahahahaha!!!!!

‘Fish Smoking’ was a sort of barbeque of, surprise, smoked fish smoked personally by the chief Spanner and involved large intakes of ‘Jaegermaester‘ und other Trinken. By design or coincidence we were standing next to the little ‘man-overboard‘ boat. As far as I remember it was not deployed ( before I left ).

Pic from Left: Ch. Spanner, Klaus ( mechanic ), Florian, Oxbridge, Victor, Evgenly, Andrei, Ivan,

Claude, und der Kapitan, at the 'Smoking'.

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Sunday, and the weather was bright and sunny with a calm sea. I must say, I have never before been subjected to such a long period with diddley-squat to do. Very relaxing, if at times a touch boring. Not even any good storms to write home about. Yet. Oxbridge, Claude and Florian are pleasant enough guys, but not exactly wild company. Oxbridge is very serious and rarely smiles; he said, for example, when I mentioned TV programmes like Fawlty Towers, that he did not approve of comedy which joked about people’s nationality, or funny accents. I suspect he is not a ‘huntin’, shootin’ fishin’ type’. He is a vegetarian.

We have tracked quite a long way south. Kapt P said our revised ETA in New York (Newark, actually ) is 0900 on Wed 9th; a little late.

      Left: relaxing at the Pointy End.         

                          Right: Claude doing his 'Titanic' thing.

                                                                                   

                

Monday and more after tea ping-pong. The English took a pasting. It’s now 3 - 1 to Les Frogs.

Only 2 tea times to go so we can, at best, hope to tie the series. Decision to be made whether I have a kip this afternoon, or read a book. Or wash my socks.                                                            As at 1100hrs, on my Daily Bridge Inspection, I reckoned we only had about 500 miles to go.  Oxbridge said he had to go off and construct a computer software programme to identify DNA cells, or something, and said he wouldn’t have time to play ping-pong. At supper Kapt P warned us to expect rough weather during the night. Rum/vodka ration was dished out from the RFT. Read more book then made sure I stowed my rollocks, lashed my binacle, belayed my halyard and spliced the mainbrace before hitting the hammock........ to await the storm..............

Which, as it turned out, was not quite of the ‘perfect’ variety. In fact it just blew a bit. I remember waking up when something fell off a shelf in the middle of the night ( thankfully not my whiskey ), but by 0700hrs it was just rather windy and no spectacular waves to take pictures of. A bit of a let-down really.

Not long to go. Last ‘tea-time’ followed by last Anglo-French ping-pong match. It was really close; 2-1 to Les Frogs and 24-22 in the last game. ‘A bas Les Francais’. They had the lucky waves.

We  ( passengers ) invited the ship’s officers ( plus Raul, our Phillipino cabin boy, or steward ) for a Trinken after supper.

Much Wein und Bier was trinken. Alles in ordnung. Incidently, I have not yet had the DVD returned which I lent to Kapt P two days ago. It was an educational newspaper freeby on the Atlantic War in 1914-18 featuring the German U-boat attacks on North Atlantic shipping. Maybe he enjoyed it so much he wants to take it home. He hasn’t mentioned it since.

We are due to meet the ‘pilot‘ at 0700hrs, tomorrow, Wednesday 9th, and dock in Newark at about 0930hrs. Following a rigorous interrogation by US immigration heavies, we will then be free to leave the ship, hopefully. 

OK, that is the diary from the rather boringly uneventful trans-Atlantic crossing on HMS Tanzania. Tomorrow ( if I don't upset the immigration gorillas too much ) I will be looking for accomodation in Noo Yawk. I wonder what pitfalls await me there ( I am told they can be a touch 'politically correct'.  Wait Out...............