LIBRARIAN AT SEA -- A Blog by Rich Delbango

Almost Home

2010-08-06T15:42:00.000-07:00

At about 11:00 this morning we rounded Montauk Point or so they told me.
It was over the horizon thus out of sight. It was a lazy afternoon. I
finished the last of my packing and my cruise report and tried to take in
the sights of the ship the rest of the day.

Early on the cadets had their "Deck Wars" games on the bow. They competed
in various activities such as line tossing. The rest of the day, the
outside decks of the ship were an obstacle course. Everywhere I tried to
go on the ship there were painting and cleaning crews blocking the way.
They're trying to make the tired, old Empire State look presentable for
tomorrow's grand sail up the East River.

Right before dinner I saw something in the distance. It was the water
tower at Robert Moses State Park. Now I knew we were getting close to
home. Cell phones came out as everyone started to get service. I made
one call then headed for dinner.

It was our last dinner on board. As usual the Chartwell's folk had a
special dinner for the officers' last night; prime rib and lobster. For
desert, we had canoli, napoleons and cheesecake. Life is good sometimes.

We should be anchoring in a couple of hours between Brooklyn and Staten
Island. We'll spend the night there and about 7:00 on Saturday we'll take
aboard the pilot and any dignitaries that have been invited and start the
cruise into the harbor, up the river and then home. We should arrive at
the Fort by 10:00.

Packing Up

2010-08-05T07:59:00.000-07:00

The cruise is almost over. We're sailing through the Nantucket Shoals at
this point on Thursday morning. The weather is warm and clear. The seas
are calm. I closed the library for public services on Tuesday night, but
my work is not yet done. I've been chasing down scofflaws who still have
books checked out and I have to pack up and straighten the library.

Yesterday I started packing up both my personal effects and the items from
the library that have to be returned to shore. The library packing is a
strenuous undertaking. Fifty one boxes came over to the ship before the
cruise and I expect a similar number to return. The majority of the books
remain on the ship, but many have to be returned. Most of what has to go
back is the Gove Collection of sea books. The bulk of these are large,
hardcover books and a packed case weighs about 40 lbs. I also have to
send back all of the 300+ DVDs, several cases of reference books (also
heavy) and miscellaneous supplies that are left over.

Some of the cadets are complaining about the library being shut. The
rumor is that I did it to have a few days off to relax before getting
home. Ha! This is the hardest I have worked all cruise and, to make
things worse, the AC is on the fritz again. It is hot here.

Once the packing is done and my cruise report is finished, I have to
arrange to have the cartons brought from the ship to the Luce Library
after we dock. They have to be hand carried up 2 decks, across the
gangway to the dock, placed on pallets, driven across campus and
delivered. Thank God there are plenty of cadets to do that work. When
the last box is delivered, my work is done. Then , all that is left to do
to do is to return to the ship, get signed off by the Captain, retrieve
my belongings, and head home once again bidding farewell to the Empire
State VI.

Sailing the Foggy Banks

2010-08-03T15:29:00.000-07:00

We left St. John's last night in a hazy mist that turned into a dense fog
by morning. The fog lingered most of the day. It started burning off
above us, but a low fog clung to the ocean. It was weird. When you
looked up there was sun and blue sky, but when you looked out, there was
nothing but a gray mist. The air temperature in these Canadian waters has
been rather cool, 65 -70°, a refreshing change from the hot Mediterranean.
The ocean is fairly calm as we start to enter back into American waters
off the coast of Maine. We're doing about 10 knots so we will get to NY
in time. We'll be tracking by Cape Cod sometime later this week.

Today is the last day the library is open. I have to pack materials and
supplies that are returning to shore and that is quite a bit. Even though
most items remain on the ship, I still had over 40 boxes of stuff to go
back last year. This year should be the same. I also have to track down
the scofflaws that haven't returned their books and DVDs. There are over
25 cadets and a few officers who still have materials out, even though it
was publicized over a week ago that everything had to be back by August
3rd. I have the help of the Regiment officers to track down the
miscreants. I will turn the names of anyone who doesn't return their
items by Friday over to the shore library for impoundment. Such is the
job of a librarian.

St. Johns

2010-08-02T15:00:00.000-07:00

Last night was magnificent. It was warm. You could see every star in the
galaxy. During the night the ship began to pitch and roll. I heard
several large crashes during the night outside my cabin. I obviously
didn't sleep too well. When I got up this morning, we were in a pea soup
fog. We had hit the foggy Grand Banks.

We sailed on in fog all day and finally reached St. John's about 17:00,
right around dinner time. We maneuvered near the mouth of the harbor
which was barely visible through the fog. Two peaks guard the narrow
entrance to the harbor. While we waited for them to get the fast boat
readied to take the cadet ashore, a whale swam around the ship to
entertain us. The cadets were more excited by the fact they had cell
phone service from shore than by the whale. Using their phones when they
have service is their major leisure activity. God help us if satellite
phone service gets cheap enough, they'll be on their phones all cruise.

Finally, the patient made his appearance hobbling along with the aid of
the two corpsmen. They got him into the boat and he, one of the corpsmen,
two of the mates and two cadets were lowered into the water and headed to
St. John's. We are still awaiting their return, and then we'll head
south, past Nova Scotia and New England, to home.

All in all, it was an interesting diversion to a boring week.

Detour

2010-08-01T14:26:00.000-07:00

Nothing is easy. This morning we got the news that a cadet had broken his
ankle while horsing around. The doctor deemed it serious enough that it
required getting him to a hospital ASAP. The injury was not so serious as
to require an airlift, but serious enough to get him off the ship. There
were two choices; turn around and go back to the Azores or proceed
northwest of our track to the nearest port with medical facilities, St.
John's, Newfoundland. The Captain decided that St John's would be our
best bet for keeping on our timetable to get back home on the 7th. We
made the turn and increased the ship's speed. We should arrive at St.
John's late afternoon on Monday and anchor in the harbor. The two Navy
medical corpsman on board will take the cadet ashore by launch and
accompany him to the hospital. It is assumed that he will be staying
there for treatment and then be flown home. We will then proceed home,
hopefully arriving on-time. I'll keep you posted.

So, I'll get to see another part of this earth that I've never seen,
Newfoundland. Newfoundland is Canada's easternmost province and its
newest, having only joined Canada in 1949. It consists of the large
island of Newfoundland and the mainland portion called Labrador. It is a
huge, sparsely populated region with a rich maritime history. St. John's
is the capital and most populous city. Strangely, off the coast of
Newfoundland, are two tiny islands that are the last remains of France's
North American colonial empire; St. Pierre and Miquelon. An odd thing
about Newfoundland that will affect us tonight is that it is in its own
time zone that is 3 hours and 30 minutes less than Greenwich Mean Time.
That means we set the clocks back 90 minutes tonight instead of the one
hour we were supposed to. We'll have to make up the rest of the 30
minutes another night this week.

On a related note, the Regimental Staff, when investigating the accident,
were displeased by the condition of the cadets living quarters. As a
punishment, the movies that I show every evening to the cadets in the
lounge outside of the library, have been suspended indefinitely. One less
job for me.

With all the excitement, our last Sunday at Sea continued as scheduled.
It was a beautiful, sunny day. The barbecue that Chartwell's food service
put on for us was as good as usual. Everyone enjoyed the food and the
rest. Six days to go.

One Week to Go

2010-07-31T14:24:00.000-07:00

This time next Saturday we will all be home. It'll only been 6 weeks for
me, but some on board have been away for 3 months. The crossing home so
far has been spectacular. Warm weather, light seas, you couldn't ask for
better conditions. The clouds broke last night and millions of stars were
visible in the sky above the dark ocean. The Milky Way stretched across
the sky. Today is equally as beautiful. You can't get too complacent at
sea though, it will kill you. The ocean can turn into a roaring nightmare
at the drop of a hat.

By the end of this cruise, I will have spent 6 months of my life at sea.
That seems like a lot to me, but nothing to some of the "old timers" on
board who have spent years on water. Even Vinnie, the guy who runs the
Ship's Store and hardly a professional mariner, has done 30 of these
cruises. That's almost 5years at sea. It's a hard life that these cadets
are choosing. Being away from home and loved ones takes its toll. Some
will never go to sea again, some will do a few cruises and drop out for
shore jobs, but some will do this their whole lives sacrificing a "normal"
life to do what they love.

I want to wish a Happy Birthday to my brother Bob in Florida. Speak to
you soon.

Two Treats

2010-07-30T03:59:00.000-07:00

I had two treats this morning. The first, when I headed down to breakfast
was the sight of LAND! Capt. Smith had taken us on a track between the
two westernmost islands of the Azores, Flores and Corvo. I thought the
sight of the cliffs of Brest would be the last land I would see until
Montauk Point. It was nice to see the peaks of these volcanoes sticking
up through the blue ocean. There is something reassuring about seeing
terra firma while at sea, even if you don't land there.

The next treat was, when I opened the library, it was downright COOL. The
temperature had dropped 10° from closing last night to a chilly 68°. It
hasn't been this comfortable here since July 1 when we fueled up. I guess
they finally stopped pumping from the fuel tank below me because the floor
was no longer warm. I expect to have to wear long sleeve shirts the rest
of trip and possibly even a sweater. Anything is better than roasting.

Eight days and counting. See you soon.

Just Sailing Along

2010-07-29T13:14:00.000-07:00

Everyone on the ship has settled back into their routine. The classes are
in review mode getting prepared for finals. The work crews are busy as
beavers grinding out every last bit of rust on the ship as a dentist works
on a cavity. The last painting will start soon with a fresh new coat of
green on the decks. The ship will look mighty spiffy when we arrive back
at the fort.

People are burnt out. There are no more ports to look forward to. It is
time to go home. Days are getting shorter as we head southwest. We gain
an hour that was lost on the eastward crossing back every other day.

The seas have been calm. No storms ahead in the foreseeable forecast.
The weather is warm and cloudy most days, much to the chagrin of those
cadets that still have to "shoot some stars" for their celestial
navigation assignments. The library has FINALLY reached a steady,
comfortable 78°. I don't have to work in shorts anymore. People are
still checking out books even though they only have a week to read them.
I myself have gone through 6 books including the 1,000 page tome
"Dreadnaught" that I have been putting off reading. It's nice not to have
the distractions of TV and the internet for a while.

Heading Home

2010-07-27T08:16:00.000-07:00

The coast of France is behind us and only the open sea is ahead. We left
Brest at 10:30 Monday morning. The weather was cool and drizzly.
Everyone made it back to the ship from their French adventures except
those few, like Admiral Craine, heading home early by air.

I was not personally impressed with Brest. I know I was not alone. There
were few attractions there. The city was closed down most of the mid-day
hours and pretty much all of Sunday. The street construction for their
new tram system made it annoyingly difficult to get around. The
neighborhood that we had to walk through to get back to the ship was not
very attractive or safe at night. Although we met some nice folks, the
locals did not go out of their way to be friendly. Most of the people who
got out of town, some as far away as Paris, seemed to have a better time
than those who stayed local. My trip to Quimper and the tour of Normandy
made the port worthwhile for me.

Now we're back on the Atlantic heading home. As soon as we got to the
open ocean we hit a thick fog that lasted most of the day. Thank God the
radar's working. The drone of the ship's fog horn cut eerily through the
"soup" for hours. By evening it began to clear, but the afternoon's
planned lifeboat drill was cancelled. I knew that they'd probably have it
in the morning, so I prepared for such. I was right. At 08:30 the alarm
rang. I pulled on my pants, but left my pajama shirt on. I just threw
on a jacket, my life vest and my gear and I was off to stand on the deck
for 45 min. A real treat.

One nice thing was that we crossed into another time zone last night.
That means we gained an extra hour's sleep. I'm getting back all of the
hours Joe lost sailing over here. We're only 5 hours ahead now and will
probably gain and hour every other night.

The cadets are scrambling to finish their work. Teachers are preparing
their finals for next week. I started packing some of my gear today,
especially all of my port clothes and accessories since we have no more
ports. Might as well get them ready. 11 days to go and counting.

The Longest Day or Saving Private Delbango

2010-07-26T13:12:00.000-07:00

On Sunday I took the long awaited trip to Normandy and the D-Day
battlegrounds. When I first looked at the map of Brest, I saw that
Normandy didn't look so far away, a lot closer than any other attraction
that I wanted to see in France like Paris. A lot of other people on the
ship felt the same way. The Captain's aide, Anderson Smith, who arranges
the tours for us, tried to get a Normandy tour from the ship's agent in
Brest. Apparently no one else who goes to Brest goes to Normandy. There
were no "canned" tours to Normandy available. Not to be daunted, he was
able to rent busses for us to take us up there where we would meet a local
guide to take us around.

Two days were set up, Saturday and Sunday, for 80 persons each. They sold
out quickly. As it turns out Normandy wasn't that close, the tours were
scheduled to be 18 hours long! Most of that was traveling time to and from
the region. Originally, I planned to go Saturday because I knew such a
long day would wear me out and I'd be exhausted Monday when we departed..
I reconsidered and booked for Sunday when I realized that almost
everything in Brest would probably be closed that day.

The tours were scheduled to leave at 04:00, way before dawn. We left an
hour late in a Breton rain with about 3 hours of the driving in the dark.
What a lot of driving it was. It took us 5 hours total to arrive in the
town of Bayeux, home of William the Conqueror. Unfortunately, we were
running late and didn't get time to walk around the town. We met our
guide and headed on our tour of the D-Day battle sites.

We passed some sites, such as the British and German cemeteries, without
stopping, while our guide regaled us with facts and stories about the
invasion. Our first stop was the town of St. Mère Église. This was the
town where the U.S 82nd Airborne paratroopers landed the night before the
invasion to act as pathfinders for the invasion force. Located here is
the Musée Airborne devoted totally to the airborne aspect of the invasion.
Moving on, we went to Utah Beach, the westernmost beast of the invasion
and the one with least casualties. Little remains of the gun emplacements
or any other traces of the war. Only a few monuments dot the site.

Next we went to Pointe du Hoc, a 150' high, jagged cliff that 225 Army
Rangers climbed to successfully capture a Nazi gun emplacement, only 90
survived. The landscape is still littered, like the surface of the moon,
with bomb and shell craters 20' deep. A very surreal spot.

We finally drove to Omaha Beach which was the bloodiest of all sites in
the area. It's easy to see why it was such a killing field. It is a
wide beach at the low tide that the invasion took place. There is no
place to hide. The Nazis had an unobstructed view of the entire beach
from their machine gun nests on the bluff above the beach. We hiked
along the beach and up the bluff where there are now stairs. At the top
is the largest of the American war cemeteries in France. It is a
magnificently beautiful spot, perfectly manicured bushes, trees and grass
with row upon row of stone crosses and Stars of David. Over 9,000
Americans were left here. Many more of the dead were sent home at their
families' wishes. All of the stones face home to the west. There is a
beautiful chapel and a memorial with the names of those missing or never
identified. It is an incredibly moving spot that really makes you
appreciate the sacrifices made by those men and women (there are 4 here).

After the cemetery it was time to bid adieu to our guide and head back to
the ship. We arrived back at 23:00, exhausted, but inspired by the sites
of the day.

Quimper

2010-07-26T07:50:00.000-07:00

After being underwhelmed with Brest, I decided to go south on Saturday.
The seaside tours that the Ship had arranged had fallen through due to
lack of interest and I had already decided to switch to my Normandy trip
to Sunday. I had read about the Festival de Cornouaille in a town called
Quimper in the Fodor's guidebook and it looked interesting. It was touted
as a 9 day street celebration of Celtic heritage held in a quaint Breton
town. I confirmed on Friday at the Brest tourist office that the festival
was still going on for the weekend.

Leaving the ship early on Saturday morning, I encountered a Sandy from the
Chartwell's food service crew who expressed an interest in going along.
So about 09:00 the two of us set off to Quimper, some 70 miles to the
south. Luckily, we were able to catch the first Ship's bus of the day
into downtown Brest which deposited us off right in front of the Gare SNCF
(train station). We got a noon train with a 19:00 return for only 20,
giving us a good 6 hours to roam Quimper. The 70 minute ride was very
pleasant, traveling on the super-modern SNCF train through the Breton
countryside, making 4 stops in some of the smaller towns on the way. We
spotted about a half dozen Maritime cadets on board also getting out of
Brest for the day.

When we arrived in Quimper, there didn't seem to be much activity around
the station. It was already their 4 hour lunch break and most shops in
the vicinity were closed. Asking for directions to the fair, we hiked
toward the center of the town. After about a 6 block walk along the
lovely, florally decorated river quay, we spotted the first stalls of the
festival vendors. Luckily, it was early and the festival wasn't too
crowded yet and we were able to move through the stalls without having to
fight our way through crowds.

There was an interesting variety of locally produced goods at the stalls
along the quay: jewelry, artworks, Quimperware (locally produce pottery)
and food. We snacked at a crepe stand, bought some edible seaweed spread
and some souvenirs. Unlike the rest of the town, the shops along here
stayed open instead of closing for their mid-day siesta which was a nice
treat.

The fair led off the quay into the winding streets of the old town. There
was a central food market in the town with excellent fresh foods; fruits,
cheeses, breads, fish, pastries, etc. We got a variety of stuff there and
had lunch on the street French peasant style.

Wandering on further we came to the town square where they had a Celtic
orchestra accompanying 2 groups of native dancers having a sort of ancient
"dance off'. It was amazing to watch.

Heading back, we went to Quimper's cathedral of St Corentin, the 2nd
largest cathedral in France. It was magnificent. The festival continued
in the courtyard where they were having an "American Idol" style
competition of Celtic music. By evening, the clouds that had kept us cool
all day began to drizzle on us and it was time to return to Brest.

Brest

2010-07-23T12:26:00.000-07:00

We docked this morning at 09:00 at Brest France. After anchoring last night off the coast, we met the pilot, entered the harbor and pulled in at at the French Navy base. It took an extraordinary amount of time before we could get off due to the fact we couldn't use our own gangway The tides are too high here so the Navy had to move their gangway in with a crane.

We finally got off the ship at 12:30 and headed to town. It was a long walk to get off the base and almostthe same distance to town. It wasn't too bad because the weather was cool and cloudy. Certainly a change from Malta.

The town is pleasant enough. I expected worse. A nice complex of medieval buildings at the town entrance and the new constrution not as bad as I was led to expect. The only problem was they are ripping up the entire main street of the city to make a new boulevard with a light rail running down the center.

Captain Stephens and I had a great dinner at a French restaurant with the cooperation of a very patient waiter who spoke some English. After dinner we hit some of the local shops before they closed. Everything in Europe closes so darn early.

The tour to the coastal towns, that I was supposed to take today, was cancelled due to lack of interest. Too bad, it looked good. The Normandy trips for Saturday and Sunday are both still on. They were very popular. Both are full. I decided to go Sunday. Since it won't be back until late, I probably won't be able to post any pics until I get home 2 weeks from tomorrow. I don't know what I'm going to do tomorrow. I may head 60 miles south to Quimper where there is a Celtic festival going on. It looks cool. We will see. Au Revoir for now.

Sailing Through the Bay of Biscay

2010-07-22T06:08:00.000-07:00

We lost sight of the northeast coast of Spain last night and are taking a
diagonal track across the Bay of Biscay directly toward Brest. As I write
this, we are some 16 hours away from docking. The ocean is rougher and
much cooler here. The ship has chilled down to where I have to wear a
light jacket in my cabin and the rest of the ship, except for the library
which is a comfortable 78°.

Since the library is below the waterline and the interior of the hull is
exposed down here, the constant crashing of the waves is a constant
reminder we are at sea. The ship is doing its usual side to side roll,
but not bad enough that the furniture is moving about. The books are
staying on the shelves. I know it is rough when a shelf full crashes to
the floor.

The cadets have been extra busy making noise these last two days. I have
had to wear earplugs during most of the day hours to preserve what is left
of my hearing. The banging and grinding has been intolerable. It is
everywhere on the ship. There is no escape. Thank God most of it stops by
dinner time.

The tours of France have been announced and I am going to register for
two. I hope to get on Saturday's 18 hour tour to Normandy. It looks
great. We'll be going to the battlegrounds, cemeteries and museums in the
historic region. They are repeating it on Sunday, but I think I'd be too
exhausted come Monday morning if I took that one. There will be a shorter
(4 hour) tour to some of the coastal towns on Friday and Saturday. I'm
going to try for that one for Friday. There is another 5 hour hiking tour
that looks good, but I think I'll either try to get to the Celtic festival
in Quimper (60 mi. south of Brest) or just see what there is to do in
Brest.

We're already almost to our last port. After that it is 12 days for the
crossing and we're home.

Brest and the Brittany Region

2010-07-21T05:17:00.000-07:00

We will arrive in Brest, France on Friday morning. We will be docked at
the French Naval base there. For those of you who know little about our
next port, here is a condensation of the fact sheet that I have written
for the cadets and crew.

France's Brittany region is a distinct area on the country's northwest
coast. It is a vast plateau of rocky, sandy soil and scrub trees. It has
a rugged coastline with many bays, inlets, estuaries, capes and offshore
islands dotted by numerous lighthouses. The area is populated by the
Bretons, a Celtic people related more to the Irish and Welsh than the
Gallic people of rest of France. While French is the official language,
Breton, similar to Gaelic, is also spoken. Most names in the region are
in Breton. Brittany was contested for centuries by the French and
English and as such, there are many medieval castles and cathedrals
located throughout the district. There are several cities in the region
most notable being Rennes and Nantes, and many small, picturesque towns.
Brittany is mainly agricultural, known especially for its apples used to
make alcoholic cider. Fishing is also an important industry in a region
that has such a long coastline along the Atlantic in the southwest and the
English Channel in the north.

Brest is best known as the port of the French Navy's Atlantic fleet.
Sited in a natural harbor on the Atlantic at the mouth of the Penfeld
River, the city has a rich military history. Seized by the Germans in
WWII and made the base of their submarine activities, Brest suffered
severe damage by Allied bombing during the war. As such, most of the
pre-war historic buildings were destroyed. Brest was re-built with
modern, rather sterile, architecture giving it the reputation of "one of
France's ugliest cities."

It is not without some charm. Its waterfront does have a few remaining
old buildings and museums as well as beautiful views across the bay of
the Plougastel Peninsula. One of the City's oldest monuments is the Tour
Tanguy, a 14th century lookout tower. Crossing the Penfeld River by the
bridge next to the tower (the longest lift-bridge in Europe) takes one to
Brest's medieval castle which houses the Musèe de la Marine, the naval
museum. Nearby is the Musèe Municipal, an art museum displaying French,
Flemish and Italian treasures from the 17th to the 20th centuries.
Europe's largest aquarium is located in Brest at the futuristic
Ocèanopolis center.

About 65 miles south of the city is the medieval village of Quimper. The
village hosts the 9 day Celtic extravaganza, the Festival de Cornouaille,
in mid-July. The town is also home to the beautiful, gothic Cathedrale
St-Corentin, the 2nd largest cathedral in France. Next to the cathedral
is the Musee des Beaux-Arts housing more than 400 works of art from
artists such as Rubens, Corot and Picasso. Quimber is known for its
distinctive earthenware pottery.

Further south in what is considered to be the prettiest area of Brittany
is the town of Pont-Aven. It was made famous by the artist Paul Gauguin
who established an artist's colony there. Still further south lays the
village of Carnac, known for its beaches and the ancient stone monuments.
The 6,500 year old monuments are contemporary to Stonehenge in England and
are equally impressive.

The city of Nantes is at the southernmost corner of Brittany. It is the
cultural center of the region. There are many historic building, museums
and a cathedral here.

Northern Brittany, on the Channel coast, is full of many quaint fishing
villages. To the east is the Channel port of St. Malo. Here ferries
embark for England on a regular basis. Just east of St. Malo, in the south
west corner of Normandy is the famed Mt. St. Michel. This impressive
fortress/monastery sits on a mount that is attached to the mainland at low
tide and becomes an island at high tide. The tides here are among the
most extreme in the world, rising some 45' with the tide rushing in with a
tidal bore.

Dinan, south of St. Malo is one of the best preserved medieval towns in
France. There is a medieval festival held there the 3rd week of July that
includes jousting, a market, parades and music.

In the easternmost section of Brittany is Rennes, the capital of the
region. It is a mixture of medieval and 18th century architecture due
to a fire which destroyed half the City in 1720. Sites here are the
Parlement de Bretagne, the Musèe de Bretagne and the Musèe de Beaux Arts.

It looks as if we will have a tour of Normandy, arranged by the College,
on Saturday. This will be a very long tour, about 18 hours, and will take
us to all of the historic landmarks in the neighboring region. Everyone
is looking foreword to this. Several other shorter tours of Brittany are
also being offered.

Rolling Along on the Atlantic

2010-07-20T07:43:00.000-07:00

I could tell we were definitely out of the Mediterranean this morning
because, while lying in bed, I felt the old familiar rolling of the ship.
It wasn't too bad, but after a three week absence of any kind of rolling,
it was noticeable. It takes some time to get one's sea-legs back and
re-learn how to do the mundane things of life with your world constantly
moving below you. The shower is interesting as you bang off the cold
steel walls while trying to wash. Even more fun is putting on your
pants. I try to do this near my bunk so I can fall into it if I have to.
Hopefully this is as bad as it is going to get. I know the Atlantic is
capable of much worse.

An advantage of being back in the Ocean is that the ship is already
starting to cool down. The Empire State VI is 48 years old and the air
conditioning system doesn't work well in tropical waters. I could tell we
were out of the tropical waters when I woke up shivering, I was unprepared
for this. I went to sleep comfortable under a single, light blanket. By
the morning, that was not enough. I scrambled in the dark to find another
to pull over me. By the time I got to work, the library had cooled to a
tolerable 80° and was dropping. The library AC still has to fight the
heat rising up from the fuel tanks, but now it has a better chance.

Through the Straits, Again

2010-07-19T13:02:00.000-07:00

As I write this we are passing through the Straits of Gibraltar out of the
Mediterranean and out into the Atlantic. Africa is a couple miles off on
our port, Europe off our starboard. These are the legendary Pillars of
Hercules; Morocco's Atlas Mountains and the Rock of Gibraltar.

We were shrouded in fog for the early part of the day then it slowly
lifted into a haze so that both of the Pillars were barely visible as we
passed. As we enter the ocean there is a noticeable change. The waves
are higher, the air and sea are cooler. The fog was caused by this cooler
ocean water hitting the warm Mediterranean.

This is the fourth time that the Ship has gone through the Straits this
year and twice last year. These have become very familiar waters for our
cadets and crew. This area is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the
world.

As we turn north toward France, we've been warned to secure all of our
belongings. We've gotten complacent with the Mediterranean's calm waters.
It was like we were sailing on a lake for the last few weeks. The
Atlantic and especially the Bay of Biscay can be extremely unpredictable.
We will see. On to Brest.

..
..

Last Sunday at Sea in the Med

2010-07-18T14:16:00.000-07:00

We had our last Sunday at Sea in the Mediterranean today and the day was
fantastic. It was sunny and warm all day. With no work until the
evening, I was able to sleep late with no disturbance. Since the cadets
were off all day (except for those with watch), there was no noise.

By the time I got up and out the barbecue had started on the sun deck.
Burgers and hotdogs for breakfast again. After breakfast (lunch?) it was
a day for reading and relaxing in the warm Mediterranean sun. Almost
everyone had a very restful day. Most of the cadets worked on their sun
tans instead of their studies today. After dinner of steak, potatoes and
corn-on-the-cob, I finally reported for work at 18:00, mostly to show the
evening's movies. A few dedicated cadets showed up to do work, but the
attendance in the library was light.

Next Sunday we'll be in Brest and the next, and last, Sunday at Sea we
will be in the mid-Atlantic on the way home.

Adieu to the Mediterranean, it was beautiful.

Man Overboard!

2010-07-17T07:24:00.000-07:00

We've been spending the last few days steaming around Majorca doing
various drills and maintenance during the days. There is lots of
activity and its accompanying noise all day around the ship. At night
we've been anchoring in Majorca harbor. What a magnificent view of the
bright city we have at night.

The ship has been a beehive of activity. Yesterday was the man overboard
drill in which an unwitting cadet was thrown overboard and had to be
rescued. Just kidding. We use a dummy made out of old clothes and a
life vest. The ship can't just stop. We have to do a figure 8 turn to
come back and get the victim.

Also on deck, some cadets were practicing the valuable art of plugging
leaks. They do this on a special jig made of a steel plate with various
size holes in it through which is forced sea water from a high pressure
fire hose. They shove various objects in until they get the leaks under
control. In the process they also get soaked which may be enjoyable in
the hot, Mediterranean sun, but probably not so much if we were sailing in
the Arctic.

This morning I was awoken from my sleep by a God awful noise and shaking
of my cabin. Jumping up and looking out my window I discovered they were
lowering the lifeboat right outside. At first I thought again that they
were abandoning ship without me when I realized that I had heard no
lifeboat alarm. It was only cadets practicing lowering and launching the
boat. They took it a little away from the ship, then returned and raised
it back up.

We're going to steam some more around Majorca this afternoon, then head
southwest and west to the Straits of Gibraltar and the open ocean. We
should be there by Monday morning ready for the voyage north up the
Atlantic coast of Europe to Brest. I'm hoping that the cool Atlantic
waters bring some relief to the sweltering heat in the library.

Tomorrow is Sunday at Sea, our last in the Med. We're all praying for
good weather for the barbecue and day of rest. So far, the weather has
been spectacular. Let's hope it holds for one more day.

Sailing off Majorca

2010-07-15T06:09:00.000-07:00

The Captain has taken us on a pleasant detour through the Balearic Islands
off the coast of Spain. We lost sight of land after we left the Straits
of Messina the other night and were on the open sea for 2 days. Seeing
the lovely hills of Majorca was a pleasant diversion this morning.
Everyone has settled back into their routines. Classes are going on, work
details are as noisy as ever and I'm back in my HOT library some 10 hours
a day.

Captain Smith has promised me that things are going to cool down as soon
as we draw the fuel from the tank below me and we enter the cooler
Atlantic waters. He also said that they hope to do some modifications
this year to alleviate the overheating in the library, game room, computer
room and cardio gym. These rooms all are in the same area and suffer from
the radiant heat from the tanks as well as lack of adequate ventilation.
It has been quite uncomfortable. Thankfully I have a reliable cadet
working for me who allows me to take breaks to cool down.

Soon, we'll head southwest toward the Straits of Gibraltar and the open
sea. I hope the ocean will be calm. We've been spoiled by the gentle
Mediterranean. This is the latest the Ship has been out on these cruises
and the hurricane season is further along than we are used to sailing in.
The tropical depressions that forming the eastern Atlantic can make things
uncomfortable even if they never develop into full-blown storms. We can
only hope.

A Rude Awakening

2010-07-13T10:22:00.000-07:00

I did so much on Malta that I'm still pooped. I decided to skip breakfast
and sleep in this morning. Since the latest I can get a cooked breakfast
is 08:00 (cereal & bagels are available all day) and I don't have to be at
work until 10:30, there is a long gap. Today I thought that sleeping in
would be a better use of my time. No such luck.

There was supposed to be a boat drill yesterday after lunch. I was told
that they wanted me to report to the library for the next drill to show
videos. Yesterday afternoon came and went with no drill. Instead, they
decided to have the drill instead this morning, right in the middle of my
sound sleep. The lifeboat alarm is loud, as it should be, enough to wake
the dead. I hate when the alarm buzzer on my clock goes off. I really
hated to hear this.

Dutifully, I got dressed with yesterday's clothes, grabbed my life vest,
jacket and hat and headed for the library. Since the library is the
reverse direction from the lifeboats, I had to fight traffic to get down
to it. I got down to the sweatbox that is my library, set up the video and
waited. And waited. And waited. They never came. Apparently someone
changed the plan and forgot to notify me. I had a few fleeting
nightmarish moments that maybe this was for real and they were evacuating
the ship without me. I have no means of communication down here, I would
never know. I love libraries, but I don't want to die in one sinking in
500' feet of water.

After about 45 minutes, the all-clear signal sounded to end the drill. I
returned to my cabin and tried to resume my sleep to no avail. The
grinding and pounding of the work crews started up immediately. I gave up
.. I went down to the mess, grabbed some Mini Wheats for breakfast and
started my day.

On the Sea Again

2010-07-12T12:40:00.000-07:00

We left Malta about 09:30 this morning, saying goodbye to a fantastic
port. The history, the culture, the swimming, the food; all in close
proximity to the ship. What more could you want in a port? We had three
days of excellent weather. The Maltese people were warm and welcoming.
With a very low crime rate, I felt safe walking the darkest streets at
night.

I spent the last night on shore at the dock area doing my internet stuff,
buying magazines for the library and enjoying a cold soda. The pier was
crowded for a Sunday night because they were showing the final of the
World Cup on dozens of TVs all along the wharf. The Europeans love their
soccer.

A few of the cadets overindulged in port, got caught and unfortunately
have to pay the price. No bad incidents. No arrests or fights. They're
mostly good kids, working hard and letting off steam when they're set
free.

Since we're back to sea, I'm back to work. I had expected the library to
be cooler after being closed for 3 days. No such luck. My thermometer
says 86, up a degree from last Thursday. I hope it cools down soon. Until
it cools, I'm not working in my uniform. It's tee shirt and shorts for me
while in this hot box. I'll dress for meals. I was ready to collapse by
dinner time after wearing my khakis all day. I must have drunk a gallon
of water to keep from dehydrating.

When we left Malta, we headed northeast, then north to go around Sicily
and east through the Straits of Messina. It's night now and I just took
an evening break and saw the coast of Italy on the starboard and Sicily
off the port side. It is a beautiful sight to behold. Tomorrow we'll be
in the open Mediterranean heading west toward the Atlantic. We'll reach
Brest, France in about 11 days and gain an hour on the way.

Malta day 3

2010-07-11T11:20:00.000-07:00

On Sunday I took the shortest of the excursions arranged by the Ship. We started out at the Malta Quarry Museum. Every building on Malta is built from the yellow, natively quarried limestone. This museum, set in a depleted quarry, told the history of the process. We headed south to the southern cliffs of Malta and the Blue Grotto. This was as beautiful as the grotto in Gozo was. Absolutely gorgeous! We finished with a trip to a local fishing village and its colorful and fragrant fish market. I went back to the ship torest up for the last night in Malta. Monday it’s back to sea.

Malta day 2

2010-07-11T11:13:00.000-07:00

Saturday was more restful for me. I took a trip, also arranged by the College to the Blue Lagoon on the tiny island of Comino. We travelled by an excursion boat filled mostly with young Europeans in Malta for an English immersion summer program. We arrived at the Blue Lagoon and were greeted by a spectacular sight of the clearest, bluest water that I have ever seen. Surrounding it was a rugged, rocky hillside with no sandy beach, just rocks all the way to the water. Perched on these rocks were thousands of daytrippers that you had to practically climb over to get to the water. After finding my own little perch, I cautiously climbed down the rocks to the water. It was spectacular, clean and cool. I stayed in for hours. I swam away from the crowds into several hidden caves. One of these caves opened out into the open sea. It was amazing. I didn’t want to get out.

After a restful return journey home, I finally ventured into the City of Valleta on Saturday night. On the way I met the Ship’s Doctor and his son. We had heard about a hidden elevator that would take us up to the City and luckily we found it. We got to the City center just in time to find out that most of the City closes at 19:00, but we were able to find some tourist shops open and a comfortable café. I left them after a few hours and went to the dock are to make some calls and use the Wi-Fi available on the dock to upload some pictures. I also had some excellent calamari and prawns for dinner.

Malta day 1

2010-07-11T10:55:00.000-07:00

We docked in the magnificent harbor of the capital, Valleta, about 08:00 on Friday July 9. The entrance into the harbor is breathtaking as you sail past the ancient fortresses at the mouth of the harbor. We docked at the Pinto dock which was a prime location, right at the foot of the city wall, easy to get to the City. The only problem is the City is at the top of the wall and the wall is 100’ – 150’ high!

I wasn’t going to tackle the City on the first day. . I was scheduled to go on a tour of Gozo, the western island. The vans left at 09:30 for the 40 minute trip across the island of Malta to the ferry. The ferry to the island took another 20 minutes. The scenery on both legs of the journey was spectacular. We drove through rolling hills of gold dotted by small towns all built of their yellow sandstone.

We were met by a bus on Gozo to continue our journey. The first stop was the ancient ruin of the Ggantija temples. These are among the ancient structures of the prehistoric residents of Gozo that are 1000 years older than the pyramids in Egypt. They are the oldest standing, human structures in the world. They are believed to be temples to the Mother goddess (Mother Nature) because the outline of the temple has the shape of the small Mother deity idols found in many primitive cultures; head, large breast and hips.

We moved on to see the capital of Gozo Victoria Rabat. This is a small, crowded city topped off by The Citadel, a castle at the top of the highest point in the city. After a laborious climb up to the Citadel, we had a more laborious one inside of it up to the tops of its walls. After the climb down and some time for shopping in the City it was off to a great lunch at one of Gozo’s finest hotels.

After lunch we heads southwest to the sea and the amazingly beautiful cliffs at a spot called the Azure Lagoon. Here we were taken by boatmen in small, colorfully painted boats through grottos gut naturally through the cliffs by the sea. Out in the open sea, we entered several other caves and saw the Azure window, a rock formation framing a fantastic view of the sea.

We headed back to the ship, arriving back exhausted from our nine hour journey. I wasn’t too tired not to want to go out and sample some of Valleta’s nightlife. Luckily, I didn’t have too far to go. Right on the pier, in the old warehouses of the docks, they have created an entertainment center with shops, restaurants and clubs. I saw many cadets and crew here who did not want to journey west to the wilder St. Julian and Placeville areas to the west of the city center of Valleta.

Pics from Malta

2010-07-10T14:12:00.000-07:00

Here.'s some pictures of Malta. I've been very busy taking tours since Igot to here that I haven't written anything. I'll do a post before I leave. I promise.

Malta an Overview

2010-07-08T13:35:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't know a thing about Malta, here's some excerpts
from the fact sheet I prepared for the ship.

Malta is an independent, island country located south of Sicily and
northeast of Tunisia in the Mediterranean. The small country has a long
and important history due to its location in the narrow strait between
Europe and Africa. The nation is made up of 3 islands; Gozo, Comino and
Malta. These islands were settled around 4000 B.C. by Sicilians,
Carthaginians and Phoenicians who are the antecedents of the present day
Maltese. Besides these settlers, Malta has been ruled over the millennia
by the Romans, the Byzantines, the Normans, the Aragonese, the Arabs, the
Knights of St. John, the French and finally the British before becoming an
independent nation in 1964. It is a land that has absorbed many cultures
into one of its own.

It is a member of the European Union. English and Malti are the two
official languages of the country.

Malta is a VERY Catholic country, claiming to be one of the oldest
Christian societies in the world. They were converted by the Apostle Paul
who was shipwrecked on the island of Malta in 60 AD on his way to Rome to
face trial before Caesar. For a small country Malta has a lot of churches,
313 on Malta and 46 on Gozo. These churches, ranging from small country
churches to large, ornate cathedrals, are among the main tourist
attractions here. .

The Knights of St. John (also known as the Knights Hospitaliers) were very
influential to Malta's history. Many of the sights around the island
concern them. They were the world's first multi-national organization and
it still exists today. Originally an order of monks who tended to the sick
and wounded on pilgrimages from Europe to the Holy Land, they became a
rich and powerful military organization. The Holy Roman Emperor gave
Malta to the Knights in the 16th century and they owned it until Napoleon
expelled them in 1798.

When Napoleon was defeated, the British took over and ruled until 1964.
Malta was the long time the headquarters of the British Mediterranean
fleet and is rich in British naval history.

Valleta is the capital of the country. It was founded in 1565 by the
Knights who had successfully defended Malta, and subsequently southern
Europe, from the invading Turks. After the siege, using monies given to
them by grateful European monarchs, the Knights moved their capital from
the fortress of Mdina in the center of the island, to the new city
constructed on the north.

There are other small cities located close to Valleta. To the southeast
are the Three Cities of Vitoriosa, Senglea and Cospicua. In Senglea you
can find the 5000 year old Tarxien Temple, which along with the other
temples in the southeast, are the oldest standing buildings in the world.

The walled fortress of Mdina and the surrounding town of Rabat are the
most interesting sites of the central and southwest part of the Island.
The southwest coast is beautiful and rugged with high cliffs and grottoes..
Here you will also find the magnificent old ruins of prehistoric temples,
built 1,000 years before the pyramids of Egypt. There are also many
quaint fishing villages that seem to have been passed-by by the 21st
century.

The outer islands of Gozo and Comino are reachable by ferry or excursion
boat. They are much quieter than Malta, with fewer amenities. On Comino
is the Blue Lagoon (not to be mistaken with the one in Iceland). It is
considered to be the most beautiful swimming and diving area in Malta.
Gozo is quiet and picturesque with small villages and scenic farmlands.

Anchored off Malta

2010-07-08T05:52:00.000-07:00

We've been anchored since last night about 13 miles off the coast of
Malta, right near two oil platforms. We're pulling into Valleta harbor
tomorrow morning about 08:00. I heard there are some webcams of the
harbor. Look for us. We should be docked very close to the city because
it appears that the harbor is the center of the city.

We got here yesterday evening because we had no radar and they wanted to
get in ASAP and not go sailing around. We're at, what I'm told, is one of
the deepest anchorages in the world. We are surrounded by ships, mostly
empty tankers, that are parked here awaiting orders.

I've got some tours lined up for next 3 days if they all run. The
Regiment Office arranged a nice selection. It looks as if you could
spend a couple weeks here to see all the sights Malta has to offer. It
seems like a very interesting place. There are pre-historic ruins, Roman
ruins, fortresses, huge cliffs, quaint fishing villages, Medieval and
Renaissance palaces, and churches. LOTS of churches. I think they have
one for every 1,000 inhabitants of this country. From the travel video I
ran last night, Valetta looks a lot like Venice without the canals.

I will take lots of pictures and post some as soon as I can get internet
access beyond the Ship's quirky (we were down again 19 hours), text-only
e-mail that I've been using for these postings.

Craving to get on Land

2010-07-06T10:16:00.000-07:00

On the other two cruises I did it was usually about a week between ports.
This stretch of 13 days seems almost too much to bear, especially with the
constant noise on board. It seems worse than usual this year. Maybe I'm
getting less tolerant as I get older. They start hammering and scraping
on the steel right outside my cabin every morning about 08:30. They're
removing years of paint, right down to the bare steel. Imagine having
metal garbage can over your head and someone is banging on it incessantly..
That's sort of what it's like. So much for skipping breakfast and trying
to sleep in.

The Mediterranean is beautiful. Calm and peaceful. It's been sunny for
the last four days and getting hot. It's going to be scorching in Malta.
Meanwhile we're just sailing along.

We do have one problem. The radar is out due to a blown bearing. It's OK
because it so nice and clear. Visibility from the bridge is excellent.
Because of this problem, we're going to take a more direct route to Malta
than originally planned. We're going to skip going through the Straits of
Messina and get to Malta early to anchor and start repairing the system.
Docking and leave is still planned for Friday.

The Regiment Office is arranging some tours for us. They should be good..
There is plenty to do and see on these islands. We usually get a better
deal through the Ship than going it alone onshore. It will be good to
get off the ship. I'm ready for it now.

4th of July, Empire State

2010-07-04T11:16:00.001-07:00

Happy Independence Day everyone. What a difference this year's 4th is
from last. Last year we were heading home at this time. This year we
still have over a month to go. Last year it poured on our celebration.
This year the weather has been gorgeous. The best thing is that this year
it luckily corresponded with our Sunday at Sea and that means relaxation
for most of us and barbecue for all.

There were no classes today. The only cadets working were those on watch
or with extra duty jobs. The hardest working people on board today were
the Chartwell's Food Service people who toiled all day getting the
barbecue set up and cooking for over 500 hungry sailors. Thanks to Henry
and his crew who did such a great job as usual. Burgers, franks and
chicken for lunch; steaks and shrimp for dinner. Between meals, we had
some fireworks as cadets shot off some expired flares and smoke marker
grenades. Not the Macy's fireworks, but it would have to do.

Since it's Sunday, I have half the day off. I don't open until 18:00
(6pm) on Sundays. Mostly it is to show the evening movies. Only the most
motivated cadets come down to do work. That means I've got the morning
and afternoon off to sleep late, relax and enjoy the BBQ. Between
feasting, I sat on the deck soaking up the Mediterranean sun and reading.

When I got to the library in the evening I was greeted by a blast of warm
air. The library is ungodly hot again as the result of the fuel tank heat
since our re-fill in Gibraltar. It's already up to 85 degrees. The deck
feels like it is 100. I hope the heat dissipates fast or the next four
days are going to be hell.

We are somewhere in the mid-Mediterranean Sea, heading east. We will
probably sail between Corsica and Sardinia to do maneuvers before heading
to Malta. Everyone is getting anxious to get to land, especially to swim..
Nothing is more frustrating to me than being surrounded by water on a hot
summer day and not being able to jump in. Maybe I'll volunteer to replace
the dummy we use in for the man-overboard drill.

Fueling Up

2010-07-02T07:37:00.000-07:00

I love the smell of ship's fuel in the morning. That's exactly what I
woke up to today. We anchored last night, after I went to bed, only yards
from the town of Gibraltar. So close and yet so far to the town because
we're not docking. We're only here to bunker up. I'd love to get off and
take a walk on dry land. I won't get to visit my little monkey friends
from last year on "the Rock".

After dropping anchor about 02:00, the bunker barge (really a small tanker
ship) arrived. They tied up alongside, hooked up their giant fuel hose to
us and began pumping over 1,000 tons of low sulphur ships oil into our
tanks. I don't know what the gallon count is, but it is a heck of a lot.

I dread the fueling process because the tank that holds much of the ship's
fuel is directly below my library. Ship's oil is not like gasoline. It
is thick and viscous. In order for it to flow properly it has to be
heated up to about 150 degrees. When in our tanks, the heat has to go
somewhere and that is directly into the library. It gets to the point
sometimes where the library's air conditioning cannot overcome it. If it
gets unbearably hot, I have no choice but to close the library for health
reasons.

The pumping process lasted about six hours, concluding around 10:00.
During that time smoking was forbidden on the ship. The smokers on board
must have been having nicotine fits by then.

We're out to sea again heading east. The weather is warm and hazy, with
some light intermittent drizzle. The Mediterranean is calm. Since we
have a week to get to Malta, it is going to be a slow, meandering journey..

Meanwhile, the cadets are keeping busy drilling and painting the ship.
Last night they were practicing lowering the lifeboats right outside the
Officer's Mess at dinner time. The winches were extremely noisy as is the
constant din of scraping for paint prep. They sure keep them busy. I
guess that's good because it keeps them out of trouble.

Sloooooooowwwww Sailing

2010-06-30T13:23:00.000-07:00

The Captain is really killing time to keep us from getting to Gibraltar
too early. During the rough swells the other day, we were zigzagging to
hit them at the optimum angle to avoid rolling. That used up time. When
the seas calmed, we cut speed down to about 6 knots. At first, I thought
we had stopped. In one of my rare excursions out of the library into the
daylight, I saw other ships passing us in the same direction like we were
standing still.

We're still cruising at a leisurely pace which is much more fuel efficient
anyway. Like driving a car with heavy foot on the accelerator will use up
more gas, cruising at a higher speed will burn more oil. Saving fuel is a
good thing. You can't just find oil floating on the top of the ocean.
Oops, I guess you can nowadays. Anyway, we're still scheduled to get it
in the old fashioned way, from a bunkering barge. You can just imagine
how much a tank full costs for this baby. We'll find out tomorrow in
Gibraltar when we fill up. I hope Capt. Smith has enough of a limit on the
credit card.

As for now, we're in no hurry. We're right on schedule. Once again I
have to remember that this cruise is for the cadets and for them, it is
all about the journey not the destination.

The Needle Gun

2010-06-29T10:49:00.000-07:00

Above the cacophony of shipboard life, one noise reigns supreme, that of
the needle gun. Like the sound of a woodpecker on steroids, the chirping
needle gun resonates daily through the steel of the ship. It creates a
sound that passes right through earplugs, pillows, etc. directly into
one's brain.

The gun is a pneumatically powered chipper fed by compressed air through a
spider web of hoses strewn across the decks. These hoses are a hazard in
their own right. Cadets on extra duty use these devices to chip away at
the constantly encroaching rust that will eventually eat the entire ship
if not removed and painted over. Chipping starts around 09:00 and
continues most of the day. There are usually a half dozen of these
devices being used simultaneously. The sound can be heard throughout the
ship, there is no escape. Not even the library is safe from this racket
and we're decks below the work, under the water line. Thank God I brought
plenty of aspirins along.

Just Another Day at Sea

2010-06-28T12:57:00.000-07:00

It has been a real quiet day. The seas were calm and the sun was strong.
Everyone is settling in to the 2nd half of the cruise. We're in the
Atlantic, off the northern coast of Spain I think. It's hard to tell
because the interactive map with the Seawave e-mail system dosn't seem to
be working this year and my hand held GPS seems to be on the fritz too. I
can always go up to the map room and ask where we are, but it's a long way
up from where I'm stationed (8 decks).

We're cruising fairly slowly, below 10 knots. We'll probably make it to
the mouth of the Mediterranean by Wednesday and anchor by Gibraltar to
take on fuel on Thursday. Since we're not docking at Gibraltar, I'm going
to have to see if I can use my binoculars to spot any of my little monkey
friends on the top of the rock.

My Contact Information at Sea

2010-06-28T06:43:00.000-07:00

Because of the lack of full internet capability on the ship I cannot read
any comments left for me on this blog while I am at sea. My updates at
sea are all done by the ship's text only e-mail. That is why I can't put
any pictures up until I get web access in port. E-mail is how anyone can
get in touch with me. My ship's e-mail address is:

rdelbango.tses@seawave.net

The Angry Sea

2010-06-27T13:14:00.000-07:00

My last entry ended with a crash. It only got worse as the night went on..
We hit some rough water, not the worst I've ever seen, but uncomfortable..
The ship rolled all night. Anything not tied down rolled back and forth
on the decks, including me in my bunk.

It was not a good night to sleep. Usually the gentle rolling of the waves
rocks me to sleep. Last night I did all I could to stay in bed. I had a
bed rail so I wouldn't fall on the floor, but it didn't stop me from
rolling around between the rail and the wall. I tried everything
including stuffing extra pillows and a comforter between me and the rail
to limit my space. Nothing really worked because even if I didn't move
the noise of all the items sliding around in and out of my cabin were a
constant annoyance. Even the clothes in my closet made noise all night as
they slid on their hangers from port to starboard, back and forth. I
didn't get to sleep until dawn when the sea calmed down a bit.

Luckilly, it was Sunday and I had no morning duty hours. I slept from
dawn until noon. When I woke, I was happy to see that things had calmed
down enough for our Sunday at Sea barbecue which was already going on out
on the sun deck. I wound up having burgers and hot dogs for breakfast.
Yum! The day was gorgeous, sunny in the mid 70s.

I was glad to hear that no one got hurt in the overnight. Usually when
things get rough someone winds up falling out of their bunk or gets
otherwise banged up. Nothing this time.

I relaxed the rest of the afternoon, had more of the burnt animal flesh
for dinner (steak this time), topped it off with an ice cream sundae and
cup of coffee then headed to work for the evening. All in all, a good
day.

Out to Sea

2010-06-26T12:59:00.000-07:00

We left Dublin shortly after midnight this morning and we're now making
headway south to the Mediterranean. I'm getting acclimated to my first
full day of work since the library was closed in port.

I spent my first 3 days walking the streets of Dublin as I had no long
stretch of time to do any trips outside the city. Yesterday, I stayed on
board to give a tour of the ship to Anne Kenney, the Dean of Libraries at
Cornell University, who was here for a conference and was interested in
how this unusual library works.

This being the 3rd time I've been to Dublin, I had already seen most of
the important sites in town. I spent most of my time shopping for
supplies I could not bring over on the airplane such as shampoo and shave
cream in larger than the 3oz. sizes allowed on a flight. Three ounces of
these products is hardly enough to last for a 6 week voyage.

One site I did go to this time was the old Jameson's whiskey distillery in
town. Although the working distillery moved to the country almost 40
years ago, the company keeps a presence in the City to celebrate their 250
year old history in Dublin. The tour was pricey (13.50 Euro) for what is
essentially advertising for their product, but it was enjoyable just the
same. The highlight of the tour was a complimentary sample of their fine
beverage which was unfortunate for me since I no longer imbibe. It didn't
go to waste. I was able to easily to dispose of my sample to one of my
companions who was glad to have a second.

I didn't spend all my time shopping for essentials. I indulged myself and
bought some fine (and extremely overpriced) Cuban cigars which still are
not allowed in the States. The cigar shop was called 'The Dependable Cigar
Emporium" on Grafton Street, the City's shopping mecca. The shop had a
real old world gentleman's club (the old meaning of the term, not a strip
club) feel to it. If any federal Alcohol, Tobacco, & Firearms agents are
reading this, the cigars will be long gone by the time we approach the
shores of the U.S.

Tomorrow will be the first Sunday at Sea of the 2nd cruise. If the
weather permits, they'll be a barbecue for all on the sun deck. Because
it is the beginning of the 2nd part of the term and classes just began
today, most cadets will have classes for at least part of the day. Next
week there should be no classes for our second Sunday which also happens
to be the 4th of July. Irregardless, I still have to work because the
library is open every day we are at sea, holiday or not. BOO hoo! My
rest comes when we're in port and that's still 12 days or so away.

OOPS! Got to go. We just hit a big wave and a whole shelf of books came
crashing down. I've got to put them all back. It was lucky that no one
was standing nearby. All in a days work in a ship's library.

Greetings from Dublin

2010-06-24T08:39:00.000-07:00

I made it through the long flight here, made even longer by the fact that Maritime had us arrive at JFK airport 3 hours early. No one was there to assist us with ticketing, gate, etc., but we figured it out anyway. There were about 200 of us on board, mostly 2nd and 3rd class cadets and all were well behaved especially so because it was an alcohol free flight. The flight finally took off about 7:30 EST and re arrived in Dublin at 1:15 EST on Wednesday morning. The organization was better on this end with busses waiting to take us to the ship.

The old Empire State VI looked in good shape, no worse for the wear of the last 6 week journey. We were greeted by rousing cheers by the cadets that were leaving and couldn't wait to go home. The transition was slow as those who were departing had to vacate their spaces before we could move in.

I met with Joe, my predecessor who showed me all of the improvements he made to the Library since May 10. He helped me get my stored bags from the library up to my newly repaired cabin and I helped him get his stuff out for the flight home and then he was off. Except for the fact that my room was a mess from the construction and I had no blanket, pillow, towels or toilet paper, I was able to settle in. It is the same cabin I've had on all of my cruises and it felt like home despite everything.

After resting a while, I headed into Dublin for some sightseeing. Not having been here in 7 years, I found the City to be a changed place. The economic boom of the last 10 years was evident in all the new construction and a new light rail system through the city. The cadets, as usual when we come here, had taken over the Temple Bar area of the City, Dublin's famous drinking district. All seemed on their best behavior, a credit to Maritime discipline. I activated my cell phone, did some shopping then headed back to the ship to sleep off my jet lag.

Tomorrow I am meeting an honored guest to the ship, Anne Kenney the Dean of Libraries at Cornell University and an acquaintance of the Maritime Library Director, who is in town for a conference. The ship will depart Friday night (really Saturday morning) at 12:15 because a cruise ship is coming into our dock and forcing us to vacate 8 hours earlier than scheduled. Then it is on to Malta, a 12 day journey away. I look forward to smooth sailing.

Getting Ready

2010-06-17T08:54:00.000-07:00

I hope you all like the new design layout, I thought a change would be nice. I've been busy getting ready for the cruise. I will be flying out to meet the ship in Dublin, Ireland on Tuesday, June 22 along with several hundred cadets, crew and faculty who will be replacing many on board the ship. As I said in an earlier post, the cruise will be split into 2 separate parts this year with the 2nd and 3rd class cadets split into two cohorts. The 1st class cadets have to do the whole 3 months of the cruise.

The first cohort has already been to Spain and Greece and, according to my predecessor Joe's blog, has had a fabulous time. The sites at both ports have been spectacular. The Mediterranean portion of the cruise has kept them in sight of land most of the time which is definitely a treat compared to seeing nothing but huge expanses of sea for days on end.

Joe has learned much about the pleasures and pitfalls of life on a ship and while adapting well, seems to be eager to return home. The biggest problem he has had is that he had to vacate his cabin due to a pipe leak in the ceiling and had to move from the quieter Cabin Deck to more utilitarian quarters on the busier Main Deck. Since I was supposed to inherit his cabin, I am hoping that the repairs are completed by the time I arrive so I can return to my original quarters.

I still have to do my final packing. Luckily, I was able to place the bulk of my luggage aboard the Empire State VI before it left. I discovered afterward that only carry-on luggage will be allowed aboard my flight. It is difficult to fit six weeks worth of clothing and supplies into a carry-on bag.

Since my last post, I found out that the ports we will be travelling to on the second cohort are Malta and Brest, France While Malta looks beautiful(see above left), I have learned that, due to destruction from bombing in WWII, Brest is is a very modern, industrial looking city with little old world charm(see above right). I hope they have some good tours planned there out to the more scenic and historical regions.

I'll see you all next week from Dublin.

First Librarian's BLOG

2010-05-12T07:10:00.000-07:00

My predecessor, Joe Williams, will be the Ship's Librarian on the first half of the Summer Sea Term cruise from May 10 to June 23. He will be blogging his portion of the journey. Support him by checking it out at:

http://thebibliographicmariner.blogspot.com/

Fare well to the Empire State

2010-05-11T13:48:00.000-07:00

The ship has sailed without me. The new, extended Summer Sea Term of 2010 left yesterday with another librarian for the first 6 weeks. Joe Williams, a full-time librarian at SUNY Maritime departed with the ship and will be running things (and BLOGGING on his own BLOG) until we switch off in late June. The College is flying me,along with replacement crew, faculty and students, over to Europe to meet the ship so that we can take over for the final 6 weeks. Most of the original contingent will depart to make room for us. The entire cruise is much longer this year by 1 month and 4,000 miles.

Meanwhile, I continue to make preparations for my voyage. I was able to send off most of my luggage with the ship which will lighten my load for the flight. I'll hit only 3 ports during this cruise out of the 5 for the entire cruise. Once again, I'll see the Atlantic, but this year I'll get much further into the Mediterranean than I ever have. No Arctic this year. Much warmer climates than last.

I'm back!

2010-01-15T12:45:00.001-08:00

I'm back. It's been a busy 6 months since I've been back on land working at my real job at the Nassau Community College Library. I taught two sections of the 3 credit Library-101 course last semester and will teach two more for the Spring on top of my full time assignments. Lots of extra work.

But the good news is that it looks like I'll be at sea again this summer on the old Empire State VI. I've been asked to do the second leg of this year's newly extended cruise. Maritime now has so many students that they have to split the annual cruise into two 45 day segments to fit them all on the ship. From what I've gathered, half the 2nd and 3rd class cadets will be on alternate legs of the journey. First class cadets will do the whole 3 months. I will probably be flying to meet the ship in Europe sometime in late June and sailing back with them to NY the first week of August. The ports are not yet set, but it appears that this year is going to be an all Mediterranean cruise. I can't wait.

Rich Delbango

The journey's end

2009-07-10T18:01:00.000-07:00

The sailors have returned home from the sea. We arrived back at Fort Schuyler right on time this morning at 10:00. Captain Smith, with the guidance of the pilots and the tugs, brought us back home to the spot we left what seems like so long ago. The day was perfect, warm and sunny. The trip through the harbor and up the river was beautiful.

The only thing to mar the day was a fire on the Throgs Neck Bridge that prevented many loved ones from getting to the Fort on time or at all. My sons, Scott and Ryan had to turn around and head home because the traffic on the Queens side made it impossible to get to the Bronx on time.

After docking, I had to supervise the transfer of 50 boxes of materials that had to return to the shore library. Thanks to the hard working cadets, I did not have to do the lifting myself. My lifting was reserved for getting all of my belongings out of my cabin and to the end of the dock where my girlfriend Pat waited patiently to give me a ride home. By the time I left the Fort about 4:30 pm, the TS Empire State was a ghost ship. Many cadets and most officers had gone home or off to some relaxation. It certainly was no longer the crowded, noisy, lively ship it was just hours before, until next year.

I'd like to say "Thank you" to all my readers for letting me share this unique and wonderful experience with you all.

I will be posting pictures of the trip here after I return from the American Library Association Convention in Chicago next week. You see, I'm not done travelling yet. Stay tuned.

The last leg

2009-07-09T10:19:00.000-07:00

Friday morning we will be making the last leg of the voyage. The trip
through the harbor and up the river will be impressive. All cadets and
officers will be dressed in their formal uniforms. The ship, freshly
cleaned and painted, will be sparkling. We will enter the harbor under
the Verrazano Narrows Bridge, blowing the Ship's horn as we do. Like so
many other voyagers from the past, we will be welcomed to the harbor by
the Great Lady, the Statue of Liberty. We will pass Ellis Island where
so many of our ancestors entered this country. We will sail past the
Battery and Manhattan's formidable skyline and enter the East River. As
we traverse under each of the 7 East River crossings from the Brooklyn to
the Whitestone, we will again blow the horn. Well wishers will wave at us
from the River's promenades. Finally, after the Whitestone Bridge, we
will round the point and the College will be in sight. There will be
hundreds of people there to greet their loved ones returning from the sea..
Banners and flags will be everywhere. The College's band will play us in
as we dock. Fireboats will spray us a watery salute. The tugs will ease
us to the dock, the lines will be cast and attached and the mighty ship
and her crew will be home.

Officer Appreciation Dinner

2009-07-08T15:03:00.000-07:00

Tonight the food service crew prepared the annual end of cruise Officer
Appreciation Dinner for us. It was wonderful; prime rib, giant lobster
tails and crab cakes and a huge chocolate layer cake. It makes up for the
four nights of meatloaf dinners. All in all, the food has been excellent..
It's going to be hard to get back to my usual fare although I am going to
head right to White Castle and the Corona Lemon Ice King on Friday night.
I've had an unfulfilled hankering for both since a week into the cruise..

Smooth sailing

2009-07-07T15:44:00.000-07:00

As the cruise comes to an end, I can't help but note the fantastic weather
that we had for the entire voyage. Except for about 30 hours off Portugal
while heading to Iceland, the seas have been remarkably calm. There was
very little rolling which obviously held seasickness down to a minimum.
We had some morning fog for a couple of days off the north coast of
Scotland heading to Belfast and a full day of rain and fog that ruined our
last Sunday at sea. Otherwise there was lots of sunshine almost every day
(and nights in the Arctic).

I've heard about storms and rough seas on previous cruises. All I can say
is that we have been blessed on this one. I just hope I haven't jinxed us
for the last two days

1000 miles to home

2009-07-06T06:10:00.000-07:00

As I write this (Monday July 6 @ 10:30am) we are about 1000 miles north
east of New York. After yesterday's Independence Day/Sunday at sea
washout, the weather today is gorgeous. Go figure!

It is the last day I am keeping the Library open. For the next several
days I will be packing up all of the items that have to return to shore
and writing my final report of the voyage.

From what I've gathered, the plan is for us to reach Montauk sometime
Thursday and anchor to await Admiral Craine, the College's President, and
make the ship presentable for the return celebration. We will then move
on, sailing south of Long Island to the mouth of NY harbor and anchoring
again early Friday morning off Staten Island. There, we will be met by
the new Chancellor of the State University of NY and some other
dignitaries who will accompany us into the harbor and up the East River
for the final leg of the voyage, our grand journey home.

Best laid plans

2009-07-05T08:12:00.000-07:00

As I said in my last post, the idea was to combine the 4th of July
celebration with the last Sunday at Sea and celebrate on the 5th. The 4th
was absolutely beautiful as everyone had to work a full day. Today, the
5th, is crap. Rainy, windy and cloudy.

The Barbeque for both lunch and dinner has been cancelled, but we're going
to get the burgers, steaks and franks anyway cooked in the galley. It's
just not the same. Hope everyone ashore had a good holiday.

4th of July, Atlantic Ocean

2009-07-04T14:28:00.000-07:00

Happy Independence Day to all. Unfortunately for me it's just another
full day at work 10:00am to 10:30pm. They decided that since tomorrow is
our last Sunday at Sea that we would postpone the celebration until then.
Sundays at sea are short work days for me (only 8 1/2 hours instead of 10
hours) and most others anyway. We will have our last sea barbecue then;
steaks, burgers, franks, corn, salads, etc. and maybe lobster tails. mmmm..

I hope everyone at home is enjoying their holiday weekend.

Yes Sir

2009-07-03T16:22:00.000-07:00

I still can't get used to having students call me "Sir" all of the time.
Though not as strict as Marine Corps basic training, the cadets are
supposed to be deferential to officers as part of a paramilitary
lifestyle. They're supposed to step out of our way and address us
formally. This is quite a change from working with the students at a
Community College. Not that there aren't a few wise guys in the bunch,
but there aren't many.

Exam Time

2009-07-02T07:05:00.000-07:00

It's almost the end of the voyage and that means the end of classes and
final exams. The cadets have been studying diligently in the library, in
the classrooms, in the mess and on the deck (when the weather permits);
anywhere they can find space to lay out their books and notes. They are
also scrambling to finish assignments, some due now and some that were due
weeks ago. The Library has been busy all day but especially so in the
evenings. They don't want to leave, but I can't stay open all night.
I've got to get some sleep. Everyone is under pressure to do well. You
can feel tension in the air. After investing two months in the Summer Sea
Term, no one wants to screw up in the last few days.

Eight more days to go!

Expresso Love

2009-07-01T09:05:00.000-07:00

I am in love, with the expresso machine in the Officer's Mess. It is so
easy to use that I'm drinking them all day. Got to have something to stay
awake for all the hours I keep the Library open. Singles, doubles,
lattes, I love them all. It is amazing, so easy to use. No need to fill
up with water since it's connected to the water pipe. No measuring. Just
pop in a pre-filled Seattle's Best disc, load it up and press the button.
To steam milk, just put it in the pot and turn a knob. We even have
vanilla and hazelnut syrups to add. If I've got to feed this addiction at
Starbucks when I return, I will be broke.

Heading Home

2009-06-30T08:13:00.000-07:00

We left Belfast around 17:00 Sunday evening. That was late for a port
departure for us, but we had to have a high tide to leave. The tugs
hooked up and pulled us out backwards out of the Victoria Channel and then
turned us around. As we pulled out, we got a clear view of the now
dormant dry dock where the Titanic was built. Steaming ahead, we entered
the North Channel, rounded the Ards Peninsula and headed south into the
Irish Sea toward the Atlantic and home. By Monday evening, we had past the
southern tip of Ireland and left behind our last view of land until we see
Sandy Hook. No more ports for us but home.

Everyone is busy finishing up their work. Finals will begin this week
for the cadets' classes. Projects are due. Things have to be packed up
around the ship. Grades have to be submitted. Final cleaning and repairs
have to be done to make us presentable. There is no down time until July
10th. We can rest when we get back to the Bronx.

Walking Around Belfast

2009-06-30T07:49:00.000-07:00

Belfast was a good walking city, very compact and organized. Unlike Sao
Miguel and Gibraltar, they actually had wide sidewalks and pedestrian
malls. This made walking fairly safe, except for the darn traffic moving
in the wrong direction. Three days isn't enough time to get used to cars
coming at you on the left side of the road.

The busses from the Ship left us in the heart of Belfast, right by the
City Hall and there was plenty to see and do in the immediate area. Most
of the shopping is within several blocks of the City center. There are
two really nice malls right there, Victoria Square and the Castle Court
and several smaller arcades. Most of the shopping district is either new
construction or beautiful restored Victorian buildings. The area has been
re-invigorated since the Peace of 1998 made the area safe again. For
almost 30 years it was an armed camp with roadblocks that wouldn't allow
traffic into the zone and pedestrian checkpoints. Unfortunately, the
re-construction process is continuing and there are lots of what they term
"diversions" (detours) that I had to maneuver around.

Other things I saw nearby were the Albert Clock Tower which is listing to
one side after 120 years like the Tower of Pisa, The St. Anne's Cathedral,
the Linen Hall Library and the Big Wheel Ferris wheel next to the City
Hall that I had to ride.

Outside the City center, in the working-class residential areas of the
west, are the former battle zones of Belfast's religious conflict. Here
are the Peace Walls. These are huge murals painted on the sides of row
houses commemorating events and personalities of what they call "the
Troubles". There are dozens of them. It was a horrible time for the
people of Belfast and it pervades the psyche of the whole population who
lived through it. The murals are mostly in the areas known as Shankill
(the Protestant area) and the Falls (the Catholic zone). I was able to
only get to the Shankill.

In the north part of the Shankill district is the 164 year old Crumlin
Road Prison, now closed but open to the public for tours. It was an
active prison until 1996. I took the tour and it was awesome, especially
the execution room where they hung 13 men over the years.

The north and south of the City are the more upscale residential areas. I
spent a bit of time exploring the north. Here are nice single family
homes and garden apartment complexes with beautifully landscaped grounds.

I was able to see a lot in three days. It was a great port to just roam
around.

The Giants Causeway

2009-06-29T02:40:00.000-07:00

On Friday several cadets and I took the Giant's Causeway tour to the north
coast of the County Antrim. This was an 8 ½ hour tour of the beautiful
northern region. Only 13 of us chose to go that day. It was unfortunate
for those who didn't come along because we saw some of the most astounding
scenery of any of the ports of this cruise.

We traveled through peaceful, green farm country passing quaint cottages
and farmhouses. Reaching the coast, we traveled though the seaside
villages of Portstewart and Portrush and stopped at the ruins of Dunlucie
Castle on a cliff overlooking the sea. This castle was the ancestral
home of the McDonnell clan, the chiefs of Antrim and my Mother's family..
The day was clear and warm and we could see all the way over to Scotland
from the site.

Traveling further west, we came to the Giant's Causeway itself. The
causeway is a natural formation of regularly shaped basalt columns formed
60 million years ago by volcanic activity. They extend out into the sea.
The weathered tops are so regular in shape that they look like floor tiles
making up a walkway to the ocean. The legend is that it was created by
the giant, Finn McCool so he could walk to Scotland to battle another
giant.

After exploring the Causeway for an hour we had a traditional meal of
Irish stew for lunch. Our bellies full, we moved on to the adventurous
part of the trip, crossing the rope bridge or Carrick-a-rede. The rope
bridge was first built centuries ago by fisherman so they could reach
their fishing spot on a small, rocky island 70 feet offshore. It hangs
precipitously 80 feet above the sea. Walking across on the narrow
planking was a harrowing experience to say the least. The bridge shook
and swayed while crossing it and some of us managed the crossing better
than others. My method was just not to look down. After walking around
the tiny island on the other side with cliffs dropping straight down to
the sea, we had to make a return crossing to the mainland. It was just as
thrilling.

Heading back to Belfast, we took the Antrim coast road passing through the
spectacular Glens of Antrim and the lovely seaside towns of Ballycastle,
Cushendall, Larne and Carrickfergus. Returning back to the ship that
evening, we were exhausted yet invigorated by the beautiful Irish sights
we had experienced.

Belfast

2009-06-25T16:13:00.000-07:00

We pulled into Belfast harbor on Wednesday about 22:00. Darkness actually
fell while most of us were still awake for the first time in weeks. We
anchored in the harbor and really appreciated the dark because it allowed
us to view the City lit up in all its glory. There had been a
magnificent sunset over Belfast, and then it just started to glow in the
clear night.

We thought we were going to dock about 2:00, but didn't actually dock
until about 8:00. We finally got off the ship by 11:15 raring to go.

Once again, because of the distance from the docks to the city center, the
College arranged busses for us. They run once an hour to the town and
back. This is a real convenience because it is about 3 miles from the
Ship to the downtown through a large industrial dock area.

The bus leaves us in a very busy district with plenty to do. There is
some great shopping in small stores and two really nice malls
re-engineered from old Victorian buildings. There are plenty of places to
eat and drink. There is even a huge Ferris wheel right next to the City
Hall! Thursday's weather was fantastic, sunny and warm. It was a great
day to enjoy a great city.

I am are going on two of the scheduled tours over the next few days.
Friday I'm taking an all day tour of the Giant's Causeway and the north
coast and Saturday a 3 hour bus tour of Belfast. Saturday is also the
Carnival in town. All in all, it's going to be a busy port.

Passing Scotland

2009-06-23T08:37:00.000-07:00

We passed the Shetland Islands Monday evening and someone started the
rumor that you could see the Shetland ponies on the shore. Even if they
were, we weren't that close. During the night, we hit the Prime Meridian
(0°) and headed south, then back west toward Belfast. In the morning the
ship was shrouded in dense fog and we could see nothing. About 11:00 the
fog lifted and we saw land on both sides of the ship. We were passing
through Pentland Firth, a fairly narrow channel with the Scottish
highlands to our port side and the Orkney Islands to the starboard. We're
going to continue southwest past Scotland and the Outer Hebrides and down
to the North Channel of the Irish Sea to the Irish island, arriving
Wednesday night/ Thursday morning ready for our last liberty.

Commuting

2009-06-23T02:31:00.000-07:00

It takes me a whole 5 minutes to commute to the Library from my cabin,
barring a traffic jam of cadets lined up for chow in the Mess. I walk
down a hallway on my deck to the main interior ladderwell. I proceed down
10 flights of stairs to the Mess deck. I then go through the mess to the
Port ladderwell and down 4 more flights. It's a total of 98 stairs, down
7 decks. When I'm done or take a break, it's the same in reverse, only
harder uphill. I do this at least 6 times a day. It's a long way back up
to the bathroom.

The stairs in the ladderwell are a real interesting challenge when the
ship is rocking. You have to time your steps just right so you don't go
flying up or down the stairs. When the weather is right, I can change up
my commute by going down part of the way on the outside ladders. Same
distance, different view. All in all, most days it's less challenging
than driving down Old Country Road, and I don't have to worry about
parking.

The mist

2009-06-22T02:56:00.000-07:00

I showed the Steven King movie "The Mist" last night. Scary as hell.
When I awoke this morning I heard the Ship's horn blowing. Looking out my
window, I saw we were completely shrouded in fog. Coincidence?

We are somewhere slightly north of the Shetland Islands, way east of
Ireland. As I said earlier, we have time to kill because the trip to
Ireland from Iceland was much closer than our original itinerary to
Germany planned for. The Captain is taking us over to the coast of Norway
and then navigating back west through the myriad of islands north of the
British Isles. I just hope this fog clears before we get to Belfast and
any horrible creatures from the mist devour us.

King Neptune and the Bluenoses

2009-06-21T11:54:00.000-07:00

A mysterious scroll appeared in a bottle found on deck Friday evening. It
was a summons from one Davey Jones for all onboard to appear on deck
Sunday afternoon before the presence of King Neptune and his court. The
summons said the King would induct all who have crossed into his icy realm
into the Order of the Bluenose if they proved worthy. Amazed, no one knew
what to make of it, so they posted the scroll for all to see.

On Sunday at 13:00 everyone on the ship gathered in anticipation around
the aft hatch. Rising from the sea came the royal procession and
magnificent it was. There was the King's burly Sergeant at Arms with a
squad of the King's police, the Kings Barber, Davey Jones, the beautiful
but terrifying Sea Hag and, in all his glory out of the mist, was King
Neptune himself.

The King demanded certain sailors to come and kneel before him and to
answer the questions of the Sea Hag. Those failing to do so were made
slaves. They were bound, shaved and then forced to crawl through the
belly of the King's pet polar bear. Those making it through then had to
be cleansed by the sea to make them true seamen. After their cleansing
they were declared worthy to toast the King and partake in a feast
prepared by his cooks. Finally, the King's fools painted the noses of all
who survived, blue.

When the slaves had completed their trials, all of the crew who had never
previously been honored, were asked to endure the same. Many rose to the
occasion. With all those brave enough to step foreword finished, the King
bade us all farewell and disappeared back into the sea leaving everyone
with the question; "Did that really just happen?" Then they looked around
at all the blue noses of their fellow sailors and knew it did.

Happy Father's Day

2009-06-21T07:19:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day to all the fathers out there.

Sounds of the sea

2009-06-20T06:55:00.000-07:00

WRRRRRR…CLANK…BRRRIIIIINNNNGGG….BANG….CHUNK….ZZZZZZ
This is just a sample of the cacophony of sounds of ship life aboard the
Training Ship Empire State VI. The ship is no luxury cruise liner, rather
it is a mature (old), working vessel. TSES is a small city that must
function 24 hours a day both at sea and in port, to support and protect
the lives of almost 700 people in some very tough conditions. There is
the constant humming of the steam turbines that power the ship that
vibrate through the steel bulkheads, the constant whooshing of the
ventilation system that sounds like the interior of a jet plane, doors
opening and closing, people walking and talking in the corridors, etc.
Those are just the regular sounds. Then there are the grinding, banging,
slamming, tapping noises of repair and maintenance. Those, thankfully,
are confined to the day hours, but they can make trying to take a nap
difficult. When I mentioned to someone that I was bringing my "Sound
Machine" on board to mask noises with synthesized ocean sounds to help me
sleep, they said"but you're going to be surrounded by the sound of the
ocean". I told them that the ocean is the last thing I'd possibly hear
in my cabin. It is so sealed and the sounds of the ship's machinery so
overpowering that there is little chance of hearing the sea when inside.
If I do hear it it's too late, it means the ship's going down.

In the Realm of the Polar Bear

2009-06-19T04:39:00.000-07:00

This morning sometime I crossed the Arctic Circle for the 2nd time in my
life and entered "the Realm of the Polar Bear" or what is scientifically
called The Frigid Zone. I haven't seen any Polar Bear yet, or for that
matter, the icebergs they float on.

The dictionary defines the Circle as "an imaginary line drawn parallel to
the equator, at 23 degrees 28' S(outh) of the North Pole". It is the
futhest northern limit of the circumpolar sun. We are traversing the
upper coast of Iceland, heading west into the Norwegian Sea.

Frigid zone is an apt name. It is chilly out there today, probably in the
upper 30's. Unfortunately, the ship hasn't adjusted to the rapid drop in
temperature and my cabin was freezing last night. I slept under 3
blankets wearing flannel pjs, socks, gloves and a wool cap! All while
bright sunshine poured into the room past the edges of my window shade.
It was sunny all night long.

Farewell to Iceland

2009-06-18T10:20:00.000-07:00

We left Reykjavik harbor this morning about 9:00, saying goodbye to that
beautiful country and heading north to cross the Arctic circle. All of
Iceland is slightly below the circle, so for the crew to join the "Order
of the Bluenose", we have to take a northern detour to get to our next
destination; Belfast, Northern Ireland. We have plenty of time because
our original itinerary called for us to go to Kiel, Germany on the Baltic
coast. Belfast is much closer so the Captain plans to steam around the
Norwegian and North Seas, past the Faroe, Ornkey, Shetland and Hebrides
islands and the coast of Norway. It is the journey that is important for
these cadets, not the destinations.

The last destination though, was spectacular. On Monday, I went on the 8
hour "Golden Circle" tour to the east of Reykjavik. This guided tour took
us out to the stark countryside to see some of the natural wonders of this
country. We drove through treeless, rocky plains that streched on forever
to distant walls of soaring mountains.

Our first stop was a gorge that is actually the splitting point of the
American and European tectonic plates. Near the gorge was the
Parlimentary Plain, where the ancient Icelandic tribes met to form a
nation. Heading further east, we stopped at the Goldfloss waterfall, not
as big as Niagra, but impressive just the same. Our final stop was the
town of Geyser and guess what they had there? GEYSERS, and a great lunch..
The only thing I'm sorry I didn't get to see was a glacier up
close, although I did see one in the distance.

Tuesday was white water rafting day. It was cold and windy and everyone
got wet, some more tham others. I didn't realize that the guides' goal
was not to keep us in the rafts, but to get everyone in the water at some
point. Brrrr. At least they gave us hot soup and coffee to warm us up
when done.

Captain Smith decided to stay in Reykjevik an extra day that will be
deducted from our next port. It was a good decision because the 17th was
their Independence Day and it was quite a party. They closed off the
whole town to cars and there were thousands of people in the streets.
There were booths and rides and music. They started after midnight the
night before and were still going strong when I left at 10:30 PM. Bjork
was a no-show, but it seemed that every other Icelander was there. The
only thing missing in their Independence Day from ours was fireworks.
They wouldn't have been any good since there was no darkness. They save
their firework displays for New Years when it is dark all day.

It's back to work today until we dock in Belfast next Thursday.

Insomnia

2009-06-16T14:51:00.003-07:00

Anyone ever see the movie "Insomnia" where Al Pacino goes nuts because he's up in the Arctic and the sun never goes down? Well it's true. It's almost 10pm here in Reykjavik and it looks like 1 in the afternoon. I've had to draw the shades tight to get some sleep, but the sun still leaks in around the edges all night long.

Sorry for the formatting problems

2009-06-14T15:23:00.000-07:00

I just looked at the blogs I sent from the ship's e-mail and saw the
formatting was screwy. Sorry if they are hard to read, must be the nature
of the beast. Just enjoy the content.

Creature from the Blue Lagoon

2009-06-14T13:38:00.000-07:00

We docked in Iceland at 8:00 today sailing in past some fantastic scenery. At 10:00 we were on our way to The Blue Lagoon. The Lagoon is a man made hot pool fed by the runoff from the geothermal power station. It is huge and absolutely beautiful. It was about an hours drive from our dock through some of the most stark countryside you have ever seen. Huge fields of black volcanic stone with green lichens growing on them, surrounded by volcanic hills. After a mandatory shower, we entered the lagoon area and were totally amaze. The water looked like blue milk. We jumped in and were instantly relaxed by the steaming hot water. We had to partake in the ritual of smearing ourselves with pure white silica mud that was supposed to be good for our skin. Everyone looked like ghosts covered with this stuff. There were steam and sauna baths as well as a bar right in the pool. A total relaxation experience. Even though it was about 45 degrees outside, no one cared. We stayed about 2 hours and were amazed by the experience. On the bus back, almost everyone fell asleep. As I said: total relaxation.

Entering the land of the midnight sun

2009-06-13T03:57:00.000-07:00

The seas calmed down last night. I guess our sacrifice to the sea gods
worked. He was only a small cadet, no one will miss him (just kidding).
We are about 200 hundred miles south east of Iceland and will be there
sometime tomorrow, June 14. We've already entered the "land of the
midnight sun". Last night the sun went down after midnight and rose this
morning at about 3:30! The days will get even longer the further north we
travel and the closer we get to the summer solstice. It was freaky
getting out of the Library after my shift ended at 23:00 and the sky was
still bright. I'm glad I have blackout shades in the cabin because I
don't sleep well when it's light.

They are arranging tours of Iceland for us. There's going to be a trip to
the Blue Lagoon which is the world's largest hot tub. It is a
geothermally fed pool that can hold about 1,000 people. There is also
supposed to be a whole Iceland tour to take us to the glaciers, geysers
and waterfalls that the country is noted for. Another tour is a
whitewater rafting expedition. There will also be plenty to see in the
city of Reykjavik within walking distance of our dock. As usual, I will
have the whole time off because the Library is closed while in port.

Rumor is we are staying in Iceland an extra day because the 17th, the day
we were going to leave, is their Independence Day. It is supposed to be
one big party. If so, we will lob a day off our next port which has
changed from Kiel, Germany which was originally scheduled to Belfast,
Northern Ireland instead.

I can't believe the voyage is half over. 2 more ports to go and we're
heading home. We lost some of the crew and cadets along the way and added
others. Some were planned, some were not. No one fell overboard or
anything like that, they flew back home. I'm already planning the closing
of the Library several days before we arrive back in order to pack up the
ton of stuff up that has to go back ashore. Tempus fugit.

Rockin' and Rollin'

2009-06-12T03:54:00.000-07:00

So much for the calm seas we had for our first 3 weeks out. The ocean
turned a little rough as we reached the northern coast of Portugal and the
weather has been cloudy and rainy ever since. Nothing too bad. Just
enough to make life interesting. You try to secure everything, but
something always escapes and rolls across the deck.

The Empire State VI is a top-heavy ship. It is designed as a cargo ship
with holds that are supposed to be full. In its current incarnation, they
are not. And so we roll side to side. Some of the cadets and crew are
seasick, but Most are OK. I'm doing all right so far.

Sleeping is fun when the rolling begins. A gentle roll is rather
relaxing, like being rocked in a cradle. But there comes a point when
things start to get uncomfortable. You try to sprawl out as flat as
possible to keep from rolling between the wall and bed rail. The scheme
doesn't always work so you grip the mattress to hold on. Without fail,
when a big swell hits, something will go crashing across the room waking
you out of whatever stage of sleep you are in.

Meals can be a chore. The tables are bolted to the floor with a rubber
mat on top and lips that can be raised to keep the food from winding up in
your lap. The chairs are another story. They are not fixed. Today when
a swell hit, I found myself 3 feet away from my bowl of cream of wheat
before I could get my next spoonful.

Ship showering is always a treat, even in calm water. The stainless steel
stall is smaller than a NYC phonebooth (anybody remember those?) and wraps
around you 3/4 of the way with a curtain at the entrance. To conserve
water, there is a shutoff valve that you are supposed to use to shut off
after wetting up. Then you soap up and turn the valve on again to rinse
off. When the ship is rolling, you are banging off the cold walls with
every roll. Thank God there are hand grips inside to hold on to. And
when you dry off, dressing is no treat either. Try putting pants on when
the floor beneath you is moving back and forth.

The Library this morning was covered with books...on the floor. Even
though we have special shelving and bungie cords across each shelf to
retain the books, it doesn't always work. Picking them up and re-shelving
are all part of the job.

All in all, this is an experience I wouldn't trade for the world.

From tedium to apathy and back again

2009-06-11T11:22:00.000-07:00

Who knows where that line comes from? It aptly describes most days at
sea. Ship life can be routine and downright boring between ports. The
endless ocean views are nice to look at once in a while, but can get
tedious quickly. Whale or dolphin watching? Forget about it. I could
look for hours without seeing any. They only seem to pop up when I'm not
looking for them and then quickly disappear. There's no TV, newspapers
and only some shortwave radio to connect me to the outside world, mostly
in languages I can't understand. The world could be blowing up and we
wouldn't know until we docked.

My library is below the water line so I can't see anything for long
periods of time any way. But there is peace in the boredom. It is very
relaxing to just read or contemplate existence (very profound of me,
huh?).

By the way, the line is from the great play/movie (OK TV series), "Mr.
Roberts".

Ship lag

2009-06-10T01:29:00.000-07:00

We all know about jet lag that happens when you cross time zones. Well it
also happens on a ship journey, just at a slower pace. We crossed 6 time
zones between NY and Gibraltar. We had to "spring ahead" every day or two
at sea and lose an hour. It's like having daylight savings time begin 6
times in a couple of weeks. You only lose an hour at a time, but you
still feel the loss. Leaving Gibraltar and heading back west, we had to
"fall back" and thankfully re-gained an hour. 25 hour days are nicer than
23 hour ones. More time to sleep.

We still may lose the hour again, and possibly more, depending on what our
final port in Europe will be. Our last destination is still up in the
air. In the end, we all will return to normal when we arrive home, weary
from all of our time traveling.

Back to sea again

2009-06-09T05:55:00.000-07:00

We left Gibraltar at 8:00 yesterday morning. Rounding the point, we left
the beautiful calm Mediterranean and headed north in the Atlantic toward
Iceland. We skirted the coast of Portugal close enough to see lights last
night. About 11:00pm the seas started getting a little rough and we
rocked and rolled all night long. A couple of nasty swells sent stuff
rolling around my cabin including me, almost. Thank God I've got a bed
rail to keep me in my bunk.

Our last day in Gibraltar was great. I went back up on to the Rock for a
last time. I hung out with the Ship's doctor all day. It was perfect
weather again. When we got down, we just roamed the town for the rest of
the day even though most of it was closed up for Sunday. I was hanging
with him in a pub with free WiFi access updating this blog, when 2 of the
apes from the top came sauntering down the main street. The little
buggers proceeded to make themselves at home. They climbed up on a
terrace of a small apartment building and made a snack of the flowers in a
window box. The locals said this was an extremely rare event as they
usually stay up on the Rock. I guess they came down to say goodbye to us..

An e-mail posting test

2009-06-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

Now that we have e-mail up I hope to be able to post regularly. No
pictures though until I get to port with internet to upload themas the
e-mail is test only.

My e-mail

2009-06-07T04:13:00.000-07:00

They finally got the e-mail working on the ship. My e-mail is:

rdelbango.tses@seawave.net

I'm going to try to update the blog from sea, but I tried the other night and the 6 posts I sent didn't show. I hope they won't come as duplicates to the ones I sent today from an internet cafe. If they do appear, forgive me.

Bunkering

2009-06-07T04:12:00.000-07:00

Today we are going to bunker here at Gibraltar which is the process of taking on fuel. It is a not like pulling up to the self serve pump at the local Sunoco. It is an involved process to fuel this baby up and it takes a LOT. Since they have to heat the oil up to allow it to be pumped into our tanks and the Library is right above said tanks, I expect the temperature to rise in the Library when I re-open on Monday. I hope it’s not for long or I will have to close again until the temperature reaches acceptable levels.

We leave tomorrow at 8:00am for Iceland

Monkeys of the Rock

2009-06-07T04:00:00.000-07:00

I took a cable car to the top of the Rock on Friday, about 1,200 feet up. The view was spectacular, but the most interesting thing up there is the colony of monkeys. The little buggers are everywhere. They are cute, but will try to rob anything you have loose.

We also went to St. Michaels cace near the top. It is a beautiful, large cave with many natural warwter formed features. There is a natural concert hall inside with great acoustics.

The Road to Morocco

2009-06-07T03:41:00.000-07:00

I went for a day trip to Morocco yesterday. What a trip it was! After dealing with border crossing into Spain, we took a 2 hour ferry ride across the Straits of Gibraltar to Tangier. As soon as we hit you could smell the difference from Gibraltar. FOUL. I, along with 100 cadets, had a guided tour of the city. The city is an ancient crossroads of Asia, Afica and Europe and very international...We went to the Casbah to shop and what an experience. I now know what a Thieves Market means. From the second we stepped off the bus, we were hassled to buy every kind of trinket unimaginable, NON-STOP. The tour took us to a local restaurant where we had a lunch of kabob and coucous accompanied by Moroccan music. Afterwards, our guide took us through the winding streets filled with stalled and street sellers, to a sort of department store where we could shop in relative peace, at a higher cost of course. The trip was about 10 hours in total and we made it back safely in the evening. It was interesting, but I don't think I'll being going back any time soon.

The Rock

2009-06-07T03:35:00.000-07:00

6/4/2009

We’ve been in view of “The Rock” for several days doing maneuvers. I’m not speaking about Dwayne Johnson, but rather Gibraltar. Gibraltar is just that, a giant rock rising up from the mouth of the Mediterranean Sea pushed up by the collision of Africa and Europe. It is attached to Spain but owned by the British where they have used it as a naval base to protect their interests for hundreds of years. As such, English is the mother tongue making communication a little easier than in the Azores.

We docked at the main dock at 8:00 Friday. Many times the ship docks miles away from anything and the logistics of getting around can be complicated. This time we are once again lucky because, like Ponta Delgada, we are docked right near the center of town.

Today I’m doing a tour of the rock. There are intricate caves dug into it by generations of defenders. At the top there are huge defensive guns for its protection. And then there are the infamous monkeys who roam the summit. These are the wild Barbary Apes brought here as pets by British Sailors. Supposedly, they are the biggest crime threat on the island. They are notorious for stealing sunglasses, hats, cameras, etc. It’s going to be interesting.

I’m taking a tour over to Morocco on Saturday. The ship is arranging tours for each of the days in port. It’s about a 10 mile ferry ride from Gibraltar and then I’ll have set foot in Africa for the first time. This should be a real adventure. I’d love to get over to Spain too, maybe on Sunday.

More drills

2009-06-07T03:34:00.000-07:00

6/3/2009

We arrived at the calm waters off Gibraltar on Tuesday morning June 2 about 6:00, but we won’t anchor until Friday. As I said in an earlier post, the Captain has gotten us out of bad weather approaching the Azores where we were supposed to do more safety drills. We are instead doing them here. We’re going to be doing man-overboard, fire and equipment drills.

It is a tease being so close to land and not being able to go ashore. Many of the people on the ship have cell phones that are European compatible and now we are in range, are using them constantly calling home.

The regimental staff is planning various tours for when we get to land. One I hope to go on is to Morocco, a short ferry ride across the narrow mouth of the Mediterranean to north Africa. I am also considering going into Spain somewhere on the Costa del Sol. There are beautiful beaches and towns there. I’d like to get to Malaga about 50 miles away. There is the Picasso Museum there among some others. I want to see some original flamenco dancing as well.

Man the lifeboats

2009-06-07T03:33:00.001-07:00

6/2/2009

We just had another lifeboat/safety drill. By Coast Guard regulations, we have to have one a week and the Captain likes planning them for calm waters. When the alarm sounds, you have to drop everything. You have to get your gear and to go to your assigned lifeboat station wearing a jacket, hat, life vest and carrying ID, a knife and flashlight. The drills usually last ½ hour or so. Today we had an added lesson on how to use a “Gumby Suit”. This is a floatable, thermal protection outfit that helps you stay afloat and avoid hypothermia in case you have to go directly into the water if the ship’s going down and you can’t use the lifeboats. You look like “Gumby” when it is all zipped up, Also demonstrated was a mylar sleeping bag-like device to keep you warm in the lifeboat.

There are 6 lifeboats on board of 2 different kinds with more than enough capacity to hold everyone. The traditional type we all know from movies like “Titanic”. It is open and holds 145 people. The second kind looks like a large orange boot. It is completely enclosed and able to stay afloat in the roughest seas. You may have seen this type recently on the news. It was the type the Somali pirates were killed in during the recent standoff. I’m assigned to the former this cruise, but I think I’d prefer to be in the latter.
It’s a bit disconcerting to think about having to abandon ship, but it is comforting to know that we are well prepared to do so if we had to. Luckily we have no children aboard and relatively few women so my chances of getting on quickly are quite good.

Food, glorious food

2009-06-07T03:31:00.000-07:00

6/1/2009

Food, glorious food! They feed us like kings here. I’ll probably look like Henry VIII when I return. There is a contracted food service company called Chartwells who provides all of our meals. There are about 50 food service staff who work about 20 hours a day cooking, baking, serving and cleaning for the other 600 of us. One whole deck is taken up with food storage, kitchens and the Cadet mess. We officers take our meals 3 decks up in the Officer’s mess, a refuge of peace and quiet.

Breakfast begins at 6:15 until 8:00, a little early for me with my late hours. We have custom omelets, eggs, cereals, pancakes, waffles, French toast as well as selection of fresh fruits, cereals rolls and pastries. Lunch is at 11:30 until 13:00 and consists of a hot dish, soup, a salad bar and a selection of cold cuts and salads for sandwiches. Dinner is 17:00 to 19:00 is always some delicious hot dish, pasta, soup and salad bar. Portions are as big or small as you want. They usually bring up pizza and popcorn around 20:00 each night. A refrigerator is left fully stocked in the Officer’s mess galley for crew who are on overnight shifts or anyone else who wants to indulge any time of the day.

Then there are the desserts. Fresh baked pasties and cakes are left out for us 24 hours a day. The ice cream freezer is also available all of the time. I could get used to this life.

Sunday at sea

2009-06-07T03:29:00.000-07:00

5/31/2009

Another Sunday at sea and life is good. We’ve been blessed for the whole journey so far with calm seas and sunny warm weather. Today is no exception. I work a shorter day on Sundays; open 9 hours instead of 12-13. The cadets are on a regular class/work day today to make up for the day we lost, but the Sunday barbecue took place as scheduled. We had burgers, franks and sausages for lunch cooked on large grills on the deck. Dinner was steaks, burgers, corn-on-the-cob and baked potatoes with sundaes for dessert. Yum!

With the cadets working and eating all day, the Library was a little slower. Tonight’s showing of “The Transformers” in the lounge next door should be packed.

Back to sea

2009-06-07T03:28:00.000-07:00

5/30/2009

We left the Azores at 8:30 am on May 30th heading into what looks like rough seas. We were supposed to cruise slowly around the Azores a couple more days for drills and maneuvers, but now we are going to steam towards the calmer Mediterranean around our next port, Gibraltar, and do them there.

Everyone is exhausted from shore leave. I walked through Ponta Delgada for hours each day, up and down its hilly, narrow streets. I was able to get in as much of the town as possible in 3 days, even with taking the 4 hour tour on Thursday to the west of the Island and the 7 hour tour to the east and north on Friday. The scenery here was amazing to behold. Most of the cadets behaved themselves ashore, but 4 overindulged and will have to face the punishment of confinement to ship for the rest of the cruise. Bummer.

2nd Day in the Azores

2009-05-28T08:40:00.001-07:00

I am having a great time exploring Sao Miguel. The ship is docked right in the center of downtown Ponta Delgada. The town is a mix of the modern and the ancient. There is a small mall (where I’m getting free WiFi to post this) as well as many shops, cafes, bars and restaurants. Unfortunately, “civilization” has also intruded; McDonald’s and Burger King are here too!

Yesterday, I walked about 5 miles around the town taking in the sites. Most of the architecture is Mediterranean in style with some contemporary “Euro-Trash” thrown in. The main street, along the water, is a wide boulevard. The older streets, uptown, are extremely narrow and dangerous for pedestrians, with tightly packed 2 & 3 story apartment buildings. It always amazes me how with so much land, people choose to live on top of one another. I visited 2 of the 3 largest churches in town, both over 400 years old. They were beautiful examples of rococo architecture. I ate dinner in a small restaurant, a delicious mixed grill of 5 kinds of fish with potatoes. After dinner I enjoyed a cigar in one of the local parks.

My dreams of beaching it were dashed by the cool temperatures in the low 70’s. Today I along with 50 cadets and Fr Farrell the chaplain, took a 4 hour tour of the volcanoes in the western part of the island. Passing through dairy farm land, the bus climbed to the summit of the volcano to a vista spot. Inside of the volcano are 2 lakes, one blue and the other green, called “The Twins”. We travelled into the volcano to the lakes and rested at a small town with coffee and Portuguese pastries. Returning to Ponta Delgada, we stopped at a pineapple plantation where some of the cadets, not me, sampled their pineapple liquor.

Tomorrow I’m joining a 7 hour tour of the east coast that includes a visit to a tea plantation, a swim in a hot spring and a lunch steam cooked for us in a geyser. Then it’s back to sea(and back to work) on Saturday heading for Gibraltar.

Sorry for all the posts

2009-05-27T06:31:00.000-07:00

Sorry for all the posts at once. The Ship's e-mail system isn't working so I haven't been able to post regularly. I saved them all up. Hope we get it working soon. I'll post my ship e-mail when/if it works.

The Azores

2009-05-27T06:28:00.000-07:00

We were able, even with some engine problems, to make up for some of the time lost at Montauk. We reached the Azores, a volcanic archipelago in the east Atlantic, on Tuesday night rather than the morning as scheduled. Unable to dock in the dark, we anchored then docked Wednesday morning at 10:00am.

I sailed around the Azores on my last cruise in 2002, but we didn’t land then. I am looking foreword to actually going ashore this time. The Library is closed while we are in port and I have no other duties, so my time is my own. I expect to make good use of it. I want to go swimming in the beautiful azure (thus Azores) water and soak up the rays on a sandy black beach. Yes, the beaches are BLACK because these beautiful islands are really volcanoes, dormant ones (I hope). Maybe I’ll also get some hiking in up the flower lined trails of the volcanoes. Whatever, I’m determined to enjoy myself.

The island we have come to is called Sao Miguel. The Azores is a Portuguese owned group of islands located approx. 2400 miles east of NY and 950 miles west of Lisbon, Portugal. We docked at Ponta Delgada, the largest town with a population of about 45,000 people. These islands are actually the tops of volcanoes jutting up from the ocean floor. They were uninhabited until discovered and subsequently colonized by the Portuguese in 1427. Fantastic natural beauty.

Accomodations

2009-05-27T06:25:00.000-07:00

My cabin is on the Cabin deck, the second highest deck up right below the Bridge Deck where the ship’s controls are. Back in the day when the Empire State VI was a merchant cargo vessel run by the defunct Moore-McCormick lines this deck was for passengers the ship routinely carried along with cargo. That was a common practice then allowing for more economical travel than on a liner. It also allowed people to travel to spots not serviced by liner traffic. Air travel and efficiency of cargo carrying with container ships has pretty much killed this kind of service. As such, the cabins on my deck are more luxurious than the officer’s cabins on the rest of the ship with wooden bunks and dressers.

There are 2 bunks in my cabin that I am sharing it with Tim K. a rep of NOAA (National Oceanographic & Atmospheric Agency). Tim has a dual faceted job on board; he teaches weather at sea and also takes readings that he relays back to NOAA. Tim will only be on for ¾ of the cruise, leaving me to a private room if no one else joins the cruise on its last legs.
I have a large window with a beautiful view of the sea from one angle. Unfortunately, a big orange lifeboat obscures views from the other angles. That’s OK because I’m not in the cabin much spending most of my time 7 decks below in the Library. When I’m not at work, there is a beautiful Officers Lounge right outside my cabin as well as multiple outside decks to relax on and take in the fantastic, infinite ocean views and a night sky filled with more stars than you thought possible. A ladder (stairway) near my room takes me directly to the Officer’s Mess, convenient for mealtime or the snacks available there 24/7. Not luxury, but not bad either

Working

2009-05-27T06:22:00.000-07:00

I’ve been working long hours keeping the Library open from 10:00am to at least 10:30 pm with lunch and dinner breaks where I lock the door. I have been able to hire 2 cadets to help me run things, giving me a chance for additional breaks without closing. Breaks are important since there is no head (bathroom) on the deck where the Library is located, or any deck nearby. My cabin (and my head) is 7 decks above with no elevator, just lots of stairs. My legs will be in great shape at this cruise’s end.

The Library patrons consist mainly of pleasure readers and of study groups using the navigation table books that we provide to determine where we are and where we’re going. Even though these tables are on the PCs in the Library, they want to use the books! I don’t have many electronic resources since we have no internet, just some specialized digital sources the land library was able to load on the ship library’s network. The rest is done with books. Remember those? It’s like doing reference in the early 90’s. Reference questions have been minimal, but steady. I do everything here; reference, readers advisory, circulation, cataloging, cleaning, you name it. A real one-man show.

Another duty of mine is as the ship’s Audio Visual person showing 2 movies a night in the Cadet Lounge next to the Library where they can relax after a day’s work. A new video system with a 52” flat screen TV and surround sound was installed days before we left. We have about 350 mostly current DVDs to choose from and the programming is left up to me. The hardest thing is keeping the running times of the 2 films to about 3 ½ hours so I can close as close to 10:30 pm as possible. I also run the occasional educational film for classes held during the day.

A glossary of sea terms

2009-05-27T06:20:00.001-07:00

I have to maintain nautical terms for things while on board. Here are some translations:

1st Class cadet = 3rd cruise cadet
2nd Class cadet = 2nd cruise cadet
Aft = rear of ship
Bunk = bed
Bow = front of ship
Bunkering = fueling
Cabin = stateroom
Deck = floor
Fore = front of ship
Galley = kitchen
Head = bathroom
Ladder = stairs
Leg = part of a voyage between ports
Mess = dining area
MUG = Midshipman Under Guidance (1st cruise cadet)
Port = left of ship
Starboard = right of ship
Stern = rear of ship
Steward = room or food service personnel

Underway

2009-05-27T06:16:00.000-07:00

After being stuck at Montauk for almost 40 hours to fix the e-mail, it never got fixed so Captain Richard Smith decided to continue our journey without it. That’s the reason for lack of my blog entries from sea so far. So much for my grand plan. I understand that they will attempt to fix it in our first port.

The sail so far has been great. I write this on Sunday May 24, 2009. We’ve traveled over 1,600 miles toward our first port, the Azores. The weather has been fantastic, warm and sunny outdoors with calm or just lightly rolling seas. As I write this we’re waiting for the barbecue grills to heat up for our all-day Memorial Day feast of steaks, burgers, hot dogs, salads and ice cream floats.

I wish the indoor temperature was as nice. The ship was very inconsistent from deck to deck. The first few days, my cabin was freezing and the Library was like Hades. The Library temperature got so bad that it was driving my patrons away. One step in the Library and they turned around and left. On Friday, when the Library reached 97 degrees, the Chief Mate shut us down until the temperature could be adjusted to safe levels. By Saturday morning conditions had drastically improved. My cabin temperature moderated too. A much more pleasant environment.

On to the Azores.

Departure

2009-05-27T06:10:00.000-07:00

The Ship departed from Fort Schuyler in the Bronx at exactly 10:00am on Monday May 18. The departure was spectacular with throngs of loved ones lining the sea wall near the Maritime dock to wish all their sailors Bon Voyage. My daughter Lisa and her boyfriend showed up to see me off but, because of security concerns, I couldn't get off to see them and they couldn't get on to see me. Thank God for cell phones and binoculars.

I had spent the night before on the ship to insure that I would be there. The cabin that I'm sharing for part of the cruise with an agent of NOAA was meat locker COLD.

The tugs that would pull us out under the Throgs Neck Bridge arrived about 9:30 as did a NY Fire Dept. rescue boat with an honorary spraying salute to our departure. By about 10:30, we were underway sailing east through the Long Island Sound. We had to anchor off Montauk Point to dispatch some inspectors and College personnel not doing the cruise. But, we discovered, we would be there a while awaiting a part for the Ship's email system that had to be flown up from Miami to the College, configured at Maritime, driven out to Montauk and delivered to us by launch! Luckily the Captain found a sheltered spot to anchor making for a pleasant night's sleep (in a refrigerator).

First blog@sea! (Kinda)

2009-05-18T15:36:00.000-07:00

Hey y'all, this is Scott - Rich's son and guest blogger extraordinaire - reporting in with a quick update! Got a call from the man himself a few minutes ago: The ship launched at 10 this morning, and is currently anchored of the coast of Montauk. Dad's cell phone signal was kinda non-existent at the point I talked to him at, but we still managed to connect the call, so Western civ isn't entirely behind him yet. Soon enough, though, he'll be on his way with this crazy 80 day race around the world or whatever. But seriously folks, wish the man luck. It's not every day you get to take a trip to the furthest corners of the Earth and get paid for it, and I'm sure he has enough books and cigars to keep him entertained for the long oceanic stretches between destinations.

So, Adieu Rich Delbango, we'll see you in two months! Keep your wits about it in the choppy, pirate-heavy waters. And if the swine flu gets us all before you make it to the mainland, at least you'll have been insulated from it!

Bureaucracy

2009-05-14T17:33:00.000-07:00

After battling morning traffic to the Bronx, I reported to Fort Schuyler for my first day on the job. When I got there I found out that my government issued TWIC card that I need to be allowed on the docks (and the ship), was sitting in someone's office in the Battery in Manhattan 15 LONG miles away. So, instead of working on preparing the library all day, I had to drive into lower Manhattan, on a rainy workday, to claim my card. GRRRRRRR! Consequently, I now have to squeeze 2 days of prep into a single day. Nobody said this trip was going to be easy, but it will be fun.

Track my voyage

2009-05-08T12:07:00.000-07:00

There's a great new web tool that tracks every registered ship on the high seas. It is called Sailwx.info. Click here to track the daily progress of the Empire State VI.

Packing

2009-05-07T15:01:00.000-07:00

What do you pack for 7 weeks at sea? I'll be thousands of miles from the nearest Wal*Mart for long stretches of time so I have to bring almost everything with me. Some things are easy to plan on like enough clothes for all types of weather and laundry supplies to clean them. Food is taken care of, but a few snacks are always good to have. And I can't forget a 2 month's supply of cigars.

There are some things you never dream of until the ship is underway. Things like duct tape to keep loose items from banging around as the ship rocks and rolls, and it does plenty of that. Velcro to secure small items. A bed rail to keep from falling out of bed. A comforter and extra pillow to supplement the institutional ones provided. I also have my electronic gadgets like my own GPS to chart the voyage, a short wave radio to hear the news of the world, a digital camera so I can post pics. my MP3 player, my laptop. Plenty of batteries and chargers for all are a necessity.

The ship has a ship's store that sells some small items, but it is better to be prepared. I have to carry a knife and flashlight with me at all times. What other librarian job requires one to carry a knife at work? Maybe one in a bad neighborhood, but I'm sure even there it is frowned upon.

Damn the pirates

2009-04-20T09:34:00.000-07:00

The Pittsburgh Pirates that is.

The major topic of conversation in my life since I announced my cruise is "aren't you scared of pirates?". I have to educate the listener that the current incidents of piracy are occurring off Somalia, some 10, 000 miles from where I will be sailing. Of course even the Staten Island Ferry is susceptible to piracy, but the chances are mighty slim in the waters that I will be sailing. Unless the current economic crisis drives the Scandinavians back to their viking roots, I think that I will be safe. I am sure though that anti-piracy training will be a new addition to this year's cruise along with the other mandatory safety training exercises.

By the way, the pirate in the pic isn't me as many have commented on. It is Patchy the Pirate, SpongeBob's #1 fan!

Getting ready

2009-04-08T13:43:00.000-07:00

5 1/2 weeks to go. Got the itinerary, but it is confidential for security reasons until we arrive at each port. I can say we are going to an island in the Atlantic, an island in the Mediterranian, and 2 northern European countries. We're also going to cross the Arctic circle which will be the 2nd time for me. When you cross the Arctic for the 1st time, you become a member of the Order of the Blue Nose. We should be in the Arctic and Nortern Europe near the summer solstice. It is very disconcerting to have almost 24 hours of daylight. Better than the winter of perpetual darkness.

I'm still waiting for my dock security papers from Homeland Security. This is a new wrinkle this year. The world has changed considerably since 9/11. I'm gathering my supplies and uniforms. Khaki is the color when I'm on duty.

Maritime Summer Sea term 2009 cruise

2009-03-14T10:26:00.000-07:00

I have been hired to be the Ship's Librarian for the State University of New York's Maritime College's Summer Sea term. This will be the second time that I have done this. I was the librarian in 2002.

The 7 week session essentially brings the Maritime College to sea to train the students for careers in the maritime industry. The cruise is aboard the the Empire State VI , a 565 ft., 17,000 ton transport ship that will be the home and school for about 500 cadets, faculty, officers and staff for 2 months. On board, the students will learn to operate an ocean-going vessel. Every student has to complete 3 cruises before graduation to satisfy U.S. Coast Guard regulations for licensing.

This year's cruise will begin in mid-May and return in mid-July. The cruise will cover about 10,000 miles and take us to 4 ports in the Atlantic and Europe. It is always an exciting and challenging experience for both the cadets and crew. I will be reporting as regularly as possible on the cruise.

Ship's starting location map

LIBRARIAN AT SEA -- A Blog by Rich Delbango

Almost Home

Packing Up

Sailing the Foggy Banks

St. Johns

Detour

One Week to Go

Two Treats

Just Sailing Along

Heading Home

The Longest Day or Saving Private Delbango

Quimper

Brest

Sailing Through the Bay of Biscay

Brest and the Brittany Region

Rolling Along on the Atlantic

Through the Straits, Again

Last Sunday at Sea in the Med

Man Overboard!

Sailing off Majorca

A Rude Awakening

On the Sea Again

Malta day 3

Malta day 2

Malta day 1

Pics from Malta

Malta  an Overview

Anchored off Malta

Craving to get on Land

4th of July, Empire State

Fueling Up

Sloooooooowwwww Sailing

The Needle Gun

Just Another Day at Sea

My Contact Information at Sea

The Angry Sea

Out to Sea

Greetings from Dublin

Getting Ready

First Librarian's BLOG

Fare well to the Empire State

I'm back!

The journey's end

The last leg

Officer Appreciation Dinner

Smooth sailing

1000 miles to home

Best laid plans

4th of July, Atlantic Ocean

Yes Sir

Exam Time

Expresso Love

Heading Home

Walking Around Belfast

The Giants Causeway

Belfast

Passing Scotland

Commuting

The mist

King Neptune and the Bluenoses

Happy Father's Day

Sounds of the sea

In the Realm of the Polar Bear

Farewell to Iceland

Insomnia

Sorry for the formatting problems

Creature from the Blue Lagoon

Entering the land of the midnight sun

Rockin' and Rollin'

From tedium to apathy and back again

Ship lag

Back to sea again

An e-mail posting test

My e-mail

Bunkering

Monkeys of the Rock

The Road to Morocco

The Rock

More drills

Man the lifeboats

St. Johns

The Longest Day or Saving Private Delbango

Malta an Overview

The Giants Causeway