02 Sep - Topside and Boottopping!?!
RRS Ernest Shackleton Diary
Position at 1200:Aberdeen Harbour
Conditions: Wind S'ly light;
Barometer 1013.0 mb Falling; Cloudy, fine and clear, slight sea, low swell.
Arrived Aberdeen 1200 hrs on Monday and have been at Aberdeen Harbour, Regents Quay all week. The probability of work is not likely as the harbour has been fairly full and the unusual fine weather has meant that the crew change helicopters were able to fly all week.
Being so close to the city centre , 5 mins walk to the shops and Post Office during lunchtime and evenings is not something we seafarers are used to, but we are enjoying it all the same!
Here is the a view of Aberdeen in the early morning, with the ship five minutes walk
away, enjoying unusually fine weather!
The deck department has made the most of this quiet spell to "TOPSIDE and BOOTTOPPING"
Boottopping is the area from the waterline to the summer
water line and topside is the area from the summer water line upwards (Red Area).
These have been "SOOGIED" (cleaned and scrubbed up) and the hatch covers
have been chipped and painted in preparation for the journey south in October. Whilst bootopping we were visited
several times by a curious baby seal baby seal checking out what was going on,
he(she?) has been in the harbour a few days and seems quite happy and wants to
play.
The engineering department is very busy preparing for the maintenance lay-up which is now scheduled for the middle of this month in Wallsend, Newcastle instead of Hull.
Finally could I introduce Crew Member :-
Charlie Chalk (Bosun) in his cabin. Charlie has been at sea since 1963,
comes from Hull and is married with two children. He is a hillwalker and as you can see, a keen gardener!
North Sea Diary 17 will be written on Sunday September 10 2001 and should be published on Monday September 11 2001.
Vince J
