Day nine was transit day. It was a nice day, the ocean calm but windy. During transits we usually have fire and abandon ship drills in which we did. My job during drills is to operate the radios and satellite communications systems. However, today was lecture and walk through for the fire teams. I stood on the bridge with the ship’s captain. I have sailed with the captain two years ago when she was the executive officer. However, we go back a few years to another NOAA ship, Rainier. I sailed with the skipper when she was an ensign and was promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade during that cruise eight years ago to Southeast Alaska through the Inside Passage. The “wetting down” (promotion in where the person who was promoted buys the drinks, at least one round) party was held in Juneau on a cold April night.
Today was a day of nostalgia for the 90’s. Just about everyone I knew from Dugway on Facebook I contacted and added to the friends list. It was good to get access to their sites and see what they look like now. Many of them were surprised that I had re-married or did not know that my first marriage dissolved a few years back. It was nice to re-establish contact and I would like to keep in touch. Most of the co-workers who were senior to me have retired and my peers are now senior. I was close to going back to Dugway in 2001 until I got a call from NOAA in Seattle for an interview.
Today’s task consisted of re-installing the color printer and reloading the print drivers, installing Windows Defender on public computers for more anti-virus and spyware protection and preview to completing tomorrow’s network certification and accreditation.
My long range radiometer is not working. It is to measure terrestrial radiation. For a person with very limited science, WHAT? I got information from the manufacturer and their solution consisted of mathematical equations. Fortunately we have two science teachers on board and one of them volunteered to help me.
It’s another buoy ops tomorrow with nil involvement from me as far as hardware deployment go. I do support electronics equipment used for monitoring and communications with the deck crew who does the deploying. It is tough work and hot since the ship is always in the equatorial region. The ship’s doc is out there monitoring the situation to make sure no one dehydrates or is injured. I will have a long day as I need to do my weekly check of emergency communications radios and beacons. We have new officers on board and one of them wishes to follow me and see what I do in that category.
I like this ship and this was my first real assignment so the Ka’imimoana has a special place in my heart. It is an unusual job and I like getting paid to do what I do.
Next week today I will be in Samoa. In telephone conversations with “L” I keep reminding her. I am contemplating getting a rental car but the price is very high and last September, right before the tsunami struck, Samoa became the first nation since the 1970’s to switch driving sides. They went from right to left so their roads will be synchronized with Australia and New Zealand. People were forced to switch to right hand drive cars. The reasons were very lame as the Prime Minister desired to increase automobile ownership. With majority of Western Samoan expatriates living in Australia or New Zealand he was hoping they would send cars to their families remaining in Samoa. That is all the small island needs is more cars. In addition, a survey indicated they wanted cash instead of a used car. There was mass opposition but the government ignored their reasons. Reading the local paper over the Internet, many people, drivers and pedestrians, were killed in accidents. Buses at first let passengers board and disembark in the middle of the street. I will see first hand how it works out. I drove in Japan for years and they drive on the left with right hand drive cars. However, the roads in Samoa are small and dangerous were they drove on the right with left hand drives.
That’s about it. Good night from the equatorial Pacific. We should be at 5 South and 155 West in the morning.
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