Sea Life Chapter 4

Eagle Albany

12^th August 1998 to 18^th February 1999

I fly to Japan for the New Delivery in July 1998 about two week before the vessel is set to sail off. We stay in a Hostel near to the yard, and Dennis is my room mate. The senior officer had been there few months before and they just completed the sea trial recently. We change into our working clothing and start our inspection of the vessel, taking notes of the defects which we had notice and making mental notes of the stencil marking and layout setup for future operation.

Dennis forgot to bring the charger for his video cam, by chance it was able to use my digital camera charger. We planned for a visit to Hiroshima during one of the weekend evening, but we did not know that the cheaper train ticket we brought took 4 hours to reach the location. So by the time we reach there it was already about 2200 hrs at night and most of the shop and shopping center are closed.

We get another chance over the weekday as the yard is planning to paint the ship getting ready for delivery hand over. We did not know that day is the Atomic Bomb Memorial Day, so when we arrive at the town early in the morning we saw a lot of local heading to the Memorial Park. We walk along the Shopping Street and visit the Memorial Park, the crews are crazy about getting electronic goods at Pawn Shop while the Officers are interested in the 200 ($2) Yen Value Shop.

We also did went out the night before the ship sail off, as we are going for a long voyage we need to get some stuffs. One of the main item is the pillow, as the one provided by the Japan yard are too high and too hard. Second Engineer Aun Aun wanted to make the spare Master Key, the Key Smith check the catalog to ensure it comply to their country security standard before accepting the job.

We went to a local pub nearby to meet Third Engineer Kelvin, he was crazy about a Japanese Waitress there and trying to get her contact before we left. As 50% of the Japanese words are similar to Chinese, I became useful in getting the mailing address for him to write his love letters. They are having some harvest celebration at the small town near to the yard, we manage to met a local who speak English to explain to us about the origin of the celebration.

We sail off at 12^th August and will be stopping by at Singapore for our Bunker, Store, Spare and Provision. Second Engineer Cheah knew another Fourth Engineer Teoh will be joining in Singapore, so he send message to him asking him to bring some entertainment stuff from Malaysia.

The vessel arrive at Singapore Anchorage and I was busy taking bunker on deck, Superintendent Toh came and ask me for direct around the ship. I thought he was the ship chandler but later was told by the other ship staffs that he was the Superintendent. Superintendent Ang also came onboard for a visit, I met him when he was having lunch at the mess room, If the Chief Cook did not introduce him I would not have thought he is Superintendent too as he was wearing working clothing and just did a tank inspection.

New join crews brought a PlayStation Gaming Console, a few games and a few VCD, that will be our entertainment for the 45 days long voyage to America. We proceed to Australia first to load Crude Condensate, the cargo corrosive properties will help to clean the cargo tank. It can strip paint to bare metal on contact and Bosun kept a few jar in his store for future cleaning.

Burmese Electrician was not happy that the company cancel his request for power screw driver, as he will need to open a lot of screw for ceiling and bulkhead inspection he decided to get one himself. He later brought a set of Infinity Speaker Set and a Digital Universal Remote Control for his Home Entertainment System, he was kind enough to impress us during one of the SRC Movie Screening Night.

Chief Engineer love the Female Actress Whitney Houston in the Movie named The Body Guard, every evening after dinner he will be the first in the TV Room to watch the movie. We had watch the movie more than 40 times during our long voyage because of him. A few of the younger crew members prefer to challenge each other in fighting game in the other TV Room.

We saw the Cape of Good Hope after about 30 days of long voyage, it was the first time we saw land since we left Australia. Captain Mogay make a remark on Chief Officer Mohana Cabin, empty beer cans were rolling all over the cabin when he went for inspection. Third Engineer Kelvin bring Third Officer Dennis to a strip club when we arrive in America, Dennis say he had to wash his face for more than a week after the visit.

Both of them planned to visit Laos and Cambodia after they sign off from the vessel, and it led to a joke later when Dennis Sister call my home looking for him while my mom who answer the phone thought why my friend sister call me to look for their dog. I realize that it was Dennis Chinese name and call her back and told her about his trip and ask her to confirm if his passport is not at home.
 

We also visit Bourbon Street in New Orleans, both my fifth engineer were very exited when they saw the Mardi Gras style of celebration during New Year Eve. Second Engineer Wife adopted a small parrot which lost it way and wander around our ship, but the bird die after a few days and everybody feel sad.

The Second Officer who taking over Dennis claim he is a Computer Expert, but Dennis found out later it is otherwise. He call Dennis and say that he cannot find the file that Dennis handover to him, Dennis ask him to look for it on A Drive as it is save on Floppy Disc. He insist it should be on C Drive as he had already put the Floppy Disc into the Computer and the Computer should be C Drive.

He then call Dennis on another occasion claiming that all the data on the spread sheet are gone, Dennis thought he had accidentally delete it by mistake. When Dennis went to the computer he saw the marker on the screen is at the last cell, so Dennis just press Home and Page Up together and the data magically appear again.  

Me and Dennis sign off around Chinese New Year with some deck crews, we were suppose to arrive Singapore on the third day of Chinese New Year. But due to a lot of flight delay, we had to stay one night each in Houston and Los Angeles. Our luggage also could not be found when we arrive in Singapore on the fifth day of Chinese New Year, after checking with the Baggage Claim Department we found out that our luggage still in Los Angeles because they did not transfer it to our new flight when we switch.