So here is a long long long post complete with everything I've written in my little flip notebook journal that I brought on the trip on a ship I just took in the Gulf of Mexico. Enjoy!6/22 at 5:25 pm
Been a long 2 days. I'll start with Sunday - woke up at 5:20 am, got ready and was at the shuttle by 6 am. Flew to Houston --> when landing the plane's steering malfunctioned and we were met at the runway with firetrucks. Exciting. Then I waited in the airport for a few hours until I learned that Joel's first flight was delayed which meant he missed his second one into Houston. And so his new second flight wasn't getting in until 6:25 pm (not 4 pm). So then I met up with our ride Alonzo and put my stuff in the government car and started waiting for Joel. Long, semi-awkward waiting. Got Joel, and then proceeded to get lost just leaving the airport, but finally we made it out to see the millions of overpasses in Houston. Finally got to Galveston, went to Target for Joel, then got to the boat. I'm in stateroom 13, bottom bunk, right across from the captain's office and right next to the crew lounge. 
All of us went to Murphy's pub - I had water and pizza and some people played pool. I met my roomie Aspen briefly. Came back to the ship early with Joel and went straight to bed. Got up early Monday (today) ~ 8 am but stayed in bed until 9 am. Got up, put on sunscreen, got dressed, and went down and found Joel. Both of us went out to breakfast at Star Drug and hung out there for awhile. Then we went over to a wonderful used bookstore and stayed there for quite awhile. (I bought 3 books for less than $10!!). 
Came back to the ship, dropped off my stuff, and then went out again solo. Wandered around, bought some postcards (couldn't find a pin anywhere!) and a delicious ice cream cone. Came back, napped, and then woke up for our orientation and ship tour at 3 pm. We launched around 4:15, I watched and took tons of pictures and saw like 10-15 dolphins! There were also a lot of pelicans and seagulls around. Came inside, showered, and then wrote this. Now I'm planning on sleeping until my shift starts at midnight. Night!
All of us went to Murphy's pub - I had water and pizza and some people played pool. I met my roomie Aspen briefly. Came back to the ship early with Joel and went straight to bed. Got up early Monday (today) ~ 8 am but stayed in bed until 9 am. Got up, put on sunscreen, got dressed, and went down and found Joel. Both of us went out to breakfast at Star Drug and hung out there for awhile. Then we went over to a wonderful used bookstore and stayed there for quite awhile. (I bought 3 books for less than $10!!). 
Came back to the ship, dropped off my stuff, and then went out again solo. Wandered around, bought some postcards (couldn't find a pin anywhere!) and a delicious ice cream cone. Came back, napped, and then woke up for our orientation and ship tour at 3 pm. We launched around 4:15, I watched and took tons of pictures and saw like 10-15 dolphins! There were also a lot of pelicans and seagulls around. Came inside, showered, and then wrote this. Now I'm planning on sleeping until my shift starts at midnight. Night!6/23 at 12:30 pm
Made it through my first 12-hour shift. Spent most of the time on my feet sorting and measuring fish, crabs, shrimp, jellyfish, etc. 
It was kind of exciting at times to see the weird crab types and catching the barracuda, dogfish sharks, etc. But it's been a long day working since midnight. And now there's going to be a fire drill any minute so I can't shower or sleep until it's done. I could wander around and take pictures but I really am exhausted. There was also a Portuguese Man O' War once --> very small. Still not sure which shift is better. I figure I can stay awake until 4 pm and still get about 8 hours of sleep, which gives me 4 daylight hours to myself, but I'm just exhausted. If I had the day shift I could sleep directly after, get up at 8 am, and still get 4 hours of day in before getting tired. But I would probably just sleep in. Man I'm tired. Maybe I'll just doze until the drill...
It was kind of exciting at times to see the weird crab types and catching the barracuda, dogfish sharks, etc. But it's been a long day working since midnight. And now there's going to be a fire drill any minute so I can't shower or sleep until it's done. I could wander around and take pictures but I really am exhausted. There was also a Portuguese Man O' War once --> very small. Still not sure which shift is better. I figure I can stay awake until 4 pm and still get about 8 hours of sleep, which gives me 4 daylight hours to myself, but I'm just exhausted. If I had the day shift I could sleep directly after, get up at 8 am, and still get 4 hours of day in before getting tired. But I would probably just sleep in. Man I'm tired. Maybe I'll just doze until the drill... 2:55 pm
Had to watch a dumb safety video during the fire drill - then the abandon ship drill - had to try on "survivor suits." Sooo hot. Had an ice cream bar and read Sassinak. Now headed for dreamland.
6/24 at 2:47 pm
I've been talking to myself/thinking in a Southern accent - how random! Long day again today - actually even longer. The only break was for "breakfast." But it was also getting easier - knowing what to do and what's expected etc. I also learned the trick to shower right after work. That was nice and helped keep me awake until now. During the watch we caught some big batfish (Joel is bringing one back to GAC) and some meter-long bonnet-head sharks (like hammerheads!). 
After the watch I saw a couple of dolphins and a bunch of seabirds. Was angry to see day watch people all sitting around in the dry lab (finally checked email today). I worked all shift and they were sitting around for hours... grr. Anyway. I'm about to head to bed - I hope I don't dream about seeing shrimp!
After the watch I saw a couple of dolphins and a bunch of seabirds. Was angry to see day watch people all sitting around in the dry lab (finally checked email today). I worked all shift and they were sitting around for hours... grr. Anyway. I'm about to head to bed - I hope I don't dream about seeing shrimp!6/25 at 3:31 pm
Long day again - but more breaks. Only because I finally decided not to just stand around when I wasn't doing anything - I sat in the dry lab instead. I guess I'm getting more comfortable on the ship. Anyway, our first couple trawls were pretty usual, except we're further from the coast now and getting deeper-dwelling creatures. We got some starfish, more dogfish sharks that I got to throw overboard, a scorpionfish, some creepy looking crabs and spider crabs. I saved 5 starfish for myself - put them in the freezer and will dry them out when I get home. 
The 3rd or 4th trawl though was packed with mud, so we had to try to pick the stuff out of it or wash it out if we could. It was nasty, and the next trawl was just as bad. The third muddy trawl was in at around 11 am and was about 80 - 90% mud and so they had to discard the results so we didn't bother sorting it, which meant our first break since Tuesday. We got to eat lunch and sit around from 11 - 12 and it was glorious. Ate a great lunch too - burger and fries. Afterwards I did some emailing, took a shower, and Joel Casey and I watched Transformers. On an 8 mm tape. WTF! It was so fun! Joel loves the movie and Casey had never seen it before so it was just a lot of fun. Afterwards I finally ventured out onto the deck outside the porthole window of my room. Nothing special, but I like it. And now I'm headed to bed - good day!
The 3rd or 4th trawl though was packed with mud, so we had to try to pick the stuff out of it or wash it out if we could. It was nasty, and the next trawl was just as bad. The third muddy trawl was in at around 11 am and was about 80 - 90% mud and so they had to discard the results so we didn't bother sorting it, which meant our first break since Tuesday. We got to eat lunch and sit around from 11 - 12 and it was glorious. Ate a great lunch too - burger and fries. Afterwards I did some emailing, took a shower, and Joel Casey and I watched Transformers. On an 8 mm tape. WTF! It was so fun! Joel loves the movie and Casey had never seen it before so it was just a lot of fun. Afterwards I finally ventured out onto the deck outside the porthole window of my room. Nothing special, but I like it. And now I'm headed to bed - good day! I take back what I first said - this post is going to end here and I'll pick up the rest of the story tomorrow. I will leave with a short tale of something that happened to me tonight after I got home though.
So I called in at Culver's to see if I had to work tomorrow and had a very unhappy conversation. I politely talked to the manager (who I've worked with for 5 years now) and told her I just got back in town and asked if she could check the schedule and see if I had to work tomorrow. And all of a sudden I'm getting this angry lecture about how lazy all the employees are and how if I want to know if I work I should go in there and check it myself and how she wasn't going to check it for people who just call in anymore. And so, being tired and cranky, I replied "well then if I'm scheduled to work tomorrow I guess I won't be in" and hung up on her. And immediately felt incredibly horrible and guilty and called right back and apologized and all she said was that I had to work from 11:30 am to 9 pm (yes that's 8 1/2 hours of hell right there) and hung up on me.
So I might be in for a reaaaaaaally fun day tomorrow. Especially if she's working. Curse my sleep-deprived/travel-indu
So I might be in for a reaaaaaaally fun day tomorrow. Especially if she's working. Curse my sleep-deprived/travel-indu
1 comment:
everything you did in galveston sounds more fun than what i've done for the past 6 months D: i envy you!!!! and the manager from your job is rude! kick her butt!!
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