Thursday, December 16, 2021

Night watch, post-bunker blues

 It's a nice quiet night here aboard HAWSEPIPER's Afloat Global HQ/ Hot Dog Safari. 


       I did a quick bunker job on a pretty little bulk ship, the BALSA 94. As noted before, Blogger for some reason no longer allows me to post hi-res photos, so there aren't great pictures to share today... but if you know me in meatspace, I did post them on my Instagram, which is about the limit of what social media I consume these days. Instagram lets me look at boats and boobs, and that's about all I need out of social media these days anyhow. 


         The BALSA 94 job was a lot of fun. The weather was unusually fine for December, there being a light breeze and temps around 50. The crew was mostly out on deck catching the cell signals to call home, which the ship being almost 100% top-down Filipino crew, meant that as people finished their phone calls, socialization happened, and also there were extra hands helping the Black Gang on their side as we moved hoses, passed papers, etc. Several guys hung over the rail and shot the shit with me, which is something I haven't done in ages, just chatting sailor to sailor.  We quickly commiserated on long contracts, short pay and shore leave no longer being what it once was: fun.  naturally, we talked families and kids, as sailors often do. The only childless unmarried guy in the group, who was a first-voyager 18 year old, was hounded and made fun of for being unmotivated and possibly gay for his lack of progeny, but the kid took it in stride. With a well-paying job, I suspect that he won't remain childless for long. 


The job itself went off well and efficient, and when it was done, we sailed to the company mooring buoy and went alongside another bunker barge, where we currently now sit. 


      I threw some chicken on top of a salad and called it dinner, and had to make some pickled onions, as they're easy to make and I was out. The galley still smells like onions and vinegar. Makes me hungry, to be honest. 


2 comments:

Cedar said...

Pickled onion? Not something I’ve done. Do you have a recipe?

Paul, Dammit! said...

Cedar, super simple- Thin slice red onion, throw it in a mason jar. Boil 2 cups of water and a good pinch of salt. Add 2 cups of white vinegar, bring back to the boil, pour over the onions and cap it. Let it cool an hour or two, then put it in the fridge- it'll turn a lovely pink and will be ready in 24 hours. I've never kept it longer than 2 weeks, as pickled onions go great with everything, and as I'm old and fattish, I'm a salad guy these days.