Groundhog Day

There are clues everywhere I look confirming the fact that our boat has been idle waaay too long.
We like to say we are on "stand by", it just sounds better.
When our boat was first positioned down here in Fourchon Louisiana, mated up with our barge which has been transformed thanks to BP, into a multi million dollar oil response vessel, we were all quite happy.

The alternative would be to be in service in the North East, towing a barge in 12 ft seas, going days without good rest and fighting the ice and snow that would surely come as winter approaches.

Sitting here on the edge of the sun splashed Gulf of Mexico, waiting for another oil spill sounded like early retirement to us. We were all for it.

That was a few months ago.

Each job presents different challenges.

As of now we're getting a physical break, the challenge now is to stay right mentally. Waking up everyday in the same place has it's challenges.

It's like the movie "Groundhog Day." Every day is the same.

Some people on here just don't know what to do with themselves.

One example is clearly illustrated below.

The gentleman pictured below is the Captain.

What's wrong with this picture? Many things.

1) He's in my engine room.
Other than an occasional visit, Captains and deck hands usually stay clear of the engine room room.
2) He's dressed like a deckhand.
3) Not only is he in my engine room, he's actually working in the engine room.
4) Note the knee pads he is wearing. He's wearing them because he was on his hands and knees buffing my deck plates. What's with that?
5) No one buffs their deck plates, why is the Captain doing it?

Take the job of steering the boat away from a Captain and they have no idea what to do with themselves.

I jokingly told him he should use his time wisely, take an online course, buy stuff on ebay, start a blog.

It was my way of telling him to get the hell out of the engine room. I couldn't say it like that.
He's too nice of a guy.