Thursday, August 2, 2012

Memoirs of a Messman


"Does everyone think they’re just now going to lose weight in a week?" –disappointed female cadet coming out of an apparently over crowded cardio room.

We’ve survived ice-infested, fog-covered waters and making great time past Canada.  Some sightings of “orca” whales have been reported in the last few hours; sorry to say, cadets, they’re most likely pilot whales or a type of dolphin.  I’m hoping someone got some pictures!

Cadet Jordan Rose, former chess champion from a couple of posts back, would like report that his day as messman (which began at 0530 this morning!) was successful.  As an engineer, he’s reported for messman three times already; his deck counterparts, however, could report up to 8 times during their cruise!  Messman duties could include serving, working in the scullery, collecting garbage, wiping tables, and running pots and pans from the cooks in the galley.  Today’s work day also included having underclassmen shadow upper class rates and help them with their daily tasks, like checking the lifeboats (boat rate), lines (bosun rate), designing special projects (carpenters), normal checks on the gyro or chart corrections (navigators), etc.

Finals have come and gone for many, while others still wait with baited breath.  Ship’s operations are gearing towards shoreside preparations, and forms for berthing check outs have started circulating.  I’m constantly reminded by my library visitors with just as much enthusiasm usually reserved for, say, opening a pile of birthday presents or getting your very first car. that there are “Only 4 days and a wake up left!!!” 

Cheers,
Books

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