Life in Dry Dock

----post updated 11 SEP 12---- (it was first attempted from my phone because I was stuck on the barge and had lots of time) :)

August 27, the Monday after my first break, was a wild first day back. It started with a command urinalysis sweep, since somebody popped on a test, I heard. The skewed schedule allowed me time to go to my parent division to print up a request chit and submit it before lunch. Interestingly, it just got approved today.

The rest of that first Monday was taken up with going over to the ship and bagging up all the food that had been left behind by accident and spoiled. My, was that a hot, disgusting mess. I made six trips carrying bags of trash and left-behind dishes. You could say that I got an intense stair-stepper workout while at work.

It's been nearly another two weeks since I've last posted. I worked the ward room a couple times, but I've since switched myself over to working the scullery as my main job. I'm good at it and I like watching all the dishes get clean as I spray them off before sending them through the washer. Just today I got a compliment from a Chief for working so hard every day.

It's been interesting in there too... There were a couple power outages last week, and today we had a hot water issue for breakfast and lunch. Had to stack everything up and use paper plates for a while. There are three gauges to pay attention to for temps: two wash tanks and a final rinse. Along with that, the tanks below should be filled with water, and sometimes they drain out and the machine works on steam. The problem is, to fill the tanks, cold water is fed in, which will cause the washers to go under the temp requirement if not watched closely. A duty officer even comes in every meal to make sure we're operating in the standards.

In a way, it's good that I'm cranking now... the duty sections have a lot of watches to cover, so everyone else is working hard too, usually standing 10 hours of watch on duty days (two different watches, thankfully!). Just yesterday, the mess decks MA came up with a new schedule, so that we get more days off. Things have definitely quieted down from when we first got here, and we're finally getting into a groove.

As for regular day-to-day stuff, we have Quarters every morning on the mess decks with all of Supply... CS (culinary specialists - or cooks), LS (logistics specialists), and SH (ship's servicemen). The First Classes rotate leading it, starting with the Sailor's Creed, then read the POD (plan of the day) to us, put out anything that needs to be put out, and call us to attention when the Chiefs and DIVO (division officer) arrive. Supply is so complex that there is a SUPPO and ASUPPO (supply and assistant supply officers). The Khaki, as officers and chiefs are known as, put out whatever was put out at the Officer's Call beforehand.

Sometimes Quarters drives me nuts because we have to drop everything and wait, and sometimes they come down hard on people for shaving and haircuts (and you wonder why people can't just get it together)but then I remember that it comes from a very long military tradition of mustering... and it's important for the dissemination of information... and it really doesn't take too long after all.

I really love our location on the river! There are dolphins breaking water almost every day, and the fishing isn't bad either. I saw a pair of sea turtles feeding on the algae growing on the dock, and it seems as if there are always herons, egrets, seagulls and pelicans to watch along with a beautiful sunset.

Between meals there are certain things that have to be done every day. Sweepers around the mess decks is one, but then also taking the trash out to the dumpster... there are four street-size trash cans in the galley, then the one outside the scullery too. It seems as if I empty them at least three or four times a day. :) Then there's the bread to be wrapped in two-slice packets (so people can easily make sandwiches for themselves), and then the cookies or brownies or cake to be plated up as well. The days usually pass by pretty quickly... it seems like I am always busy.

On Labor Day weekend I got myself a fishing pole and a cheap bicycle from Walmart in order to help me use the time I do get off constructively. I have caught a few little fish (catch and release) and I've made a couple trips across the river on my bike (using the ferry, of course). There is also Cable TV in the lounge below the mess decks, so sometimes I catch a football game with the guys. Otherwise, I have a few movies to watch on my laptop, and a few books to read too.

It is a little difficult not having my car, because the ship's shuttles only go to the base at Mayport and then one place for shopping, so the choices are a little limited. I've enjoyed rental cars on the weekends though, as well as a few nights at hotels to get away for a while. :)