Chum Watching

Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Mon 17 Aug 2015 22:37
Chum Watching Over Lunch
 
 
 
 
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Sitting waiting for a toasted cheese and tomato sandwich - well colour me happy, a chum begins her approach. Just as we did, when we came in to anchor in Momi Bay for the night before moving to Musket Cove, she lined herself up and headed through the markers. By the time she turned left inside the outer reef, we could see she belonged to the Japanese Kyowa – Line. Something for me to get my teeth in later on.
 
 
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A few minutes later a pilot was dropped off by a working lady, tiny as she left the side of our new friend.
 
 
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Colour me even happier, a new chum came around the corner on her way to sea.
 
 
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Fun to watch these ladies, from the shore.........
 
 
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Nearly there.
 
 
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Saying ‘farewell’.
 
 
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Our new friend is now waiting for her right turn, the people look as if they are her markers.
 
 
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Nicely lined up.
 
 
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Safely through, these markers look diddy but in reality are point nine of a mile apart.
 
 
TROPICAL_ISLANDER
 
Sitting up in bed tonight I had the great fun finding my ladies. The inbound chum - Tropical Islander. I know, I can hear some of you groaning and calling me a saddo......... I have to say a very big ‘thank you’ to marinetraffic.com
Tropical Islander is a roll on/roll off container carrier [on AIS simply seen as Cargo], flying the Panamanian flag. IMO number 9385219. MMSI number 370180000. Call sign 3FLZ. She was built in 2009 by Shin Kochi Jyuko, Kochi, Japan. Her vital statistics: Length 161 metres. Beam 25 metres. Draft 7.8 metres. Gross Tonnage 18174. Maximum speed 16.6 knots and her average is 14.7
 
I found her recent ports of call:
03/3/15 at 00:00:12 UTC – Kobe, Japan 
05/3/15 at 09:45:28 UTC – Yokohama, Japan
07/5/15 at 05:00:34 UTC – Gimhae, South Korea
11/5/15 at 05:00:33 UTC – Kobe, Japan
14/5/15 at 06:00:34 UTC – Yokohama, Japan
23/5/15 at 06:00:35 UTC – Bonriki, Kiribati
17/5/15 at 14:30:12 UTC – Gimhae, South Korea
20/7/15 at 19:45:20 UTC – Kobe, Japan
22/7/15 at 07:10:29 UTC – Yokohama, Japan
02/8/15 at 07:00:03 UTC – Bonriki, Kiribati
15/8/15 at 06:10:00 UTC – Noumea, New Caledonia
Tonight she sleeping in Lautoka, Fiji
 
The Port of Lautoka is Fiji’s largest port for handling bulk cargo, specialising in bulk sugar, molasses, woodchips, petroleum and gas. It services the shipping needs of Western Viti Levu and is the base for Fiji’s famed Blue Lagoon Cruises and Nai’a Cruises. The port can take chums to a maximum length of 150 metres. The tidal height is 2 metres. The channel depth is 11 metres. The girls can safely anchor in water of 14 metres. The cargo pier depth is 7.9 metres. The oil terminal depth is 12.5 metres.
 
 

Anatolia

 
Our outgoing lady – Anatolia Pacific.
 
 
Born here
 
Anatolia Pacific is an oil/chemical tanker, flying the flag of Vanuatu. IMO number 9301691. MMSI number 577178000. Call sign YJTL2. She was built in 2005 by Miura Shipbuilding, Saiki, Japan. Her vital statistics: Length 92 metres. Beam 16 metres. Draft 5.7 metres. Gross Tonnage 2,994 tons. Her Summer deadweight tonnage 3,842 tons [Summer deadweight tonnage is the maximum cargo weight that can be carried which includes cargo, fuel, water, and crew that excludes the weight of the vessel. Summer relates to worse case scenario of freeboard which sinks slightly lower in a warmer sea]. Maximum speed 13.9 knots.
 
 
My chum at seven
 
A few hours later Anatolia was cruising out toward open water where she can speed up to her average twelve and a half knots, her next port of call – Nuku Alofa, Tonga. Safe winds and following seas to her.
 
 
 
 
ALL IN ALL A HAPPY HOBBY
                     A RELAXING INTERLUDE