Haganes – Jahor Baharu 27^th July 2011.

On board Haganes in Jahor Baharu and having been today for our first sea trial.

We went down the estuary and did a few figure eights around the multitude of ships (hundreds probably) anchored off Singapore. She went well, determined and resolute in a straight line but fair to say manoeuvring at low speed she is reminiscent of a flamange in a vat of molasses. The bow thruster is/was driven by a 1952 Mercedes truck engine. I think I may have cooked it berthing on a tight spot behind a very large and expensive super yacht ‘Sinbad’ (that was in Fiji last year or the year before). Nothing that some long heaving lines to get the dock lines ashore and skilful “springing” on and off won’t overcome.

She’s sound though and has been maintained to an amazing standard considering her age. John the engineer is like a 6’2”, triple XL, bearded McIvor with the engine and all the other bits of plumbing and electronics about the ship. She really is like a museum with bits of electronic and mechanical kit aboard that have been having their knobs and handles tweaked from days well before I was born. There are volunteers working out at MOTAT that would salivate over some of the gear I’m looking at as I write from my Nav station behind the wheel house (it’s taken me 2 days to get it ship shape). The engine is a B&W 4 cylinder 2 stroke with max revs around 350 (not 3,500 – 350!) the fly wheel is 6ft diameter and the engine 9ft tall and weighing in at 15 tons, the foot plate is at the top of the sump and standing on that, the cylinder heads are above mine.

The crew are shaping up well enough. It transpires I’m the only one aboard who enjoys an occasional noggin, the others all being non drinkers. John is a yank, and hasn’t had a drink since Nam. Joel is Philippine and has some sea time in the merchant marine. Fancies himself as a helmsman and was doing well until we approached the “Second bridge” on our return (like the Auck. harbour bridge). Still he’s keen and as I told him there aren’t too many bridges we come across in the Pacific. Math is from Thailand, and has little experience but likewise a good bloke and keen enough. The thing you have to watch for is that their keenness can cause them to pretend they understand the explanation of forthcoming procedures (like berthing) rather than telling you that they don’t. (see berthing behind ‘Sinbad’ above). The cook is Carol, a Philippine lass. When I say lass she’s the mother of 4 and I think has an association with John somewhat removed from engines or stoves. She is a good cook though, and I suspect has been trying to impress me with 4 course lunches and dinners of various vegetables, chicken and fish, Thai and Philippine dishes. As I tell her though, impressive as they are, she better start getting on another plane ‘cause there won’t be that many vege’s out there. Carol doesn’t have any sea time and is clearly more used to cooking for a large family in a situation where she can get fresh vegetables form the market on a daily basis than for a small crew on an extended passage. Hopefully whatever issues arise from this will only result in amusing anecdotes rather than frustration, starvation, mutiny or the worst case scenario – me having to cook!

Anyway, McIvor has a number of projects in various states of incompletion (the main reason it’s taken me 2 days to get the wheel house and nav station in order) and having been here as long as he has I think there have been items appearing on his “to do list a lot faster than they’ve been coming off. That’s all changing though and I think we should be ready to head eastward by next weekend (6^th Aug). My only concern at the moment is that we haven’t yet received the ships papers from the owners and won’t be going anywhere anytime without them.

I have WiFi connection here which is a bonus. I can get the news and weather from NZ on the internet and appreciate even more these 32deg temps we have here each day. Take care and I look forward to hearing from you.