Dean Ferrell's "Shipwreck Lounge"

8th Floor Scientist

2010-08-26T06:07:00.000-07:00

Glomar Challenger

The scientific drilling program I work for started out in San Diego back in the 1968 as the Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP). The drill ship was the Glomar Challenger. In 1985 the program was renamed the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) and was moved to Texas A and M University (TAMU) at College Station, with a new drill ship named the "JOIDES Resolution" or the "JR" for short.. In 2003 the program was renewed at Texas A and M and renamed the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) partly due to the inclusion of a riser drill ship, "Chikyu", operated by the Japanese government. At that time a complete re-fit of the JR was completed that rebuilt the laboratory and living spaces.

JOIDES Resolution (JR)

During ODP days the JR had a floor that was called the 8th level, even though there were only seven. You might think this is some kind of superstition, kind of like not having a 13th floor in buildings, or maybe an ode to the psychedelic pioneer Roky Erickson and his "13th Floor Elevators" only it's the "8th Floor Scientists." But no. in way back times, there was a temporary van welded to the roof of the sixth level. This would be expanded into a complete floor. The designers thinking they were creating a whole new level numbered it 8th even thought the temp building and thus the expansion, was the 7th. Engineering drawing actually labeled it the Lab Stack 8th level. To make things even more confusing the 8th level housed the downhole measurements lab (DHML). On the JR we have downhole tools that measure insitu temperature, pressure and take water samples. Downhole being the top level meant everyone had to go up to downhole. As I said before, st the beginning of IODP the ship labs went through a complete change. At that point downhole moved down a level and the operations office moved up to the top level. Now I don't even know if that makes it 6, 7 or 8 levels and it really doesn't matter. What matters is, I'm used to going up to downhole. Many times I run out the door of the ops office, up the stairs to downhole and then find myself on the roof. I usually stay up there a while and look at the stars, just so no one knows how screwed up I am.

IODP is strictly scientific in nature and we actually go to great lengths to make certain we do not drill where there may be hydrocarbons (oil and gas). Past achievements include finding evidence in deep earth core samples of changes to the Earth's magnetic poles, evidence supporting the theory of plate tectonics and evidence supporting the theory of an asteroid collision with Earth which would eventually destroy the dinosaurs. That's only a part of "ODP's Greatest Hits."

Now the program is up for renewal in 2013 and they are looking for a new name. Some want to drop drilling from any new name to distance the program from oil drilling. I'm sure the BP fiasco has something to do with it. We need oil, and we need domestic drilling, even offshore, at least until alternative energy sources before practical. The industry needs to learn from BP's mistakes, but move forward. While my program has nothing to do with that industry, other than sharing some of the same tools, I do support the drilling industry. I have a lot of friends in the oil field and lets not forget there was a great loss of life and livelihood from the BP accident. Having said that, this offshore drilling moratorium is like throwing the baby out with the bath water. It is putting even more people out of work, hurting the economy even more and putting even more dependence on foreign oil which damages our national security. But I'm getting way off subject, so let me put my soap box back under the work bench and get back to my point, if there is one.

Even though there has been a lot learned about the environment and natural history, there are those uninformed that think we are going to drill a hole in the bottom of the ocean, letting all the water out, draining the seas or some other craziness. Some think we're disturbing the marine life, hurting "mother ocean" as one bar room crazy called it. For one thing, we monitor the area for marine mammals and stop operations that may be harmful to them, if they enter that area. Come on now. The program is run and operated by a bunch of scientists that tend to be liberal and pretty damned tree-huggerish. They want to learn more about the earth and environment, not hurt it. So I guess that's one reason they want the name changed to emphasize the program's scientific accomplishments.

Many suggestions have been offered for the new name. I like " Center for Ocean Research, Deep Earth Science (CORES)" or "Deep Earth Exploration Program (DEEP)", but I like having a pronounceable acronym for when I have to answer the telephone. One suggestion for a new name that I heard was, "Sub-sea Exploration Project (SEx Project)". While it's catchy, I'm not sure how the connotations would effect the program, particularly when dealing with drilling equipment suppliers. The best idea may be just to add Scientific to ODP and be done with it. DSDP, ODP, IODP, SODP ? Call me when the scientists get it figured out. I'll be on the roof looking at stars.

Vacuum Toilets Suck

2010-08-17T04:55:00.000-07:00

This probably isn't the best way to start my new blog from sea, I guess particularly since this expedition is might near over, but I have to say that these vacuum toilets really suck. Actually a lot of times they don't suck when you need them to and that's pretty crappy. Other times they suck all night long while you're trying to sleep and occasionally they do a reverse suck and spit water out the lid. I think the idea behind these contraptions is to reduce the use of water. When the JOIDES Resolution was refitted, designers decided on a vacuum toilet system to reduce waste water space, allowing for more room for other things, like two man rooms instead of four man rooms. In the olden days many of the rooms were fitted with two bunk beds. That meant you would end up sharing the room with one other in your off time, provided the other two worked opposite 12 hour shifts. Not all that bad, but then each four man room shared a bathroom with another four man room. The good part was that the toilets actually used to work about 99% of the time. All in all, I like the layout a lot better these days, it's nice to have a little privacy and the engineering staff have really worked hard to improve the toilet system. I guess sometimes you just get a dud and this expedition was my turn.

There are other issues in the bathrooms, but I think those have been addressed. During my first expedition after the refit, the shower heads were installed at a fixed angle that was far to high for a non-basketball player. To get the top of my hair wet, I'd have to go face up against the opposite wall. To me this seemed like a very vulnerable position to be in, especially in the shower. I didn't like it much. Not to mention the fact that if I were to turn my head, the high pressure water would spray right into my ear canal and I couldn't hear out of that ear for a few days. It's a small shower stall, with only a plastic-like curtain to keep the water inside. The hot water creates upward drafts of air that rotate around the bathroom, sucking the plastic shower up against me. Pushing the curtain away lets the water spray all over the bath room. At least, if some of the water hits the toilet, and the toilet starts to fills up , it will quit making that sucking sound. The other day I had just gotten soap lathered up in my hair, when I reached to adjust the shower nozzle, but accidentally knocked it out of its holder. I fell to the ground and started spinning around the floor of the shower stall spraying everything in the bath room, while I tried to find it with soap in my eyes and a shower curtain stuck to my ass, while the vacuum toilet air leak, whistled. The whistling isn't so bad anymore though, since my ear is full of water.

The Phoenix

2010-08-05T07:12:00.000-07:00

Like the mythical fire bird, the Phoenix, I rise, reborn from the ashes to become greater than before.

I write this at sea aboard the research ship, JOIDES Resolution. I hope to get to more life at sea type posting, but I thought I would catch you up to speed on my life since I last posted from sea. I'm already half way through this expedition and this is my first post, so I apologize. I'll try to do better. I guess you get what you pay for.

A lot has happened since I last blogged from sea; divorce,death, birth, marriage and even threats of a tell all book, as if I were some former steroid using athlete with a gambling problem and a host of other addictions. I have done a lot of stupid things in my time, but no real drugs or dog fights and only an occasional small bet on a football game or poker night at the neighbors house. Still a lot of bad and a lot of good and quite a bit of bad that lead to good things, happened to me and around me in little over a years time since writing about working at sea. I don't mean to sound pious, quoting scripture, but I know it helps to pull me back to center, when I get off kilter, if I read a little from the good book. In the end this verse helped me through a lot of the crap I would go through:

"... we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." -- Romans 8:28

I've stumbled and staggered and strayed often from the path, but I will continue to at least try to find my way back. I may be rough around the edges and I may like to hang out in questionable establishments with sometimes questionable people. I often lose my temper, and I generally know when I'm wrong, though it takes me some time, sometimes to admit it to myself. I'm not a hypocrite, I just fall short like everyone else. I am a believer in Jesus Christ. I don't know that I could have made it through these hard times without believing and it turned out much better than I could have imagined in the end.

If you read my previous blog "I don't Love the Ocean, I love the Coast",originally posted a little over a year ago, you know I work at sea from time to time for up to two months per stint. I ended that series of postings, sometime in the middle of the 60 days, somewhere near the equator in the South Pacific, probably at a point in the expedition, when I became depressed enough at being out there to not care about updates to the outside world. It's a big ship, but it gets smaller over time. People start to annoy you more than they do on shore where you can get away from them for a while. At the end of your shift you can't go home to the comfort of your loved ones, or the sanctity of your own home. The best you can do is try to find privacy in your small stateroom, while your roommate is out on shift. Levels can get on up there on the stress scale. The same scenery of open ocean and clouds everyday, at times I start to hope for a little bit of a storm just to see a change. Then again there is the rolling of the ship from side to side that makes sleeping difficult. Even if you do sleep through the night you may wake up feeling tired from instinctively attempting to keep yourself from rolling from your bunk. Towards the end of the expedition all the fresh fruit and vegetable are gone, and other food items are in short supply or not available. Just a few reasons why I might get a little cranky before the end of the 60 days and some of the reasons I long to get off this ship.Of course there is great rejoicing and celebration in town the first night in port at the end of an expedition and Hawaii was no different.

During the port call prior to leaving Hawaii, I had become quite comfortable at a place call the Irish Rose near Waikiki in Honolulu and of course that's right where I headed upon return. I proceeded to spend a good chunk of my sea pay, including buying "a round of Jagers for the boys at the bar." To say the least it was a long night out, early morning up and long flight home. Little did I know, that this was only the beginning of a long journey.

The next morning, before I could shake off the haze from the night before, my wife of 22 years told me that she had filed for divorce 5 days before. I was devastated, caught completely off guard. My first instinct was to do anything to change her mind. I didn't want to tell our three teenagers what was happening, but there was no avoiding it in my emotional state. After one night home in my own bed, I was relegated to an air mattress on the living room floor. Another week would pass and I had my own room in the converted garage. All the while trying everything to stop this insanity.

When divorce is eminent, it ceases to be an emotional relationship and becomes strictly business. I am not a believer in divorce generally and spiritually I believe it is wrong except in rare cases. This is why I didn't see it as a business relationship at that point. I don't want to go into too many details, but lets just say I should have realized the divorce was going to happen and I should have taken precautions to protect myself and my family. Hiring my own lawyer would have been a good start. When I did come around to the fact that this marriage was really over, I changed bank accounts, found a place to live and a place to sleep. A good friend gave me a room, rent free, and I lived at Duddley's Draw on Northgate. Even with no rent, this arrangement took a toll on me financially and emotionally. But it pushed me more into my music, as well. I starting writing a lot more, started finding a lot more gigs to play and getting more serious about actually making money at this thing. But there was a big hole in my soul.

Something happened almost to the day of the date that my divorce was scheduled to be finalized. It made me wonder if this wasn't God's plan all along. I met Amy. She was nothing like what I was looking for and everything like I wanted and needed. This new relationship made me see how good a relationship could be. I had gotten used to a bad relationship, over the years like a frog in slowly heated water. I didn't realize I was boiling until it was too late.

It's taking time to heal old wounds and leave the past behind, but I couldn't be happier in my new life. Well maybe a winning lottery ticket, but I can live without that too as long as I have Amy. She is an incredible woman, incredible mother and an incredible wife. We got married in February at the "Bar at Hullabaloo" during one of my shows. We didn't tell anyone except the preacher, what was going to happen, and I have to say it was a great ceremony. I can't promise a marriage at all my shows, but it just goes to show you, you never know what you might miss at a Dean Ferrell show. I can tell you you'll never see me get married again, but just maybe at a live music venue near you, a renewal of vows for our anniversary.

A Little Back-Story

2010-07-13T10:51:00.000-07:00

Note:Before I start writing about my latest expedition on the high seas, I thought some of you might want to read a little background. So, I have re-posted my blog from a little over a year ago.

I Don't Love the Ocean, I love the Coast (Part 1)

3 March 2009, 0900 hrs

I get on the plane to Honolulu in about 2 hours. A lot of people have ooohed and awwwed over this trip and and sarcastically told how tough a job a had traveling to places like Austrailia, Hawaii, Japan, and so on; but they don't get it. I have one free day in Hawaii, then it's working 12 hour shifts the next 5 days, until we leave port. At that point, it's nothing but open ocean for 58 days. I'd say the Hawaii trip is not worth it. I work for the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program. We operate a 471 foot research drill ship named the JOIDES Resolution. We call it the JR for short. We go to sea for two months at a time, with a collection of scientist, technicians, engineers, rough necks, drill crew and ships crew of many different nationalities. My time has come to embark on expedition 320.

To try and keep my sanity, I decided to try to take my guitar along, maybe write some new songs, or finish up some old ones that have been on the shelf for far to long. Then I looked into the excess size baggage fees. It would coast me about $150 dollars each way, plus the cost of a hard case at around $150 to carry my guitar along for the trip. I thought of buying a new guitar in Hawaii to leave on the ship, but I am scheduled to sail on our sister research ship, the Chikyu, later in the year. I can't afford to buy a guitar for every ship, so I searched the internet for travel guitars that would qualify as carry on items. I found the Travelers Escape MKII from Traveler Guitars and picked it up at Guitar Center in Houston. As described on the Traveler web site:

"the new MK-II also boasts a custom Element-Hybrid pickup system from none other than the industry’s leading pickup innovator, L.R. Baggs. All three models come equipped with the system which has on board electronics with a 2-band EQ, a built in headphone amplifier, and like all Travelers, the ability to be plugged directly into a traditional amplifier for live applications."

I have to say I'm pretty pleased so far, it sounds good on the headphones, and is quiet so I can play it in my stateroom with out bothering the next door neighbor. We'll have to see if it passes security and boarding requirements as advertised.

We are running a little late as normal for us, so breakfast is aborted maybe we can grab something at the airport if we hurry.

3 March 2009, 1000 hrs
We arrived at the airport, security is open but I am waiting until the last minute to go through so I can spend more time with the family. The bar and grill place isn't open yet, so no breakfast here. I am a nervous flyer so I was thinking of have a few drinks, but I'll just have to tough it out. It looks like a jet instead of the Sabe turboprop I'm used to flying from College Station to Dallas, so it should be a little smoother ride than normal. I'm still nervous and still don't want to go away for two months.

3 March 2009, 1050 hrs
It was a smooth flight up to DFW, I deplaned right next to the airport train and the train drops us right next to my departure gate for Honolulu. A couple of co-works and I stopped into a bar and grill for lunch. Our waitress, Shannon was too happy not to be on some kind of medication and while I guess she was trying to get a good tip, it kind of put me into the other direction. It's not that I'm not happy so I don't want anyone else to be happy, but maybe it is and maybe she's just too over the top. Just think of the guy in "Office Space" with all the extra flair.

3 March 2009, 1215 hrs
We boarded the plane without incident, seems like this new guitar is exactly as advertised, I was able to place it in the overhead compartment. This is plane has a 2 -3-2 seat layout and it is almost 100% full. I have an aisle seat in the middle 3 section. There is a lady two rows up , who is upset about being seated next to a toddler and is being very rude about the matter. This is an eight hour flight coming and we discover that there are no complimentary snacks of any kind other soft drinks. I end up buying a $3 cookie along with what's left of my soggy club sandwich to tide me over to Hawaii. $6 beer/liquor means I will have a hefty tab at the end of the flight, but it helps me sleep.

3 March 2009, 1700 hrs, Hawaii Time
I arrive in Hawaii, straight to baggage claim and catch a ride with co-workers to the Hotel. I am crashing on my buddy Mitch's second bed, so I don't have to pay out of pocket for my extra nights stay. I saw an Irish Pub on the way in, about a block from the hotel that looks promising. I also read about a local place called "the Hide Away" that is supposed to be anything but touristy, which is exactly what I'm looking for. We start to bump into other IODP people mostly in the hotel bar, as Crawford describes, "the gathering has begun." I want to get out of the hotel as soon as possible, and away from the high prices. I think I'll take a walkabout and see what I can see. Next to the seven eleven, is the entry way to the "Irish Rose", the pub I saw on the way in. Through the door, I take a left, then up the stairs. On the inside the Irish Rose looks a little like Fitzwilly's back in College Station. Outside it looks like a rundown flop house. Wooden bar with some brass rails, flat screen TVs with different ESPNs and other sports channels playing. It's Tuesday and its movie night. "Hot Fuzz" is playing on two TVs by the bar. The bartenders are friendly from the start, it looks like most people are regulars here. There are some military folks at the bar and some long haired old surfer type guys, a group of about twenty military contractors are taking turns buying rounds and arguing over who's turn it is. There is a lady across the bar that looks an awful lot like a man. When she speaks up, my suspicions are confirmed. Nobody seems to mind anyone else, it's a laid back afternoon. The waitress asks me if I'll call her if anyone comes to the bar, while shes goes to the back. I feel welcomed as a regular from the get go. A few pints later, I need some food and I am directed to the "Smokehouse Bar and Grill" about a block further down the road. I take the stroll as a mist of rain begins. The Smokehouse is a small place, definately a locals place. It's not a hole in the wall, but not really up scale either, just simple. I order a beer and a burger and sit at the bar. Two locals are discussing some kind of medical procedure and both think they are experts in the field. It's back and forth across the bar until one of them storms out, forgetting to pay his tab. It's a great burger, then I'm off to the hotel to bed.

4 March 2009, 0700 hrs
It hard not to wake up early, I'm still on Texas time. Mitch knows a place around the corner and offers to buy breakfast. The place is an Italian Restaurant at night, in the morning there is a lady on the sidewalk selling breads and pizza by the slice to construction workers on their way to the job. She calls inside on a cell phone to place our orders for the $4 breakfast. Two eggs, bacon or sausage, french toast and hash browns. We eat at a small table on the side walk, before heading our separate ways . Mitch to work and me to look around.

I decide my best time spent is a trip to the USS Arizona Memorial. The hotel vale, puts me on the list for a $12 shuttle to Pearl Harbor. I stop to shop for an Aloha shirt in one of the tourist shops because the shirt I'm wearing looks ridiculous with the shorts I have on. The fact that I notice this is testament to how truly bad it looks. There are racks and racks of $17 shirts. I ask about a red flowery one. She lets me know that the red flowerdy ones are quite a bit more expensive at $59. She have to explain as she points to a picture of Tom Selleck wearing a replica shirt above the rack. When we arrive at the Arizona Memorial visitors center, I am told that we cannot bring any bags into the facility due to security threats. I have to pay $3 to store my small camera bag, which is probably not even worth that much. I wonder why the camera is allowed, since it is as big as the bag and could hold explosives as well, but I dare not mention this, I know it can get you in trouble as silly as it sounds.

The visitors center holds a tiny museum, that you can go through in about 10 minutes, it also has a book store and snack shop, but it's true purpose is a place to hold you while you wait the hour for your turn to visit the memorial. When my group number is called, we all file into a movie theater for a 15 minute film on the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the history of the memorial. Then it's onto a boat to shuttle you to the memorial. It takes maybe 5 minutes to reach the site, and we are instructed to remain quite at all times and are reminded that this is a tomb. The memorial is kind of a bridge from nowhere to nowhere that spans the wreck below. Only one round gun turret base is exposed above the water. I can see a small oil slick on the waters surface as it slowly seeps from the ship below. The mood reminds me of my first visit to the Alamo. I am awed by the sacrifice of these men and so proud to be an American.

4 March 2009, 1530 hrs
Back at the hotel, I find that we do not get ESPNU. So, I'm off to the Irish Rose again to watch the Aggie basketball game versus Colorado. The Aggies pretty much have to win the rest of their games to make it to the NCAA tournament. The waitress ate the Irish Rose tells me she sure they do have ESPNU , but isn't sure how to get it turned on one of the TVs. She embarks on a mission and after about 15 minutes of phone calls and trips to the back room, she has the game on a TV for me and even turns the volume up where I can hear it. Aggies look good for a while, then flounder, then pull the win off in the end. All is good and a cover band start at the Irish Rose.

5 March 2009, 1200 hrs
The bus is due at the Hotel to shuttle ongoing personnel to the JR. I start to feel that sick feeling in my stomach as we we wait in the lobby, the felling increases as I load my belongings into the storage at the bottom of the bus. 15 minutes later we are on the dock. 1 hour later we are still on the dock, I flash back to my military time and the hurry up and wait system. Customs has yet to release the off going crew. Some would be photographers are reprimanded by port security, on authorized photographers are allowed to take pictures due to security concerns. Those on the ship seem to be immune to this rule. A few of the crew are standing on the wrong side of a blue line and are order back across. I wish I had grabbed some lunch, the galley is closed by now and we are not even on board yet.

5 March 2009, 1330 hrs
We are allowed to board and the crossover begins. I find my room and roommate. He is a little too elderly to climb up on the top bunk, so that's where I will sleep. His job requires him to work 6am to 6 pm shift, so I will need to work 6pm to 6 am, if we want privacy. I fight to keep a positive outlook. One trip up the flight of stairs to the operations office and I am needing oxygen. It feels like this is going to be a long expedition.

I Don't Love the Ocean, I love the Coast (Part 2)

or "I feel like Hell in Paradise"

5 March 2009, 18:20 hrs

Mitch drops by the operations office located on the bridge deck of the JOIDES Resolution to ask if I'm about ready to have a beer. Being the sociable guy I am, we are off to the crossover party in Mitch's rental car.

In the olden days, usually on the evening of the day when the two crews change out (also know as crossover) the powers that be would give a little party at a local watering hole and too often times more touristy type establishments. Free drinks would normally flow for an hour or two, maybe longer depending on the port and corresponding drink prices. Certain non-government funds were used for this and other things like the annual Holiday (formerly known as Christmas) party. Then new management came along and nixed the use of these funds for alcohol purchases. It was/is my understandings that there would then be no more crossover parties, but somehow, someone came up with some money and voilà, crossover party. Whether they continue in the future, who knows. Times are changing.

Crossover parties can be held at places from dive bars to fancy restaurants depending on who is in charge of them. In this case, the gathering is at "Cheeseburger Waikiki", a touristy tiki hut bar place that is apparently part of a Hawaiian chain called "Cheeseburger Restaurants." It's a patio style place with the plastic walls that roll down when the weather's bad. Waitresses wear grass skirts and push Mai Tai drinks with pineapple slices and little umbrella toothpicks. Now I like palm trees, and grass huts and all that, but not the Disneyland version, so this was pretty much the exact opposite of my kinda place. Did I mention free drinks?

When Mitch and I arrive our private patio area is already pretty full, but I find a seat. About 15 minutes later a grass skirted waitress stops by to take my drink order. I always try to sample the local brew where ever I travel. This is no exception.There are several local beers from the Kona Brewing Company on the menu. I pick the Longboard Lager. Another 15 minutes pass before she returns with my beer. I try to order a $12 cheeseburger at this point, but she hurries away before I can speak. At least 20 more minutes pass before I can get her attention and order a second beer. She turns away before I can place a food order, luckily my friend blocks her path. I place the order as she scribbles on on a notepad completely full of drink and food orders for our section. I see that she writes the burger down, but without any indication of where I am sitting . I wonder if she has any intention to bring me a beer or a cheeseburger. Forty minutes later no beer and no cheeseburger. Apparently the management felt like two wait staff was plenty to handle the expected 50 to 75 people. I decide to go to the bar and order for myself. I walk up just as one of my co-workers is being asked to leave the dining room. The waitress tells her that we must stay in our reserved area. I'm beginning to wonder if we are being held against our will and really starting to get ticked off. I walk back to the entrance of our patio and stand there with some other guys who have figured out the system. As soon as a waitress walks into our area with a tray of drinks, she asks who ordered a such and such drink. The trick is, no matter what you ordered, if you are willing to drink what she's carrying, just speak up. I get a couple of beers this way, but I am hungry. Now three pints and 90 minutes after ordering my cheeseburger, I've had a enough. I gather up Mitch and my friend Eric and we are off and around the block.

5 March 2009, 2115 hrs

The Irish Rose is quite full, but everyone is as friendly as before. Tonight the bartender is truly Irish judging by his accent. The band is just starting to play. They are a cover band and start off with the Toadies' "Possum Kingdom", which takes me home to Texas for a bit. We are sitting at the bar, Mitch is next to a "No Smoking" sign that also points out that it is illegal to smoke inside, under Hawaiian law. He pulls out a cigarette and asks the bartender for an ash tray. The bartender walks, by places an ash tray in front of Mitch and says, "It's Illegal to Smoke", then walks away. As Mitch lights his cigarette, the band starts playing Cheap Trick's "Surrender". I make a failed attempt not to sing along. While reading a flier advertising the bar's tricycle races posted on the side of the taps, I glance up to see that they have some kind of pear cider on tap, so I order a snake bite. Cider goes in first and then Guinness is layered on top, which creates a good mix of bitter and sweet. After my first snakebite, Mitch orders one, then I notice a couple of others have ordered some from across the bar. Mitch remarks that I have started something. The band plays a Stevie Ray Vaughn song. I feel like the snake bite, bittersweet. It's a great hangout, the people are friendly, the weather suits my style, but I'm too far from home, with a long journey ahead of me.

I Don't Love the Ocean, I love the Coast (Part 3)

Leaving Paradise?

6 March 2009, 0530 hrs
I slept on Mitch's spare bed at the hotel rather than try to get an expensive cab back to the ship after the party and after our visit to the Irish Rose. The company probably would have reimbursed me for the cab since I was attending an IODP function, but this was easier anyway. There is no time for the $4 breakfast this morning, so I ask Mitch if we can hit a 7-11 or something on the way to the port. I have to get at least a diet coke in me, if I'm gonna be any account today at all. The coke fountain on the ship is not working yet.

We set Mitch's GPS to the nearest convenience store, which looks like it's a block away, but it seems to direct us over much of the island before leading us to a 7-11 just outside of Honolulu's China Town. China town is full of small shops and neighborhood restaurants. I can see fresh flowers in many of the windows and most have fresh leis for sale. I wish I had more time so I could visit this area.

We arrive back at the ship and I'm on board a little late for my shift, but before my boss arrives so I guess it's OK. We spend most of the day crossing over. He shows me the new layout of the ship, which is quite confusing if you've been on previous expeditions. The JR has been in the ship yard for about two years undergoing a refit. The bridge and what we call the hotel structure (quarters, galley, etc) plus the lab stack, have been removed and replaced with new facilities. The ship yard built these structures on land, then lifted the whole section onto the hull with giant cranes. The drilling derrick was removed and refurbished before being being re-installed on the ship as well. The drill floor aft is familiar, but forward I get lost. I think it would be easier finding my way around, had I never been on the JR before.

My primary purpose for being on this expedition is introducing new downhole temperature tools that our engineering group has developed during our hiatus from drilling. We send these dataloggers to the bottom of the hole and a little deeper to get an insitu temperature measurement. Our most common form of coring is APC (Advanced Piston Coring) which is like a 9 meter deep cookie cutter (or a pipe with a sharp end) that is shot into the mud and retrieved. One of temperature tools, the APCT3, is built cylindrically so that it fits into the wall of the APC cutting shoe. This way we get temperature measurement, plus a core on the same core line run. These can take up to an hour depending on water depth and on our expedition we have water depths near 5,000 meters. When the sediments get to hard for APC coring, we use a small drill bit to get core. In these cases we use a temperature tool called the SET (Sediment Temperature). The SET looks like a giant pencil or a spear with a temperature probe build into the tip. This tool is pushed into the bottom of the hole about 1 meter,but it requires a complete trip down the drill string without getting a core.

During the crossover, I am informed that I will also be working on our Rig Instrumentation System (RIS). We have had a similar RIS in the past, but this is a new installation, with mostly new sensors and and completely new data acquisition system. The RIS, monitors and records such information as weight of the drill string, torque and speed of the top drive (giant motor that turns the drill string), pressure of the pumps that push drilling mud down the drill string to firm up the hole we drill, depth of the bit and depth of the coring tools. My responsibility for this system is news to me.

10 March 2009, 1100 hrs
The last 5 days I have been working on RIS problems and general crossover duties. The ship has been loading supplies and tools while various vendors work on equipment such as the elevator and the coke fountain. Coring operations absolutely require an elevator under the new ship layout, because the core samples must be moved from level to level during processing ending up several floors down in the ships hold in a refrigeration unit. Up until now the elevator has had many problems. There is a sign on one of the doors that warns to verify the presence of the elevator before entering. My concern is with the coke machine. Two months without a coke would cause me great distress. At one point the Coast Guard shuts down our loading operation because we have gas cylinders, which are not allowed to be loaded at this dock. Some of these gas cylinders is the CO2 bottles for the coke fountain. I'm not leaving port without them. After an hour of discussions, we are allowed to proceed loading gas bottle with a waiver for 24 hours. One of the vendors conspicuously missing from this port call is the RIS contractor. I am becoming painfully aware of the fact that this system is not operational as advertised.

Now, I am at the Salvation army store just across the street from Target. I have been to Target almost every day of the port call, buying last minute items like clothes, chocolate, potato chips, coffee, usb drives, batteries, extra pillow, sheet and blanket. The only cover supplied in my cabin is a thick comforter that looks more like a Japanese futon mattress than a cover. I am either hot or cold with that thing, so I bought my own. We have plenty of food on board , but not snack food, so the chips and chocolate. I realize after all this, that I don't have enough t-shirts or a single long sleeves shirt to work in, so that's why I'm at Salvation Army. There are racks and racks of Aloha shirts for about $4 each. These are the flowerdy Hawaiian shirts. I can pick some of them up on the way back home, but right now I need t-shirts. I pickup several for $2 each, one says "FBI Hawaii" two are Harley shirts and the fourth is a Hawaii Community Church shirt. The clerk is an older gentleman about 60, who seems to be annoyed that I am shopping there. Next door is the Salvation Army shelter, so there are many homeless people roaming around outside. There is liquor sold in every convenience store, grocery store, etc., but not at the Target across the street. I am told that it is because of the street people near by.

Shore leave ends at 1400 hrs today and the ship is scheduled to depart at 1500 hrs. I meet up with the other Target shoppers from our crew and we head towards the port, but with a major stop along the way. Sam Choy's Breakfast Lunch and Crab is our last point of civilization, last meal off the ship and last beer for a long while. We sit in what looks like a fishing boat mock up and I'm on the transom with no back rest. Just where I want to be, on a boat , before I have to be on a boat. I have the "Da Lava Burger", crab cake, one half pound certified Angus beef and cheese for $14.95 and it's not that great. Add in two, brewed on site, Kakaako Cream Ale pints to make it a $25 lunch, but like I said it's the last for a long time.

A group of us were in Sam Choy's bar last night and the night before. It's hidden in a small room to the far left of the restaurant and I much prefer it over the fishing boat. This is a brew pub and facing away from the bar you can see the big copper brewing pots. The brewery named the Big Aloha Brewing Company, sells five handcrafted beers brewed on premises:Kakaako Cream Ale,Ehu Ale,Hefe-Weizen, Kiawe Honey Porter and James Cook Indian Pale Ale. Both nights I purchased a sampler platter with 5 ounces of each beer for about $8. All were excellent beers ranging from light to very dark. Tuesday night, the last night in port, we added a few tropical drinks to our tab. I figured, you can't come to Hawaii without having a MaiTai. I guess I started something again, cause the girls had to have one. Then someone ordered a Mango Mojito and it looked so refreshing with the mint leaves sticking out the top, that I was compelled to try one myself. Luckily, Sam Choy's closes at 10:00 pm so we were on our way back to the ship before any real damage was done. The only injuries I am aware of are a few small skin punctures from a tiny plastic drink sword fight that broke out somewhere between the guard shack and the JR.

10 March 2009, 1330 hrs
Me and my shopping expedition are back on the ship, with time to spare. Preparations for departure are underway and I'm starting to get butterflies in my stomach. Last minute discussions take place with those people who are not sailing, some of them will be crossing over with us at the next port call, others are only here for this port call. Someone says, "See you on the other side." I wonder if they mean the other side of this expedition or the after life. The butterflies are stirring more. The announcement comes, "All ashore that's going ashore." I think for a while about going ashore and calling it quits. But then I think of the bills piling up and somehow, my will power kicks in just enough and I change my focus to other things.

10 March 2009, 1420 hrs
Most of the scientist and technicians have gathered on the top of the bridge awaiting our departure. Pictures are taken of the mountains behind Waikiki and pictures are taken of the people waiting down on the dock to wave goodbye and of the line handlers and of the tug boats that are approaching to haul us away. The captain is walking around in front of and on the wings of the bridge with a hand held radio, giving commands to the ships crew. Crew busy themselves near the spring lines. Nervous excitement abounds among the scientist. They act as if they are going off to summer camp. You can see that many have made new friends and a few seem to be already on the path to new romantic relationships, if only for the two months. The crane engine starts up and shortly later begins to raise it's boom. The cable is lowered to the gangway. The crew attach the cables and are busy with the pins that attach the gangway to the JR. The cable is pulled taught and all are aboard. The crane engine races a bit, the pins are pulled and the gangway jumps free. As it is raised to it's stowage place on deck, I feel a sickness in my stomach. There is no turning back now, lest I jump. The tug boat engines rev a bit pushing the JR closer to the dock. Line handlers throw the lines into the water as ships crew pull them in.

10 March 2009, 1500 hrs
Last lines are off. The tugs are pulling us away from the dock. As we get further into the harbor, we can see Diamond Head through two building, which the locals call the twin paper clips. Just outside the harbor we can see the resorts and beaches and water front restaurants. The tugs are still guiding us along as we clear the channel markers into open water. The JR drops the tug lines and we are on our own. A few miles off shore and maybe four mile south of Honolulu Harbor, we turn into the wind and slow the screws until we are at a dead stop. We are waiting for a boat, which looks like a converted amphibious landing craft, to come along side. Mitch is on board this craft directing the transfer of our radioactive sources that we use in some of the downhole logging tools. Because of the dock we used, we were not allowed to load radioactive material there. This is the best alternative. The crane lowers a basket called a Billy Pugh to the smaller boat. The cargo is placed inside and lifted aboard. The landing craft turns toward Honolulu as Mitch waves goodbye. We start forward again and turn to the southwest. Many pictures are taken. Some folks ask if I will take their picture with Diamond Head in the background. I take a series of photos that I will stitch together into a panorama of Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head.

The overall mood is jovial. My mood is restrained. Honolulu looks much prettier from out here than it does amongst the tall buildings. I am told Kauai is the island to visit; no tall building. In a few hours there will be no land in sight. I am discussing twitter with our education outreach person. She is trying to use a lot of internet resources to get the message out. We still have cell phone coverage so I show her that you can send twitter update via text message. She asks me to make sure I include the JR in my tweet. I only want to get my thoughts out there so maybe they don't eat me up from inside. I pull out my cell phone and text to 40404.

"As diamond head shrinks in the distance, the swell rises beneath the JOIDES Resolution, my long journey begins."

Madilynn Hope Ferrell

2010-06-22T12:02:00.001-07:00

photo, originally uploaded by shipwrecklounge.

I just wanted to introduce to you the newest member of the Ferrell Clan. This is Jacob's first born, Madilynn. She had a rough couple of days and had to stay in the Neo-Natal ICU but looks like shes about to get to go home. Her parents are very proud and excited. Her grandparents are as well.

Madi was born on the 16th of June just in time for Jake to celebrate his first fathers day as a dad. She was somewhat premature, and had a little bit of difficulty breathing regularly on her own so they put her in ICU for several days. Now here's the weird part, from what I've be able to gather. Jake works at sonic in Caldwell, Texas or at least he did. He called in to say he wouldn't be in for work because his first child had been born early and was in the ICU in College Station. Apparently, he talked to a shift leader who told him it was "taken care of." The next day, he finds out that he had been fired for what Sonic called, "no show/no call". When Jake protested , he was told by the assistant Manager that while he did call in, he didn't speak to a manager, which would have been the proper procedure. Now the really interesting part is that Madilynn's maternal grandmother was the store manager for this Sonic at the time and she was with Jake at the hospital. It's starting to sound like an episode of Jerry Springer, right? Well low and behold, the assistant manager happened to be the daughter of the owner of this particular Sonic. Ahh. Is it starting to make a little more sense? Then another strange coincidence happened I am told. The maternal grandmother is no longer the store manager for the Caldwell Sonic. Are you wondering who the new store manager is? I am too.

I'll try to keep you posted. And for the time being, I think I have to stick to Dairy Queen or Whataburger or better yet a non-chain restaurant. And if anyone knows of a job opportunity for either Madilynn's father or her grandmother, please let me know and I'll pass it along.

Dean

Self-Eval - Arrogant Bastard

2010-05-13T07:42:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year at my day-job for Annual Performance Evaluations (APEs) which includes Self-Apprasials. These things are kind of like a resume for a job you already have, and are hoping to keep, possibly even get a raise in pay along the way. So, obviously, you highlight the good parts and ignore your bad in the hopes that your supervisor is either convinced by this narrative of the past year's hard work, or at the very least, is too lazy to write his own evaluation. In this case he might just copy your self-eval into his own evaluation of your performance; a win win situation.

My problem with writing this self-appraisal, is that it goes against most peoples sense or modesty. Your are forced to self promote and it makes you feel arrogant and cocky. For some people this isn't a problem. For me it's difficult, though my ex-wife might disagree.

Now for those of you who want to be brutally honest, I have written an example self-appraisal:

PART 1. PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL

A. Employee Self-Appraisal Form

For each evaluation factor, provide a response in the comments section.

Describe and evaluate your overall performance and/or achievements for this review period. Please provide specific work-related examples that document your assessment.

Comments or performance examples:

I have been very effective over the past year at criticizing other employee’s research and development. By pointing out possible flaws using abnormal logic and as little factual information as possible, I have been able to appear very knowledgeable without the need to suggest any alternative solutions. I am currently involved in an effort to publish a work entitled, “Self promotion through Nay-Saying and Defeatism.” My previous publications include, “The Effective Use of Complex Words in Academia and Industry to Confuse the Competition” and the somewhat less scholarly, “How to Get Ahead at the Expense of Co-workers”

Review of Last Years Goals and Objectives

Objective	Result
Improve job avoidance skills	I have become a master of walking fast with a stern look to give the appearance of concern and a sense of urgency. Also, created official looking labels for empty boxes, which I can carry through the halls at irregular intervals.
Study the art of “pencil whipping”	Developed system of using copies of 2 year old self evaluations to reduce time evaluating my performance. (i.e. next year the supervisor you will receive a copy of last years self-eval)
Implement Project Management	Successfully manipulated co-works into taking on assignments for which I take credit
Organization Skills	Concluded that disorganization and a cluttered desktop, gives the impression that an employee has taken far too many projects but still has the ability to cope and succeed.

Add additional lines if needed.

2. Describe the most difficult part of your job and the steps necessary to overcome or improve.

Comments or performance examples:

Not enough time for Ebay™ and online shopping.

Resolve to spend at least 1 hour at the start of the day, 1 hour at the end of the day, and 1 hour before and after lunch browsing through “Auctions Ending Soon”
Organize the remaining time to include a combination of reading personal email, and browsing through news web sites with the occasional visit to sites of questionable moral value.
Use spreadsheet to prioritize shopping options while looking busy

3. Describe what your supervisor can do to assist you in completing your current duties and responsibilities more effectively and efficiently.

Comments or performance examples:

Reduce face to face meetings, sending all communications via email. This will allow me to do my “work” remotely, in some case with out the need to even get dressed. In those cases where I can find Wifi access at a local pub, dressing will become necessary.

4. Describe specific goals you want to accomplish during the next review period and, if applicable, explain how your supervisor can assist you in reaching these goals:

Comments or performance examples:

In the following year I hope to safe guard any information critical to the functioning of our operation. To achieve this goal, I will prevent co-workers from learning the proper operation of critical tools and equipment and providing incorrect information when they appear to be learning on their own. I will keep co-workers busy defending their own ideas and projects against criticisms to prevent them the opportunity to learn my job, thus maintaining my job status as irreplaceable.

Life at Sea, Part 1

2009-04-01T08:16:00.000-07:00

I served my country in the US Air Force. I was in Okinawa at Kadena Air Base, during Desert Storm, but never went to Iraq. I never had to be away from my immediate family for more than a couple of months at a time. One reason I left the military, was so that I didn’t have to be away from my family, even for those couple of months during deployments. I just don’t like it. In fact it makes me miserable. So, I separate from the Air Force, finish my degree at Texas A&M, then something draws me into the job, where being away for two months is exactly what I end up doing.

The 18th century English writer, Samuel Johnson wrote,"Going to sea is like going to prison, with a chance at drowning besides."

There are definitely similarities between ship board life and prison. Times and technology have changed since those days for both sailor and prisoner. These days we have air conditioning, refrigerated food and hot and cold running water. They had to sleep below deck in the cold with little fresh air, or on deck in the heat, eating salted meat and dried biscuits. They did their business at the the head,a seat with a hole located near the bow (or head of the ship) where waves could wash away the waste. We have vacuum toilets. We navigate by Global Positioning Satellite. They used the stars. We have satellite internet and phone service. They had no communication until a port was reached where a letter home could be sent with a returning ship. Can you imagine, no word of a loved ones safety and well being for months. Steel hulls versus Oak, a hammock below deck versus a bunk in our two man room, and on and on. Captain Cook’s 1st voyage aboard the HMS Resolution (namesake for the JOIDES Resolution) took about 3 years. We are only away from home for a little over two months. But, still I complain.

We are at the third site of Expedition 320 (PEAT03) located at:

10°30.997’N, 138°25.175’W

Updates on drilling operations can be found at JOIDESResolution.org

In these days, technology changes so quickly it’s hard to keep up. There was a time, before I started at ODP, when personal communication was limited to a sort of teletype system. Personal messages would need to be typed up, then sent out by the ships radio operator. Keeping personal messages private, was impossible. In the 10 years I have been with the program, we’ve gone from strictly email communications, messages going our twice per day to immediate email delivery and VOIP telephone. Back then, if you needed to ask a question of a person on shore, you could send an email, but the earliest reply would be twelve hours later. A conversation could last days at that rate. During the first ODP leg I sailed, I got word via email of a family emergency. I was able to call over the Inmarsat telephone at about $3.50 per minute. Five minutes was all I could afford, just long enough to find out every one was ok, but that my truck was totaled. Today we can email back and forth at will, make a daily 15 minute voice call and I can post to my blog on one of the limited number of internet stations.

The past couple of weeks we have made a 4 day transit to the first site, a short transit between site 1 and 2 and drilled 3 holes at each site near 200 meters below sea floor in around 5000 meters of water depth coring all the way. Coring is good. Scientist are busy taking measurements in the labs, technicians are busy operating the new equipment in these labs, and the ETs (Electronics Techs) are busy repairing a broad range of everything. There are a lot of new pieces of equipment, and every space in the lab stack is new space so there are bugs to be worked out. Overall, it seems to be going very well. Unforeseen circumstances is what this group handles best, and they always get the job done.

Transits seem to be a bit rougher. When on site the ship can be turned into the waves to smooth out the ride, but underway, we must steer a course for the next location regardless of wave direction. All the rocking can be good for sleep, or it can be bad. a slight rock puts me to sleep, but when there is a large roll back and forth I wakeup tired if I sleep at all. It seems that I try to keep myself from rolling out of bed, so i tense my muscles and grit my teeth. Wedging myself between the wall and rolled up blanket or an extra pillow can help.

Everything creaks as the ship moves, I can hear what sounds like ball bearing rolling around inside my ceiling. At times the sound can seem like creaking of an old sailing ship’s wooden hull, or at least what that sounds like in the movies. I lay in bed and imagine the hardships that those 18th century sailors endured. I wonder how they could be away from family for years. Then, my mind turns to those in today’s Navy, as well as, the Army, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard, away from home and in harms way. I know these guys miss their families, they fear for their lives, but they do their job to keep us safe. I don’t know how I would handle that situation, but I think I would. I am embarrassed that I complain about my situation, when compared to those men and women.

Samuel Johnson also said,“When any fit of gloominess, or perversion of mind, lays hold upon you, make it a rule not to publish it by complaints.”

I’ll try to keep that in mind, if i can block that damn creaking sound out of my head.

Flickr Tags: dean ferrell,JOIDES Resolution,Ocean Drilling Program

If you like this blog, you might like my music as well. It’s mostly about people I’ve met, things I’ve done, places I’ve been or dreams I’ve had. (sometimes nightmares) Visit me at deanferrell.com have a listen, maybe buy a song, or just leave me a comment. I’m trying to raise a little money to get into the studio. Thanks, Dean

I Don't Love the Ocean, I love the Coast (Part 3)

2009-03-18T08:08:00.000-07:00

Leaving Paradise?

6 March 2009, 0530 hrs
I slept on Mitch's spare bed at the hotel rather than try to get an expensive cab back to the ship after the party and after our visit to the Irish Rose. The company probably would have reimbursed me for the cab since I was attending an IODP function, but this was easier anyway. There is no time for the $4 breakfast this morning, so I ask Mitch if we can hit a 7-11 or something on the way to the port. I have to get at least a diet coke in me, if I'm gonna be any account today at all. The coke fountain on the ship is not working yet.

We set Mitch's GPS to the nearest convenience store, which looks like it's a block away, but it seems to direct us over much of the island before leading us to a 7-11 just outside of Honolulu's China Town. China town is full of small shops and neighborhood restaurants. I can see fresh flowers in many of the windows and most have fresh leis for sale. I wish I had more time so I could visit this area.

We arrive back at the ship and I'm on board a little late for my shift, but before my boss arrives so I guess it's OK. We spend most of the day crossing over. He shows me the new layout of the ship, which is quite confusing if you've been on previous expeditions. The JR has been in the ship yard for about two years undergoing a refit. The bridge and what we call the hotel structure (quarters, galley, etc) plus the lab stack, have been removed and replaced with new facilities. The ship yard built these structures on land, then lifted the whole section onto the hull with giant cranes. The drilling derrick was removed and refurbished before being being re-installed on the ship as well. The drill floor aft is familiar, but forward I get lost. I think it would be easier finding my way around, had I never been on the JR before.

My primary purpose for being on this expedition is introducing new downhole temperature tools that our engineering group has developed during our hiatus from drilling. We send these dataloggers to the bottom of the hole and a little deeper to get an insitu temperature measurement. Our most common form of coring is APC (Advanced Piston Coring) which is like a 9 meter deep cookie cutter (or a pipe with a sharp end) that is shot into the mud and retrieved. One of temperature tools, the APCT3, is built cylindrically so that it fits into the wall of the APC cutting shoe. This way we get temperature measurement, plus a core on the same core line run. These can take up to an hour depending on water depth and on our expedition we have water depths near 5,000 meters. When the sediments get to hard for APC coring, we use a small drill bit to get core. In these cases we use a temperature tool called the SET (Sediment Temperature). The SET looks like a giant pencil or a spear with a temperature probe build into the tip. This tool is pushed into the bottom of the hole about 1 meter,but it requires a complete trip down the drill string without getting a core.

During the crossover, I am informed that I will also be working on our Rig Instrumentation System (RIS). We have had a similar RIS in the past, but this is a new installation, with mostly new sensors and and completely new data acquisition system. The RIS, monitors and records such information as weight of the drill string, torque and speed of the top drive (giant motor that turns the drill string), pressure of the pumps that push drilling mud down the drill string to firm up the hole we drill, depth of the bit and depth of the coring tools. My responsibility for this system is news to me.

10 March 2009, 1100 hrs
The last 5 days I have been working on RIS problems and general crossover duties. The ship has been loading supplies and tools while various vendors work on equipment such as the elevator and the coke fountain. Coring operations absolutely require an elevator under the new ship layout, because the core samples must be moved from level to level during processing ending up several floors down in the ships hold in a refrigeration unit. Up until now the elevator has had many problems. There is a sign on one of the doors that warns to verify the presence of the elevator before entering. My concern is with the coke machine. Two months without a coke would cause me great distress. At one point the Coast Guard shuts down our loading operation because we have gas cylinders, which are not allowed to be loaded at this dock. Some of these gas cylinders is the CO2 bottles for the coke fountain. I'm not leaving port without them. After an hour of discussions, we are allowed to procede loading gas bottle with a waiver for 24 hours. One of the vendors conspicuously missing from this port call is the RIS contractor. I am becoming painfully aware of the fact that this system is not operational as advertised.

Now, I am at the Salvation army store just across the street from Target. I have been to Target almost every day of the port call, buying last minute items like clothes, chocolate, potato chips, coffee, usb drives, batteries, extra pillow, sheet and blanket. The only cover supplied in my cabin is a thick comforter that looks more like a Japanese futon mattress than a cover. I am either hot or cold with that thing, so I bought my own. We have plenty of food on board , but not snack food, so the chips and chocolate. I realize after all this, that I don't have enough t-shirts or a single long sleeves shirt to work in, so that's why I'm at Salvation Army. There are racks and racks of Aloha shirts for about $4 each. These are the flowerdy Hawaiian shirts. I can pick some of them up on the way back home, but right now I need t-shirts. I pickup several for $2 each, one says "FBI Hawaii" two are Harley shirts and the fourth is a Hawaii Community Church shirt. The clerk is an older gentleman about 60, who seems to be annoyed that I am shopping there. Next door is the Salvation Army shelter, so there are many homeless people roaming around outside. There is liquor sold in every convenience store, grocery store, etc., but not at the Target across the street. I am told that it is because of the street people near by.

Shore leave ends at 1400 hrs today and the ship is scheduled to depart at 1500 hrs. I meet up with the other Target shoppers from our crew and we head towards the port, but with a major stop along the way. Sam Choy's Breakfast Lunch and Crab is our last point of civilization, last meal off the ship and last beer for a long while. We sit in what looks like a fishing boat mock up and I'm on the transom with no back rest. Just where I want to be, on a boat , before I have to be on a boat. I have the "Da Lava Burger", crabcake, one half pound certified angus beef and cheese for $14.95 and it's not that great. Add in two, brewed on site, Kakaako Cream Ale pints to make it a $25 lunch, but like I said it's the last for a long time.

A group of us were in Sam Choy's bar last night and the night before. It's hidden in a small room to the far left of the restaurant and I much prefer it over the fishing boat. This is a brew pub and facing away from the bar you can see the big copper brewing pots. The brewery named the Big Aloha Brewing Company, sells five handcrafted beers brewed on premises:Kakaako Cream Ale,Ehu Ale,Hefe-Weizen, Kiawe Honey Porter and James Cook Indian Pale Ale. Both nights I purchased a sampler platter with 5 ounces of each beer for about $8. All were excellent beers ranging from light to very dark. Tuesday night, the last night in port, we added a few tropical drinks to our tab. I figured, you can't come to Hawaii without having a MaiTai. I guess I started something again, cause the girls had to have one. Then someone ordered a Mango Mojito and it looked so refreshing with the mint leaves sticking out the top, that I was compelled to try one myself. Luckily, Sam Choy's closes at 10:00 pm so we were on our way back to the ship before any real damage was done. The only injuries I am aware of are a few small skin punctures from a tiny plastic drink sword fight that broke out somewhere between the guard shack and the JR.

10 March 2009, 1330 hrs
Me and my shopping expedition are back on the ship, with time to spare. Preparations for departure are underway and I'm starting to get butterflies in my stomach. Last minute discussions take place with those people who are not sailing, some of them will be crossing over with us at the next port call, others are only here for this port call. Someone says, "See you on the other side." I wonder if they mean the other side of this expedition or the after life. The butterflies are stirring more. The announcement comes, "All ashore that's going ashore." I think for a while about going ashore and calling it quits. But then I think of the bills piling up and somehow, my will power kicks in just enough and I change my focus to other things.

10 March 2009, 1420 hrs
Most of the scientist and technicians have gathered on the top of the bridge awaiting our departure. Pictures are taken of the mountains behind Waikiki and pictures are taken of the people waiting down on the dock to wave goodbye and of the line handlers and of the tug boats that are approaching to haul us away. The captain is walking around in front of and on the wings of the bridge with a hand held radio, giving commands to the ships crew. Crew busy themselves near the spring lines. Nervous excitement abounds among the scientist. They act as if they are going off to summer camp. You can see that many have made new friends and a few seem to be already on the path to new romantic relationships, if only for the two months. The crane engine starts up and shortly later begins to raise it's boom. The cable is lowered to the gangway. The crew attach the cables and are busy with the pins that attach the gangway to the JR. The cable is pulled taught and all are aboard. The crane engine races a bit, the pins are pulled and the gangway jumps free. As it is raised to it's stowage place on deck, I feel a sickness in my stomach. There is no turning back now, lest I jump. The tug boat engines rev a bit pushing the JR closer to the dock. Line handlers throw the lines into the water as ships crew pull them in.

10 March 2009, 1500 hrs
Last lines are off. The tugs are pulling us away from the dock. As we get further into the harbor, we can see Diamond Head through two building, which the locals call the twin paper clips. Just outside the harbor we can see the resorts and beaches and water front restaurants. The tugs are still guiding us along as we clear the channel markers into open water. The JR drops the tug lines and we are on our own. A few miles off shore and maybe four mile south of Honolulu Harbor, we turn into the wind and slow the screws until we are at a dead stop. We are waiting for a boat, which looks like a converted amphibious landing craft, to come along side. Mitch is on board this craft directing the transfer of our radioactive sources that we use in some of the downhole logging tools. Because of the dock we used, we were not allowed to load radioactive material there. This is the best alternative. The crane lowers a basket called a Billy Pugh to the smaller boat. The cargo is placed inside and lifted aboard. The landing craft turns toward Honolulu as Mitch waves goodbye. We start forward again and turn to the southwest. Many pictures are taken. Some folks ask if I will take their picture with Diamond Head in the background. I take a series of photos that I will stitch together into a panorama of Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head.

The overall mood is jovial. My mood is restrained. Honolulu looks much prettier from out here than it does amongst the tall buildings. I am told Kauai is the island to visit; no tall building. In a few hours there will be no land in sight. I am discussing twitter with our education outreach person. She is trying to use a lot of internet resources to get the message out. We still have cell phone coverage so I show her that you can send twitter update via text message. She asks me to make sure I include the JR in my tweet. I only want to get my thoughts out there so maybe they don't eat me up from inside. I pull out my cell phone and text to 40404.

"As diamond head shrinks in the distance, the swell rises beneath the JOIDES Resolution, my long journey begins."

I Don't Love the Ocean, I love the Coast (Part 2)

2009-03-14T23:33:00.000-07:00

or "I feel like Hell in Paradise"

5 March 2009, 18:20 hrs
Mitch drops by the operations office located on the bridge deck of the JOIDES Resolution to ask if I'm about ready to have a beer. Being the sociable guy I am, we are off to the crossover party in Mitch's rental car.

In the olden days, usually on the evening of the day when the two crews change out (also know as crossover) the powers that be would give a little party at a local watering hole and too often times more touristy type establishments. Free drinks would normally flow for an hour or two, maybe longer depending on the port and corresponding drink prices. Certain non-government funds were used for this and other things like the annual Holiday (formerly known as Christmas) party. Then new management came along and nixed the use of these funds for alcohol purchases. It was/is my understandings that there would then be no more crossover parties, but somehow, someone came up with some money and voilà, crossover party. Whether they continue in the future, who knows. Times are changing.

Crossover parties can be held at places from dive bars to fancy restaurants depending on who is in charge of them. In this case, the gathering is at "Cheeseburger Waikiki", a touristy tiki hut bar place that is apparently part of a Hawaiian chain called "Cheeseburger Restaurants." It's a patio style place with the plastic walls that roll down when the weather's bad. Waitresses wear grass skirts and push Mai Tai drinks with pineapple slices and little umbrella toothpicks. Now I like palm trees, and grass huts and all that, but not the Disneyland version, so this was pretty much the exact opposite of my kinda place. Did I mention free drinks?

When Mitch and I arrive our private patio area is already pretty full, but I find a seat. About 15 minutes later a grass skirted waitress stops by to take my drink order. I always try to sample the local brew where ever I travel. This is no exception.There are several local beers from the Kona Brewing Company on the menu. I pick the Longboard Lager. Another 15 minutes pass before she returns with my beer. I try to order a $12 cheeseburger at this point, but she hurries away before I can speak. At least 20 more minutes pass before I can get her attention and order a second beer. She turns away before I can place a food order, luckily my friend blocks her path. I place the order as she scribbles on on a notepad completely full of drink and food orders for our section. I see that she writes the burger down, but without any indication of where I am sitting . I wonder if she has any intention to bring me a beer or a cheeseburger. Forty minutes later no beer and no cheeseburger. Apparently the management felt like two wait staff was plenty to handle the expected 50 to 75 people. I decide to go to the bar and order for myself. I walk up just as one of my co-workers is being asked to leave the dining room. The waitress tells her that we must stay in our reserved area. I'm beginning to wonder if we are being held against our will and really starting to get ticked off. I walk back to the entrance of our patio and stand there with some other guys who have figured out the system. As soon as a waitress walks into our area with a tray of drinks, she asks who ordered a such and such drink. The trick is, no matter what you ordered, if you are willing to drink what she's carrying, just speak up. I get a couple of beers this way, but I am hungry. Now three pints and 90 minutes after ordering my cheeseburger, I've had a enough. I gather up Mitch and my friend Eric and we are off and around the block.

5 March 2009, 2115 hrs
The Irish Rose is quite full, but everyone is as friendly as before. Tonight the bartender is truly Irish judging by his accent. The band is just starting to play. They are a cover band and start off with the Toadies' "Possum Kingdom", which takes me home to Texas for a bit. We are sitting at the bar, Mitch is next to a "No Smoking" sign that also points out that it is illegal to smoke inside, under Hawaiian law. He pulls out a cigarette and asks the bartender for an ash tray. The bartender walks, by places an ash tray in front of Mitch and says, "It's Illegal to Smoke", then walks away. As Mitch lights his cigarette, the band starts playing Cheap Trick's "Surrender". I make a failed attempt not to sing along. While reading a flier advertising the bar's tricycle races posted on the side of the taps, I glance up to see that they have some kind of pear cider on tap, so I order a snake bite. Cider goes in first and then Guinness is layered on top, which creates a good mix of bitter and sweet. After my first snakebite, Mitch orders one, then I notice a couple of others have ordered some from across the bar. Mitch remarks that I have started something. The band plays a Stevie Ray Vaughn song. I feel like the snake bite, bittersweet. It's a great hangout, the people are friendly, the weather suits my style, but I'm too far from home, with a long journey ahead of me.

I Don't Love the Ocean, I love the Coast (Part 1)

2009-03-12T02:01:00.000-07:00

3 March 2009, 0900 hrs

"the new MK-II also boasts a custom Element-Hybrid pickup system from none other than the industry’s leading pickup innovator, L.R. Baggs. All three models come equipped with the system which has on board electronics with a 2-band EQ, a built in headphone amplifier, and like all Travelers, the ability to be plugged directly into a traditional amplifier for live applications."

Lt Dan Moran

2007-10-30T14:27:00.000-07:00

Champion Forest Baptist Church - Sunday Service 10-21-07
Lt Dan Moran was wounded in Iraq by an IED. HE was part of the veterans appreciation half time during the the A&M vs Kansas football game.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates pinned a medal on this Marine. I know I had to tear up a little and I know a few other people around me did too. This is his testimony and his story:

God Bless America and those who protect her.

'Swearing' at Work Eases Stress, Boosts Team Spirit, Study Says - FoxNews.com

2007-10-17T06:24:00.000-07:00

'Swearing' at Work Eases Stress, Boosts Team Spirit, Study Says

Researchers at University of East Anglia in Norwich, U.K. conducting a leadership study found the use of "taboo language" made the workplace more tolerable, according to Australia's Daily Telegraph.

That's what the hell I'm talkin' about! Maybe the Aggie Football department could use a little more swearing. I know I'm swearing at them a lot. #$%@in' Fran!

Australian Doctors Use Vodka Drip to Save Poisoned Tourist's Life - Health News | Current Health News | Medical News

2007-10-14T11:24:00.000-07:00

FOXNews.com - Australian Doctors Use Vodka Drip to Save Poisoned Tourist's Life

Pascal Gelperowicz, who led the man's treatment with Todd Fraser, said the man was unconscious when he arrived and was treated immediately with pharmaceutical-grade alcohol, which works as an antidote to the poison.

The hospital's alcohol supplies were soon exhausted, however, so they purchased a case of vodka to help finish the job. "We ... decided the next best way to get alcohol into the man's system was by feeding him spirits through a naso-gastric tube," Gelperowicz said.

Isn't it odd? The guy drank anti-freeze in an apparent suicide attempt. Strange that alcohol is an antidote to ethylene glycol and that the dosage given was the equivalent to 3 drinks an hour for three straight days. So binge drinking can be good for you.

A&M's Franchione fends off negative vibes | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle

2007-09-27T08:08:00.000-07:00

A&M's Franchione fends off negative vibes | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle:
Stephen McGee quote from Chronicle:

"'It's so tough, because everybody wants to be so negative, but that's the way that life is,' said quarterback Stephen McGee. 'If you chose to come to a school like A&M, you know you are going to have to deal with that. You can let it eat you up, or you can go out there and be a man and realize 'I have responsibilities to go out there' and lead your team and encourage them like you always have.'"

I don't see my thoughts as negative. I can see that we aren't very good this year, and haven't been in many years past. I still hope we pull something out this season and I think we have chance. But, there is a problem and at this point I think it is the coaching.

Fran's quote:

Franchione, however, disagrees with the idea last Thursday's game against the unranked Hurricanes served as a barometer of where the program is under his watch. He has championed this as the most complete and talented team he has had since arriving at A&M.

What barometer do we have then? Maybe Fran's record 28-24? At least it's a winning record for now. I do agree this might be "the most complete and talented team he has had since arriving at A&M." Which backs up the point that it is a coaching problem rather than a player problem.

I also agree to a point that a positive attitude is necessary to move forward, but you can't progress unless you see the mistakes and make a change. Drinking the maroon cool aid that the coaching staff is serving up, doesn't do any of us any good. I am impressed that the team is backing up their coach as they should, but don't get angry with the fans because they are ticked off at a lack of progression in performance over the last 4 plus years. It is even more exasperating to hear the coaches say in effect, we are doing great, right where we want to be, when we have to face these embarrassments on national television. Pure political spin in an attempt to save their jobs. A little honesty would go a long way with me.

MySA.com: Richard Oliver

2007-09-24T08:12:00.000-07:00

Excerpt from:

MySA.com: Richard Oliver

Barring an unlikely rebound in the final three quarters of the football season, with Texas Tech, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas looming, Byrne will be faced with another crucial hire and rebuilding task.

This one, simply, will define his legacy at the school.

Franchione, even Byrne must realize by now, is not a catalyst as forecast when he was imported to take the reins of the football program. Advertised as an agent for change, instead he stands today as arguably the most prominent example of underachievement in the university's history.

A nice enough man, firm with a handshake and well coiffed in front of the cameras, he looks the part. But the results say otherwise.

It's an act that's wearing awfully thin at A&M, where hopes continually soar far higher than mediocre. Give the Aggies credit: They aspire to greatness, now more than ever.

It's a passion, however, that works against Franchione today. Hired to lift A&M's program to national prominence, he still can't seem to lift it higher than R.C. Slocum's memory.

That's why the most important game plan for the school today is the one stewing in Byrne's head.

I think this guy hits it right on the head. Fran continues to make calls that are at best puzzling and he seems to ruin every passing quarterback we get our hands on. Darnell has improved the defense a little bit, but we don't seem to have progress much this past season. His hire was another of those puzzling calls on Fran's part.

RC did a great job at keeping us from getting embarrassed, and maybe we wanted to take a few more chances offensively and try to take it to the next level, but maybe we shouldn't have thrown the baby out with the bath water. Right now I'd love to just have a dominating defense, even if we couldn't score.

FOXNews.com - Tennessee Landscaping Company Employing Bikini-Clad Women - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News

2007-09-02T11:26:00.000-07:00

Man I really need my lawn mowed too.

Link to full story on FOXNews.com

Tennessee Landscaping Company Employing Bikini-Clad Women Sunday, July 22, 2007
MEMPHIS, Tenn. —

One lawn care company is showing a little skin to boost business. The women of Tiger Time Lawn Care offer to mow customers' lawns dressed in bikinis — a service that attracts more attention to the ladies than the lawns. 'Oh yeah, they honk and yell. They can do everything you can imagine,' said employee Blair Beckman, 21. Beckman said the extra attention is expected, but she looks on the bright side. 'You get the attention but you also get a tan, which I need,' Beckman said. Owner Lee Cathey said the bikini service makes mowing the lawn a lot more interesting, although the fee is slightly higher."