The Winter Trip on the Pacific Endeavour in Russia

Oh, To Be Back Onboard

The IBSV Pacific Endeavour in Kholsmk Supply Base
Photo Copyright © Ieuan Dolby, 2007

By Ieuan Dolby

It is nice to clamber onto a ship that is known! From the opposing point of view; joining a new ship is filled with unknowns, where is my cabin, what is the security code to enter the accommodation, who is onboard, is the cook good or bad is the cabin clean and the ship a happy one? All unknowns and all niggling points at the back of the brain that can culminate in serious nail-biting worry by the time the first foot is placed on the ships deck! Another apt way to look at these two opposing scenarios is to say that the first day on a known vessel is spent in talking and drinking coffee, the unknown vessel in silence as doors are opened to see what lies behind!

Here and today though I had the extreme pleasure of joining a vessel that I had sailed on only last trip so the 'knowns' heavily outweighed the 'unknowns'! I knew the security code; once inside I was greeted by friendly faces, they equally as happy to have somebody that they have sailed with before, as I was to have sailed with them! And so I joined my ship once again, spending the first few hours catching up with others personal lives and swapping stories, how they had enjoyed and conducted their leaves, new babies, wives or thoughts and anything else that brings smiles to the face!

It would not be wise of me to state that a trip on a known vessel is better! Naturally, a vessels culture bears great input to the future as does the location of the ship in the big wide world and the people who are currently sailing on her; it is thus only the first day that passes by in a blur of frenzied yapping and after that work and reality rears its ugly head!

The Pacific Endeavour has a few features that might take it above other ships in style and comfort; the vessel is only recently off the shelf and comes fully equipped with a gym and sauna! The cabins are fully functional with minimal resort to fanciful expression and everything is clean and spacious! But as already said, the reason for my existence onboard is to work and so work I must! Time to find a boiler suit and a pair of safety boots, time to relocate the engine room door, the steps down to the pits and the engineers who will tell me their woes and grumbles - just like on any other vessel in the world!

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