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Thanks for explanation Bob, I never knew that!
I would have been much happier there if we had been sailing all over the place, but lightering was awfully boring from a going ashore point of view. Very busy all day with VHF calls to agents. In practically every local traffic list every day. Couldn't open windows as they were bolted shut and the A/C was always failing because the gas pipes crossed an expansion joint and kept cracking, so that although the A/C machinery was OK, we kept losing the gas! It was like a furnace inside most of the time. Best accommodation I ever had though. Through sheer boredom I kept all the ALRS books fully corrected and looked forward to more coming. Safety rules drove me mad as well. I wasn't allowed to use a soldering iron when we were pumping in case the ship blew up, but I was kept busy for hours on end sending HF messages on W/T when we were pumping alongside VLCCs, but not allowed to send private traffic in case we blew up. Could only conclude that it was OK for us to be blown up on company business, but not for the odd Pdh or SLT! Designated smoking area was officers smokeroom with door opening out on deck where the air was often blue with oil fumes outside the door. So, they were all in there smoking, and I could not even use a soldering iron in an enclosed radio room or bridge - Flexirules - Ugh! Couldn't get off quick enough, but was stuck there for 6 months!
Bob
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