I was talking with/pm-ing Stu earlier and mentioned that i am currently on my way across the Atlantic from here on in known as the "Pond" and said that i had taken some pictures of the trip so far, he asked if i would be kind enough to post them up so here they are with a little back ground info,

We left Barcelona on the 17th and made our way to Gibraltar, we go here because we are able to purchase duty free Diesel, which gives us a significant saving, we took 160,000 ltrs approx, we normally take a few days of to give the crew a chance to rest up before the big part of the trip,


This is our ECDIS (Electronic Chart Infomation System)



This is a snap shot of our bridge, we operate with 7 changable flat screens on a fully intergrated bridge system,



This is just a shot looking out of the front of the bridge



This is a shot of the bridge at night, obviously we have to dim down all the screens for night vision,



This is a shot takern at night whilst we had 50kts + of wind over the deck, rather windy



Things calmed down so i managed to take another picture of a sunset, alot of people love them, but it is an occupational hazard that i have seen so many of the bloody things



This is our 50 meter mast, all boats over 50m must have this extra Mast head light to give notice to others of it's lenght other vessels smaller may display it choice, but ours must (we are 58m)



We have a camera mounted in the top mast



This is the following shot



This screen displays our course, speed through the water, speed over the ground, course over the ground, wind temp, sea temp, wind direction and speed in true, rudder angle indicatiors, heading error, current heading, position, time, + a few other things



As above



This morning i popped out side to take this picture of the sun rise

whilst dodging this





Obviosuly we have to obay alot of rules out at sea so i had to get out of this things way, due to it crossing my path from my right hand side.....

It will take us approximately 12 days to cross the pond from Gibraltar to St Martin.

We work 4hrs on 8hrs of 24/7 with 2 people on the bridge at all times at night and 1 during the day depending on schedule and work to be done,

Our Engineers work 6hrs on 6hrs off the whole way across

We have a weather router in the states who gives us very accurate weather predictions, at a cost of Ł50 an email.

It took me approximately 1 1/2 days to plan the passage and we will us some 30 different charts.

We rinse the boat down every day and use about 9 tons of water that we produce our self (reverse osmosis plants)

We will change atleast 5 times zones with out double checking

We receive TV until approximately 1 days out of the Canary Islands and will lose Broadband Internet at the same time, then we will have to download e-mails via another Satelite,

For those of you that have never seen the boat here she is







Another bloody sunset shot

Cheers Mike

 

 

That's a damn good read there sailor

 

them pics are really cool. and 1 hell of a read there.

 

Very interesting Mr Bond - although i feel sick now just looking at it - give me P & O ferries any day

 

very intresting

 

 

a day in the life of a drug smuggler?
what do you do fella?
sunrise looks awesome!but i get sea sick so NOT the place for me

 

what are you sailing on?

 

I get sea sick as well just not today........

I am acting 1st Officer and the normal 1st Officer is acting Captain, i am normally the 2ed Officer, it is good that we have all bumped up to take it across the pond, the Captain consults myself about weather and course (i picked our route he trusts me so of we go)


Mike

 

Smart Mike



2nd both of them...

 

mike hows the helicopter coming long? talked your boss into buying you a chopper yet

 

I am working on it Gareth hopefully a bigger boat will do the trick more room then


Mike

 

im sure he needs a duty and standbye pilot,,,, if you know what i mean,,, hint hint hint

 

kool job

 

cool thread

Hope the crossing goes well

 

I think i might know a few people that would be up for that job Gareth

I hope the crossing goes well also this is the 4th time i have crossed the pond initial impressions are good,

Mike

 

Interesting thread.

Do you ever go to "yachtmati.com"? (Although they don't have your yacht there - my mate runs the site).

Do you ever get to the Med?

Cheers

 

Yes spend most of the year in the Med, will check out the website cheers

Oh i have been told to say i miss my gf heaps when i am away

Mike

 

not been funny but.....


how awesome is your job !

 

Good Read there mike hope you have a safe crossing i am sure you will and i am sure we will talk before you get to the other end xx

 

Fabulous Topic...

Heres some pics i took of Mikes boat this year.











What a top Job you have Mike, i am envious.

 

Heard a lot about you during our couple of night's putting teh world to rights Liz, all good as well i may add.

 

Cheers for the nice comments Stu, i owe you a few beers,


Mike

Those pics of your came out pretty good

 

Give me a shout if you ever get to Greece - particularly one of the big marinas in Athens/Piraeus. My mate (with the web-site) would like to see your ship - he has a strange fascination with yachts

I used to drive ships for a living - but the larger type like the MSC container ship you passed.

Cheers

 

thanks that is very kind, he loves his job i am glad you enjoyed your trip onboard she is lovely, he seemed to enjoy meeting you and your clan as its always good to meet like minded people.

cheers Liz

 

Tim it is a fairly busy large website just had a look,

I was there a few years back in Piraeus,

Mike

 

Er, so the Owner is enjoying large Inmarsat bills while you surf the net at sea then!

 

Nope we own the bandwidth it just runs of it's footprint in a few days,

Mike

 

I look forward to drinking them, along with many more next time we meet up.


It was an amazing eye openener. I have never been aboard any form of ship at all, and i was, in fact still am, in awe at how incredibly plush they are. How the other half live eh? What are their HOUSES like?!!?

And Mike is a great fella too, really great of him to show us all around and take me out on teh beer in France.

 

PMSL, Mike who told you to say that ? The G/F ??

Mike When did you sail into Gibraltar? I was staying near Marbella from the 11th to the 18th. You didnt happen to stop in Marbella or Puerto banus? I was in the harbour at Puerto Banus and there were some lovely big boats there and made me think of you

 

Andy was there aboat called New Century there?

Alot of Arab boats spend there time in Marbella and Porto Banus it really is an Arab play ground,

And yes you guessed it the Liz did inform me that i had failed to mention that i really miss her also

Mike

 

Mike, Not sure on the boat names got a few pics to look back through when i get my camera hooked up to pc again, but there were some big boats there and some even nicer cars parked

Lol @ Liz informing you , got to keep him on his toes Liz

 

hi Andy,

I know i have to otherwise he forgets LOL

Only joking i speak to him more when hes away than when he is colser by

 

Hello Liz Is it like having someone one in the navy, do you miss him when he's away and get fed up with him when he's home ?

 

To be honest i miss him all the time as he is never home like other normal sailor jobs i am lucky if i see him for about 2 months a year you just get used to it i suppose but its always great having him home

 

Ahhh Bless.

Does he leave you the keys to the Evo ?

 

to right and i cannot obide 17 yr old's in corsa's they really annoy me, especially when they try and race sometimes they are too dangerous there is driving a fast car and driving a slow car dangerously to keep up that get on my nerves.

I dont drive it far to Bury St Edmunds for a coffee and sunday papers laughable i know

 

You should go out and make a "get away in Stockholm" video with it and send it to him, he be home alot quicker then

 

i am sure and for all the wrong reasons i dont want my ass tanned he would not be chuffed its his pride and joy that car