It's been a good day today.
Calls to Oz and Chile, Bro neearly fully back to his oldself, mucker with C, very positive and dealing with itall one day at a time. Good on him, he'll win in the end. Other old muckers, concerned about mucker in Chile also calling in. The years rolled back. It's a warm snuggly feeling. Nostalgia is a powerful thing. Dangerous perhaps too, if you don't keep it in perspective.
Due to the need to have a blood test at the local faithhealer's this morning I worked at home. Surprisingly productive considering how easily distracted I can be. Running through a grapnel clearance procedure (for the inter array cables) I noted that the 'Voe Jhal' was conspicuous by her absence from the field. Her owners had said, 27 days ago, that she'd be 'popped onto the slip for a few days to carry out some quick checks'. A call to the lads at Ramsgate revealed she'd been on the slip for 4 weeks (just) and was still there with shaft and 'stern-gland' problems. WHOoops!! Pays not to be too optimistic if you're a ship owner then. The lesson to be learned is you never, ever, ever, ever, trust an owner when he says his boat is fully operational and problem free.
Talking about ship owners. Last August we were involved in fixing a couple of 200 tonne bollard pull class tugs for some anchor handling work off West Africa. The day rates the owners wanted were in the order of £220,000 pounds at one point during the negotiations before they grudgingly settled for a term charter rate of £95,000 a day. Ouch!!!! Last week, those same vessels were being fixed out of Aberdeen at £5000 a day. That's some variation, blimey. But does my heart bleed for the owners........... have a guess.
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