1jul06
Another update while I've found a wifi spot. Fortunately I had the opportunity ahead of time to type something out, so this can be a little more thorough than past entries have been
So Lenny asks: Do you like it?
Well, yes and no. I mean, think of it this way. I am the least important member of the crew, during the periods in which I am considered a member of the crew at all. But I am an officer in training so I am expected to act a certain way as well. Just because of my position and not out of any malice I am encouraged regularly to "not touch anything". I've gotten a little more trust than the first week I was here, but still as a cadet it only goes so far. Again not out of spite, but if there is an unpleasant job to be done odds are pretty good that it falls to me. Like say, changing bearings in the unloading tunnel or walking 500 feet aft and up 4 flights of stairs to get a hammer and a chainfall and then climb back into where ever it was I started from.
And then there's the fact that I *am* new at a lot of this and will make mistakes. Like a couple weeks back when I dumped one of the engines in the lake changing a fuel filter. Just a mental lapse, caused partly by lack of familiarity with the equipment and confusion about how it worked, coupled with an increasing confidence after having done it successfully several times without incident earlier. And while no one was thrilled, they did make it clear that each of the engineers had done it before (including one who does it monthly). Which makes it a little easier, but still doesn't help the incredibly long walk of 1000 feet from the aft to the bow after several minutes of terror trying to get things back up again with #2 diesel sprayed all over your clothes, hair, eyes, and mouth. Although that ranks as one of the top 3 showers of my life (and the other two involved a partner).
And then there are the things about this boat in particular. Part of what I like about sailing is going somewhere, and for the last 30 days I've been going back and forth from Superior, WI to Burns Harbor, IN, and will continue to follow this route for another 45 days. So that's kinda stupid, especially since I don't have a car at the dock and Superior where everything is in walking distance is the loading dock, which only requires 4 hours, while Burns Harbor, which is miles from anything usually takes 14-16 hours to unload. And the boat itself is so unique compared to "normal" lakers that there's a lot less I can learn that will really translate anywhere else.
Still, all that being said, yeah I like it well enough. The experience itself isn't something you'd expect to like, and being a cadet isn't really what I wanted to do, being an engineer is. But cadet life is entirely tolerable and occasionally even fun, and anyway, I only have a few more months worth and I'll be sailing for real.
And to expand the question... if what Lenny is asking is: Do I think I'd like to do the job? Then yes. Not the cadet job, but I think I can and will enjoy being a sailing engineer. I still want to check out the scene on the ocean next year, which might be even better, but even on the Cort I think I could be fine, especially as it would allow me 30 days or more at home to do whatever I want.
So anyway, there's a somewhat better answer than I could've given in the 5 minutes of drive by wifi I normally get.
Special note: If anyone is looking to get in touch with me you can actually send mail to
Cadet Kevin Moss
M/V Stewart J. Cort
Marine Post Office
Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783
and I'll get it the next time we go through the locks. Or email still works, though I'm pretty slow to respond given my difficulty in getting access. Anyway, back to radio silence for a bit.