En Vacation

Dear Readers.
Some time has passed since I have informed you of the destinies of our three sailors. Well the summer has begun. The sailors have quietened down. The summer seems to calm them down -of course it does for they are all Dalmatian, . Even upon the crests of distant dark and exotic seas, the summer, and the sound of the mosquitoes calms down the Dalmatians. Its no matter that their skin is sticking to the working slacks, on the moist humid coats, upon the other side of the planet, where they are of course walking up side down..

Those mariners of ours write more in winter, when they are missing their mothers cakes, and decorated christmas trees, but than the summer has happened to me as well as to or mariners, and to my son too, who had decided to obstain from summer kinder garden by picking  up as many summer virues from protest, so I too must accept, that some kind of vacation is in the air. The summer is there to be lived, the winter is there to wirte memoires, chonichles, and heroic songs about the summer adventures..

And now a little about our sailors..

English version- Captain ST Takes over the command of Clarice

I started to become acquainted with the story of the mariner -with the commencement of this project. Every mariner has his story, but not one, but thousants of them, many stories of escapades at sea, on the ship, upon distant shores. Even in these days of the cheap flight when anyone can fly anywhere to be a tourist, still very different are the tales of the tourists and those of the mariner. Have you ever listened to a mariner story tell? Than you know what I am talking about.

There exsits, hoverer that one thread, which to me seems to unite those individuals woven out of thousand and one nights on exotic seas. It all begins to bouble up in the boy, that wild being, the teenager who is difficult to straddle to his school desk, as are found in large numbers percisley in the navigational schools, half anarchists, advenuters, fuck-ups. They invent excuses for the missing homeworks, skive classes, but never the less are inspired by the legends from history, those of the great Captains, real adventurers, explorers. There and than, in the heads of those young men a dream begins to simmer, a dream of how one day, he himself will become, a Captain.

How many years did it take Magellan to become a Captain. ? None less than is required of a young man now. Magellan started up on a boat as a nobody, a teenager, without a position, with desire for adventure. He dreamt how one day he will be Captain, and he made an effort, and proved him self on the ships and in war, and only aged 36 he becomes a Captain for the first time ( Than discoveries the streits od Magellan and proves the Earth I round)

Today the story is no different. To become a captain, a young man must prove him self. He must work more than others do, and o a ship everyone works a lot. That man needs to spend more time in the ocean than at home. He must be precise, capable, trustworthy.

To be a captain is the aim, and the dream of most of the boys who enrol into the maritime collage. The moment of taking over the command of a ship is the peak of the career, the realisation of the mariner's dream. Reading these letters, sent to me by the sailors eating the bread with seven crusts, 12 years spent on the ship without a Christmas at home, without the new years, the birthdays, the girlfriends, far from one's family, with all the sorrows and frustrations, whish last for years. Can you
comprehend the patience with which one works at a job for 14 years, isolated on the ship, accepting to stay on the ship for 9 and 6 months instead for the  expected 2 month terms- in order to speed up the realisation of the boy hood dream. Most men give up. It is thus a great moment when someone succeeds.

 I am honoured that in precisely such a moment in his life, The project Mariner and the ocean was joined by Chief ST. We begun to follow his journey before his flight to Texas a couple months ago, where he embarked the ship as a Chief, sailed the Pacific ocean, to than take over the command of that same Ship Clarince, on the other side of the Globe, as  its Captain.

Here is the first report and greetings from the newly baked Captian now in China.




  

 

Captain TS:

Greetings Sunčica, it has been impossible to get to the internet to say hello. After a long pacific adventure which passed thank be to god, alright, I had arrived in Korea, where  I had stayed shortly without connecting to the internet, and afterwards I left for China where as all know facebook is forbidden, however after a long battle I managed to crack it, and break the firewall to be finally writing !

I have taken over the command and fount it not at all as stressful as I had expected, I suppose I was more prepared than I believed to be.
We are now going to be in the shipyard for seven days unless some taifun sends us out of here.
I have decided  to remain on the ship a little longer this time, so that the arrival home shall wait a while . I will remain in command for the next 4 moths, so that I may spend the new years at home after many years. Many greetings,  until next time

Kapetan ST Preuzeo Zapovjedništvo Broda zvanog Clarice

S početkom ovog projekta počela sam se upoznavati s pričom pomorca.. Svaki pomorac ima svoju priču, ali ne jednu, nego baš tisuće njih, puno tih priča, o događajima na moru, u brodu, na dalekim kopnima. Čak i u ovim  danima  jeftinih letova bilo tko može letiti bilo gdje biti turist, ipak vrlo su različite te priče turista, I pomoraca. Jeste li ikada slušali pomorce kako pripovijedaju? Onda znate o ćemu prićam .

Ali postoji i ta jedna nit, koja ćini mi se povezuje te individualce satkane od tisuća noći na stranim morima. Počne to već kuhati u dječaku, tom divljem biću, teenageru kojeg je teško zavezati za školsku klupu, kakvi se nađu u velikom broju upravo u tim pomorskim školama, polu buntovnici, pustolovi, zajebanti.. Smišljaju isprike šta nisu napisali zadaće, škivaju iz škole, pa ipak ih inpisriraju te legende koje skupe iz povijesti, priče velikih kapetana, pravih pustolova istraživaća.. I tu već poćme u glavama tih momaka kuhati neki san, o tome kako će on biti jedan dan, Kapetan.



Koliko godina je trebalo Magellanu da postane Kapetan ? Ništa manje nego treba jednome momku danas. Magellan je počeo na brodu kao bilo tko, teenager, momak bez pozicije, s željom za pustolovinom. On je sanjao kako će jednog dana biti kapetan, I trudio se, I dokazivao se, na bordu i u ratu, tek u 36 godini on postaje Kapetan prvi put. 

Danas nije mnogo različita priča. Za postati kapetan mlad čovijek se mora iskazati. Raditi više nego li što rade drugi, a na brodu svi rade mnogo. Taj čovijek treba provoditi više vremena na oceanu nego li doma. Bit pouzdan, precizan, sposoban..

Bit Kapetan je cilj, I san većine momaka koji upišu pomorsku školu. Zapravo taj trenutak preuzimanja zapovjedništva broda, vrhunac je karijere, sna, jednog mornara. I čitajući ova pisma, što mi pišu ti pomorci što jedu kruh sa sedam kora, 12 godina provedenih na brodu bez božića kući, bez nove godine doma, bez rođendana, bez cure mjesecima, daleko od obitelji, sa svim tugama I fustracijama, koje traju već godinama. Možete li si predočiti strpljenje koje netko treba da 14 godina radi posao, izoliran brodu, prihvačajući ostati na brodu 9 ili 6 mjeseci umjesto uobičanih 2, da bi ostvario taj dječački san što prije.. Mnogi momci odustanu.. Stoga Veliki je trenutak kada netko uspije .

Počešćena sam što u upravo takvom svećanom trenutku, nam se pridružio na projekt Chief ST . Počeli smo  pratiti ngegovo putovanje pred let za Teksas prije par mjeseci, gdje je kao chief se ukrcao na brod,  te oplovio pacific, da bi taj isti brod Clarince na drugoj strani  zemaljske kugle, preuzeo kao kapetan.

Evo nam prvo izvješće i pozdrav od novo pečenoga "barbe", friško iz Kine.


 

 

Kapetan TS:

Pozdrav Sunčica, nikako doći do interneta da ti se javim, nakon duge pacifićke avanture koja je prošla hvala bogu mirno stiga san u Koreju di san se kratko zadrža i nisan doša do interneta posli san u Kinu iša i tamo je kako je poznato zabranjen  Facebook ali nakon duge borbe san uspija probit i tu zabranu i evo ti se javljam napokon.
 Zapovjedništvo san preuzea i nije mi bilo toliko stresno koliko san mislija, vjerojatno san bia spremniji nego san mislija.
Sad cemo bit u škveru sedam dana osima ako nas koji Tajfun ne potira.
Odlucija san ostat malo duze na brodu ovaj put tako da će povratak kući malo pričekat. Ostat cu još 4 mjeseca kao zapovijednik tako da mogu novu godinu doma proslavit nakon dugo vremena. Puno pozdrava do sljedeceg javljanja

GoodBye Chief Mk

Chief MK naš prvi pomorac u projektu od Prosinca izčeznuo je negdje u Kini. Naime postajajo je sve tiši, I tiši, dok jednostavno nije nestao.

 Dali se konačno uspio asimilirati u tu kinesku kulturu  koja  ga je frustirala cijelu zimu, I prestao pronalziti razloge za grintati?

Teško je to vjerovati. Zadnje što znamo od MK je da je odletio u Kinu, u škver, ukrcati se na novi novcati "Spud Ship" (to jest Jack up rig)kako smo ga prozvali zbog njegovih "Spud Cans" nogu, Chief MK je bio jako zadovoljan što će raditi pod Norveškom zastavom, I što će prvi puta u životu sudjelovati na transportiranju Jack up riga- brodom, do radne lokacije u Vjetnamu..

Međutim kao što svi koji imaju ikakva iskustva u ikakvom brodskom škveru znaju- u škveru poslu nikad kraja. Taj novi brod, nije nikako bio sasvim gotov, I tih par dana Kine pretvorili su se u još jednu epizodu beskrajnog života u kineskom škveru. Možemo samo zamislit Chiefa kako ljutito hoda škverom i psuje na Marka Pola, šta ga je zajeba, s onim pričama iz Kine, koje su ga oćaravale kad je bija mlađi.

Međutim od tog kineskog škvera, MK-u, više ni traga.

U svakom slučaju pozdrav Chiefu MK, I nadam se da se uspija izvuč iz te Kine više, te zapravo da su ga uposlili na Spud Shipu konačno, I makli ga iz škvera, prije neglo li počme jesti domorodce za doručak..

Opči praznici

Poštpvani čitatelji..


Neko vrijeme Vas nisam obavijestila o sudbinama naših triju pomoraca . Naime počelo je ljeto. Pomorci su utihnuli.. Kao da ih ljeto smiruje, a kako neće Dalmatince. Ćak I na talasima dalekih tamnih egzotičnih mora, ljeto , I zvuk komarca smiri dušu Dalmatinca. Nema veze što se lipe za njih trliši  vlažnih Istočnjačkih podneblja, dok na drugoj strani planete, hodaju naravno naglavačke.

Ti naši pomorci zimi pišu Više, kad in fale materini kolači , I sanjaju bor s balunčićima, I smišljaju šta bi radili za maškare, a liti- liti su gusari u elementu i hladna piva- makar bez alkoholna ih opameti od pisanja.
  A i meni se ljeto dogodilo, ne samo našim pomorcima, a I mom sinu se ljeto dogodilo i odlučio je skupit šta više ljetnih virusa da ne bi išao u ljetne vrtiće iz protesta ,pa moram i ja prihvatiti , da odmor je nekakakv u điru. Liti se živi, a zimi se mudruje , I pišu se memoari, I pjesme junačke o pustolovinama ..toga lita.

A sada malo vijesti o našim pomoricma ...

Captain TS Panama -Korea

T.S

Super sta ti se javija muzej iz Rijeke, bas mi je drago zbog tebe. Evo mi prolazimo Panamu idemo polako za Koreju. Na brodu je sve ok, ekipa je dobra. Dani brzo prolaze jer ima dosta posla sto je dobro. Puno pozdrava do sljedeceg javljana.

Wonderfull that the Rijeka museum has got in touch, im so glad for you. Here we are passing torugh Panama, and are heading slowly to Korea. On board is all well, the team is good. The days are passing fast because there is a lot of work, which is also rather good. Lots of regards - until next time.

Captain TS, Houston, Texas- South Korea

Pozdrav Suncica nikako uvatit vremena za javit se, ovaj Houston izmori covika, od kad san dosa prominili smo 3 terminala u 3 dana tako da se radi punom paraom i ne stignes ni spavat, a kamo li sta drugo. Danas cemo zavrsit iskrcaj pa idemo van prat tankove i nazad na ukrcaj. Nakon toga nam sljedi dugo putovanje od mjesec dana za Juznu Koreju di ce zivot uc u neku rutinu i monotomiju bez interneta. Ja cu imat dobru zanimaciju pripremanja se za preuzimanje zapovjednistva nad brodom tako da ne sumnjam da ce meni vrime brzo proci! Eto toliko od mene iz kisnog i tmurnog Houstona.

*************************************

Greetings Suncica, impossible to find time to get in touch, this Houston  fatigues a man, since arrival we have changed 3 terminals in 3 days, so we are working full steam ahead, there is no time to sleep, and barley for anything other, . Today we will complete the cargo transfer . than we go out to wash the tanks , thank back to reload cargo. After this a long voyage of about a month follows- heading for South Korea, where life will settle into some sort of routine, and monotony without internet. I will be entertained with the preparations for taking over as commander of the ship, so I do not doubt my time will pass by quickly. There, that's all from me from the rainy and grim Houston.

Pomorci i spiza

Kao što svi Hrvati znaju i sve Hrvatice će shvatit kad tada, do srca Hrvata dolazi se putem trbuha. Muškarci o tome ne razmišljaju, oni samo to žive, ali to nama matere znaju, to nam babe znaju, a mlađe žene, o tome u početku ne razmišljaju ali na kraju I one shvate da je istina. I upravo hrana je jedan od največih problema naših pomoraca kada su na brodu. I naj žešće žalbe su o hrani. 
Svi moraju jesti ali nije sve što se jede, dobro, ukusno, I zdravo, a kamoli slasno. Ručak sam po sebi podrazumijeva više od riječi hrane. Ručak nije bilo šta. Ručak = je I hrana i zadovoljstvo što se pojeo dobar bokun. A što je to što Hrvatski moreplovci uopće smatraju pravim ručkom?

Capo I.T. je nedavno bio u Belgijji,   on prijatelj su ostali kod poznatih- gjde je cura Belgijanka "spravila ručak". Znači cura se potrudila nešto napraviti za jest gladnim putnicima. A co-putnik našeg kapa, veliki mišičavi tip, pogledao je pripravljeno i izjavio kao maleni dječak " Ja to neću jest".  Dakle nemože sve proć. 

Mornar 1.
Jednoj bivšoj, šta je bila cila moderna, sam reka "manistra s tunjevinom nije ručak. To je nešto sta sam sebi skuvam kad nema ništa drugo za jest. Rižot nije ručak, to je prilog. Soju jedu domaće životinje, ne ljudi. Kuvanje nije odmrzavanje Ledo proizvoda u mikrovalnoj, itd.". Ne znam šta sam krivo reka, samo sam je pokuša usmjerit, da nauči nešto pametno, ali nije najbolje prihvatila kritiku...

Mornar 2
Brodski kuhari kroz godine su mi uništili zdravlje..


Več u samom početku ti Hrvatski muškarci su poprilično izbirljivi.. Moderna cura, zapravo ima svo pravo bit moderna te kuhati inspirirana receptima sa interneta i internacionalnim egzotičnim sastojcima- dok ju ne zapadne muškarac koji neće jest što ona hoće i voli.. I lagano cura nauči da ono što muškarci najviše volje je ponavljanje kuhinje njihove mame. A ti muškarci Hrvati, jednostavna su biča zapravo,  nakon mnogo izgubljenih bitaka zanimljivih jela shvatimo-da Hrvati vole mesinu i krumpir, povrće i možda ribu. Puno svega toga, I to bez riži, manistre, kuskusa, i bilo kakve carbo dopune. To je njima prava spiza.

Chief MK

Ma jea sam sve i svašta po svitu, ali nema do domaće spize, spremljene "po seljački". Svaka čast svima, ali ne jede se nigdi ka kod nas doma. Tako sam jednog kapetana Danca odvea doli u Ostarije, na sipu s bobom, čovik pa u nesvist skoro, oduševia se, da "kakav je ovo specijalitet". Mislim se "a bidan čovik, di on živi...".

A kada ih zapadne kuhar koji potječe sa druge strane svijeta, sa cijelom drugom kulturom jela iza sebe gdje stoljećima jedu rižu bez mesa..Tu mornari postanu frustrirani i počmu ponekad voditi bitke..

MK
Ne jedem i doručak u McDonaldsa, ali mogu ti reć da je onaj lik sta je snimia dokumentarac o fast foodu, je totalni papak. Kad sam doša ovde sitia sam se baš njega i dokumentarca, pa sam pomislia kad sam već osuđen na shit-food, aj da testiram tu njegovu tvrdnju.
S jednom razlikom - ja nisam glupi amer, nego sam iz Splita, di je svaki od nas najpametniji na svitu, hahaha.

Tako sam od kumpirića narućiva najmanju porciju, a umisto Cole sok od naranče.

Doša sam u Kinu sa 93kg, a otiša sa 94. I taj 1kg je bia zato sta sam zadnji tjedan otkria neki dučan di ima kupit europskih slatkisa i onda sam se razvaljiva Tobleroneom i Rittet sport i Kinder čokoladicama. Jebiga, zazelia se.

A i drugi put sam se sitia tog dokumentarca, onog djela kad je reka kako su ti burgeri puni kemikalija, pa i nakon tjedan dana stajanja jos budu friški - GENIJALNO, mislim se ja, pa kad smo išli na sea trial, 4 dana na moru s kineskim kuvarom, a ja ponia 12 big macova. Suck it Chineseeeeee!

Slušala sam I jednog starog kapa kako govori da bi bilo di na svitu iša i za manje pare, ali više neče u Indiju, dvadest godina on jede njihovu rižu na pljuvačku..

Problem našim pomorcima koji provedu nekoliko mjeseci na moru, je što svaki dan trebaju jesti nekolioko obroka , a često nevole što se jede, te nije ni čudo što postaju čangrizavi kada su na brodu..Upravo zbog loše prehrane i stresa na poslu mnogi mornari vračaju se kući mršavi i košćati, ali zato brate, navale kada su doma, jedu s užitkom, i svi do jedan dopune formu..


MK
Kad dodjem doma, ko god me pita šta bi jea, odgovor je uvik isti "lešo domaću kokoš i blitvu.

Cartagena- Sailor city

Cartagena is the most beautiful city in the world.

I keep seeing this on facebook posted by friends sailors , and I keep hearing this in numerous stories by different sailors.. Why is Cartagena Columbia the most beautiful city in the world I asked some sailors sailors?

Mariner 1:
It reminds one of Split..
And the women are wowwwwwwwwwwww.

" Mulate "and very beautiful and slender. A lot of my collegues have divorced their wives in Split and re-married in Cartagena.

There is a factory in Cartagena which was named after our ship- because our crew was so well known in Cartagena.. The factory is still working. Its called Panama Pacifico.



Mariner 2:

Its the best city in the world, and the life there is a party. I love the fact the people are always in a good mood and dancing all the time..

There was one time when we arrived in Cartagena.. And as we have been before but had never seen the historic centre we went to get a cab for the centre..

When sailors come in to the town all the taxi men fight to win over the sailors to their cab.. We chose one and than got into the cab.. It was one of those old cars like in Cuba. Only once we got in, the car would not start at all. All the other taxi drivers started leering, and  mocking our driver, but we decided  that the deed was done- we had chosen our diver and car and we would stick to him ..

In the end we needed to push the car .. We told the driver to shift into the 2nd geer and we pushed and pushed.. You know how much those old metal cars weight? ..We pushed for good 10 minutes.. and where drenched with sweat once the taxi finally started going..

As a reward for sticking to him, the driver decided to treat us. He reached into a port hole and pulled out- a cocaine ball the size of an apple- and this is not an exagatation . It was a reward for our loyalty, and it was some home made, he probably farmed it himself, high quality stuff. The kind of stuff that makes you feel just nice, like a proper gent.

You can imagine- that from that moment on that cab driver was our private driver for the rest of the time we spent in Cartagena..

When we asked to go into the historic centre.. He refused- said we wanted to get killed- but he sorted us out with a muscly guy- a body guard- to look out for us- during our exploration of the town..

Ah that was a great time in Cartagena .. We went dancing, eating,  .. scratched that white ball into shreds..

Captain TS Frankfurt - Houston

TS
Evo sad sam u Frankfurtu čekam let koji je u 13:40 za Houston.



S
Znam taj Frankfurt, jeli oblačan i siv kao uvijek?

Ts insantno pošalje fotku:

TS

Baš oblačan.

S

Hahaha. Slušaj postoji nešto dobro o tim sjevernjačkim aerodromima razoružaju te.. Kada vidiš to sivilo nije teško ići od doma, pari da je cijeli svit siv, jel tako?

TS

Da, baš tako.

S

Vidiš to sivilo ima svoju funkciju.

TS

Ovaj put nisam dobija upgrada na busines klasu ,već samo na Economy plus..

S

A tko je letio s tobom do sada?

TS

Kadet.

S

Aww. Prvi put?

TS

Da prvi mu je brod.

S

aww .Vidi to iz moje perspektive ovako ,ti si oni čemu če on nastojati, još puno godina, a bija si sa njim na prvom dijelu puta.

TS

Da ja san mu uzor :)

S

I došao si mu kao neka inspiracija, dobar znak, baš lipo.

TS

Da bitno mi je da ne putujem sam. Vrime nikad proć.

S

Di mali ide?

TS

Mali, je stariji od mene godinu ipo dana- I ide na moj brod!

S.

Hahahahahahah. Pa eto ti ironije.

TS

Da.

S

Pa kako je tek sad kadet?

TS. Nikad nije pre kasno ič na more. Sve je stvar psihe , dali si spreman ostaviti sve iza sebe, I krenuti u nešto novo.

S.

Eto na bar je upozna “ Barbu” kako Kapo IT zove kapetane u samom početku.

TS

Da dobro je krenija.

S Čekaj jeli inače svi zovu kapetana “ Barba”?

TS

Da tako je na brodovima, rijetko tko zove kapetana kapetan, svi ga zovu barba.

S

Eto na bit češ Barba starijem kadetu.. Ajde bar ti je iz Splita.. Ajde Čao. Sretan Put

TS

Pozdrav

Sunci - TS Departure is a begining and not the end

S

Dragi Kapetane. Eto te letiš u zraku za Houston. Sa mnom ti nema pozdrava. Ja sam sad s tobom do kraja misije- kao M je James Bondu, ovaj mali prozorčić ti je način za dotaknit home base, :) kontrola leta.

Kad se vratiš doma tu moj posao stane. A sad tek poćimamo :)

Dakle u avionu smo koliko sati?

*********************************************************************

S
Dear Captain. There you are in the air, flying for Houston . With me there are no goodbyes. I am now with you until the end of the mission ,-the flight control. Like M is to James Bond. This little window is a way to touch home base ,   When you return home, there my job ends.  Right now we are only begining :)

So we are in the aeroplane for how many hours?

Captain's T.S. Pre departure blues

TS
Pozdrav Sunčica, evo da se javim prije puta. Valiža spremna, karta u žepu i neizostavni osjećaj ostavljanja svih prijatelja i voljenih u želucu. Ćim sidnem u avion već brojim dane do povratka jer to je ono šta svaki pomorac jedva ćeka povratak kući. Nadan se da će ekipa na brodu bit dobra i da će ugovor brzo proć. Ovom prilikom imamo duge navigacije preko Pacifika od misec dana i ako nema dobre ekipe i samo posal vrime nikad proć. Ja ti se javim ćim uvatim internet u nekoj od luka. Puno pozdrava i nastoj uživat u litu, a ne samo radit.

TS
Greeting Suncica, here just to repport in before the voyage. The suit case is ready, the ticket is in the pocket, as is the unavoidable gut feeling of leaving all friends and loved ones. The moment I sit on the plane I am already counting the days to my return, because that is what every mariner is waiting for, the return home. -I hope that the team on this ship will be good, and that the contract will pass quickly. In this instance we have long trans Pacific routes planned, which will take a month of navigation and if there is no good company , that just leaves work and never ending time which refuses to pass. I shall be in touch as soon as I catch internet in some of the ports. Best regards, and attempt to enjoy the summer, don't just work..

Chief MK China blues

MK
Los je internet i tesko mi dolazi gmail. Tek sad dosla 3 maila od tebe.
Uglavnom, u Kini su komarci glupi ka i ljudi. Sleti ti na ruku, ti ga ubijes i game over.
Osim komarca, nista novo. Glupi kinezi svugdi oko mene. Nema kineskinje koja lici na nesto.

MK
The internet is bad, gmail barley works, three mails arrived from you, just.
On the whole ,in China the mosquitoes are stupid as well as the people I am working with presentley. The mosqitoe lands on your hand , you kill it, and its game over..
Apart from the mosquitoes , there is nothing new. Stupid individuals all around me. No interesting girls anywhere. .

Ocean ocean come to me

Despite the fact it is so sad for each of the mariners to leave each and every time, to go to the ship, the euphoria of their return erases some of the tragedy.

I however for a long time have desired to go and spend a few weeks on one of these industrial work ships. I am quite aware that it is not a cruise line. I feel that the reality of the huge muscle ship, the routine, the endless ocean, would induce me to produce an interesting series of paintings, which depict - firstly the euphoria of mine for the ocean, than perhaps the very repetition of the endless days at sea, and even the blues, and perhaps scrutiny of the men at work and their lives..

A week or two on board a ship in the ocean.. A whole load of paper and paint and canvass..mm what a real rest it would be for me  :)

Tales from the ship, Capo IT: Sailor, what are you doing with that fridge..?

Once upon a time, on the shores of Africa, the ship landed in some African village  where everything was made of mud, and earth. Walking among the mud huts I discovered one with a beer crate out side it, which of course  was the village pub.

Seeing that aboard the ship there is no alcohol,  the moment you get of the ship once every few months, you feel very thirsty for a proper drink,  and especially so in the African heat, so I made my way in to the mud-pub. I would have done pretty much anything for a cool beer..

Of course there was no fridge inside the hut. I estimated that observing from the exterior. The beer was as hot as I was.

Once inside, I took a look around, than returned back to the ship, got a fridge, a cd player, and the ship's electrician . I employed the electrician into setting up the fridge in the hut and the music, as a present for the land lady of the pub.

From that moment on, the land lady, was my lady. Every time the ship would stop in that coastal port I would go to my pub, and the publican was my girl.

This went on for a while and than I decided to end it. In the best French I know kept telling the girl    " C'est ne pas fini" C'est ne pas fini.. ( Its not over. Its not over) and the relationship kept on going..

What I should have said was " C'est fini" - Its over- but the French buggered me..

Eventually she understood what I was trying to say, and explained to me in sign language with her hands, using two fingers to point to her eyes than at me, and than motioning with her thumb first at some other women- and pantomiming the cutting of her throat.

What she meant was- I know this is over between you and I- but if you go with any other women in this tribe- I will kill her.

Stealing from facebook, Chief T S is going a board!

Ovo sam kopirala sa facebooka našeg Chiefa T.S..Ispričavam se što je čisti plagijat autoru- ali....



 Chief T.S.
"Dragi prijatelji pravi i virtualni doslo je vrime da se pozdravimo, ujutro letim za Houston i necemo se vidit 4-5 miseci. Hvala van na lipom odmoru i nastavit cemo di smo stali kad se vratim."


S. Da nisam ranije danas napisala na blogu kako ga svijet namjerno zeza jer je nestrpljiv za ići plovit, dali bi danas baš stigla ta avionska karta.. U svakom slučaju, moćne riječi, pomorcu kada ide na brod, život na obali ne vezan za posao, jednostavno stane!.!





I have plagerised this from the facebook post by Chief T.S,  He just wrote it , fresh..


Chief T.S.
" Dear friends real and virtual , the time has come to salute you, in the morning I fly for Houston, and we are not to meet for the next4-5 months.. Thank you all for a beautiful holiday and we will continue where we have stopped when I get back"

S. Had I not written the post earlier about the world jesting with TS for his being impatient  to leave, would he had received his plane ticket today..
All the same , heart wrenching words, the mariners life as it is on shore , for as many months as they go away to work, stops.

Chief MK, at the bottom of the universe..

S.
Ništa mi ne govoriš o tom brodu, oli je sve neka tajna akcija. ? Nepokazivaš ni slike broda. Zar ne smiš?

Odlučila sam stvarno stavit slike u kafe bar Dujić u mistu- pa ču oslikat još Kapovih priča- a mogla bi pokazati i tvoje..

Je sam blesava prilivam šalšu iz teče u teču u biloj košulji...I to ispeglanoj!

Dakle napravila bi malu izložbicu zagrijavanja i čisto iz posvete pomorcima u toj našoj ribarskoj /mornarskoj/ dangubskoj glavnoj rupi  u Kambelovcu.. I uključila bih i tvoje brode.

A s Kapom ču se nać u petak, imamo dogovor da ćemo kupit bocu Crljenka, završit ču fine detalje njegove ruže vjetrova, I on će mi ispričat priče sa mora dok ne puknem- da oslikam za projekt.

Ovde ti je veliko sunce, riva vrvi ko mravinjak. Pakiram sad manistru na šalšu i vodim malog s biciklom točit noge u more negdi- mada će se vjerojatno i ubacit.

Lip pozdrav

Jutarnje kave suck bez priče iz Kine

MK.
Ma nemam sta reč, žugam iste stvari ka prošli put,  a ne želim se ponavljat. Ova zemlja je čmar svemira.

S. You are not telling me anything about that ship, is it all some sort of top secret? You aren't even sending photos of the ship, are you forbidden from doing so?

I have deffinitely decided to show pictures from the project so far in the local watering hole, so I'l paint some more IT's stories, I could show your paintings  too..  Im, being very silly pouring hot salsa from one pot into another wearing a pristine white shirt- not to mention ironed.
So I would do a sort of warm up exhibition as a dedication to mariners, in our local sailor, fishermen, general watering hole, and would include pictures of your ships- as for Capo , we have an apointement on Friday , with a bottle of the zinfandel , when he will recount hit tales from far and across the oceans- for my to paint.

Here is a great big sun, the Riviera iz crawling like an ant nest, im packing up the red pasta, and the son and we are biking over to the dip our feet in the sea- though he might just throw the whole of himself in..

Best regards
ps, Moring coffees suck without stories from China


MK.
I have nothing to say, I'll be lamenting about the same things as last time, and thus only be repeating my self, this place is the bottom of the world. ..

All photos in this post are taken by the mariner in question Chief MK

Chief T.S. warp time

Two weeks ago I had introduced  the Chief officer T.S. to the project. He was supposed to have already flown from Split to America, to take over his ship as a Captain for the first time.. However as we have discovered it to be common in the life of the sailor- T.S's flight to America has twice been postponed.
This is a common situation in the life of the mariner- the being required on a certain date to start work and than being delayed from going to the ship by the company or planning to go home from the ship and being held on the ship for longer periods.. It makes it hard for sailors to plan their lives at home, and at sea. They live and must be ready at all times. .. Often they find them self in these warp periods where they simply must be ready and have no idea when they will actually go- until an email with an air ticket arrives in the inbox..

As this particular voyage is a long awaited step in the advancement of the officer, perhaps it is just the "world" playing tricks on him out of jest,- when you want something so bad, and are feeling very impatient about it, what ever you seek never seems to arrive fast enough..

I.T.Tales from the ship - Trade is as old as man

IT .
There is a ship which sails from Antwerp to Africa on a regular basis, and no where else. Men on board buy televisions, cd players, all sorts of things in Antwerp ,and than exchange them for cigarettes on arrival in west Africa.

S.
Why do they not sell them?

I.T. Ah, money has no value to the locals in that way, they always trade something for another thing.
The television in Anthwerp costs 500 , but when you exchange it in Africa you get 1000 worth of cigarettes, than you get back to Antwerp where the Russain mafia is waiting for the cigarettes- and they always want more than you have managed to get..

I know a guy in Kaštela, who has built a five storey house, because he has always worked on that ship line, Antwerp-Africa..

S. So everyone on the ship does that, all the sailors? 

IT. Yes. Every one on board trades. 


Sometimes we give crude oil in exchange for fish..


S. What? Like real crude oil? What do you mean?

IT.
Well on the days we see the fishermen offering fresh fish on the shore, the Uncle (pet name for captain) sends me out, to pick the good fish out for the crew on board to eat, that's always my job,  I pick the fish and send the  fisher men a barrel of oil in exchange. It can happen when there is fresh fish, fresh papayas, bananas, fresh fruits, anything fresh to eat.

S. This is on the black market , right?

IT Indeed it is. We are still all priates aboard ships,
the only difference is that our ships do not have sails these days..

(He said as he smiled smugley and took a sip of his vine..)..

Entering the project, is Chief T.S. soon to turn Captain

Dragi Čitatelji. Novi pomorac se pridružuje projektu- Mornar i ocean.

Novi Chief iz Splita, čiji inicijali su T. S. od sada surađuje na projektu. Mornar u pitanju je u ranom djetinjstvu odlučio postati kapetan aviona ili kapetan broda kada naraste. ..

Chief T.S. diplomirao je pomorsku školu, I od samog početka kao kadet sve do sada, radi na tankerima koji prenose kemikalije. T.S je birao teži put tokom pomorske karijere, radeći na brodu u periodima dugim od 9 do 4 mjeseca umjesto popularnijem kraćem roku od 2 mjeseca, te je dokazao svoju sposobnost, entuzijazam, I avancao je brzo kroz rang brodskih oficira. Za nekoliko tjedana T.S. će preuzeti svoj prvi brod kao kapetan, I to već u 32 godini!

Mi ćemo popratiti ovo uzbudljivo vrijeme u životu T.S.a I njegove karijere, kada će pomorac evoluirati iz Chief oficira u Kapetana, ostvarujući san I ambicije mnogih mornara.

Naš novi mornar će nam se pridružiti u aerodromu sljedeći tjedan kada krene na posao za Ameriku.

Dear Readers. A new sailor is joining the, Mariner and the ocean project.

A new Chief officer  from Split , whose initials are T. S, is entering our project as of now. The mariner in question has since early childhood spoken of becoming ether the captain of an aero plane or the captain of a ship, when he grows up.

Chief T.S, has studied in the maritime college and has since his graduation always sailed on Chemichal Tankers.. Having worked hard choosing the tougher system- of staying and working on the ship for long four month, nine month, periods,  instead of the more common two month periods, he has proved his worth and enthusiasm, thus T.S, has managed to advance in the ranks of the ship officers quickly and will be taking over his ship as a Captain in a few weeks, aged only 32!

We are going to follow this exciting time in T.S.'s career, where the sailor will be evolving form Chief officer into a Captain, thus realising the dream and ambition of many a mariner.

Our new mariner will be joining us from the airport - as he starts the journey to his ship- somewhere in the Americas , as of next week.

Chief MK 24 hours commute to work

Sunci: Jutro Chief.

Koliko sati se leti do Kine? Jesu li počeli Mc donaldsi? Trebala bi pisat Mc donaldsu da sponzorira tvoj put u beskrajni Orijent, ili možda da sponzorizira projekt.. Big mac za svih na izložbi, I 10 za tebe svaki dan dok u Aziji.. Ovjde je jutro. Kava prava :)

Chief MK:

Nemam pojma koliko se leti, cilu vjecnost... Sa promjenama vrimena, presjedanjima... nemam pojma.

Split, Munich, Peking, pa vlakom do ovog mista kojem ne mogu zapamtit ime, tek sad sam dosa, a krenia sam jucer popodne. Ispada 24h + vremenska razlika (6h).

Ne vidim Mcdonalds u blizini, ali nadam se da se necu zadrzat dugo tu. :)

Sunci: Morning Chief

How many hours long is the flight to China? Have the Mc Donalds begun? I ought  to write to Mc Donalds and aske them to sponsor your trip to the endless Orient, or perhaps this project.. Big Mac for every one at the exhibition, and 10 for you each day you spend in Asia.. Here is morning.  Having a good coffee:)

Chief MK

No idea how long the flying takes., a whole eternity.. with the time differences, transfers.. I have no idea. Split, Munich, Bajjing, tha na train to this place - I cant remember the name of , I have just arrived and I started yesterday afternoon. That makes 24h + time difference of 6 hours.

Can't see a MC Donalds in the vicinity, but I do hope I don't stay here too long. :)

MK bibliography of ships 6/9

MK's ship Sitem Neptune

Chief MK's ship, Sichem artic

Chief MK, The ship Jupiter in the straits of Magellan

Chief MK opet na putu u Kinu :)

Nismo se dugo čuli sa našim Chiefom MK. Taman sam zaključila da je MK gotov s ovim projektom,  da se odlučio  zaista ostaviti pomorstva i živjeti na kopnu, javim mu se da vidim što ču sa slikama njegovih brodova, kad li dobijem odgovor.:

"U sridu se javim,  opet idem na brod pa rješavam vizu,  ni vise ni manje nego kinesku...

U cetvrtak putujem,"

Uhvatio me je uzbuđenje .. Jer iskreno nakon njegovih priča o životu kao pomorac, o prepričanom snovima teenageera koji če bit kapetan, nisam mogla zamislit da če se stvarno ostaviti pomorstva..

Chief MK nakon što se vratio iz Kine krajem Siječnja, ispričao mi je kako bi volio skinuti se sa broda i provesti godinu dana na kopnu.. Zatim se odučio upustiti u realiziranje te zamisli, here and now, nakon deset godina života i rada na brodu, nakon deset propuštenih Božića, odustao je od povratka na brod kako bi okusio što je to život na kopnu.. Želio je doživjeti taj užitak odlaska kući nakon posla, spavanje u vlstitom krevetu umjesto hotelu i brodu...

Nakon četiri mjeseca života na kopnu MK izjavi da jedva čeka ič na brod. ! Previše toga bi se trebalo preklopitit da bih ja proveo godinu dana na kopnu , izjavio je. Zadnjih mjeseci živio sam od plače kao predavač, mislim dobra mi je bila plača za Hrvatski standard, ali -odjedan put sam se našao kako moram gledati što kupujem, jedem, kako trošim.. ! I na kraju umra sam od dosade. Počeo sam gledat televiziju nakom posla svaki dan, da me ubije u pojam i odmori mozak, da ne mislim.. Nikad nisam gledao Tv tako do sada . Užas. Jedva čekam na brod..

I tako ispostavilo se da naš pomorac ne može bez oceana. Priznajem svoj ushit, jer nije mi se sviđalo izgubiti jednog od dva protagonista projekta..I kao da smo se čuli jučer- MK izjavi, pripremi se slikati platformu na teretnom brodu...Prvi put ču to iskusit.. Golemi brod će prevest moju platformu iz Kine u Vjetnam..Iako platforma ima vlastiti pogon.. To će bit zanimljivo..

Krajem siječnja ponude za rad Chiefa u Arabiji, bile su loše ako se siječate, ponude za raditi na pola uobočajne plače.. No prošli tjedan, MK je naletio na reklamu - koja je tražila upravo njega! Traži se Chief, sa iskustvom i brevetima, za novo izgrađeni Jack up Rig, koji kreće iz Kine, a biti će stacioniran u Vietnamu, u vodstvu kapetana za kojeg je MK već radio, s kojim je odlično surađivao, sa adekvatnom plačom, tako da je trebalo samo nekoliko dana da MK sredi vize, brevete, da se kupe karte..

And.. we are back in the game..

Očekujte od sada nastavak piče našeg Chiefa MK.. Koji ukoliko ove godine odradi dovoljno dana u poziciji Chief oficira, postaje,  ni manje ni više nego ostvarenje svojih dječačkih snova, a to je Kapetan!

Kapo IT i ruža vjetrova..

Neki dan hodam rivom, šešir zabijen do nosa, da mi sunce ne smeta, kada čujem svoje ime dreknuto priko rive. Okrenem se , I uočim našeg dragog Kapa, za  stolom na rivi, u društvu prijatelja ribara Krivi iz Bilbaoa...

To je bio početak pustolovine naravno, jer kapo kojeg polako upoznajete kroz moje priče i slike jedan je čovik na brodu, a drugi na kopnu. Tokom ovog projekta, kroz dopisivanje sa broda osobno po prvi puta se upoznajem sa stranom Kapa IT koji stalno radi, snosi goleme odgovornosti, I nema trenutak za disati od količine posla na brodu. Tog istog kapa poznajem već desetak godina- ali na kopnu, gdje je on skroz duga osoba.. Ili nije?

Kapa IT sam upoznala u ribarskom kafiću u mom malom mistu- a predstavio nas je stari  ribar zvani Krivi, koji mada nekoliko destljeća stariji od nas, bio je srce zezancije i druženja s mladima, I nakon čije smrti ulogu je preuzeo njegov sin, također prozvan Krivi, koji živi u Bilbao u Španjolskoj..

Dakle što se dogodilo na rivi tog trenutka je subinosni spoj okolnosti, ja prolazim bez prijašnjeg dogovora, Krivi je doletio iz Bilbaoa, a Kapo IT je doma sa broda, I svi smo se našli na jednom mistu. Kada god se dogodi ova kombinacija, dragi čitatelji morate znati da je to uvijek zapravo garantira iskru koja započne neku pustolovinu, koju nitko ne planira, I koja nezna se di ili kada če završiti.

Naravno da sam odmah odpisala svoje predhoodne planove,  sjela sam na piče s mornarima i jednostavno počelo je nizanje zanimljvih događaja popračeno kao i uvijek urnebesnim smijehom i zajebancijom koja je trajala većinu tog dana. Sutra smo se dogovorili na puni pansion od dana- s početkom kroz jutro. Kapo IT odlučio je da mu ja trebam naslikati jednu Ružu vjetrova za kuću, a ta ruža vjetrova djelovala je kao tema dana, također i razlog da se okupi ekipa (mada to ljudima inače ne bi imalo smisla - ljudi dobiju zadatak pa inače to odrade sami i brzo- ne ne dragi moji to kod našeg Kapa tako ne ide. Moje slikanje ruže vjetrova bio je samo povod- da se izvadi Kapova kčerkica iz vrtića zbog zabave, da se kupi riba i škampe i gljive, da se ide kod rođaka po velike količine vina, da Krivi kuva, da dođu prije, I prijatelji .. I da zadatak tog slikanja je ubiti samo isprika za dan koji počevši na kavi za doručkom -završi u plesu pod zvjezdama kasno u noć..

Tek upoznavši Kapa IT kroz ovaj projekt, mogla sam prepoznati  neke obrasce njegovog ponašanja. Dakle na dan slikanja ruže vjetrova, kao na svakoj od mnogobrojnih pustolovina koje je Kapo inicirao tokom našeg prijateljistva, odprilike ovo se dogovdi. Kapo pozove ekipu negdi, svakome zada specifičan zadatak, organzira cijelo društvo tako da svatko ima svoju ulogu, a kada je to sve postavio onda se zavali, uživa, I toči uokolo vino, sretan šta je sve kako treba.

  E, vidite dragi ljudi koji ne znate ništa o brodovima, kao što nisam do nedavno znala ni ja- Kapo zapravo u društvu radi isti posao kao što radi na brodu već godinama. Kao šef brodskog stroja, dužnosti Kapa su da organizira druge ljude da obavljaju svoje zadatke,  i drže makinju/ stroj u pogonu, te da sve radi kako treba.  Slikajući ružu vjetrova na balkonu od Kapa IT prošli tjedan, dok je njegova kčerkica dostavljala  i usisavala čipi čips, Krivi kuhao škampe, prijateljica donljela razređivać , treća došla orgnazirirat moguće romantične spojeve za Kapa, a drugi pak samo jest, dok je sam Kapo uživao i dopunjavao vino u čaše.. Konačno sam skužila što se zbiva! Pa on radi i kad je doma.. Samo što mornare zamjeni s prijateljima, I bogami nastavlja zapovjedati- kako radi i na brodu..

Samo što radi kroz jednu golemu količinu šarma, I absolutno svaki put, sve pustolovine koje Kapo orkestrira, su odlične zabava za sve prisutne..

A to dragi čitatelji Vam je za sada sve, od našeg Kapa IT dok je doma..

Pomorac iz Snova

U subotu bio je rođendan našem dragom Kapu. Ala, rođendan se dogodio na kopnu, što nije često slučaj, I mornar koji će biti sretno zaglavljen na suhom još neko vrijeme (zbog čega manje pišem) Kapo I.T, iskoristio je situaciju, I bacio nekoliko dana dugu feštu.

Sudjelovala sam u uživanju jedne fete te fešte, na koju je pozvao cijeli restoran prijatelja, I natjecateljsko nastrojenih cura, koje su se trudile ostaviti dojam, natjecati, te izbaciti druge cure iz lova - za zarobiti i oženiti našeg fantastičnog Gospodina I.T.

Naravno, Kapo je zasluženo uživao!  Skroz je zaboravio na dane kada je bio zaglavljen na sidru pred Akatraz zatvorom..

Postoji dobra strana života pomorca, u Hrvatskoj. Pomorci su popularni među ženama. Oni su Hrvatska alternativa investicijskom bankaru u Londonu, i mnoge cure u dobi za udaju- upravo traže pomorce.
Pomorci u usporedbi sa "Kopnenima" imaju jaku kupovnu moć, I vlastite nekretnine u državi gdje svi ostali čekaju da naslijede kuće od roditelja, ili provedu cijeli životni vijek živeći sa starcima. Pomorac kao vrsta čovjeka, neudanim curama, poprimio je značenje koje je još prije nekoliko godina imao pojam " Američki san" - ( vlastitim naporima ostvareno veliko postignuće.) Da ,danas u Hrvatskoj, dečko pomorac koji je vrijedno radio na svom brodu godinama, ima sve što treba da bi kvalificirao za " Pomorac iz snova". Kao što se cijelo krdo košuta okupi uokolo jelena alfa mužjaka , u slučaju pomorca, krdo žena se prirodno oformi uokolo mornara neženje, te on može birati ženu koju hoće.


Ti današnji mornari su sasvim svjesni svojih čari. Oni uživaju u moći privlačnosti koji posjeduju, ali su istodobno postali i cinični naspram žena- u strahu da su samo zainteresirane za njihov novac.


Ali kao što vidite, postoje i privlačni elementi u karijeri mornara. ! Koga će naš I.T. oženiti iz grupe djevojaka koje su ga lovile na rođendan? Dali će ih pak  sve zamjeniti sa novim lovačicama sljedeće godine? Hoće li se uopće ženiti? Koga briga! Mi ćemo nastaviti pratiti Kapa I.T. za par mjeseci kada se iznova ukrca na brod.

Za sada želim mu sretan rođendan i punu godinu svega dobroga!

The Tanabe bully squashing smallers ships in his way..

It looks like we are about to smash the smaller ship, right?

.. So it seems to  me, .. And was it piloted by Chief MK who was paying too much attention to photography and did not forsee the disaster...

Or did they by pass one another without a scratch to their steel hides?

Machine & romance

And here is a complicated little bugger.. The ship Jupiter- enjoying the sun set..

As expirenced by Chief MK, in some snowy place, (Russia maybe) It looks to me like chief was looking from the bridge over his ship.

Mmm a futuristic romance - combination of machine and dreamy landscape..

2

1

A little light ironing, mali đir na pegli..

This is how I prepare the tiny paintings for presentation - can't have them crumpled .. Ships and crew are ruled in order and tidyness!

Priprema radova za pokazivanje..

Capo I.T Being The sailor Dream

On Saturday it was our Capo's birthday. Wow, a birthday of his happened on land, which is not often the case- and the Sailor who will be happily stranded so for a while, (which is the reason I am writing less).Capo I. T. took advantage of the occasion- and  threw a several - days-long  birthday party.
I too participated during one slice of the birthday party to which he invited a whole resturant full of friends, and competing girls who where doing their best to impress, compete, and trip up other girls, in order to hunt down marry our fantastic Mr I.T.


Of course the Capo  was loving it! Entirely forgot about the days of being stranded on anchor in front of the Alcatraz prison. ..




There is a bonus side to being sailor in Croatia.. Sailors are popular among women. They are the Croatian alternative- to an investment Banker in London, and many girls of a marriageable age- seek sailors. Sailors in comparison to the "Land men" have strong buying power , own their own properties in a country where everyone else is waiting lifetimes to inherit houses from parents- and are living together with family often for an entire life time.
A sailor to a girl may seem what a few decades ago was " The American dream"... Yes today ,in Croatia, a sailor boy, who has worked diligently for years on his ship, has all the assets to be perceived as " The Sailor dream". As all the deer females of the herd gather around the alpha male Stag, in the case of the sailor, a heard of women  naturally forms around a bachelor sailor in the same way- and he can choose which he likes.

Let's just say that the mariners are aware of their charms. They like the attraction power which they carry, and at the same time become cynical towards women, - in case they are just out for their money..
There is a cliche syndrome in Dalmatia of the  "Sailor's wife".. The wives who are pampered and wear for a walk in town all the most expensive things that can be bought or found , dragging aobut a tiny dogs in tiny expensive queer outfit..



But as you see there are peaks to the mariners career!
Who will our I.T marry out of dozens of the girls hunting him down at his birthday party?- Or will he replace them all for a new set next of huntresses next year? Will he marry at all? Who cares. We shall continue to follow Capo I. T, when he embarks his ship again in a couple of months..

For now I wish him a happy birthday and a year full of good things to come. !

Overseas tanabe -a 333 meter long, super tanker

This is still a sketch , of the view from the bridge of Tanabe , on to the ocean beyond and the much smaller ships about.. This was the last proper ship MK navigated on- before advancing on to oil and gas drilling-   Jack up Rigs.. Tanabe remains special in MK's memory..

Ovo je još u formi skice- pogled sa mosta Tanabe na ocean I manje brodove .. Ovo je zadnji pravi brod na koji je MK navigava prije nego li ih je zamjenio s bušaćima nafte i plina- Jack up rigovima. Tanabe ostaje poseban u sjećanju..  

MK 's first ship GREEN POINT

This is MK's first ship of the navigational career. He embarked aged 18  as a cadet.

Ovo je prvi brod u karijeri mladog MK na kojeg se ukrcao s 18 godina kao kadet.

Chief MK's Retirement from the mariner life at the ripe age of 28

Here is an unexpected turn of events. Chief MK who we have followed since December has decided to quit navigation.


As a result of the crisis in off shore work- Chief MK was on his return to Split offered first of all half his usual wages -to continue working for the company he worked for in China, and than less than that. He being one of the rare people actually employed in the off-shore sector at this trying moment, decided ( despite his wish to go give the owners a mouthful of rude replies)- to accept their offer.

The company kept delaying MK's departure. They would call MK and ask if he will be ready to fly the next day- than deffer the flight to the week after- and the next week as he was ready and packed to go- no one would step in touch, there would be no flight details in the mail- and so this postponing went on for two and half months..

In the meanwhile - whilst waiting for departure to work on his jack up rig in  the Arabian waters, MK came into contact with a education centre for mariners in Split. He sent his CV- and a few ideas as to what is missing in terms of educational courses in this city for the position of a Chief. The owners of the centre where delighted with his ideas- and commissioned him to comply-write a course that would be useful for someone who is or wishes to become a chief aboard a ship.Once again the education centre was impressed with  the ideas MK's produced and so offered him to become the professor of the very course that he was the author of.

The constant delays from the jack up rig company - prevented MK from being able to start teaching- as he was unable to provide dates that he is available and on shore. Rather fed up with the whole situation- chief MK finally quit the off shore company he has been working with, and has decided to become what he calls " A decent man - a person who lives and works on land".


MK's career aboard a ship- commenced at the young age of 18. He graduated the maritime college for the position of a navigator,and embarked his first ship the Green Point as a cadet. That was 10 years ago. Since than he has graduated a dozens of courses to advance trough the ranks on the ship and  on to more complicate,dangerous and better paid work on specialised ships, as well as a navigational university, and thus has advanced his way up to a Chief.
If Chief MK was to spend a certain number of days in this year- working in his position of a Chief- he would be entitled to take the Captains exam- and advance to a Captain-the top off the hierarchy at the young age of 28. This was the original plan MK had for this year.  He was ready to tolerate the mess of the off shore business- and the inconsistency of his company, but the last straw must have snapped...

Christmas's time this year- when I first met MK and started this project and correspondence just before he departed for China . I came to know that MK had not been home for Christmas for 10 years. He had not seen a Christmas or been around for the family reunions, or for friends or had seen the Christmas lights light up his town! Of course he sounded sad. My little treat for him was to keep the Christmas tree  up in my living room-until he got back from China.. Which was at the end of January- and the needle shedding Christmas tree came to be dangerously close to being thrown out of 8th floor balcony by my husband..MK made it back at the very end of the trees life, ans spent and evening lighting sparklers and pretending Christmas at our home..

It has been a fantasy in his mind for ages- to take a year off from navigation- and just do all the things he has been dreaming about in that year.. Like tour Europe on his motor bike. Create an aquarium for his new apartment ( loves designing and making aquariums together with the fish and plant life).. To take up photography once again- (photography and all cameras where banned on his jack up rigs )..To turn  his aparamtnet into  a smart apartment where everything is controlled by the mobile phone. And to well, be present for all the things he had been missing out on, birthdays, summer, family, friends,  relationships, a free run of emotions which away on ships are allway kept on cool.


How long  will MK be able to continue living on dry land without being out in the ocean, is not predictable. Mariners accustomed to their way of life sometimes find it very hard to re -adjust to the normal life on land- and more so to the much small wages which are available on land. Will he wait until the off-shore crises is over- and the embargo recently lifted off Iran- results  in a new boom in the offshore business- to try his luck and work his way up to being a Captain.. We don't know- but a capable and ambitious man -who has moved up the ranks in the navigational business fast, has he admitted to me sweetly one over coffee-how he has kept scribbled notes on paper- written in high school- on which he promises to him self that he will be Captain- wit the plan that he will one day read the same note as a Captain- I personally believe he will not give up until he is a Captain.. Even if he needs to rest and re charge for a while on land.

As for our project. I will keep you updated on MK's developments, even if less frequentley. Correspondence with someone back home-to a sailor at sea and away- is a life line- yet when they are on land- they actualy have a life- so all correspondence is impossible- they have no time for it- the are much in demand by friends- family-girls, happenings. And they have no need for it- it would be a nuisance- such an obligation when they have so much going on. I am keeping in touch with our sailors whilst on land- trough a series of sort encounters instead.

 Now that MK is not to sail in the near future - I  will delve more pedanticley into the huge amout of material and correspondence we had exchanged whilst he was in China, to produce more paintings, and better illustrate the life of a mariner whilst he is  away.

Bumping in to Capo IT at the Riviera..

So its mothers day and having skived the kinder garden to celebrate sunshine, my son and I walked across the rivera, loaded with mother's day flowers.. And bumped in to Capo of all capos. Engineer I.T. ..
He looked as guilty as if he where caught red handed stealing fruits in the neighbours garden- for not reporting in to me.
How is it I have managed to produce such authority with this project?
I told him I was not the port state control- which was just across the bar he chose on the Riviera- and which Capo had come into town to repport to, as a sailor must.

We had a coffee. Had to- seeing our paths crossed. haha

It was I.T's first coffee at the rivera since his return to Croatia two days ago. The coffee at the Riviera in Split is very significant- I must elaborate on this- for all men and women not form Split.

To have the coffee at the rivera- is to sit down, to say officialy Im home,
to look across your coffee table trough the passers by , trough the plam trees, into the sea and the sun. It is a feeling incomparable to any thing else. It is to say, I'm, home, all is well, I am safe, the world is in its place, the stars are in their proper orbits, I am happy. This is accentuated by the taste of the coffee, the scent of the sea air, the blinding sun .

Of course that is the feeling one has at the first coffee at the rivera when one arrives from aborad after a long time away.

You have read how the coffee at the rivera changes -following the development of MK's unexpected over -stay,- inside the coffee drinker - the happiness decays a bit over time, and due to over repetition .


Any way just to intorduce you a bit to Capo IT when he is on land- whom I know for years- as we come from the same tiny sea town just outside of Split..

Capo it was looking, very thin (  Personal observation-When mariners disembark their ships-  they all seem a bit drained.. They all hate food on ships and work under a lot of stress)
Capo was drinking coffee only. That is to say there was no traditional short alcoholic beverage accompanying the coffee. Which will change with time- just keep on reading...
He was all tidy, bright as a spark- wearing a watch- and it was still not noon.. Im accustomed to IT waking up at noon,  having his first coffee in town about that hour- and the inability to plan any certain thing with him at any hour.. hours do not exsist for him when he is home. Im also accustomed at seeing him untidy and wearing evidence of the good life and night before in his face.



Well I expect things will change once he gets used to being home. There will be no early waking up, and soon coffees will be accompanied by plenty of Rakia's. There will be no watch in his vicinity.. And he will gain a few kilos- making up on all his favourite foods- which are not available on ships. He will be inconsistent in keeping us updated- but he will be getting up to tons of fun we are not to keep track of ,and he will be happy .

Wellcome home Capo!

The continued warp

Out mariners have for a few weeks lived in a warp.
MK was convinced he was flying to his ship last Tuesday.
IT was convinced he will be home this week..
Both are left where they where- unable to start working on other projects- or ideas- because  they could fly at any moment, unable to settle in their minds, know where they will be- and yet not traveling anywhere.
I thought MK would be on ship by now and IT home- and so did they, and so did their friends, their family, girlfirends..
Tough is the life of the sailor.