Crane Wire Greasing

The Prelude

After redoing the shore gang’s lime washing on the vessel’s tank top, the crew connected the grabs to the cranes’ hooks This was done around 06 Feb 2016 0200 Hr as per charterer’s email information that loading will commenced early morning.

Loading commenced at 1230 Hr. (The information I received late night of 05 February 2016 stated that loading will commence early morning of 06 February but the actual loading commenced past noon! I have my people connecting the grabs to the cranes’ hooks at 2 am!!! In case that the barges arrive and the ship’s gears are not yet ready, the shipper will charge the ship owners with delay; which of course, I have a lot of explaining to do to the owners. I hope charterer and agent should be more considerate with seafarers work and rest hour period. Giving accurate information will not hurt anybody’s interest. Hugot ba yun?

Vessel left Jakhau, India after loading Marine Salt last 10 February 2016 and now bound for Yeosu, South Korea via Singapore. Yesterday during the Senior Management Meeting which is usually done around dinner time (1730 Hr Local Time, non-seafarers  would usually ask me why I am having dinner that early, 5:30pm, but that is another story to tell); it was agreed that deck crew will be doing crane wire greasing today, 12 February 2016, weather permitting. The vessel used the ship’s gears (cranes and grabs) when we loaded in Jakhau anchorage.

The weather is cloudy to overcast, the wind is Beaufort Scale Force 3 (around 7-10 knots) and the sea is slight. Vessel is on steady course without any traffic in sight and not rolling. It is a perfect day for working aloft!

After the Risk Assessment was done, Working Aloft Permit signed and Tool Box Meeting held at site, the deck crew started preparing and checking the materials and equipment, and in no time started the precarious job.

I was on the main deck and I heard one of the Able-Bodied Seamen making hugot, singing “Hindi ka ba napapagod, o di kaya’y nagsasawa, sa ating mga tampuhan walang hanggang katapusan” while hanging on mid-air. It made me smile, of all the catchy Original Pilipino Music (OPM) songs, why did he chose that one? I wonder if that was unconsciously chosen or if he is doing it perhaps to deal  with his nervousness or perhaps some relationship issue (with the person or with the task). He was up so I just let him finished singing while he continuously greases the wires. In case there are seafarers’ wives or girlfriends reading this article, my unsolicited advice, please give your seafaring partner some peace of mind. Huwag masyadong jelly-jelly. Mababait po kaming mga seamen.

Multi-tasking Able-Bodied Seaman- Singing while doing crane wire greasing.

The real spider man- Able-Bodied Seaman Leicester Cu on the wires and Ordinary Seaman Jan Kenneth Mendoza cleaning the cranes’ cabins.

This guy is ripe for promotion. He can do the work of Able-Bodied Seaman. Ordinary Seaman Omar Pecajas can operate the crane, can steer the vessel, etc. He is all-around deck hand with good attitude and positive disposition in life..

Grasa Boys- Bosun Arnold Pañe and Able-Bodied Seaman Jonar Carido on top. For those contemplating to work on deck on a bulk carrier, do you have what it takes to climb and hang this high? 

View from the Captain’s chair, deck crew doing crane wire greasing in a clear blue sky in the deep blue sea. I wonder if this qualifies for extra payment. Sa inyo kabayan, may bayad ba yang crane wire greasing?

I hope for fair weather so that the grease will stay there for a while. The grease on the crane wires is usually wash out during bad weather. Just imagine watching how high the seawater can reach! During those bad weather moments, we don’t care for if we have to redo the crane wire greasing, as long as we arrive safely back home to our loved ones’ arms.

Greasing completed without any incident. Thank you guys for the job well done; let’s have a party on Valentine’s Day!

My Personal Reflection on the 20th National Seafarers' Day (NSD)

PMRW Newsletter - Migrant Watch where my reflection appeared on page 2-3 of the 20th NSD Celebration.

In my father's shoes

Do read my story on page 19 - In my father's shoes. Thanks to the Philippine Migrants Rights Watch for featuring my story.

About the Author

Cecilio E. Rahon, Jr., seafarer, Captain. Like any parent, raising kids is one of the many big challenges of an OFW parent. Capt. Rahon would see to it that whenever he is on vacation  he balances his attendance to trainings and schooling for his career spending quality time for his kids.

About the book

It is not easy to write and tell your personal story publicly. In particular, it is difficult to recall the dark past that brings back agony and pain. So it is admirable for those few who are courageous enough to share their stories to enlighten and inspire others who want to go abroad.  Their tales also serve to affirm those who have concerns with reintegration back home.

This is the fifth volume of the Migrants' Stories, Migrants' Voices series. This edition features 10 stories of migrants and Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). We have read and learned from similar stories in past volumes. But each story is unique, each tale a testament of the redeeming nature of their triumph. They rose from poverty to what most of them have now - a better life not only for themselves or their immediate families, but for their extended families and community as well.

The Philippine Migrants Rights Watch (PMRW) will continue to publish these series of migration stories.  It is our hope that with this publication, our stakeholders will have a deeper appreciation and understanding of the nuances and intricacies of migration and the plight of our migrants and OFWs.  It is our goal that with these stories, appropriate programs and policies are put into place to uphold and protect their rights.  It is also our desire that our OFWs will feel the recognition and appreciation from their loved ones, which they rightfully deserve.

Migrants' Stories, Migrants' Voices Volume 5

The 19th National Seafarer’s Day (NSD)

The 19^th NSD will be celebrated on the 28^th of September as the concluding activity of the National Maritime Week (NMW) which is in its 15^th edition. Every year the NSD committee coordinates with a government agenc. This years’ celebration is in cooperation with Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA).

The theme of the 19^th NSD is Marinong Pilipino: Haligi ng Pagbabago! The NSD committee wants to challenge all those in the maritime world and industry to be agents of transformation. Seafarers are the main agents as they travel the world waving the flag love, commitment and hardworking in their profession; at the same time they are the real “haligi” where their families can lean on. The NSD celebration wants to make sure that they are not only remembered by the remittances but by the “haligi” they are for their families and society.

The line-up activities are:  

September 21, 2014: Sunday - AMOSUP Kick-off  Activities,  at Seafarer’s Memorial - Roxas Blvd., Malate, Manila at 0700H

September 22 - 26, 2014: AMOSUP Lobby, the 4^th Photo Contest Exhibit

September 25, 2014: Thursday, the 6^th On-the Spot Art Contest at 0900H in AMOSUP Convention Hall; at the same time the 11^th Oratorical Contest; at 1300H there shall be the Awarding of the winners of the NSD Contests: Oratorical, On-the Spot Art  & Photo Winners

September 26, 2014: LUSWELF venue, Boses Marino Karaoke Challenge and Boodle Fight

September 28, 2014: Sunday

•      Ecumenical Memorial Rite, in PCG Cmpd. beginning at 0700H
•      Grand Parade Assembly at 0630H; from Plaza Rajah Sulayman, Malate, to Ninoy Aquino Stadium
•       19^th NSD Mass, at 0900H, in Ninoy Aquino Stadium, Presided by His Eminence Luis A. G. Cardinal Tagle
•       Key Note Speech, at 1000H, by Honorable Jejomar Binay, Vice President of the Republic of the Philippines
•       Awarding Ceremony: Western Union's 10 Outstanding Maritime Students of the Year and others

 Come and join us! 

Source - AOS-Manila - https://www.facebook.com/apostleshipofthesea.manila?fref=ts

Inaugural Blog Post Mabuhay ang mga Pinoy Seafarers

Foggy morning, Passing San Francisco California's The Golden Gate Bridge
on board MV BULK FINLAND.16 August 2014. Califronia, USA.

I started this blog to post links, articles and other resources that will help me easily locate materials for my graduate school works. I will be posting here also my essays and other research work so that others may be able to read, benefit from them and comment on them so discussion could also take place.

This blog also serve as my online journal of my life on-board and on vacation especially with my two great kids Aeman and Grace as well  as the rest of my family members. So I will be posting here photos and selfies.

I am also a voracious reader so will be sharing here those stuff that I read especially life skills and self-improvement strategies and other things that I read and find useful to share to you readers.

I am learning some languages and will be posting here some foreign words/vocabulary  as well.  

I am a beginner blogger so I hope you will be kind with your comments and I would appreciate
exchanging with you so let us all maximize the comment section of the blog.

This blog will also feature anything and everything about mariners' lives and stories and seafaring.

Mabuhay ang mga Pinoy Seafarers!

MV BULK FINLAND. My home for the next six months. A new vessel for delivery on 31 July 2014.New vessel... a new beginning. — at At Imabari Shipyard, Hiroshima Prefecture