While reading my shipping online magazine this morning I was struck by the dangers of ship breaking. A ship breaker is an organization that buys ships then cuts them up and resells the parts for scrap. Here are some pictures from Andrew Bells website of the ship breakers. http://www.andrewbell.net.au/shipBreaking.html
What caught my attention was that according to Maritime Updates http://www.maritimeupdates.com/ships-shipping/ship-breakers-inhale-death.html
in the ship breaking industry there were 14 deaths this year, 15 deaths in 2008 and 18 in 2006 and 2007.
This business gives a whole new meaning to Labor and Industry. I'm not sure what we can do for those people working in ship breaking but it sure makes my thankful for the standards being set in our own country.
Here in the South Puget Sound we not only live in one of the most beautiful areas in the world but also one of the safer areas.
Hope to see you on the sound soon and enjoy life today while helping others for their tomorrow.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Getting ready for winter.
Looking for a reason to stop procrastinating? Just look at the boats for sale on Craigs list with cracked blocks. Every year some poor soul doesn't quite get around to winterizing their boat before it freezes. I don't know what boat you have but my little Bayliner (which we love by the way) would be pretty expensive to repower-- probably not a lot more to buy another one new and transfer my electronics.
So with that in mind I lowered the outdrive to let the water drain and put my drain hoses in the bilge to drain the engine. This took me all of five minutes. Mercruiser really makes it easy now.
Another trick is boat repair shops get really busy in the summer. This may not be rocket science but it's pretty easy to get the boat in for preventative maintenance each year during their slow time. Each year I tell Greg my theory about what's wrong with my boat. He listens politely then makes a suggestion which miraculously turns out to be right. I don't know how he does it but after about 800 hours in six years on the little Bayliner he's been real consistent.
One last item to not forget. Top off those tanks and put in the fuel stabilizer.
See you on the water or maybe at the shop. I'll be there with the little Bayliner!
So with that in mind I lowered the outdrive to let the water drain and put my drain hoses in the bilge to drain the engine. This took me all of five minutes. Mercruiser really makes it easy now.
Another trick is boat repair shops get really busy in the summer. This may not be rocket science but it's pretty easy to get the boat in for preventative maintenance each year during their slow time. Each year I tell Greg my theory about what's wrong with my boat. He listens politely then makes a suggestion which miraculously turns out to be right. I don't know how he does it but after about 800 hours in six years on the little Bayliner he's been real consistent.
One last item to not forget. Top off those tanks and put in the fuel stabilizer.
See you on the water or maybe at the shop. I'll be there with the little Bayliner!
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Quartermaster Harbor and the Coast Guard Aux.
Another great day on the Sound. This time in the outer part of Quartermaster Harbor. Quartermaster is formed around the Burton peninsula between Vashon Island and Maury Island. I grew up on Vashon and being there brought back many memories. This is where my dad and I learned to sail our National One. She was fast and could point well into the wind. At other times during the summer we would ride our horses down to Burton and take them swimming. It cooled them off and was great fun. My Arab horse named Sheik would love to push off the bottom and it was very tricky staying on this slippery horse as he swam that way. Those were the days. I was certainly blessed to grow up in such a beautiful place.
Back to 2009. It was a common day with the wind blowing out of the north. It blows down the Sound across a little strip of land between Maury and Vashon island then dumps into Quartermaster.
On the water our two 30 foot power boats struggled to keep parallel for the side tow as the wind would push them about at differing rates. This made for some great practice.
After a few hours it was off to Dockton for a potluck on the dock. Dockton has a nice dock with a sheltered park that provide restrooms and showers.
After a well earned break and fellowship it was off to practice search patterns. We worked our way out of Quartemaster diligently searching for a would be distressed person in the water. It looked as though the two boats were in a ballet dancing there way back home.
So ended another wonderful day on Puget Sound.
Back to 2009. It was a common day with the wind blowing out of the north. It blows down the Sound across a little strip of land between Maury and Vashon island then dumps into Quartermaster.
On the water our two 30 foot power boats struggled to keep parallel for the side tow as the wind would push them about at differing rates. This made for some great practice.
After a few hours it was off to Dockton for a potluck on the dock. Dockton has a nice dock with a sheltered park that provide restrooms and showers.
After a well earned break and fellowship it was off to practice search patterns. We worked our way out of Quartemaster diligently searching for a would be distressed person in the water. It looked as though the two boats were in a ballet dancing there way back home.
So ended another wonderful day on Puget Sound.
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