Commercial Fishing

Fisherman


Where do they sleep?

One engine, 50km from the coast.

We're busy conducting seismic surveys of the ocean floor 30 nautical miles off the coast of Angola. We then sometimes then come across these local 'commercial fisherman' with their open boats on which they stay for days on the open seas, earning a living from fishing!

Christmas pictures

Jamie on the tractor

Laughing with mom!

Saying grace....and peeking!

The three Stemmet's!

Here's some pictures of the Stemmet's taken at Christmas 2009.

Visit to France

Eiffel tower from below


Eiffel Tower


Champs-Élysées

Galerries Lafayette for the Christmas season

In December i had to attend some meetings in France for a few days and had the oppertunity to spend a day in Paris again. Always will be one of my favourite cities!

Sophia's Birthday

Cousins: Jamie and Sophia


The birthday girl looking beautiful.

My sister's litle girl (and our god-child) had her 1st Birthday at Groot Constantia the other day. Family and friends had a picnic there to celebrate her big day.

Project in Cameroon

The town of Kribi


The Minister giving his speech in the Town Hall


Interview in French.

And some more...

We have recently started a new project in Cameroon for a big Port Development. With the start of the project, we were caught unawares by the government's emphasis on this project. An official opening was to take place with the Minister of the Economy. I had to attend the event in the town. I was then asked to adress the hall of 500 people and 28 media representatives as to our role in the project.....all in French! The Minister then came for an official visit onboard the vessel where i took him around and we were interviewed by the various television stations. All in all a public relations excercise, but by evening time my brain had worked over-time with thinking of all the correct (and polite) french words!

Surveying at Cabo Ledo

Panoramic view of beach survey area

Boat on beach after being washed out....engine cover off

Sleeping spot for the night (by red cannister)

Fire with driftwood to warm up and dry clothes

Boat pulled up on beach for fetching later

We were surveying at Cabo Ledo, Angola last week where they want to put a pipeline out to sea for tankers to come moor at a buoy. Its pretty much un-spoilt with a long beach. One of the requirements was to survey the coastline part and place a marker on the beach. So two of us set off with the small zodiac and beached it on the coast. We then did the survey and as the day progressed, noticed that the waves are starting to increase..... So when it came it to the time to depart back to the ship by late afternoon, the waves were huge! We waited for the gap in the sets, made it through the first wave.........got dumped backwards by the next......and that was it! Wave after wave hitting us. Boat flooded, boxes with equipment (luckily waterproof casings) washing out on the beach. We got pummeled by the waves and swam out to the beach with the boat, totally exhausted. Well that was it. We'd have to stay on the beach for the night and try again in the morning. We pulled the boat high up on the beach and then started to collect driftwood. We had 1.5lt water and no food (all got swamped when the boat was flooded). Made a fire and settled in on the beach to try and sleep. Little crabs continually tried to climb over us and would every now and again take a bite! So not too much sleeping (with a life jacket as a pillow). The following day the sea was even worse..... I called the ship on the radio and told them to send the other zodiac south along the coast so we can look for a place where the waves are smaller and we can swim to them. We packed up the survey equipment, secured the boat and started walking. 3 hours later we found a spot. I swam through the surf twice to get all the equipment to the boat waiting for us. We then headed back to the ship, ....for food and a shower!

Three days later the waves had subsided, so myself and two other guys went closer to the beach with a boat, swam through the surf, got the boat and i drove it through the waves back to the ship. I managed to get it to start just before another wave was heading our way.......i was NOT sleeping on the beach again!

Birthday Party

Entrance at Olive Yard

Jumping castle

More sweets please!

Cutting my car-cake

Eating my cake

Horses also getting some carrots

Saturday was Jamie's birthday party, with all his little friends. With a jumping castle, clay and crayons and lots of grass to run around on! The weather was perfect and it seems as though everyone had fun. Here's a few pictures Toni sent me, as i am at sea at the moment :(

Jamie turns 2

Just woken up in bed with presents.....

AND it makes a noise...!

Wow! More....

Jamie turned two years old today!! Wow! Already!!?? The best part is the opening of presents in bed! The party is on saturday when all his friends will be coming.......so watch this space for more pics on that!

Braai Day at Sea

With some of the crew members at the braai.


The spread...with flag!

Being at sea, working, did not deter us from celebrating Braai Day with our own braai. Without the beers of course! Made the South Africans onboard feel better about missing out on the holiday at home.

Spring Breakfast

A lovely spring day! All set up in front of the church.


Jamie with his auntie Robyn in tow.........

Our local churc, The Paarl Methodist Church, hosted our annual Sprng Breakfast again this year. Although the day generates funds for the church as well, it more aimed at getting the congregation to enjoy the morning together (and of course have a good breakfast!).

Jamie with 'Oupa' and 'Pop'

Running with Oupa


At the Zoo with Pop

I realise it has been a while since i have updated the blog.......! Here are two pictures of Jamie. One with his 'Oupa' and one with his 'Pop'.

I'm currently back at sea in Angola (have to go to work some or other time!), but hope to be more active in placing posts on the blog!

Our new dog: Chloe

Toni has always wanted to have a Border Collie dog and with the space that we have it would be great fun for the dog too! So purely by accident, Toni stumbled on an advert on gumtree of a family looking for a home for their 18month old Border Collie. So immediately my arm twisting started. I must admit, once she showed me the pictures of Chloe i was also keen on getting a new dog. The Esson family from Hout Bay then came for a morning visit, bringing Chloe with them and she settled in very quickly. For them it was very sad to say goodbye to her and we promised to take very good care of her! Its been a few weeks now and she truly is a lovely, intelligent dog with a gentle nature. Here are some pics!

Chloe!

Looking for mice between the Lavenders!

Ship in Cape Town

Geo Endeavour with Impi

With Table Mountain in the background

The ship i mostly work on as offshore project manager, is the Geo Endeavour. We brought her down from West Africa recently to conduct a mainatenance period and fit some new equipment. On completion we took her out to sea together with our small workboat for some trials (as is always the case to see that it all still works!) Here are two pictures taken by helicopter with Table Mountain in the background.

Prince Albert

The kloof where we stayed.

Family photo

Driving oupa's bakkie!

Jamie with a tortoise

We spent a weekend in Prince Albert where we stayed on the farm where my grandmother grew up 93 years ago. So we spread her ashes on the farm in the beautiful klein karoo mountains. Here are some of the pictures..... Although i think that photographs cannot do justice to the beauty of the mountains there. We'll definitely be back!

Sophia Muller

Time flies and my sister Rolien and her Husband Laurence's baby girl is already 4 months old! Rolien had to go back to work again today, so its going to be a long 8 hours for her! Below are some photos of Sophia that her mom sent through to me!

The day of my Christening.

With my dad holding me very protectively!

Mom giving me a bath!

We All Need a Tree....

I came across this great story the other day.....

"I hired a plumber to help me restore an old farmhouse, and after he had just finished a rough first day on the job: a flat tire made him lose an hour of work, his electric drill quit and his ancient one ton truck refused to start. While I drove him home, he sat in stony silence.

On arriving, he invited me in to meet his family. As we walked towards the front door, he paused briefly at a small tree, touching the tips of the branches with both hands.
When opening the door he underwent an amazing transformation. His face was wreathed in smiles and he hugged his two small children and gave his wife a kiss.

Afterward he walked me to the car. We passed the tree and my curiosity got the better of me.. I asked him about what I had seen him do earlier.

"Oh, that's my trouble tree," he replied "I know I can't help having troubles on the job, but one thing's for sure, those troubles don't belong in the house with my wife and the children... So I just hang them up on the tree every night when I come home and ask God to take care of them. Then in the morning I pick them up again."

"Funny thing is,"he smiled," when I come out in the morning to pick 'em up, there aren't nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before."

Weekend photos

Here are photos that Natalie took over the weekend when she and Clint came to visit from Johannesburg.


Jamie laughing in the wheelbarrow


Lazy afternoon on the grass (and some wine!)


Smiling for the pic!

Playing with the hammer

Enzo teaching the Jack Russel's to swim in the dam!

A week in the cold

Leidschendam

Municiple building in Leiden (just to the north)

With all the fires raging in the Western Cape and temperatures soaring up into the 40's, i spent the last week in Holland on a course. The place i stayed is called Leidschendam, about 45mins south of Amsterdam. Daily temperatures were between 3-5 degrees, with us having to regularly scrape off the ice from the car windows in the mornings. So getting back to temperatures in the mid 30's was quite a change!

Weekend in Fisherhaven

Farmers Market in Hermanus


Looking for a spot to dig....


Got it!!

We recently spent a relaxing weekend in the sleepy town of Fisherhaven. Spent some time in Hermanus as well and Jamie got to play in a 'BIG sandpit'!! :)

'Watering' my dog!

With the temperatures in Paarl soaring to the upper 30's, the Labrador Enzo is only too pleased when Jamie gives him a hose down!

Aquarium

Looking at the BIG Fish!


Jamie and Isobel

Looking at the Nemo fish!

The Stemmet's went to the Two Oceans Aquarium today with friends of ours and their little girl. Jamie and Isobel were fascinated by the fish and the beautiful colours!

Fig Season

The fruit season in the Western Cape is in full swing and on my parents-in-laws farm they have been hard at work with the figs. I help out a bit where i can for its essentially a six week period that determines your whole season! In the photo are my in-laws with some of the figs being prepared to be taken to the factory.

And Jamie loves watching the tractors!

Packing Figs


Jamie watching a tractor

Basket transfers

Tanker and Production Platform


Standing on backdeck as the basket is lowered and vessel manoeuvres


Being hoisted up to the platform

I just finished a 2 week project in Cameroon where we had to survey a small part of an oilfield to determine the locations of different pipelines that they have going from various wells. On site they had a Production Platform and a tanker that they're filling with oil. Twice i had to basket transfer to the platform from the vessel we were working on. This was so that i could attend a meeting and handle all the paperwork for the project with the Offshore Manager on the tanker.

So for interest sake i've placed a photo of what a basket transfer involves. They lower what they call a 'personnel basket' with the crane. The vessel captain manoeuvres his vessel close to the platform and then you grab onto the outside of this basket while they hoist you the 60m up to the platform. The same then again to get back down to the vessel. So if you're scared of heights, this is not for you!! And you better hold on! I did this transfer at 07h00 on the monday morning. While hanging up there in the air i thought about how different this job is to someone in an office who's probably sitting in traffic now on his way to work at this time!!

Flying home tonight!! Can't wait!

Protea's Test Series Win

"All people dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night, in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake up in the morning to find that it was vanity! But the dreamers of the day are dangerous people, for they dream their dreams with open eyes and make them come true!!"
T.E. Lawrence

Today, the SA Cricket team (Protea's) made all their supporters very proud by creating history with an epic performance in Australia. They beat the mighty Australian cricket team 2-0 in the Test Series, with one game to play in Sydney. This is the first time that Auatralia has been beaten in their own backyard in 16 years!

Jaco and Toni

Here's Toni and I at Fugro's end of year function. The end of another year of me being out at sea for half the year and Toni looking after things at home. I am extremely lucky to have such a wonderful, loving wife and friend to come home to everytime.

Thanks Ton's! Love You!

Christmas Day

With Toni, waiting for father Christmas.....

Sitting with father Christmas!!

With his new Trike!! (can't reach the pedals yet, but will get there!!)

Here are some pictures of Jamie on Christmas Day that Toni sent out to me. Sitting out at sea, its wonderful to get these pictures from home. What would we do without e-mail?

Merry Christmas!

Soyo

Sunset over Soyo


Departing the port

We sailed to Soyo, in Angola the other day to collect some provisions from the port there before departing back to our survey area. The one photo is of the sunset over Soyo as we are about to depart. The next is of the ships at the quayside as we left to go back to Cabinda.

Christmas tree

Jamie was helping his mom put up the Christmas tree........or is that taking it down? Its hot in Paarl at the moment, so its "nappy-only" weather. Enzo, our trusty Labrador is also posing! I'm currently offshore Angola on the Geo Endeavour. We're doing pipeline surveys for Chevron, and yep unfortunately i'll only be back home in January 2009!! So its Christmas at sea for me. Next year i'll be home for Christmas though. Enjoy the holiday time.

Holiday

Two young Lions

View from the deck at the Lodge, with watering hole.

Elephant crossing the road

Lion with his Kill.....

Jamie with Lions in the background

Lunch at the lodge (Jamie in his own chair!)

The Stemmet's went on a little holiday up to Madikwe Game Reserve (on the border with Botswana). We flew up to Joburg and rented a car (with GPS, otherwise i'd still be driving around there!). Drove up to Madikwe, where we stayed with friends of ours who run a five star lodge there. Was really great, as we could go on game drives when it suited us and the kids. We saw a lion with his wildebeest kill; Elephants right next to the vehicle; rhinoceros; giraffe and a host of other animals! Was really nice to experience the bushveld and all that it presents. Here are a few pics (only a few of the hundreds!).

Offshore Sea Survival

Swimming out from capsized helo


Swimming out of a upright crashed helo


Helo going down befroe capsizing


Pulling the helo out after each simulated crash

Every three years I have to renew my Offshore Sea Survival certification. So last week i had to attend the three day refresher course again. The course comprises of one day of Sea Survival (liferaft drills, abondonment drills, helicopter escape training etc). Day two is fire-fighting and we go to a frirefighting school for a day where we fight various fires with various equipment. Also search and rescue training where you have a breathing appparatus and the have have to search for an 'injured person' in a smoke filled maze! The last day is first aid, CPR etc.

The helicopter escape training involves being strapped into a helicopter model and then lowered into a pool/tank simulating a crash. You then have to undo your strap under water and swim out of the helicopter windows. The second time round, they flip the helo upside down and then you have to swim out (which gets very confuising!) Some people panic, so there's two rescue divers with scuba gear who pull them out. We had a few 'non-swimmers' on the course, so i had to join some of the offshore divers in all having to swim out the back window (see pics) each time so that the others could get out the bigger front doors. Above are some pics to see how it works. Well, got the certificate, so its three years before i have to go do it all again!

Summer's Coming

Sandpit fun


My own riempies chair

There's one little fellow who's glad that summer is coming......

Jamie's 1st Birthday

The birthday cake (farm shed with animals around it)

Jamie's slide from his mom and dad.

Opening up presents.

Blowing out the candle (with some help!)

Jamie and Hanna

The gang!

And before we knew it, it was time for Jamie's 1st Birthday on 01 October 2008!! Toni organised the little party with some of his friends and their mom's coming around the afternoon. Of course the grandparents and other family members were also all in attendance. Just for good measure (and being a boy), Jamie did a 'face plant' on the floor and banged his lip (bit of blood and swelling). So he was not too much of a happy chappy (hence the dummy in the mouth). But it got better as there was more activity going on to distract him. The theme was Farm Animals and all the kids had little party packs. They played with jelly and the new toys. After about 1h45mins the mom's started heading home with tired, sticky kids in their cars. I must admit, i was pretty buggered too!!!!

Braai day...in Malabo

I celebrated National Braai Day in Malabo........

Navy Fleet Review

SAS PROTEA with the President and VIP's onboard


The four Meko Class Frigates....all nicely lined up!

The Navy recently held their Fleet Review (back in the day when Thabo was still in charge.....well technically "in charge"!). Neville sent me these great pics they took through the periscope. The first one is of the SAS PROTEA which had all the dignitaries onboard. The next one is of all the new Frigates steaming in formation. From the look of these pictures, its "game, set and match".....to the submariners!

Flying.....

Sikorsky 76 Helicopter for flights to the oil rig and back

To get to Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, i flew from Cape Town to Johannesburg. Then with Air France from Johannesburg to Paris. Waited 7 hours in Paris and then with Air France again from Paris to Malabo! (a 6 hour flight). Arrived there monday evening at 19h00. Then the following morning at 06h00 i was at the airport again and boarded a chartered plane from Malabo to Bata (45mins). From there i got onto a helicopter (see picture above) and flew out to the oil rig where i was to replace some GPS receivers for them. Arrived there at 11h00 and changed out the equipment. Then 15h00 back with the helicopter to Bata (25mins) and then back on the chartered plane to Malabo, arriving at 18h30. So at the moment i'm "all fly-ed out"!!! At the end of the month its the Malabo-Paris-Johannesburg-Cape Town flight again.

Malabo, Equatorial Guinea

Guesthouse Pool area


Vegetable store (with proud owner!)

I'm currently in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea where i'm standing in as the Base Manager of one of our company's bases. Its a sort of guesthouse where our staff pass through when they have to go on projects in Malabo. Its a 4 bedroom house with a pool. My office is inside the house and i just have to manage the affairs here. This implies liaising with clients, personnel, local officials and running the day to day bussiness (financials etc). For those who do not know where Malabo is in the world, ........ go look on a map!

Its hot as hell here (humid) and as most of the African countries are....challenging! Equatorial Guinea is a former Spanish Colony and thus everything here is in Spanish and i have to drive on the right hand side of the road! Above is a photo of the pool area at the staffhouse as well as my local vegetable store! (no Woolworths or Pick 'n Pay available....!) There is however a spanish owned grocery shop where we do all our food shopping (they import just about everything from Spain and it shows in the prices!), but for vegetables and fruit, its stores like the one above.

Walvis Bay

Road to Airport


Fishing boat at quayside


Geo Endeavour repairs

Over the weekend i did a quick trip up to Walvis Bay, Namibia, where the ship i work on (Geo Endeavour) is under-going a re-fit/maintenance period. I flew up on the Friday and then back home again on Sunday, staying in Swakopmund. The one picture is of the road as i was going back to the airport, with the wind whipping up the dessert sand over the road. The other is of a fishing vessel that came into Walvis Bay to do repair work and was subsequently very lightly ballasted. Well, ... somebody got their sums wrong and the vessel toppled over alongside the quay!

The last photo is of the Geo Endeavour standing high and dry! Some of the interior is being refurbished and we're fitting new equipment to make her even more versatile and efficient for Geophysical Surveys.

Shiraz Festival

We attended the Persia to Paarl Shiraz festival at Nederburg the other day. I took this quick photo with my cellphone. The Nederburg manor house does remain impressive.........

Visit to Riebeeck Kasteel

Yesterday we took a drive out to Riebeeck Kasteel for a light lunch. Stopped off at the Kluvenburg Estate where they farm with olives. They had such a variety of olive products there, that i asked the guy whether they're thinking of olive ice-cream next? We tasted black olives in a blackberry dressing (sweet and yummy!). Also bought a Olive and Fig Jam! Really nice and something we might give a try making! Had a nice stroll around the town with its quaint little shops before settling for a light lunch. Jamie also enjoyed the outing and charmed a few 'tannies' that wanted to come see him!

SA Olive Field Day

On Saturday, SA Olive presented a very informative field day. Different speakers presented their topics pertaining to the olive industry. What was also of value for me as a novice, was to talk to some of the other olive growers and hear what they do to make their olive farming more successful and productive. At the moment i'm still like a sponge sucking up information. The SA Olive website is also very informative (http://www.saolive.co.za/)

Olive Yard Products

Here's the Olive Yard products for 2008. We managed to make a few bottles of Table Olives and a few bottles of Olive Oil. As more of our trees come into production, we'll be able to make more. This year was more of a trial run, so if you manage to secure one of these products, .....consider yourselves lucky!

Inter-Schools

Scrum time


Paarl Gim first team line up at the start

Last saturday was the interschools derby between Paarl Gymnasium High School and Paarl Boys High School. The whole of Paarl gets involved in this annual event with flags and banners being put up throughout the town. Each one showing their allegience to their school of choice. A friend of mine, Francois Du Toit (who is a Paarl Gim old boy) was down for the match and had a spare ticket. It was quite an experience watching the main rugby game between the under-19 teams. These games normally attract in the region of 20 000 spectators and the rugby was of a very high standard (these two schools are rated amongst the best in the country).

Paarl Gymnasium ran out the winners in the end and deservedly so. But it was great to so many school children showing pride in their school and making this such a sucessful event.

Playdate

Jamie, Michael, Hanna and Jethrow

Jamie had a playdate at our house today. Definition of playdate: mommies having tee and cake while chatting; babies crawling around putting every toy they can find in their mouths!!

They all loved it and Jamie promptly went for a 2 hour nap after all that excitement! Its tiring stuff you know.... :)

Jamie and Gypsie

Both of them growing quickly.....and becoming friends!

Shiraz Planted

Our Shiraz vineyard

With the space available, i decided to plant 50 Shiraz vines. The idea is then in about three years time to attempt to make some wine!! Olive Yard Shiraz........

Data samples

Side Scan Sonar Image


Sub bottom Profiler Imags

For the last few months we have been working for Chevron in Nigeria, conducting geophysical surveys for their pipe-laying campaign. Here are two data samples of the type of data that we collect. Essentially we collect bathymetric data (depths), side scan sonar data, sub bottom profiler data (shallow geology) and magnetometer data. The first picture shows some side scan sonar data, showing a pipeline leading up to a platform. The second is an image of the sub bottom profiler data indicating the shallow geology of the area. All this data is interpreted and processed to then produce a chart showing the seabed conditions and all structures (man-made and natural) that has been recorded on the sonars. This is presented to the client together with a report and geographically referenced digital database. Then they pay us!!

Rain Storm in Nigeria

This picture shows a typical rain storm here in Nigeria. It's now the rainy season and rainstorms appear almost daily. This one was impressive however!

Check out Jamie's Slide Show!

Gypsie update

Gypsie is keeping us busy (to put it mildy!) She has since learned how to swim......more out of necessity as she fell into the farm dam. After a few seconds, animal instinct kicked in and off she went. Since then she has followed Enzo into the dam....! Was looking for her the other evening (more worried about what she might be chewing on...!) and then saw this little head come out of Jamie's nappy bag. She had decided it looks comfy in there and climbed in for a nap.

Picked Olives

Olive Press

After having picked enough olives that we can bottle for home consumption and gifts (Christmas is sorted!), we decided to give making olive oil a go. Seeing that we have 100 young trees that will come into full production in about 2-3 years, i thought we better start testing to see how it works. So, I picked some of the trees clean of all their olives and contacted a farm that has an olive press. They put the whole lot through their machine and handed me a container with the oil. The jury is still out whether its any good....!!

Senior Birthdays

At the beginning of this month we had two 'senior birthdays' in the family. Toni's grandfather Neville (Pop) and my Ouma Dora celebrated their birthdays. Pop turned 91 and Ouma 92!!

Cleaning the farm dam

With the end of summer here, now was the best time to clean out our dam. Now some of you might have seen what it looked like with the green algae cover over it. Yukkie! So we drained the dam, had to pump some out with a sludge pump and then had to drag out some of the mud/sludge that has accumulated at the bottom. From the photo you can see that its impossible to stay clean!

Meet Gypsie

Here's Gypsie.......

Springbok

So on Monday morning, we left for Springbok to go and fetch our new Jack Russel puppy! At 550km from Olive Yard, Springbok is not ‘just around the corner’! So we decided that we will make a mini-holiday of the trip and booked in for a couple of days at the Naries Namakwa retreat which is about 30km outside Springbok, on the way to Kleinzee. Isolated and situated on a 6000ha game farm, this was a nice getaway. Jamie was so good in the car and we made regular stops as we headed to the northern cape. Must admit that we were apprehensive about the trip back down, as we’ll have a 6½month old baby and two 6 week old Jack Russel puppies (we brought another one down for a family in Durbanville) in the car! But it went very well. Now puppy training starts!

Morning Picture

Natalie took this photo of Olive Yard one morning with her fancy camera...!

At work

We're still busy surveying in Nigeria for Chevron. The field we're working in at the moment is the Okan Field (one of their larger fields). We're busy doing post-lay surveys. That means we are surveying to map out the precise position where the barge has laid the new pipelines to various platforms. There's the production platforms and then there's the jackets. These are where there is oil drilled already. The picture above shows a jacket with a jack-up barge next to it doing work. These jack-up barges move around to the various platforms and then 'jack' themselves up with their legs to do the work. When done, they 'jack' themselves down again until they float and then sail away to their next location.

In the next picture is a platform where one of the pipes were hooked by a ships anchor and dragged/pulled off the platform. We had to survey the pipeline yesterday to determine by how much it has been dragged off an where it is now. They're getting a barge to come in and replace that piece of pipe. I can assure you, an expensive little exercise!

Back in the day...

Johan and Francois


Johan, Gabby and Francois


I was browsing around on the internet the other day and came across my uncle Johan Stemmet's website. He had the following photos on there from their days growing up in Kleinzee (West Coast near Springbok). Here are two photos, the one is of my dad and younger brother Johan posing before church. The other one is of the three brothers, once again in church suits. Quite a few years back......

Check out my Slide Show!

Someone got a new chair today.....!

Marley and Me

Toni and I both recently read the book “Marley and Me” by John Grogan. It’s a great (true) story about a couple that has just brought their first dog, a Labrador called Marley, back home with them. John writes about all the joys and tribulations associated with having a Labrador become part of the family. It follows their lives as they become a family and how Marley is always part of the action. More importantly it shows us how dogs become such a part of our family and family life, that one cannot imagine it without them! For those who get to read it and who knows our Labrador, Enzo, you’d think they wrote the book about him!!

Just for laughs....

A man walks into an animal hospital with a limp duck in his arms. He asks the vet: “Could you please have a look at my duck? I found him like this in our garden and he not seem to react to anything I do”. The vet goes though his routine and turns to the man: “I’m sorry sir, but I’m afraid your duck is dead”. Not willing to accept this, the man says: “Is that it? You not going to do any tests or further checks?” The vet turns around, whistles and a Labrador comes running into the room. He starts sniffing the duck from top to bottom. He then looks at the vet, shakes his head and runs out. Next the vet calls out “tsk-tsk” and a cat comes prancing into the room. The cat sniffs the duck from top to bottom and then glances at the vet as it shakes head. The cat then meanders out the room. The vet turns to his computer screen and says to the man: “That will be R550 please”. Shocked, the man says: “What!? R550 for you to tell me that my duck is dead?!” The vet replies: “Well, it would have been R45, but you insisted on the Lab report and the Cat scan!”

Flaring

At sea, off the coast of Nigeria.

Here's a nice picture taken of a Production Platform flare as we were sailing past it to go anchor for the night.

Via Dubai....

Traveling always has its moments…..
On Tuesday 18 March, the driver came and collected me at 0730 from the farm to take me to Cape Town International airport. From there I flew to Johannesburg from where I will take a SAA flight to Lagos, Nigeria direct. On Wednesday morning I will then get onto a crew change vessel in Lagos Port and sail to the oilfield with them (about 9 hours). So as I arrive at the SAA check-in desk in Johannesburg, I am told that the flight to Lagos has been cancelled (technical reasons). So I phone my office and they quickly try another option….. get on a flight to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia then connect to Lagos. Only problem is that there’s 1 hour until take-off so the travel agents can’t book anymore, so I must try at the airport. After being sent to two different places by the airline agents, the conclusion is that the flight is closed according to the computer systems and I cannot buy a ticket. Then we try via Kenia, but that’s also been delayed. Best scenario is that I fly with Emirates Airlines that evening to Dubai, have a 5 hour stopover and then fly across Africa again to Lagos. Still arriving too late to catch the crew boat, but at least I’m in Lagos then and they can then try and get me to the ship again! So I arrived at the Fugro Staffhouse in Lagos a full 37hours after I left Olive Yard. I think I fell asleep 32 seconds after my head hit the pillow!!

Jamie

Jamie is making the transition from baby to little boy (not quite toddler yet!). He's closing in on six months now. He is also onto solids, so I can confirm that those nappies have a different smell to them! The pediatrician also said that his bottom gums are widening which indicates the arrival of his first teeth in the next month or so! Everything is funny to him, and it does not take much to get a smile or a laugh out of him. He loves dogs, and his face lights up when he sees them. On the day of the picture above, Toni was busy hanging out the washing and I was planting some plants by the front of the house. Toni put him outside on the grass in his chair to watch her (and that she can watch him!). In the photo it looks as if Enzo is standing guard to watch over him.

Natalie's 30th Birthday

Yesterday was Toni's sister's 30th birthday. To celebrate this day (and in a way as a sort of farewell as she is relocating to Johannesburg), she organised a dinner at Ridgeback Wines. Very convenient, as it is about 500m down the road from Olive Yard! It was a family affair with a great meal and some equally great Ridgeback Wines. We took Jamie with and he surprised us all by falling asleep (and more importantly.....remained sleeping) in his carry cot next to the table.

To Natalie, happy birthday and all the best for the exciting changes as you adapt to Jozi life!

When one's dog dies.......

It is quite unbelievable the pain and tears that one experiences when your dog dies......

Toni and I had to go through that earlier this week when our Jack Russel 'Coda' died. Below is a written piece in rememberance of her:

'I've lived my life and done my best,

an example tried to be.

I know you're sad and afraid,

because i see your tears for me.

I didn't want to go at first

I fought with all my might,

But something seems to draw me now

to a warm and loving light.

I'll not be far, I promise that,

and hope you'll always know

that my spirit will be close to you

wherever you may go.

Thank you so for loving me

You know I love you, too

That's why it's hard to say goodbye

And end this life with you.'

-Coda

Words courtesy of Wellington Animal Hospital

Back Again!

Been a bit quiet lately. Since my last posting i was getting ready to get off the Geo Endeavour and do my hand-over with the guy taking over from me. Then back at home i eventually got us wireless 3G set-up through m-web. So now we're back online with a new e-mail adress and all!!

Being back at home has been absolute bliss! Spending time with Toni and Jamie (who is growing by the minute!!). Also of course there is the 'The List'. The things that have piled up for me to do whilst i was at sea. So plenty to do!

I should be filling the site with some more stories and events from the Olive Yard soon!

Oilfield

Its a hot saturday in Nigeria! We're busy surveying again in the field, and as you can see in the picture, its a busy field. Although its not very deep here, there are hundreds of platforms around here. That makes manoeuvring quite difficult, whilst having to survey certain lines. I've also attached a picture of one of the Chevron production platforms. Today we also had about 15o small, wooden fishing boats plying their trade around us. Each one is dragging nets behind him. If any ship operating in the area drives through one of their nets (which can easily happen as they just drag them wherever they want to!), then they go and complain to Chevron and demand N1,000,000 (about US$10 000!). Sometimes they even claim that its happened, even if it did not. The other side of the coin is that these people are dirt poor, with fishing being their only income/food source. So i can imagine that they are not happy with a big American Oil Company setting up platforms where they used to fish.

Offshore

We are currently working offshore Nigeria, doing some Geophysical surveys for Chevron. What that basically means, is that we do a survey of the seafloor with various sonar equipment in order to make 'a picture' of what the conditions are. We also supply them with some data regarding the geology of the seafloor. Why they need this? They need to lay oil pipelines between the various platforms to pump that expensive oil they're drilling! So we do these surveys for them, then pipes get laid, and then we do another survey to determine the exact location of these pipes. We chart all this and give it to them. So that's in a nutshell what i'm doing, floating offshore Nigeria. My comapny's ship's name is the Geo Endeavour (see the pic!). Onboard, i'm the Party Chief which is like the offshore Project Manager. With me, i have a team of Surveyors, Survey Engineers, Geophysicist and Data Processors. So i have to make sure the project is done according to specifications and deal with two client representatives on a daily basis. Anyway, that's enough of 'Offshore 101' for now....... More lessons to follow...:)