Days of tarring

Today was a very hot day.

The sun was shining over our rag-covered heads and sunprotection-smeared shoulders and it was 30 degrees in the shadow. The poopdeck was showered with water bottles as a result of the weather. We are exhorted to drink as much water as possible and to put extra salt in our food to keep our bodies hydrated and balanced. We all know that we shouldn’t complain about the heat and to have in mind that our home Sweden is very cold this time of the year, but we can’t help but whine just a little about our sunburns and aching heads.

After many days of tarring the rig the afterwork starts, and not in a fun way with happy hours or dinner with friends. No. Afterwork on Gunilla means wipe away spilled tar from every inch of the rig and deck. The rig is very slippery when tarred and you could believe we all had been on a real afterwork while watching us trying to stay alive and not fall down 20 meters up. The tar sticks to everything and the afterwork after the afterwork is to clean ourselves up which can take some time. Most of us look very tanned when we come down from the rig these days, but the tan unfortunately only last until the next shower (undecided time).

Apart from tarry legs and aching heads we also have very stimulated braincells right now. We have a lot of assignments to work with after Jamaica and the big mess is really a big mess. People are sweating both physically and mentally, but mostly physically because of the heat. The air-condition has already broken down three times this trip and we all hope that it won’t happen again. The atmosphere on board is although quite calm and nice according to me and we are not many days from Belize now.

Warm wishes,

Moa Lennström

Starboard