What a way to spend Christmas

[nigel1]

OK, so I knew I would be away at work on the tug for Christmas. Joined the boat on the 19th in Aberdeen, but with the forecast for the coming few days I thought we'd be either propping up the dock wall, or at the very least swinging on the hook somewhere up in the Moray Firth.
On the evening of the 19th, got word that the harbour needed my little bit of wall, so on the morning of the 20th, headed out into a SE'ly 8-9, turned hard left and headed up to the Firth, found a nice little spot off the village of Gardenstown, and dropped the hook, and started to plan Xmas day, thinking that no way would anyone want a rig moved during the next week. How wrong can I get. Yesterday at noon, call from a very smug sounding Dane in our chartering department, "Nigel, you'll be happy to know I got you a job", when I says, "NOW".
Forecast is SE 9 to 10, great, the rig we need to get to is SE of us, 180 miles away. So off we go, made about 4 kts last night, and this morning received the latest forecast from the Met Office
Shipping Forecast - Issued: 0505 UTC Sun 23 Dec

WindIn northeast, easterly or southeasterly severe gale 9 to violent storm 11, decreasing 6 to gale 8 later. In southwest, southeasterly gale 8 to storm 10, veering southwesterly 6 to gale 8.Sea StateIn northeast, high becoming very rough. in southwest, high becoming rough.WeatherIn northeast, rain or snow. In southwest, rain.VisibilityIn northeast, poor. In southwest, moderate or poor.

Just great, and WTF do we do when we get to the rig, its a Jack Up rig, needs less than 1.5meters seas before they can be moved.
Just told the crew that Christmas has been cancelled for the foreseeable future, only got the one turkey, dont want to see that one being catapulted out of the oven.


All I want for Christmas is a stretch of smooth water and light winds.


Happy Christmas everyone

[downunder]

Bummer.

Hope you get your Christmas wish for light winds and smooth seas.

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by nigel1

......All I want for Christmas is a stretch of smooth water and light winds.
Happy Christmas everyone

Nigel, I'll add that onto my list for Santa .
Forecasts are not always accurate. I hope the predictions don't eventuate.
Hope you have a quiet Christmas day and catch up on all the celebrations when you get back.

[captain58sailin]

Maybe the rig will send you down some nice Christmas dinner. This is the first Christmas, I've had ashore since 1978.

[Nomadgurl]

Merry Christmas Nigel!!

[nigel1]

Originally Posted by captain58sailin

Maybe the rig will send you down some nice Christmas dinner. This is the first Christmas, I've had ashore since 1978.

I'm kind of hoping they send the Radio Operator, she sounded very nice when I spoke to her this morning

[rebel heart]

That's some nasty conditions right there.

[DeepFrz]

I'm kind of hoping they send the Radio Operator, she sounded very nice when I spoke to her this morning

Could be a nice stocking stuffer...
Merry Xmas and smooth seas.

[boatman61]

Hi Nigel...
Bumma on the weather mate... but WTF... have a ball..
Merry Christmas... may the Force be elsewhere...

[Vasco]

Merry Christmas, Nigel.

[Blue Crab]

Merry Christmas, Sir. You know we'll most all be thinking of the radio operator er ... you!

[mbianka]

Nigel:

If it's any consolation I'll be working Christmas Day too! Except I'll be inside a building with artificial lights hoping to keep electrons and photons flowing through wire and fiber optic cables. At least you'll be on the water! Merry Christmas to one and all!

[MarkJ]

I definitly saw a Force 6 in your forecast so why complain? Thats just a gentle breeze for your area. And those odd few moments of F11 will just dry the clothes on the line quicker (or shake the ice out of them).

Does Santa have GPS?

If he cant find you then look on the bright side: no reindeer poop to clean off the deck

Even Passage Weather shows pretty Christmas colours for your area! And Purple! Ive never seen that before. Very nice!

[nigel1]

Looks like its worse for the bods ashore, the village of Stonehaven on the Aberdeenshire coast has just taken another battering, second one in 10 days, they are trying to evacuate the place. There's a "retirement" home right on the sea front, wont be very nice for the "guests", so I wont get too grumpy.
Some of the newer crew are looking a bit green around the edges, but the cook is doing OK, very nice chicken curry for lunch today, but not many takers.

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by nigel1

Some of the newer crew are looking a bit green around the edges, but the cook is doing OK, very nice chicken curry for lunch today, but not many takers.

Should have served some nice greasy pork chops. That'll cure them.