Trinidad to Namibia... A Transit for Christmas

For Christmas this year I got a 17 Day Transatlantic Crossing from Trinidad to Namibia, in Southwest Africa...followed by a few nights in Namibia before the work actually started.

Also at the top of South America in the Caribbean... Its a nice little place also!

Trinidad (Spanish: "Trinity") is the largest and most populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just 11 km (6.8 mi) off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of 4,768 km² (1,841 sq mi) it is also the fifth largest in the West Indies.

Many believe the original name for the island in the Arawaks' language was "Iëre" which meant "Land of the Humming Bird". Some believe that "Iere" was actually a mispronunciation/corruption by early colonists of the Arawak word "Kairi" which simply means "Island". Christopher Columbus renamed it "La Isla de la Trinidad" ("The Island of the Trinity"), fulfilling a vow he had made before setting out on his third voyage of exploration.

Caribs and Arawaks lived in Trinidad long before Columbus encountered the islands on his third voyage in 1498. Tobago changed hands between the British, French, Dutch and Courlanders, but eventually ended up in British hands. Trinidad remained Spanish until 1797, but it was largely settled by French colonists from Martinique. In 1889 the two islands became a single crown colony. Trinidad and Tobago obtained self-governance in 1958 and independence from the British Empire in 1962.

We crew changed in to Trinidad where we met the Asima... its a beautiful country. While we waited to clear out of imigrations we found the harbor side hotel restaurant was a nice place for a breakfast of shark and fried plantains.

From here we boarded and set out for our transit...

Its always a bit sad to leave such a pretty place without getting to explore it properly.

Harbor Pilot Vessel

We crossed the Atlantic, and eventually the equator off of the coast of West Africa... the Equator means a number of things... BBQ, and Line Crossing Ceremonies for the Polywogs... 

Captain Robert FitzRoy of HMS Beagle suggested the practice had developed from earlier ceremonies in Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian vessels passing notable headlands. He thought it was beneficial to morale: "The disagreeable practice alluded to has been permitted in most ships, because sanctioned by time; and though many condemn it as an absurd and dangerous piece of folly, it has also many advocates. Perhaps it is one of those amusements, of which the omission might be regretted. Its effects on the minds of those engaged in preparing for its mummeries, who enjoy it at the time, and talk of it long afterwards, cannot easily be judged of without being an eye-witness."

"Deep was the bath, to wash away all ill;

Notched was the razor

of bitter taste the pill.

Most ruffianly the barber looked

his comb was trebly nailed

And water, dashed from every side, the neophyte assailed."

- FitzRoy quoted Otto von Kotzebue's description

Put a hosepipe on the filth!

Some of the finest BBQ out there...

...on a beautiful Equatorial day

Next Trip was Operating out of Georgetown, Guyana

We didn't get to see much of Guyana, we flew in at 2am and flew out for crew change at 3am 5 weeks later. But for the record it is in the Northeast Corner of South America

The Guys at the "Pool" on the Bravo Topaz

We did get to stay at a rather nice hotel called the Pegasus...

 

Guyana (pronounced /ɡaɪˈɑːnə/ or /ɡaɪˈænə/), officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana,is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America. Although Guyana is part of the Anglophone Caribbean, it is one of the few Caribbean countries that is not an island. The Caribbean Community (CARICOM), of which Guyana is a member, has its secretariat's headquarters in Guyana's capital, Georgetown. Guyana was originally colonized by the Netherlands. Later, it became a British colony and remained so for over 200 years until it achieved independence on 26 May 1966 from the United Kingdom. On 23 February 1970, Guyana officially became a republic. In 2008, the country joined the Union of South American Nations as a founding member. Guyana is a member state of the Commonwealth of Nations and has the distinction of being the only South American nation in which English is the official language. The majority of the population, however, speak Guyanese Creole; an English-based creole language with Dutch, West African, Arawakan and Caribbean influences.

Historically, the region known as "Guiana" or "Guyana" comprised the large shield landmass north of the Amazon River and east of the Orinoco River known as the "Land of many waters". Historical Guyana consists of three Dutch colonies: Essequibo, Demerara, and Berbice. Modern Guyana is bordered by Suriname to the east, by Brazil to the south and southwest, by Venezuela to the west, and by the Atlantic Ocean to the north. At 215,000 square kilometres (83,000 sq mi), Guyana is the third-smallest independent state on the mainland of South America after Uruguay and Suriname. Its population is approximately 770,000.

There are nine Native American tribes residing in Guyana: the Wai Wai, Machushi, Patamona, Arawak, Carib, Wapishana, Arecuna, Akawaio, and Warrau.[8] Historically the Arawak and Carib tribes dominated Guyana. Although Christopher Columbus sighted Guyana during his third voyage (in 1498), the Dutch were the first to establish colonies: Essequibo (1616), Berbice (1627), and Demerara (1752). After the British assumed control in the late 18th century, the Dutch formally ceded the area in 1814. In 1831 the three separate colonies became a single British colony known as British Guiana. A map of Dutch Guiana 1667–1814. Since Independence in 1824, Venezuela has claimed the area of land to the west of the Essequibo River. Simon Bolivar wrote to the British government warning against the Berbice and Demerara settlers settling on land which the Venezuelans claimed was theirs. In 1899 an international tribunal ruled the land belonged to Great Britain. Map of British Guiana. Guyana achieved independence from the United Kingdom on 26 May 1966 and became a republic on 23 February 1970, remaining a member of the Commonwealth.

The US State Department and the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), along with the British government, played a strong role in influencing political control in Guyana during this time. The American government supported Forbes Burnham during the early years of independence because Cheddi Jagan was identified as a Marxist. They provided secret financial support and political campaign advice to Burnham's People's National Congress, to the detriment of the Jagan-led People's Progressive Party, which was mostly supported by Native American Guyanese.

Guyana is better known in the US for the Jonestown Massacre, the Rev. Jim Jones and Bad Cool-Aide... In 1978, Guyana received international notice when 918 members of the American cult, Peoples Temple, died in a mass murder/suicide. Most of the suicides were American and more than 300 children were killed; the people were members of a group led by Jim Jones in Jonestown, the settlement which they had created. Jim Jones' bodyguards had earlier attacked people landing at a small remote airstrip close to Jonestown, killing five people, including Leo Ryan, the only congressman ever murdered in the line of duty in US history.

Lerwick, Shetland Islands, UK

We finished our project in Norway and stopped over in Lerwick, in the Shetland Islands north of Scotland. What a great little place...

Lerwick and Victoria Pier

Humans have lived there since the Mesolithic period, and the earliest written references to the islands date back to Roman times. The early historic period was dominated by Scandinavian influences, especially Norway, and the islands did not become part of Scotland until the 15th century. When Shetland became part of the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707, trade with northern Europe decreased. Fishing has continued to be an important aspect of the economy up to the present day. The discovery of North Sea oil in the 1970s significantly boosted Shetland incomes, employment and public sector revenues. The local way of life reflects the joint Norse and Scottish heritage including the Up Helly Aa fire festival, and a strong musical tradition, especially the traditional fiddle style. The islands have produced a variety of writers of prose and poetry, many of whom use the local Shetlandic dialect. There are numerous areas set aside to protect the local fauna and flora, including a number of important seabird nesting sites. Lerwick is Shetland's only town, with a population of about 7,500 - although about half of the islands' 22,000 people live within 10 miles of the burgh.

Lerwick Harbor The islands' motto, which appears on the Council's coat of arms, is Með lögum skal land byggja. This Icelandic phrase is taken from Njáls saga and means "By law shall the land be built up".[1] The islands lie some 80 km (50 mi) to the northeast of Orkney and 280 km (170 mi) southeast of the Faroe Islands and form part of the division between the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the North Sea to the east. The total area is 1,468 km2 (567 sq mi)[2] and the population totalled 23,167 in 2011.[3] Comprising the Shetland constituency of the Scottish Parliament, Shetland is also one of the 32 council areas of Scotland; the islands' administrative centre and only burgh is Lerwick. The largest island, known simply as "Mainland", has an area of 967 km2 (373 sq mi), making it the third-largest Scottish island[4] and the fifth-largest of the British Isles. There are an additional 15 inhabited islands. The archipelago has an oceanic climate, a complex geology, a rugged coastline and many low, rolling hills.

Shoreleave 

Sunrise over the Harbor 

Wade and Max on Gangway Security 

Asima 

Founded as an unofficial marketplace to service 17th century Dutch herring fleets, Lerwick took a long time to grow. Because of its illegal status (and alleged immorality!) the straggling hamlet around the shore of Ler Wick ('muddy bay') was demolished by order of the Scalloway court in 1615 and 1625. The Dutch burnt the fort in 1673 and the French set fire to Lerwick in 1702. Most of the sandstone buildings on the waterfront date from the 18th century, although a few, such as 10 Commercial Street, are older. The narrow main street still follows the old shoreline but modern harbour works have been built out in front of shops and warehouses that once stood in the sea. Perched on a hillside overlooking the harbour, the town's lanes retain their charm - and their shelter from the prevailing south-westerly gales. In AD 43 and 77 the Roman authors Pomponius Mela and Pliny the Elder referred to the seven islands they call Haemodae and Acmodae respectively, both of which are assumed to be Shetland. Another possible early written reference to the islands is Tacitus' report in AD 98, after describing the discovery and conquest of Orkney, that the Roman fleet had seen "Thule, too".[Note 1] In early Irish literature, Shetland is referred to as Inse Catt—"the Isles of Cats", which may have been the pre-Norse inhabitants' name for the islands. The Cat tribe also occupied parts of the northern Scottish mainland and their name can be found in Caithness, and in the Gaelic name for Sutherland (Cataibh, meaning "among the Cats").[7][Note 2] The oldest version of the modern name Shetland is Hetlandensis, the Latinised adjectival form of the Old Norse name recorded in a letter from Harald count of Shetland in 1190,[9] becoming Hetland in 1431 after various intermediate transformations. It is possible that the Pictish "cat" sound forms part of this Norse name. It then became Hjaltland in the 16th century.[10][11][Note 3] As Norn was gradually replaced by Scots, Hjaltland became Ȝetland. The initial letter is the Middle Scots letter, "yogh", the pronunciation of which is almost identical to the original Norn sound, "/hj/". When the use of the letter yogh was discontinued, it was often replaced by the similar-looking letter z, hence Zetland, the misspelt form used to describe the pre-1975 county council.[13][14] Most of the individual islands have Norse names, although the derivations of some are obscure and may represent pre-Norse, possibly Pictish or even pre-Celtic names or elements.[15] Shetland is around 170 kilometres (110 mi) north of mainland Scotland, covers an area of 1,468 square kilometres (567 sq mi) and has a coastline 2,702 kilometres (1,679 mi) long.[2] Lerwick, the capital and largest settlement, has a population of 6,958 and about half of the archipelago's total population of 23,167 people live within 16 kilometres (10 mi) of the town.[16] Scalloway on the west coast, which was the capital until 1708, has a population of less than 1,000.[17] Only 16 of about 100 islands are inhabited. The main island of the group is known as Mainland and of the next largest, Yell, Unst, and Fetlar lie to the north and Bressay and Whalsay lie to the east. East and West Burra, Muckle Roe, Papa Stour, Trondra and Vaila are smaller islands to the west of Mainland. The other inhabited islands are Foula 28 kilometres (17 mi) west of Walls, Fair Isle 38 kilometres (24 mi) south-west of Sumburgh Head, and the Out Skerries to the east.[Note 4] The uninhabited islands include Mousa, known for the Broch of Mousa, the finest preserved example in Scotland of these Iron Age round towers, St Ninian's Isle connected to Mainland by the largest active tombolo in the UK, and Out Stack, the northernmost point of the British Isles.[18][19][20] Shetland's location means that it provides a number of such records: Muness is the most northerly castle in the United Kingdom and Skaw the most northerly settlement.[21]

The geology of Shetland is complex, with numerous faults and fold axes. These islands are the northern outpost of the Caledonian orogeny and there are outcrops of Lewisian, Dalriadan and Moine metamorphic rocks with similar histories to their equivalents on the Scottish mainland. Similarly, there are also Old Red Sandstone deposits and granite intrusions. The most distinctive features are the ultrabasic ophiolite, peridotite and gabbro on Unst and Fetlar, which are remnants of the Iapetus Ocean floor.[22] Much of Shetland's economy depends on the oil-bearing sediments in the surrounding seas.[23] Geological evidence shows that in around 6100 BC a tsunami caused by the Storegga Slides hit Shetland, as well as the rest of the east coast of Scotland, and may have created a wave of up to 25 metres (82 ft) high in the voes where modern populations are highest.[24] The highest point of Shetland is Ronas Hill, which only reaches 450 metres (1,480 ft) and the Pleistocene glaciations entirely covered the islands. The Stanes of Stofast is a 2000 tonne glacial erratic that came to rest on a prominent hilltop in Lunnasting during this period.[25] Shetland is a National Scenic Area, although unusually this single designated area is made up of a number of discrete locations: Fair Isle, Foula, South West Mainland (including the Scalloway Islands), Muckle Roe, Esha Ness, Fethaland and Herma Ness.[26]

Found a 1967 Dalek at London, Heathrow... Believed two have been captured by Cpt Jack of Torchwood

What..? A Pub in England... Never! 

and then I caught my ride home...

References 

1. "Shetland Islands Council". Heraldry of the World. Retrieved 2 April 2011.
2. Shetland Islands Council (2010) p. 4
3. National Records of Scotland (15 August 2013) (pdf) Statistical Bulletin: 2011 Census: First Results on Population and Household Estimates for Scotland - Release 1C (Part Two). "Appendix 2: Population and households on Scotland’s inhabited islands". Retrieved 17 August 2013.
4. Haswell-Smith (2004) p. 406
5. Breeze, David J. "The ancient geography of Scotland" in Smith and Banks (2002) pp. 11-13.
6. Watson (1994) p. 7
7. Watson (2005) p. 30
8. Oftedal, M. (1956) "The Gaelic of Leurbost". Norsk Tidskrift for Sprogvidenskap. (Norwegian Journal of Linguistics).
9. DIPLOMATARIUM NORVEGICUM. p.2 [1190] Dilectissimis amicis suis et hominibus Haraldus Orcardensis, Hetlandensis et Catanesie comes salutem. archive.org
10. Gammeltoft (2010) p. 21-22
11. Sandnes (2010) p. 9
12. "Placenames with -a, hjalt, Leirvik". Norwegian Language Council. (Norwegian). Retrieved 26 March 2011.
13. Jones (1997) p. 210
14. "Zetland County Council" shetlopedia.com. Retrieved 16 July 2009.
15. Gammeltoft (2010) p. 19
16. "Visit Shetland". Visit.Shetland.org Retrieved 25 December 2010.
17. Shetland Islands Council (2010) p. 10
18. Hansom, J.D. (2003) "St Ninian's Tombolo". (pdf) Coastal Geomorphology of Great Britain. Geological Conservation Review. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
19. "Get-a-map". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 7 March 2011.
20. Fojut, Noel (1981) "Is Mousa a broch?" Proc. Soc. Antiq. Scot. 111 pp. 220-228
21. "Skaw (Unst)" Shetlopedia. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
22. Gillen (2003) pp. 90-91
23. Keay & Keay (1994) p. 867
24. Smith, David "Tsunami hazards". Fettes.com. Retrieved 7 March 2011.
25. Schei (2006) pp. 103-04
26. "National Scenic Areas". SNH. Retrieved 30 March 2011.

Egersund and Stavanger, Norway

Egersund:

The town of Egersund was established as a municipality January 1, 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). It was merged with the surrounding municipality of Eigersund January 1, 1965.

Egersund has one of the best natural harbours in Norway, and used to be the largest harbour in Norway when measured in quantity of fish brought in each year

Map of  Norway

 

People have lived around the district of Egersund since the stone ages. Several places one can find ruins of settlements dating back to the age of migrations in Norway (400–600 BC). The name "Egersund" derives from the Norse name for the strait between Eigerøy and the mainland, which was called Eikundarsund. The name of Eigerøy (Norse: Eikund) comes from the rich deposits of oak trees (Eik = Norwegian for oak). The name is among the oldest placenames in Norway. It can already be found in the form Eikundarsund in the Norse saga of Olav the Holy, written by Icelandic author Snorri Sturlasson in the 13th century. From around the year 1000 Olav the Holy's fleet was here often. We can also find the name in texts and scaldic poems from Olav's saga.

There used to be a church here, the Church of St. Mary, mentioned in 1292 in a privilege of indulgence issued in Rome on February 5, 1292 by Pope Nicholas IV as Ecclesia beatæ Mariæ de Eikundarsund. It was the first church in Eikundarsund, and was the parish church of Maria parish. It is believed to have been located where the present church stands today. Old folklore from Egersund also says that before the Church of St. Mary, an altar where people sacrificed to the old Norse gods was placed here, but this has not been verified from any sources except old stories.

There was also a chapel, the chapel of St. Laurenti, mentioned in a letter issued on February 5 of 1308 as Ecclesia beati Laurentii de Eikundarsund, where Pope Clement V gives King Håkon V Magnusson extensive privileges concerning the king's 14 chapels (including the chapel of St. Laurenti), which was founded by himself or his father, King Magnus Lagabøte, and his grandfather, King Håkon Håkonson. Since these chapels often were built on the king's estates it is presumed to have been on grounds owned by the Husabø estate. An old tradition says it was located at what is now Strandgata 43, but the exact position is somewhat uncertain.

Stavanger:


The first traces of settlement in the Stavanger region come from the days when the ice retreated after the last ice age ca. 10,000 years ago. A number of historians have argued convincingly that North-Jæren was an economic and military centre as far back as the 9th-10th century with the consolidation of the nation at the Battle of Hafrsfjord around 872. Stavanger grew into a centre of church administration and an important south-west coast market town around 1100–1300.

Stavanger fulfilled an urban role prior to its status as city (1125), from around the time the Stavanger bishopric was established in the 1120s. Bishop Reinald, who may have come from Winchester, England, is said to have started construction of Stavanger Cathedral (Stavanger domkirke) around 1100. It was finished around 1125, and the city of Stavanger counts 1125 as its year of foundation.

Map of  Norway

at The RICA Hotel in Stavanger on Crew Change

Mississippi Trouble comes to Stavanger Norway!

The city's history is a continuous alternation between economic booms and recessions. For long periods of time its most important industries have been shipping, shipbuilding, the fish canning industry and associated subcontractors.

In 1969, a new boom started as oil was first discovered in the North Sea.After much discussion, Stavanger was chosen to be the on-shore center for the oil industry on the Norwegian sector of the North Sea, and a period of hectic growth followed.

North Sea off of Egersund Norway.

After leaving denHelder we sailed north into the Norwegian Sector to work.

Back Deck Work on the Asima.  It looks pretty but this early in the season it's really cold!

 

Asima with the full spread working. North Sea 2013

Its a cold place up here..! 

 

Our Workboat Coxwain Adam.  We had to test the new work boat... which turned out to be a $1.1 Million Dollar POS

the engines came from the factory as absolute CRAP

Creepy Friendly! Thanks  for the nightmares Stevie!

Tailbouys at the end of the line.

Ending another beautiful day at sea.

As we prepare to crew change out of Egersund, Norway and on to Stavanger, Norway over night on the way home.

Asima at Sea as we pull away for crew change and GOING HOME!

denHelder Crew Change 2013

Welcome Back to the Boats... Were going to denHelder Netherlands this time and then out to the North Sea

Its a nice little town in the north-west of the Netherlands where we caught the boat to go North into Norwegian Waters. 

Huisduinen was the original older part of the city, whereas Helder itself was a nearby smaller hamlet. Due to its strategic location at the tip of the North Holland peninsula, multiple fortifications were built in the area. The area likely began being called Helledore ("Hell's Door" or "Hell's Gate", later on 'Helsdeur') because of the water between now Den Helder and Texel called Marsdiep. The current of the water was so strong many ships were lost. The name Helder may also have come from Helle/Helde, which means hill or hilly grounds, or from Helre, which means a sandy ridge.

 Den Helder has played an important part in Dutch shipping. During the Dutch Golden Age, ships would be assembled near Den Helder and sail from there the world's oceans. During the 1820s, the North Holland Canal was dug from Amsterdam to Den Helder. The lighthouse Lange Jaap was built in 1877 and is the tallest cast-iron lighthouse in Europe, at 63.45 meters (208.2 ft).

Looking out at th North Sea from our Hotel on the Seawall.

 

 At a nice beach-front pub on the seawall at denHelder

Our Little Hotel on the Seawall

Pretty little residential streets on canals are what this town is all about!

denHelder Light

City Center denHelder, Netherlands

Crew Change at the Palm Bar in denHelder