31MAY2018

Location: Mosaic Terminal St. James, LA and Mississippi River en route to Tampa, FL;

Events: Came on the 1^st watch with the barge already tied off at the terminal and loading sulfur so I spent the watch keeping an eye on the loading process. Crew change happened around 11am, with the tankermen from my watch getting off and the other guys we relieved two weeks ago getting back on. I went out to the barge early for the 2^nd watch to assist with finalizing the loading. After disconnecting from the terminal, we waited for the assist tug to arrive, cast off line, and began our trek back downriver and back to Tampa. After we finished all the deck work to get underway, the lead tankerman noticed the forward capstan had leaked some hydraulic fluid sometime after we had used it to haul the two bow lines in. Thankfully it wasn’t a whole lot and was nowhere near at risk of leaving the containment area. Tomorrow I think we will take off the access panel and see if we can find what’s leaking inside.

Things learned about vessel/barge: More practice on disconnecting the barge from the terminal booms

Classroom information application(s): Tankerman (PIC) procedures, NAVGEN Western Rivers, Bridges, Air Draft

Supplemental Information: Today will make two loads and discharges each towards the five of each I need for my Tankerman (PIC) ticket. I’ve transferred fuel to the boat from the barge twice also, but I’m not sure of that counts as a load, a discharge, or both. I got the meet the two new tankermen I’ll be working with, one guy is actually younger than me, though not by much, which is a novelty. I think we will get along fine. I tell you what, it seems like every time we get underway, something on this boat or barge breaks or gets messed up.

Rules of the Road Scenarios? Passing and Crossing in a Channel, River Traffic Stand-On and Give-Way vessels, Vessels at Anchor Lights and Day Shapes