Well I have been lacking in my postings, not because I didn't want to but Ive been a busy person this last 4 months.
Ive been from Alaska to Hawaii to the east coast and the Gulf of Mexico.
It has been suggested that I spend less time on where I'm at and the ship I'm on and spend more time on the food. So that's what I'm going to focus on more of. Being on a ship serving is different than a restaurant in my aspects. The food is the "same". But how you prepare and serve it is different.
The Food I'm going to talk about today is Prime Rib. On board we have this usually once per week.
I try to order my prime rib bone in, it makes more flavor and actually gives me more options to serve. Because I remove the bones before cooking and then lay the meat back on so I have the meat and as some have called them, Bronto-ribs. There are so many ways to make prime rib Ive lost count. My ways are always simple. Let that meat speak for itself. The only real problem I have is I have more than 2 persons who want the crispy end cut.
I also cut mine to order, I get the whole loin out of the pan and each person tells me what they want. Makes for good portion control and better food in my opinion.
Ill add a photo at a later date
Till next time
May your delivery always be right
and you staff reasonable
NOAA
Monday, August 31, 2015
Friday, April 10, 2015
Somewhere in time
Well ts another season for research, so I'm again gone from home. I have written before about how hard it is on the sailor to be gone but haven't touched on the loved ones we leave at home.
Anybody who knows me , knows how much my wife means to me. She is my world, my life, my strength. Without her to support me I wouldn't have done 1/8th of what Ive done.
She has to handle the everyday life that we take for granted while at sea. All the things that need to be done, from paying bills to house care she has to do without me. Anyone who is married will tell you that's not a easy task when both are home and me being gone doesn't make it any easier.
Now I was blessed with a wife who has a strong faith in the Lord and is a strong and courageous woman. She can handle almost anything the world throws her way, but that doesn't mean she wouldn't like me there to help catch the ball.
So if you choose this life, make sure its a joint decision, because the best part of you will be waiting at home for the return of their sailor from the sea
Anybody who knows me , knows how much my wife means to me. She is my world, my life, my strength. Without her to support me I wouldn't have done 1/8th of what Ive done.
She has to handle the everyday life that we take for granted while at sea. All the things that need to be done, from paying bills to house care she has to do without me. Anyone who is married will tell you that's not a easy task when both are home and me being gone doesn't make it any easier.
Now I was blessed with a wife who has a strong faith in the Lord and is a strong and courageous woman. She can handle almost anything the world throws her way, but that doesn't mean she wouldn't like me there to help catch the ball.
So if you choose this life, make sure its a joint decision, because the best part of you will be waiting at home for the return of their sailor from the sea
"sailors love"
Though I have seen both storms and gales
The time that I have spent at see
The loving winds that fill my sails
Is the woman that waits home for me
these long dark nights I stand my watch
While she is left home on shore alone
I hope she knows my heart is caught
I've left it there with her at home
For every time our lines are heaved
Her heart is left to sit and wait
I can't imagine or believe
Her love for me can be so great
The ships will sail for months on end
While she stares lonely from the shore
Across the waves the love she sends
Will see me safely home once more
From foreign shores I send my love
At home for me she burns the fires
To woman shes the step above
My love my love my one desire
And on that day when we return
Her beauty will be waiting still
The time apart of no concern
Her love for me is iron will
The day this sailor leaves the sea
A dept of love I must repay
A thousand years will never be
A payment for a single day
So gather around so you can hear
If you should doubt gods love in life
Its standing right there on the pier
My gift from god my navy wife.
The time that I have spent at see
The loving winds that fill my sails
Is the woman that waits home for me
these long dark nights I stand my watch
While she is left home on shore alone
I hope she knows my heart is caught
I've left it there with her at home
For every time our lines are heaved
Her heart is left to sit and wait
I can't imagine or believe
Her love for me can be so great
The ships will sail for months on end
While she stares lonely from the shore
Across the waves the love she sends
Will see me safely home once more
From foreign shores I send my love
At home for me she burns the fires
To woman shes the step above
My love my love my one desire
And on that day when we return
Her beauty will be waiting still
The time apart of no concern
Her love for me is iron will
The day this sailor leaves the sea
A dept of love I must repay
A thousand years will never be
A payment for a single day
So gather around so you can hear
If you should doubt gods love in life
Its standing right there on the pier
My gift from god my navy wife.
Monday, February 2, 2015
HOW MUCH FOOD!
That a question I have been asked again and again, how much food did you order?
As a augmenter I often have to order food for ship that I will not be here to cook. More than once I have had to order enough food for 1 month or even 2 months. That's allot of food. just for example, I order at least 30 lbs of bacon for each month, and then I always have extra just in case that runs out. Coffee is another, I have at least 2 pounds of whole beans for each day.
You have to be able to figure out the average amount of each thing you will use, and then add another 10% just to be safe.
For another example. We made lasagna the other day. when I make it I use ricotta cheese and real mozzarella cheese. Now underway that goes like wildfire. We will have from 30 to 45 persons on board and I have to make at least 35 portions, because not everybody will eat at mealtime. Some are sleeping and will eat later at night. Well I will need 5-7 lbs ground meat. 2 tubs of ricotta, a whole bag of mozzarella and tomato sauce and noodles. and that's a dish i can make every two weeks and they will like it. So if I'm gone for two months and I make it 4 times that's 20 to 30 lbs of burger alone!
Another is biscuits and gravy, my wonderful wife taught how to make the gravy, I can tell you it has flour bacon grease and milk in it. but she always makes it better than me. but for the crew Ill use a gallon of milk each time, and that a once a week thing, sometimes twice. so there is 8 gallons of milk just for that. Not including the whole, 2% and fat free the crew drinks each day. That's why i get about 30 gallons of milk each time.
So you see its not just the cooking, I have to order enough food and figure how to store it and make sure I don't run out. No grocery store in the ocean to stop at.
Till next time
May your potatoes never sprout, and your pasta never stick.
As a augmenter I often have to order food for ship that I will not be here to cook. More than once I have had to order enough food for 1 month or even 2 months. That's allot of food. just for example, I order at least 30 lbs of bacon for each month, and then I always have extra just in case that runs out. Coffee is another, I have at least 2 pounds of whole beans for each day.
You have to be able to figure out the average amount of each thing you will use, and then add another 10% just to be safe.
For another example. We made lasagna the other day. when I make it I use ricotta cheese and real mozzarella cheese. Now underway that goes like wildfire. We will have from 30 to 45 persons on board and I have to make at least 35 portions, because not everybody will eat at mealtime. Some are sleeping and will eat later at night. Well I will need 5-7 lbs ground meat. 2 tubs of ricotta, a whole bag of mozzarella and tomato sauce and noodles. and that's a dish i can make every two weeks and they will like it. So if I'm gone for two months and I make it 4 times that's 20 to 30 lbs of burger alone!
Another is biscuits and gravy, my wonderful wife taught how to make the gravy, I can tell you it has flour bacon grease and milk in it. but she always makes it better than me. but for the crew Ill use a gallon of milk each time, and that a once a week thing, sometimes twice. so there is 8 gallons of milk just for that. Not including the whole, 2% and fat free the crew drinks each day. That's why i get about 30 gallons of milk each time.
So you see its not just the cooking, I have to order enough food and figure how to store it and make sure I don't run out. No grocery store in the ocean to stop at.
Till next time
May your potatoes never sprout, and your pasta never stick.
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
What do you mean no freezer
Well as you may or not know, things on a ship do break down now and then. The engineers on the ship are nothing short of miracle workers but even they cant fix everything. Part of our cooling unit for our coolers went down the other day, so we had to cut our trip short and pull into port. We are in Galveston Texas right now waiting on parts to fix the ship. That's good but we got here Wednesday and the parts probably wont be here till Tuesday. What to do with a months worth of food in the freezer and the cooler, you rent a refrigerated semi trailer and unload ALL the food. about 9 or 10 pallets of it.
That's a lot of food. The whole crew was involved in the operation. it still took almost 4 hours to accomplish it. But it is done. Now that the foods off the ship, what do I and the second cook do? We clean, first the galley and mess deck and the each cooler and then the ovens. After that ill find other things for us to do.
Just goes to show you that you will never be able to completely predict what goes on in the galley.
Oh I forgot to mention that Im now Acting Chief Steward until I leave. It has a lot more reasonability and stress than the second cook. You are responsible for shopping and ordering all the food and the menus and everything else in-between.
Until next time, may your garlic never mold and your pasta never stick
That's a lot of food. The whole crew was involved in the operation. it still took almost 4 hours to accomplish it. But it is done. Now that the foods off the ship, what do I and the second cook do? We clean, first the galley and mess deck and the each cooler and then the ovens. After that ill find other things for us to do.
Just goes to show you that you will never be able to completely predict what goes on in the galley.
Oh I forgot to mention that Im now Acting Chief Steward until I leave. It has a lot more reasonability and stress than the second cook. You are responsible for shopping and ordering all the food and the menus and everything else in-between.
Until next time, may your garlic never mold and your pasta never stick
Monday, January 19, 2015
Winter work
As I write this I am on the Okeanos Explorer as Chief steward
I want to write about winter work and hours at that time of year.
Normally when your sailing, you get 4 hours of overtime each day because its a twelve hour day. Now when its winter all the ships in NOAA go in for at least a month or more for the winter repair period. You will only get about 8 hours per day. Now when they are in-port most of the time they only serve breakfast and lunch. They can do this because of the fact that many persons live near their home port and go home at night. During this time the ships get needed work done on all aspects of ship board work. From the obvious painting and chipping, to the unseen work in the engine rooms and every where else conceivable. My galley is getting work done this week, so it will be shut down for a few days. During this time we still have to work. There is always cleaning that can be done and that's going to happen this week. Also sorting of linens and other stores can be done. The coolers can be cleaned from top to bottom and organized for the upcoming sailings. That will be important later because this ship is leaving for a very long time and will need the organization. I wont be on-board for that but its my job to make sure whoever is doesn't have any extra worries.
Also much of the regular crew take time off this time of the year, that's OK because it gives guys like me in the relief pool time to work.
I hope anyone who reads this blog and has the ability to go to sea for work looks into NOAA and also the work on the Great Lakes.
Till next time
May your greens never wilt and your sauce never break
I want to write about winter work and hours at that time of year.
Normally when your sailing, you get 4 hours of overtime each day because its a twelve hour day. Now when its winter all the ships in NOAA go in for at least a month or more for the winter repair period. You will only get about 8 hours per day. Now when they are in-port most of the time they only serve breakfast and lunch. They can do this because of the fact that many persons live near their home port and go home at night. During this time the ships get needed work done on all aspects of ship board work. From the obvious painting and chipping, to the unseen work in the engine rooms and every where else conceivable. My galley is getting work done this week, so it will be shut down for a few days. During this time we still have to work. There is always cleaning that can be done and that's going to happen this week. Also sorting of linens and other stores can be done. The coolers can be cleaned from top to bottom and organized for the upcoming sailings. That will be important later because this ship is leaving for a very long time and will need the organization. I wont be on-board for that but its my job to make sure whoever is doesn't have any extra worries.
Also much of the regular crew take time off this time of the year, that's OK because it gives guys like me in the relief pool time to work.
I hope anyone who reads this blog and has the ability to go to sea for work looks into NOAA and also the work on the Great Lakes.
Till next time
May your greens never wilt and your sauce never break
Saturday, January 3, 2015
Another New Year
Happy New Year to everyone
I hope you all had a Great Christmas and a safe New years eve.
I was home for over a month and it was great being with my family over thanksgiving and Christmas.
If I remember right I haven't been home for those holidays in 2 years. That's another aspect that makes this job difficult at times. When your ship isent sailing but your not home it is a trying time on you. 99% of that time most of the crew is gone, so work isent hard but missing family is. Guaranteed to run up the phone minutes.
I came back to the Bigelow on December 29th. I was suppose to stay here till the end of February, but things changed again, as they seem to have a habit of doing. Im going back to the Okeanos Explorer to be the Chief Steward again. I guessing ill stay there until the end of February.
That's the way the augmentation pool works. If they need you and the ship your on can spare you, off you go.
The galley isent serving dinner right now so its short days. We do breakfast and lunch, then we are off. kills the overtime but that's ok. the crew that is onboard, which isent many, I think 8 go home at night or if they stay onboard grab a dinner somewhere else. We get paid a per diem for each meal we buy with our own money. Sometimes its cheaper for NOAA to do this than pay the overtime for us to cook.
Well that's it for now I hope you all have a blessed and prosperous New Year
Till next time
May your chocolate never seize and your sugar never clump
I hope you all had a Great Christmas and a safe New years eve.
I was home for over a month and it was great being with my family over thanksgiving and Christmas.
If I remember right I haven't been home for those holidays in 2 years. That's another aspect that makes this job difficult at times. When your ship isent sailing but your not home it is a trying time on you. 99% of that time most of the crew is gone, so work isent hard but missing family is. Guaranteed to run up the phone minutes.
I came back to the Bigelow on December 29th. I was suppose to stay here till the end of February, but things changed again, as they seem to have a habit of doing. Im going back to the Okeanos Explorer to be the Chief Steward again. I guessing ill stay there until the end of February.
That's the way the augmentation pool works. If they need you and the ship your on can spare you, off you go.
The galley isent serving dinner right now so its short days. We do breakfast and lunch, then we are off. kills the overtime but that's ok. the crew that is onboard, which isent many, I think 8 go home at night or if they stay onboard grab a dinner somewhere else. We get paid a per diem for each meal we buy with our own money. Sometimes its cheaper for NOAA to do this than pay the overtime for us to cook.
Well that's it for now I hope you all have a blessed and prosperous New Year
Till next time
May your chocolate never seize and your sugar never clump
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Another tour done
First sad news one of the recent retired fisherman in NOAA for over 30 years that was part of the crew on the boat I was just on died not even s month after retirement
And the brother of a crew member also died this week
NOAA is very helpful in these situations if your loved one us in bad shape they will get you off the boat ASAP
Please keep them in your prayers
I just thought I'd let you know a little about the ships in NOAA
There are 3 basic types
First U.S. The survey ships
They only do surveys of the sea bottom
That's used for mapping and other shipping matters
Very important to have accurate maps of harbors and passages
Also they do reasearch with ROV's
Next is the FSV ships
Fishing survey vessels
They do most of the "live" reasearch
They fish and determine fish counts and the amount of fish in the areas
That data is used to regulate fishing and determine the health of many species of marine life
The third is the small craft that are attached to the larger ships and do smaller jobs that the large ships can't
There is so much more to know but that's the condensed version
Here's a pic of dinner the other night
Till next time
Fair winds and following seas
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