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 

Well I just got done with 3 weeks on the Okeanos Explorer and 3 more weeks on the Henry Bigelow. 

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

Where am I now?

Well my time on the Okeanos Explorer is over, Im now on The Bigelow.
Its the same type of ship as the Pisces was. Im not the Chief Steward here, Ill be second cook again, not a demotion, just the way the relief pool works. Once you've proven you can be a Chief Steward you can be assigned that anytime, but they need second cooks too, still good money, lots of overtime and Ill be working with a great cook. So I flew from Norfolk Va this morning to Rhode Island and met up with the ship. We leave tomorrow for 14 days. After that we will have to see where I go next.

Like I said before this job isent for everyone but for someone who wants to travel and see the oceans and meet new people, its a great opertunity.

Until we talk again

May your cabbage always been green and your avocados be ripe

Time off

I think I have posted about this before but time off is so important, not only to you but to your loved ones. I cant tell you how many men that have lost there marriages because they don't communicate or they to work forever before going home.

This work is great for the checkbook and great for the actual job but if you want to stay married or in a relationship, you better learn to regulate your time off.


With NOAA I earn time of almost like the military, with each year I will earn 30 days off, but I also earn shore leave time. and I can take some of my overtime and add to it biweekly as well. so You have to plan for this and make it happen


I took 2.5 weeks off after my last ship and now an on the Okeanos Explorer for 3 weeks as chief steward. after that im not sure where ill go. This time of year a lot of the ships will be going to their winter ports and persons will be taking more time off. that good for me because im still in the relief pool. Not as much overtime but a steady paycheck is a good thing.


Well till next time
May your beef never spoil and tour bacon always crisp

Almost There

Just a quick update
Well we received the part for our ship today, hopefully it can be installed ok and tests out ok, then we can reload all the food and be on our way. More when I return.

Oregon 2

Well I'm now on the O2 as they call it

It's a fisheries vessel, much smaller than the Pisces

Still NOAA

Great crew

Head chef is out sick so me and another man are in the galley. This trip he is head chef

Next trip he leaves and I'll be head chef

We have been on a shark survey for a month total and have about 20 days left

It's very interesting to see them do there job

As for me and my wife we are well and even though we are apart we txt each day so it's makes it a little easier to be gone

It is sad I've been gone all summer

We did get to meet up on Tampa for a few days, I needed that

Till next time may your oven never break and your steamer always steam

Time for a change

Well my time aboard the Pisces is over. Time to go to another ship

This time I'll be going to the Oregon 2. Smaller ship but still noaa

My time on Pisces was great for the most part, the chief steward was not only extremely knowagable but also kind and considerate. We worked on menus together and he dident tell me how to cook anything unless I asked. His motto is "you do you" it's a great way to lead, shows confidence and trust in those under you to not only express the selfs in there food but that if they aren't sure they can ask. I will truly miss him. He was there for the entire time except for the last 16 days, the other second cook came back and they put her in his position temporarily. 

But besides that I have come to like NOAA and hope to stay here for a long time. Ill eventually find a ship to be permanent on hopefully as chief steward or chief cook. But for now second is ok. I hope I can work with this chief steward again someday, he is one of the best.

Till next time may your fish never have worms and your seas always be calm.

Tampa Time

Im in Tampa for a few days, we left Mississippi a few weeks ago and did another two weeks in the gulf. Then we pulled into Tampa for few days. next we are off to North Carolina to pick up another group of scientists. Then out into the Atlantic for another study. The only not so great thing is the second cook came back early and now Im getting off around July 18th. Im still thankful for all the work and we will have to see where they send me next.
As for the food we are still working out menus together and the crews seem to really like it. So we are doing good.


Till next time
May your fish never have worms and your wine always be fresh!

New Post same ship

Well I'm still on the Pisces, its a good ship and a great crew.
We spent 2 weeks in the gulf while the scientist on board did there  fishing research and gathered all kinds of data from cameras and various other methods. It was a good cruise, no major problems in the galley, in fact we (the head cook and I) had a good time most days,
He lets me do my thing and he does his. He is very very helpful and we collaborate on the menus and cooking, makes it a lot easier on both of us. Only a couple of low points as in food that didn't go well but that was far exceeded by the food that everyone liked. I have found new ways to prepare fish and other things that will make me a better chef. I'm sure the head cook could say the same. We are in port for a couple of days and that's a busy time for all, we have to resupply the ship and some of the major cleaning can now get done. We only serve breakfast these days in port because we have so much to actually take care of. Shopping for food is one of those things. We get as fresh as we can and with as little artificial ingredients also.


Well till next time my your pesto never break and your, knife never dull

NOAA ship Pisces

Well it's the end of my first week onboard, big change from the freighters of the lakes.

I'm second cook and that's just fine, my head cook us great guy who dosent want just him cooking,so I get to cook and he even helps clean. He is also Ex navy and really wants the drew to enjoy the food. So far he has done a great job and I dont see any reason why that wont be the trend. The crew are real nice and even though my room us half the size of the lakes, I'm still very comfortable. Our budget is very very good and we even get fresh fish from time to time. The officers are NOAA Corps and are part of our nations uniformed services. The crew are wage mariners and all good at there jobs.

The time gone will be slightly longer but the pay here is really worth it and the insurance is good too.

Well I need to hit the rack (bed) so I'll close for now.

Till next time may your fish always be fresh and your sink never clog

Well Im officially part of NOAA now, finished with that training and now for a week of safety training. The off to a ship. I will admit its a bit of bumpy ride this life but in the long run it will be worth it. I have meet some real good people and look forward to a new ship. Ill be a second cook for now and thats fine with me. Gives me time to get used to new way of doing things with out the stress of creating menus and other stuff.

Until next time may your soup never burn and your greens never wilt 

The day is almost here

Well I leave for NOAA Sunday, then 4 days of NOAA traing followed by 1.5 weeks of safety training

Getting ready to leave is always hard but we know it is worth it and that paycheck sure will be nice again.

I encourage any chef to look into the shipping industry, the pay and benefits are sure great

Well I have to pack some more

Till next time may your butter never burn and you salt always have flavor

What to choose

In this field it seems every year or so, we must make the choice to stay or leave positions. It's not a easy decision to make. In my case it's either leave home and my wife to sail and make enough to live comfortable or try to make it ashore and struggle because the pay is so much lower.

You know the choice I made, but for others it isent as easy. My wife and I have been married for over 30 years and the children are grown and moved out. So the choice is not as hard, I won't be a absent dad. 

But for the younger crowd if your still single this is a way to make good money and get a head start on your dreams. Some jobs at sea pay over 60k a year. Yes you have to be sure you save to pay taxes but besides that you can really get ahead if you put your mind and heart into it.

Think of it would you rather work the line at 10 or 12hr? Or work 7 months, save it and have a 3 month vacation?

That is how some do it.

Gives you something to think on.

Till next time

May your grease never spoil and your fish always be fresh

Made the choice

Well I made the decision ....

Drum roll please........

It's NOAA

Weighing the pro and cons of both jobs NOAA came out ahead

So now the plan is to leave May 10 and go for NOAA training and then about 1.25 week for saftey training, then I'll be a relief cook/chef for different ships around the US

The funny thing is I could have chosen a ship in Alaska as a permement assignment but I really don't want to move there but I might get there for a relief stint. That would be great.

To any who reads this if you or another is looking for work Please Please don't pass up the USA jobs site. Yes I know it's working for the goverment and you have to jump thru thier hoops but it is worth it in the long end.

Well till I type again

May your beef always be tender and your shrimp never spoil 

New year new challenges

Well it's been a long time since I last wrote on my life so here is some updates

I'm up for 2 government jobs at this time. One for NOAA and the other for the forest service. Both as chef

I left the Lake Guardian in August of last year and Craig Sweeney replaced me as head cook. I just got a email from him and he is doing fine and the ship is getting ready for this years sailings. I wish him the best and safe sailings.

The last year was hard on me with my fathers murder in February and my mothers cancer, it was just a year of pain and grief. Now that the murder trial is done and my mother is ok (still has cancer but living with it) maybe I can get settled again. The Lake Guardian was a great posting and I wish it would have worked out but not everything in this life will.

I still would like to return to the Great Lakes and sail on her ships and that might happen still, but the shipping companies have cut back and not all the ships are sailing again. But there is always next season. 

So if I go with NOAA I'll still be on a ship and that an be anywhere in the us waters, from Maine to Alaska to Hawaii to the Bahamas. 

Maybe even the Arctic circle   We will have to see

If I go with the Forest service I'll be at a training school in Kentucky, that could be interesting too

I hope to be able to keep up the blog better now and look forward to writing about the sea and the crew and the food.

Until next time

May your rice never stick

And your passion never die