Pictures of Panama Canal

I just got my computer back from the repair guy about 12 hours ago. I can now do a little work with pictures and the internet while in port here in Virginia.

I have posted pics of the entrance into the Panama Canal here...

http://picasaweb.google.com/Argo.knot/MVAmericanTern?feat=directlink

The GPS is about 2 miles off. I will have to fix that manually later.

Book Review

We just entered a storm off the coast of North Corolina... Exciting :)
06-26-09 20:28

Since the 3rd of the month I have read 5 novels and thought I would share my
thoughts on them.

The first:

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee
An Indian history of the American west
By
Dee Brown

I have known about this novel for some time. The copyright date is 1970, so
after 39 years I finally read a book that should be required reading in
every high school. I have to thank Stephanie for suggesting I read her
copy.

For non-fiction history, the story flowed well. I enjoyed this book very
much.

***** 5 stars

The Kite Runner
By
Khaled Hosseini

This book was also suggested to me by Stephanie. I loved it. A fictional
story of a boy from Afghanistan; this tale is absorbing.

***** 5 Stars

Spin
By
Robert Charles Wilson

-Rocky Mountain news says "The Best Science Fiction novel so far this year."
Well, I am hoping this book was published in early February. Because if
this was the best 2005 had to offer then I won't bother reading anything
else from that year.

The novel was okay, I certainly have read worse, but the author loved to use
all forms of the word "obviously". I think he used it at least 452 times;
averaging once per page.

** 2 Stars

Deception Point
By
Dan Brown

From the author of the Da Vinci Code, this book was a fast read. If you
like Clive Cussler novels then you will most likely enjoy this book. There
are some twists and turns, but unfortunately the formula gives away the "who
done it" part rather early in the story (for me at least).

I also had a hard time suspending my reality enough to fully get into the
story.

*** 3 Stars

The Worst Hard Time
The Untold Story of Those Who Survived
The Great American Dust Bowl
By
Timothy Egan

This was a captivating history. While researching my family tree I learned
I had several relatives living in Kansas at the time the dust bowl began, so
this book had a little more interest for me than it normally would have. It
was challenging at first to get into the rhythm of the writing, but soon I
found the cadence and the novel began to flow at last.

This is a great lesson on how destructive mankind can be when he fails to
acknowledge how important and delicate our ecosystems are.

**** 4 Stars

Norfolk, VA

06-26-09 08:20

We are looking at arrival on schedule in Norfolk tomorrow the 27th.

I had cell service for about an hour yesterday as we past Miami. My phone
died while talking to Stephanie. It was good to talk to her though.

The weather has been hot and dry but the seas have been calm.

Any help out there?

I am trying to think of the name of the Character played by Jerry VanDyke on
the TV show Coach.

The 3rd Mate on this vessel reminds me of a cross between him and Douber on
the same show... It is really fun watching him think sometimes.

He is a very nice guy though, so I don't mean to be un-kind.

anyway, let me know if you have the answer. I'd look it up if I had
internet access.

Jesse

crew06@ter.aplmaritime.com

Last lock

Sun 06-21-09 21:39

I have been up and going since 03:20, I am getting a bit tired. We are
currently being lowered in the last lock down to sea level.

In a few minutes I will be off of Stand By duties and I will be able to
sleep untill 03:20, almost a full 5 hours.

I think I will skip overtime work tomorrow :)

The Panama Canal is beautiful in many areas, I am glad I got to steer
through most of it.

Any way, I may write more about it later, but this screen is getting blurry
and I am afraid it is about to attack.

Take care everyone.
Jesse

Panama Canal

Saturday 6-20-09
20:12

Well in the morning on Sunday we will begin our way through the Canal. I
will be on the wheel first for 4 hours, then I will stand by for 2 hours. I
get a six hour break then stand by again for 2 hours then on the wheel for
4.

That is the plan, but we should be through before I need to take that second
standby shift. But we may have to anchor 1/2 way through. We shall see.

The last few nights have been excellent lighting watching weather. The
srikes are so close that the thunder is instant. Some of them have really
rattled the ship. I love a good storm. The seas have been calm though so
no worries there.

Well, untill next time.

Write if you feel like it :)
Jesse

Hot!

Tuesday 06-16-2009

We are currently in waters that are around 95 degrees F. This is causing
our engines to overheat and we have been forced to slow to about 13.5 knots
from 15.5 that we were doing two days ago.

Unfortunatly the engineers have also diverted the cooling system from
cooling the house to cooling the engine. It is very uncomfortable right
now... but hopefuly the change in speed is not enough to change our arrival
date at the Panama Canal.

If all goes to plan I got a sexy chick ready to party with me in VA. I just
need to get there by the 28th :)

The heat is also affecting my computer. I am forced to type now on the crew
computer so I cannot type at my leisure and always have someone waiting
behind me to get on. My laptop has a bad fan and will not stayed powered
on, which is probably a good thing. I will have it looked at when we arrive
back east.

I hope everyone is doing well back home. If the heat lowers enough and my
computer will stay on, I will write more about the crew and the ship.

Take care and don't forget to send me any interesting news...

Jesse

Golden Gate

06-11-09 Thursday

We are off and sailing. It has actually been a very long day/night for me
so this report is short. It is time for me to go to bed.

I steered a ship for the 4th time under the Golden Gate bridge, it just keep
getting easier and easier. If you were watching our ship was the red and
black one that went under at 5pm.

Well, time to find a glass of water and hit the sack.

I will take the time to write something more interesting soon.

Take care

Jesse

Raccons and MP's

M/V American Tern

June 9th, 2009

We are still at the dock unloading containers. Armed soldiers are still
aboard the vessel and patrolling the dock and the Coast Guard is protecting
our port side. Yesterday one of the gantry cranes broke down and slowed our
progress a bit. It seems to be running okay today.

There is a rumor that we will get under way in the morning. I have not seen
the sailing board yet, but if true we should know sometime during my watch.
Speaking of watches, I am working the 4 to 8 watch. In port I stand gangway
watch from 4pm to midnight. At sea I will stand watch on the bridge from 4
to 8 am and pm. This ship limits the amount of overtime I am allowed to
work. I get no overtime while in port, which is actually fine most of the
time, I prefer to go visit new places rather than paint the ship. At sea we
are limited to only 3 hours overtime each day; one hour less than I am used
to.

I have made contact with two raccoons who entertain me at night on the
gangway. They are quite nimble. One has a habit of climbing up the lines
on the stern to see if any garbage is on the deck. He quickly scampers back
down the line if anyone goes back there. Both of them seem to have no
problem being with in arms length of me. I guess they are quite used to
people being around. The other one likes to walk up the gangway and try to
get aboard, but since he has no ID and since he is wearing a mask, I never
grant him permission to board the ship. Apparently the AB on watch after me
did not know about the raccoons and looked down one night to see a raccoon
looking up at him from about 2 feet away, he confessed to screaming like a
little girl. He was a bit surprised LOL.

So far the crew seems to be pretty good and I suspect this will be a good
trip. I am looking forward to sailing the Panama Canal. It will be my
first time through.

Oh, the mailing address I gave last update has changed. Not that anyone
needs it, but here is a correction.

Inchape Shipping Service
Attn: Jesse S James
M/V American Tern
130 Granby Street, Suite 100
Norfolk, VA 23510

The email seems to be working, thanks for the messages and keep them coming,
it is always nice to hear from ya'll.

Jesse

crew06@ter.aplmaritime.com

P.S. Please do not send attachments.

Most of you already know, I do not have access to the internet. Also email
is expensive on a ship so no attachments are allowed to be sent or recieved
without an okay from the captain.

This is just a quick email to let you know how to contact me. I arrived on
the M/V American Tern on Tuesday the 2nd of June.

We should be getting underway this Tuesday or Wednesday heading empty to
Norfolk Virginia for some repairs and cargo. We should be there for at
least two to three weeks. Then off to the arctic.

If sent soon enough I can actually get regular mail if it is sent to the
address below.

Jesse S James
c/o MASTER
M/V American Tern
FPO AE 09564-7233

As long as nothing is sent a few weeks before my last port I should receive
all mail.

But of course email is the way to communicate so write me at
crew06@ter.aplmaritime.com this email address is private and belongs only
to me. No one other than the captain should be able to read any
correspondence through this email address, not counting the government of
course :)

Last night I received this email address, otherwise I would have written
something sooner.

Jesse