Megan the Nautie Mermate
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF A LADY SAILOR
This sweet blog of mine is suffering from Pure Neglect. Between port calls, paperwork, ballast tank inspections, lifeboat releasing and, rescue boat maneuvering I have had zero down time. I'd love to say I'm sorry but you're just gonna have to deal :)
I miss you more than I can say and will play catch up as soon as possible!
If only I could wake up tomorrow morning and drive down to the beach with my coffee and some fresh fruit....
Sometimes I share conversations that I've had / overheard on the ship. Let me tell you....sometimes they're bizarro! They always make me think of this snotty little phrase teenage me used to love, 'oh-my-gawd. my life is so weird'. Here's the latest My Life Is So Weird Moment... On the Bridge. Routine watch with idle chit chat.
Me: I've never gotten to the point where I can travel with just a carry on.
Shipmate: Travelling with no luggage is truly the way to go.
AB: I never travel with luggage. I just find places to bury my stuff.
Me: What do you mean?
AB: Whatever I don't need to travel with I double bag in garbage bags and bury it.
Me: Bury it how?
AB: I just find a place to dig a hole. I've found that the best place to dig holes is near railroads or in church yards....there are fewer people watching....
Me: Are you kidding me right now?!
AB: No.
Me: What do you dig your hole with? I mean, do you splurge on a shovel?
AB: Nah, I've found that digging holes with a sharp knife is actually a lot easier.
Me: Oh my god. That's bizzare.
AB: -blank stare-
Me: Do you have a lot of things buried?!
AB: Yah, I got stashes everywhere...I keep a notebook with all the places written down.
Me: Wow.
AB: That's why I like shipping out of Jacksonville instead of Houston. Houston has too much concrete and Jacksonville has sand.
AB wanders out onto the bridge wing.
I look at my Shipmate...
Me: Did we really just hear that right?
Shipmate: I think so...
Vocabulary: AB - Able Bodied Seaman - they are my watchstanders.
You can read more moments of weirdness here.
Dear Nautie Friends, I was extraordinarily touched by your response to my Salty Sea Hag post. Your words were kind and they meant A LOT. Mahalo Nui Loa.
Dear Northern Gulf of Arabia,
Your winter temperatures are divine. All those nasty things I said about you in the winter, I take those back. Actually, I don't take those back....I know that you'll be misbehaving here again shortly.
Dear Nautie Book Readers,
As I sat down to write these notes I realized I provided ZERO closure on February's book. I also realized that it's now March and there has been no book selection. Oh My. Someone is dropping the ball. Quick! Someone suggest a book!
Dear Little Fishing Boats,
I missed you. Psych.
Dear Stateroom,
I cleaned you really well. You're actually quite organized. I am going to do my ultimate best to keep you that way. Seriously. I mean, this morning at 0300 I managed to put yesterdays work socks in the laundry hamper and I hung up my towel from last nights shower. I know. Whoa.
Dear Nautie Friends (again),
I'll be back soon. Or, at least, I'll try. I'll be in port for the next four days with no iPhone. This does not bode well for frequent posting!
I got an e-mail two days ago that said: 'Ohmygah - love this!! Megan - you are beautiful and powerful and I am in awe of your bravery!!'
It majorly made my day but, it got me thinking too. Am I brave?
(I've also been saying 'ohmygah' every chance I get...)
Do you want to know what my number one fear has been during my years at sea?
I've been scared of turning into a Sea Hag.
I didn't want to be in my Thirties shipping out single...or shipping out with a failed marriage. I didn't want to be so socially twisted that I preferred my times at sea to those at home. I didn't want to be so incredibly crass that my friends were embarassed to invite me places. I didn't want to be a Sea Hag.
With my 30th birthday looming on the horizon I've been unusually introspective. Instead of staring out the bridge window and spacing out I've been thinking about life. I know. Deep.
All this introspection has led me to write posts about how I meow. It's also led me to think about where I am and where I want to be. It's led me to think about being a Sea Hag.
Nautie Friends, I'm here to tell you: I don't care if I turn into a Sea Hag (or if I already am one).
I like shipping out. I like being at sea. I like showing up in random ports and taking pictures of camels. I like standing on the bridge wing at 0600 sipping coffee with hot cocoa in it. I like my vacation periods where I can go places and do things. I like joking around with the Deck Gang about who farted at the morning meeting. I like my slip on Red Wing boots. I like when the Deck Gang feels proud about doing a really good job cleaning the Foc'sle and, calls me to come take a look at it.
Do you know what I know now that I didn't know before?
I enjoy those things because I can. Because I'm thirty (or will be in two months) and I'm single. I enjoy those things because I'm free to enjoy them.
The dudes and dudettes who have a girl or guy at home...they don't go home and talk about how much they love their jobs. Know why? Because it pisses the person at home off. It specifically pisses The Ladies At Home off. That's why they go home and talk about how hard it is and about how much they wish they could get a job that pays what this one does shoreside.
Wanna know a secret? This job is fucking awesome.
Does it have drawbacks? Of course. It's a job. Yes, when I miss things at home I get bummed. But, don't you feel bummed when you miss things because you have to work? It's hard sometimes. It is physically demanding. The climate can wear on you (read: Persian Gulf in the summer or Northern Europe in the winter). It's hard to make new friends when you're gone all the time and it's also hard to maintain relationships. But, don't you find that those things are hard in life in general?
There you have it. I'm a Lady Sailor. I like to go to sea. I enjoy the adventure. I think it's fun to pack up and move on a whim. I like being a Gypsy with a Nice Car. I have tattoos. I swear a lot. I can discuss West Coast vs Gulf Coast freight rates. I've had the priviledge of having some awesome shipmates and I've gotten into bar fights with shitty shipmates. I have peed down the Hawse Pipe.
Mother, I apologize but, it's official. I'm a Sea Hag.
I've been to Djibouti many times. In fact, one of my favorite wildlife encounters occured in the aqua waters of Djibouti. Gosh, I really love me some dolphins. I've only been to Djibouti on a tanker - and we were far from town.
This time, on a multi-purpose vessel we were right in the thick of things. Our dock was literally IN TOWN.
It was also directly accross from a camel pen....and we were moored behind a camel ship.
IT WAS AWESOME.
We were in and out in 4 hours. Very quick turnaround but, if you're guessing that I made time for a camel photo shoot you are oh so right.
I will admit even though seeing the camels was the highlight of my day it was a bit sad. These camels were for eating. You heard me. For EATING.
They were about to be transported to The Emirates.
Apparently, they eat camel in The Emirates. Who knew?
Minus the sadness here's what's awesome about these camels: their knuckle like knees, the fact that they always look like they're smiling, their incredibly long and flirty eyelashes, the fact that they didn't spit at me and of course the hay stuck to their beards.
I won't waste any more of your time. Let's flirt with some camels.
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Mostly because I think things look prettier when they're in a mason jar but also because, I'm always looking for things that I can do when I'm at home and when I'm at sea.
I started incorporating Chia Seeds into my daily life during my last rotation at sea. The Second Mate had them and I decided I wanted them too.
I'm not sure if it's 100% psychological but I swear when I ingest them...no matter how they're ingested I feel like a more powerful creature soon after. Did you like that? Powerful Creature. I like that.
I mostly drink them. I put a squirt of lime juice and a spoonful of Chia Seeds in water and sip away. This is called a Chia Fresca.
Now, when you have a Basil plant aboard (that you feel incredibly grateful for and are just so, so happy that it's thriving) you can really get creative.
Chia Fresca meet torn and crushed Basil leaves.
Delish.