OSC Joel Wifler

Day 71: Took a van tour up the “Rock of Gibraltar” today. Took lots of pictures. Entered naturally formed caves and military dug tunnel’s. The monkeys jumped on your back and posed for pictures. Although I’m tired from walking everywhere, it was a fun day.

Day 72: Duty day. Our naval sister ship of sorts showed up today.

Day 73: Still in Gibraltar, funds are rapidly draining by all hands. Made it over to the casino this afternoon, won five pounds.

Day 74: Went back to the casino tonight, lost more than five pounds.

Day 75: Duty day.

Day 76: Trying to stay productive, and not waste funds on useless things. It’s time to leave and we’re not departing anytime soon. Started out at the Three Owls pub this evening. While watching a cricket match between England and South Africa, I received a scuba diving offer that I was sorry to have to refuse…a free dive trip that will take place on my next duty day.

Day 77: Still here in Gibraltar, it’s time to leave with our departure still a few days away. I’ve about fifty pounds left to get me thru our stay. Ventured out to the casino again to see if the cards would be in our favor, but we soon found out that was not the case. Aaron and I decided to get out while we still had pounds in our pocket and headed over to the Trafalgar Sports Pub for a few pints.

PA1 Tasha Tully, who provided photos and who was collecting all previous blog entries, completed her temporary duty assignment aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Dallas and flew home to Florida last week. I happily took her place last Sunday (Aug. 3) when I flew into Gibraltar and met up with the cutter. I have about 11 months of “sea time” from when I was stationed on a river tender in Mississippi several years ago, maintaining aids to navigation. However, many would argue (and I don’t necessarily disagree) that it doesn’t count as sea time since the cutter doesn’t actually go to sea. This is my first time underway on a sea-going vessel for more than a few days. I’m not quite sure how my stomach will handle the sea, but I suppose I’ll find out soon enough!

The cutter stayed in Gibraltar for slightly more than a week before leaving today (Monday, Aug. 11).

Most of the crew went out into town at every opportunity to experience the culture, go sight-seeing, have a few drinks, and call or email home.

Gibraltar is a territory of the U.K., so the official language is English, but most people who live and work there are bilingual and speak Spanish as well. That made it very easy for us to communicate and find our way around town. For the most part, the locals were very polite to us, and the Rock of Gibraltar tour guides even pointed out the Dallas during tours of the rock.

The USS Dallas, a Navy submarine based in Groton, Conn., pulled into Gibraltar for a port call as well a few days after I arrived. They gave us tours of the submarine and vice versa. Seeing the inside of the submarine gave many people a deep appreciation of shipboard life on a 378!

The Rock of Gibraltar was really amazing by itself, but I think everyone had the most fun with the Barbary macaques, known locally as rock apes. The top of the rock is actually a nature reservation area so the apes roam around freely and just climb on top of anyone anytime they feel the need to. I enjoyed the playful, baby apes the most, but they were all fun to watch.

I think almost everyone on board had the opportunity to tour the rock either by riding the cable car up and back down, taking a tour bus or walking the treacherous path and Mediterranean Steps.

I never made it to the beach, but I heard that it is really nice as well and that the water is cold.

Although Gibraltar was awesome, by the end of the week, most of the crew was getting pretty anxious to leave and see new places. So, off we go to the next adventure…..

Well it’s been awhile since Main Propulsion has posted anything, but we have been busy repairing the number two MDE (Main Diesel Engine) after a lube oil leak that led to fire, conducting training and providing valuable small boat and ship assessments while deployed for Africa Partnership Station. As we were headed off for the second part of this deployment, we suffered a casualty to the number two MDE. After carefully performing numerous tests, it was determined that we needed to open her up. So we removed the exhaust manifold for the number 12 cylinder. We discovered pieces of the piston rings in it. Further inspection revealed that the lower piston and liner had been damaged. We sent out a CASREP (casualty report), and the world heard our cry for help. We received parts in record time.

Then the big task began; the disassembly of the number two MDE. Shortly after we began, I looked around and noticed we had gained a few workers. We had folks from A-Gang helping, and yes we even had an ET (Electronics Technician) in the bunch. The funny thing is, while we were here in Gibraltar, the USS Dallas pulled in. While they were here, many of their engineers visited with us. Both crews took this time to share sea stories and talk about how both services work. They toured our ship and we toured theirs. Let’s just say, we are glad to be in the Coast Guard. ? It took only three days to get the number two main running again once we got the parts. You have never seen a happier

Photos

GIBRALTAR – This is the view of Gibraltar from a lookout point inside one of The Great Siege Tunnels Thursday, Aug. 7, 2008.

GIBRALTAR – The Great Siege Tunnels (pictured) were created during Gibraltar’s 14th Siege, known as The Great Siege, which lasted from 1779-1783, when France and Spain attempted to recapture the Rock of Gibraltar from the British. They were created as a means to get cannons onto the steep north face of the rock.

GIBRALTAR – During World War II, St. Michael’s Cave (pictured) was prepared for use as an emergency hospital, but was never used as such. Today, it is a dramatic site for concerts, ballets and drama.

MEDITERRANEAN SEA - The USS Dallas and the Coast Guard Cutter Dallas leave Gibraltar together Monday, Aug. 11, 2008. The CGC Dallas, a 378-foot high endurance cutter based in Charleston, S.C., stopped in Gibraltar for maintenance halfway through a four-month deployment on Aug. 1, 2008. During the first half of the deployment, the cutter made stops in Cape Verde, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Sao Tome and Principe, Ghana and Senegal to train and collaborate with the host nations' navies and coast guards in support of the Africa Partnership Station program, an initiative aimed to strengthen maritime safety and security in west and central Africa. The USS Dallas, a Los Angeles class submarine stationed in Groton, Conn., made a port stop in Gibraltar before heading home at the end of a six-month deployment. Their mission during the deployment was to conduct operations in support of the Global War on Terrorism.

GIBRALTAR - Petty Officer 1st Class Steven Feingold looks out over the city while riding in a cable car to the top of the Rock of Gibraltar Sunday, Aug. 10, 2008.

GIBRALTAR – A rock ape digs through Petty Officer 1st Class Steven Feingold’s backpack, looking for snacks, at the top of the Rock of Gibraltar Sunday, Aug. 10, 2008.

GIBRALTAR – This is the view from the very top of the Rock of Gibraltar Sunday, Aug. 10, 2008.

GIBRALTAR - Coast Guard Fireman Calvin Norris restocks napkin dispensers on the mess deck of the Coast Guard Cutter Dallas before the crew's mid-morning coffee break Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2008.

GIBRALTAR – Petty Officer 3rd Class James Schmidt rests a greasy hand on his coveralls while working on one of the main engines onboard the Coast Guard Cutter Dallas Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2008.

GIBRALTAR – The Coast Guard Cutter Dallas softball team cheers in anticipation of their game against the USS Dallas team at the base of the Rock of Gibraltar Thursday, Aug. 7, 2008.

GIBRALTAR - (Right to left) Cmdr. Robert Hendrickson, the executive officer aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Dallas, reads an award certificate while Capt. Robert Wagner, the Dallas's commanding officer, pins a Coast Guard Auxiliary Achievement Medal on Richard Turrin's collar aboard the Dallas Thursday, August 7, 2008. Turrin, of New York, N.Y., is a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary and acted as a French, Spanish, Chinese and Italian language translator during his two-month deployment with the cutter. He helped the Dallas crew communicate with navy and coast guard personnel in Cape Verde, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Sao Tome and Sengal. He also assisted with communications on the bridge of the Dallas while the cutter was at sea by speaking with other vessel operators who didn't speak English.

GIBRALTAR – Seaman Michelle Soskin of the Coast Guard Cutter Dallas throws a pitch during a softball game with the crew of the USS Dallas at the base of the Rock of Gibraltar Thursday, Aug. 7, 2008.

GIBRALTAR – Seaman Apprentice Andrew Montgomery poses with a Barbary macaque at the top of the Rock of Gibraltar Thursday, Aug. 7, 2008.

Petty Officer 1st Class Mike Hardy works on the number two main diesel engine on the Coast Guard Cutter Dallas Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2008.

“Do you think we can fix it with Belzona?” -Chief Warrant Officer Ray Bryant

GIBRALTAR – Petty Officer 3rd Class Daniel Surles makes corrections to a nautical chart on the mess deck of the Coast Guard Cutter Dallas Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2008.

GIBRALTAR – Petty Officer 2nd Class Clifton Chang (left) repeats the oath of enlistment, read by Cmdr. Robert Hendrickson (right), during his reenlistment ceremony at the top of the Rock of Gibraltar Friday, Aug. 8, 2008.

GIBRALTAR – Seaman Moira Casey of the Coast Guard Cutter Dallas practices throwing a softball Thursday, Aug. 7, 2008, before a game against the crew of the USS Dallas, a Navy submarine that was also on a port call in Gibraltar.

GIBRALTAR – Seaman Ryan Youngblood laughs as a Barbary macaque climbs down from his shoulder at the top of the Rock of Gibraltar Thursday, Aug. 7, 2008.

GIBRALTAR – Petty Officer 1st Class Troy Matthews stands still while a rock ape sits on his shoulder at the top of the Rock of Gibraltar Friday, Aug. 8, 2008.

GIBRALTAR – A Barbary macaque, or rock ape, eats an orange from a plastic bag that it stole out of Petty Officer 2nd Class Benjamin Myrick’s backpack at the top of the Rock of Gibraltar Sunday, Aug. 10, 2008.

GIBRALTAR - Petty Officer 2nd Class Benjamin Myrick tenses up while a Barbary macaque, or rock ape, rests on top of his shoulder at the top of the Rock of Gibraltar Friday, Aug. 8, 2008.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Clifton Chang cleans the close-in weapon system on the Coast Guard Cutter Dallas Thursday, Aug. 7, 2008.