OSC Joel Wifler

Day 36:
Stayed up until 5AM playing cards and getting a load of laundry done. Weekly report for little Doc has been sent and a little work to be done.

Day 37: Anchored off mystery port #2. Here for some stuff and it’s apparently behind schedule. I suppose it’s not like heading to the automotive department at Target and grabbing what’s off your list and you’re at the checkout counter. This has been more like; we’re here, when will you bring us what we need? A lot longer than expected. I’ve passed the time with the same old end of the month paperwork and processes that I’ve been doing for the last ten years. Stood one watch on the bridge this afternoon and have one this evening as well. Semper Silly Putty!

Day 38: Continued with the same end of month duties that have kept me occupied. Had a surprise pop up at dinner while us Chief’s were in the middle “the movie game”. The movie game was still going on after I finished up my “surprise”. A strange and eerie squeaking conversation joined us out on the night air. Some on board seem to think its dolphins, but I’m thinking that it’s a flock of cormorant’s or some other random sea birds. All I know is that they’re kind of un-nerving when you happen to be by yourself, standing on the fantail in the pitch black night, you never know when you may be hit with a phantom dropping or strafing. However, I suppose it’s comforting that I haven’t heard “I Ran” by that other crazy 80’s flock, so they must be harmless.

Day 39: I am now six hours ahead of my beloved Central Time Zone. Surprisingly, all these time changes haven’t affected my sleepy time as I had remembered from the first time I came across the pond. Today, we had an all hands gathering on the flight deck to record a three greetings to the world, which I assume will be sent back home for potential future broadcast on a local television station near you. An old, yet familiar PQS showed up in the mess this evening that my older brother (the family brew master) would enjoy. I’ll have to email it to him. My buddy “B” has adopted my ramen oven (two cups) method for cooking a cup of noodles…the trend has been passed on.

Day 40: Arrived to Libreville, Gabon. I have finally set foot on African soil, the continent anyway. Walked around the city, went to a casino, lost $20. food and beverages were expensive, so most everyone was able to behave themselves. Got back to the ship by midnight, as I’ve got duty tomorrow.

Day 41: “33” export doesn’t make my head feel to good in the morning. Stood watch from 12-17, and have another from 2330-0530. I’ve time left for a quick shower before I crawl into my rack for a few winks. Happy birthday America.

Day 42: Apparently, loaning my DVD collection to the Mess awoke some hidden science fiction buff’s out of their slumber, as I believe I’ve hooked the MPA and some fellow Chief’s on SciFi’s Battle Star Galactica series. It’s been playing non-stop in the Chief’s mess since yesterday and as Aaron puts it; “The Gabon Galactica Marathon” has no end in sight. Plus, there seems to be a character in this show that almost anyone can relate to. They wrapped through season one, and half of season 2. 2.5 started about an hour before dinner. I decided to stay in on day three of this port call. Not too much to see or do, nor does the exchange rate favor our advantage. We received a ton of mail during this stop and we’re still sorting through it. Quite a few care packages made it through, as there’s an abundance of cookies and snacks being seen eaten by various crew members. I got about a pound of junk mail and my “USAA pre-deployment” package. Better late than never…I guess.

SN Jason Evans

A Seaman’s Day The light peers inside my rack Yet another day to test my worth Shower, sandals, ODU, boots Sea legs give me speed Twenty nine seconds until muster Groggy faces, clouds of sarcasms Superiors enter, stage left Orders the same Only today’s Tuesday I think Forget the time, helps it pass My face conjures a bitter smile Fifteen minutes until break Boat lowering details been set My smile quickly dissipates The past becomes present Old friends, familiar places Beloved family, cherished events Mustn’t lose focus Though the past Grants thee peaceful pause A shipmate steps through the haze He offers me watch That which I cannot refuse I become the ship I become the sea   Commands come in revelations Error always in solemn The day’s only half over Again my smile appears Time for chow Long lines, the number five Wellness manifest reflection While the sea provokes thought The whistle howls, Twenty five cent coins The gods dictate The mortals assimilate Red curtains obscure the stage We gather in coteries Later awaiting the incentive It comes as a source less voice And commands our labor In a blur of action it ends Rah surrenders unto Poseidon The allure of darkness induces sleep My rack is velvet All is quiet Home rocks the few awake into dreams Sentries roam and watch like angels The light peers inside my rack Yet another day to test my worth

Going to Sea: How to Simulate Shipboard Life

1. Sleep on the shelf in your closet
2. Replace the closet door with a curtain
3. Two hours after you go to sleep, have someone whip open the curtain, shine a flashlight in your face and mumble “sorry, wrong rack.”
4. Renovate your bathroom. Build a wall across the middle of your bathtub and move the showerhead to chest level. Then invite everyone from your apartment complex over to take a shower.
5. When you take showers, turn off the water while soaping up and back on to rinse
6. During a thunderstorm, sit in a wobbly rocking chair and rock as hard as you can until you’re nauseous
7. Put lube oil in your humidifier and set it to high
8. Don’t watch TV except for movies in the middle of the night. Also, have your family vote on which movie to watch and show a different one
9. Leave your lawnmower running in the living room 24-hours a day for proper noise level
10. Have the paperboy give you a haircut (no offense to GM1 Faris!!)
11. Buy a trash compactor and use it only once a week. Store the garbage up in the other side of your bathtub
12. Wake up every night at midnight and eat a stale PB&J
13. Make up the family menu a week ahead with out looking in the cabinets
14. Set your alarm clock for random times during the night. When it goes off, jump out of bed, get dressed as fast as you can and run out into your yard and get the garden hose.
15. Have a helo deliver your mail once a month by lowering it to your front porch
16. Use 15-18 scoops of coffee per pot, let sit for 5-6 hours before drinking
17. Once a month, take every major appliance completely apart and put them back together
18. Invite at least 85 people you don’t really like to come and visit for a couple of months
19. Install a fluorescent lamp on the bottom of your coffee table and lie under it to read books
20. Raise the thresholds and lower the top sills on your front and back doors so that you either trip or hit your head every time you pass through one of them
21. Lock wire the lug nuts on your car
22. When baking cakes, prop up one side of the pan while it is baking. Then spread icing really thick on one side to level it off
23. Every so often, throw your cat into the swimming pool; shout out “Man overboard, ship recovery!”
24. Run into the kitchen and sweep all the pots and pans onto the floor, then yell at your wife for not having the place ‘stowed for sea’
25. Put on the headphones from your stereo (don’t plug them in). Go stand in front of your stove and say “Stove manned and ready.” Stand there for an hour. Say “Stove secured” and roll up the headphones and put them away
26. Every Sunday climb up to your roof to sunbathe
27. Run all of the plumbing and electric wires exposed along the ceiling throughout your house

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Photos

Dallas’ Support Department. Pictured are: Standing FS2 Brandon Pritchett, FS3 Miles Kendziorski, YNC Bridget Williams, FSCS Ira Weed, SK1 Jason Parrish, SA Jeremy Korenoski, SK2 Bandon Wedll, FS1 Josh McBride, FS2 Jeff Mahar, FS2 Jessica Holland, YN2 Rob Jones, CWO Ted Trost, Lt. Eduardo Faytong, SK1 Tony Johnson, FS2 Dannette Jones, SK2 Subree Keller, HSC Andy England, Ens. Katie Smith, FS2 Rob Stous, SKC Carla Clark. Kneeling HS3 Caroline Gehring, YN3 Reanna Wack, FS3 Megan Sweeney, SN Moira Casey.

The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Dallas (minus those on watch).

Another photo of a beautiful African sunset take from the U.S. Ambassador’s residence in Libreville, Gabon, on July 4.

SN Benjamin Montanez, SN Gil Timmons and SN Timothy Ford stand at attention while a traditional Gabonese chorus sings America’s National Anthem during a reception at the home of The Honorable Eunice Reddick, U.S. Ambassador to Gabon and Sao Tome and Principe, July 4 in Libreville, Gabon.

BM3 Michael De La Torre rolls up the brow dodger before leaving Libreville, Gabon.

From Left: ET2 Clifton Chang, ET3 Josh Forsyth, ET1 Troy Matthews and ET3 Andrew Boscarillo smile for the camera!

Dallas crewmembers move the ship’s brow to the fantail.

SNBM Ryan Frazier and SN Eliud Ramos make the ship “reception ready” prior to Dallas’ port visit in Libreville, Gabon.

HS3 Caroline Gehring steers the ship on the Equator July 1.