<p>thanks for asking royce dm…</p>
<p>SOA probably means speed of advance…giving an adea of how fast ship ship moved between last couple of positions.</p>
<p>usmmakp2010dad, yay for Shellbacks! Hope you will have some good stories about “Wog Day”. Sadly, I have none as of yet.</p>
<p>Hi GG!! Hope you enjoy China & your down time. Seen any inexpensive jade items around?</p>
<p>The mind does weird things. Sometimes it is a tune that won’t go away, sometimes a simple rhyme. Often it is a word that rolls over in the subconscious until it makes no sense whatsoever.</p>
<p>Every since I read this post last evening, I cannot escape the constant fantasy of becoming a shellback on a hospital ship full of nurses.</p>
<p>^^^ Yep. You’re just too funny Mr. </p>
<p>BTW, keep a look out from your front window today for a little delivery. I called the landscape place down the street & they said they could indeed deliver that 6 tons of manure to your front yard today. Its kinda hot out there today so be sure to drink lots of water while you’re out there spreading that stuff all around. Have fun!</p>
<p>How common are sea year injuries and how often do they set back M/Ns? (I’m afraid to ask.)</p>
<p>Sea Year injuries don’t happen very often. They do happen though and most of the time the injury is not serious… However, I was once with an engine cadet who had lost a finger on a machine shop grinder during his first sea year. He got set back but he eventually graduated. As a matter of fact a couple years later he signed board my ship as a third engineer.</p>
<p>usmmakpdad2010/2011 i sent u a pm</p>
<p>Got my first e-mail, from M/V Freedom tonsillitis is 100% better. Ship officers and crew took great care of my son. It was difficult to know he was sick and not be there with him. He seems to be enjoying his time on the “Big Pond”! I am not sure of the turn around time for my response as the e-mail looks like it goes through a hub (multiple items from the ship at one time?) So I am checking my e-mail often to say the least. Just a little like last year when they finally got their computers. Also no attachments, so no photos we will have to wait.</p>
<p>Just got word from our son, his ship is at anchor out side of Durban South Africa. His email sounded great, happy to be there and looking forward making port. He said he is going to mail a thumb drive home with lots of pictures, can hardly wait to see them. I hope someone took pictures of his visit to King Neptunes Court.</p>
<p>Durban is beautiful ! Wife was a foreign exchange student, and we have gone back to visit SA. Dark sands, beautiful surf. Sorta reminds me of the West Coast, but with warm waters 
. … but don’t swim outside of the shark nets. </p>
<p>Took me 35 years to get there. It just astounds me that these kids have such phenomenal opportunities. It’s probably too far away, but they have derby racing near there – with ostriches instead of horses.</p>
<p>usmmakp2010dad, how exciting! Please please share the photos when they arrive! Hope he enjoys getting his land legs back for a few hours. :)</p>
<p>DS has been out to sea for 3 1/2 weeks, and not one phone call or email. I just keep checking the status of his ship on line and that hasn’t been updated in 11 days now. </p>
<p>This is the LONGEST time that I have never spoken to my boy. I miss him.</p>
<p>I figure if I don’t hear anything, it is good news, and he is doing OK. Ship is to be in Dubai on the 24th, so maybe then he will call. <sigh></sigh></p>
<p>Royce, I think when the location of the ship is not updated, the ship is most likely in a nearby port. Once they are in or near port they no longer update position and weather. My sons emails were few and short in length. hope you hear soon.</p>
<p>Royce DM I’m not taking the positioning of the ships very seriously. My son’s ship was in India but Sailwx showed the boat just north of South America and trailing behind Hurricane Dean. I’ve heard that the position of the ship is only as good as the input and sometimes they just plain forget to do it. His ship finally showed up in the right port but several days later. Not sure how your son is planning to call…cell phone or calling card but that may be the problem. It might be hard to find a phone in some of the ports. I know Dubai is much easier to get around…big mall, lots of traditional tourist attractions so possibly more opportunitites to find a phone. Mine has a cell phone so he can call from the ship (once in port) and not have to worry about finding a pay phone. Also, he’s not allowed to get off the ship in many of the ports so without the cell he wouldn’t be able to call. And if your son is like mine, it may take him awhile to ask about the email capabilities on the ship.</p>
<p>HURRAY! A phone call! We talked about 15 minutes!</p>
<p>He is in Dubai, loves his captain who is also a KP grad! The crew is helpful! The food is awesome as the chef makes fresh baked bread and pasteries every day! The work is hot!</p>
<p>His most memorable event on his trip to date is going thru the Seuz Canal.</p>
<p>I asked him if he spent any of the cash he took along, and he said about $40 so far, mostly for Sodas. </p>
<p>Can’t wait to hear more when he returns!</p>
<p>At one point in the conversation he said, “mom, are you there?” And I said, “yes, I am, just enjoying hearing your voice” I know, I am such a sap!</p>
<p>Awwww. I am SO thrilled for you. Sounds wonderful… And I know it must have meant so much. KP grad as captain/mentor, and freshly baked breads/pastry? Wow! Must be horrible 
Hope he’s taking lots of pictures to post on day.</p>
<p>About Sailwx – sometimes they don’t give their exact position – Imagine my surprise when I awoke one morning to see my daughters ship position reported as Lake Tahoe, CA. When they were actually somewhere in the middle of the Pacific on their way from Japan.</p>
<p>Royce DM, that is so great!! I hope all of the M/Ns are as lucky as yours for getting a great ship and captain. </p>
<p>Mine goes out in October and I think that I am more nervous about it than he is or at least he is not letting it show.</p>
<p>I have been checking sailwx for a couple of days and it says the last time the ship updated was 1800 on aug. 23…2 days ago…maybe somethin is wrong with the site…anyone else with this problem today??</p>