Do What?

[ET]

Just when you think you have experienced every possibility or scenario of doing a particular job a new condition surfaces.
I’ve been at the game of doing NDT inspections going on 37-years with radiography being the #1 discipline. Last weekend I had to go aboard a freighter out on the lake to do radiography and liquid penetrant inspection. The day starts at a dock where a pilot boat will ferry you and your gear out to the anchored freighter. Here a slight apprehension starts with transporting a 50+ lb what we call a camera with an isotope housed in. Man if that ever fell in the lake repercussions of fireworks would start.

Once on board the vessel we had to navigate through passages and stairways to get to the engine room with our equipment where the boiler was situated. Here too this was the 1st time I had seen a boiler with a circular tube wall configuration. I was surprised to learn that all the boiler did was provide heat for the storage tanks that say carried molasses or any thick liquids to keep them more pliable when handling. You would think that transporting such commodities would be easier with smaller self contained containers on skids but I guess packaging cost is a factor here also.

Working with other nationalities wasn’t any problem and if anything they were quite helpful and cooperative while I was on board.
The 2nd apprehension was not having a darkroom and processing facility on board the vessel for processing the radiographs. Had to wait until we were on shore again to do this. Thankfully there was no problem with calculated exposure times.

All in all it was an interesting experience but did change my mind about one thing. I no longer think I’ve done it all and wonder what new condition awaits around the corner of doing a specific job. Life is a continuous learning experience for sure.

Ed

[hydrodog]

ET,was the freighter on one of the Great Lakes. A friend once told me that on large ships heat from the boilers would keep the bunker fuel in a liquid state when it is cold out. Sounds kind of exciting getting to go aboard a freighter.

[ET]

Hydrodog

It was on Lake Ontario, 2-1/2miles out from the Welland Canal.
From being ferried by a Pilot Boat and boarding a freighter was a first time experience for me. What was surprising that once on the freighter no rocking motion of any kind was felt as compared to riding the pilot boat.

Our visit did cause a little excitement when we cranked the source (isotope) out of the camera to take some exposures. Whack of fire alarms were triggered all over the area. The Engineer caught on quick and disengaged the fire alarms while we did our exposures. Also while working in the engine room area we had to wear hearing protection because it was very loud. You literally had to be close to someone and shout to be heard what you were saying.

Even though it was a new experience I have to say I would rather keep my feet on open dry land.

Ed

[jims]

You were not on board long enough to get your sea legs. New can be interesting.

[ET]

Jims

Your right I didn’t have any sea legs to stand on.
The guys operating the pilot boat sure did. They seemed to always maintain their equilibrium as if their bodies anticipate movement and adjusted their balance accordingly.
The fun part was steeping onto the lowered stairway from the freighter as the pilot boat was bobbing up and down almost 3ft. It seemed I got the timing right as I didn’t land on my butt.
Yes new is interesting as it almost seems to say your lifetime adventures aren’t over yet and there are new experiences waiting.


Ed

[Deleted]

Cool story Ed....if you're not learning something new everyday you're going backwards is how I look at it.....

[ET]

Sept 28, 2014 20:54:13 GMT -5 @sml said:

Cool story Ed....if you're not learning something new everyday you're going backwards is how I look at it.....

SML

That’s one good way of looking at learning.
Everything around us keeps advancing requiring us to continue learning to try to keep up.
If you don’t basically keep up with learning you fall behind which can be seen as going backwards to a previous time that’s now considered obsolete.

There are only two conditions that will make this older boy obsolete, either medical condition or 6’ ft under and hopefully the later is the cause.


Ed