Greetings All,
Just a quick note to say HI! My first hitch was good, the boat is small, the crew enjoyable, and schedule is what I wanted - 28/28. Hope all of you are well and happy. Will write more about the hitch after I get back to Montana.
Best to all,
MTSKIER
Well hey there! Welcome back my friend!
Hi
Just wondering where you were able to find equal time rotation, and what company. Anyway sounds good, and would like to apply
Hey MS, good to see around again…
Dude! You’re back!
Full report!
Good to hear from you. Glad it you got what you wanted…we’re awaiting the details. What were you towing? Ports? Exotic women (er, sorry: politically correct), exotic people? etc. etc…
I chatted with MT Skier today. I’m sure he’ll check in here soon enough, but to alleviate some of the suspense, I’m happy to report that he found himself a nice little company. 28 on/28 off, nice shipmates, running a tug that pretty much goes wherever. He spent most of his time down near Panama, dragging around stuff to support the new canal construction. I’ll leave the rest for him, but I will spoil a bit more by saying that he didn’t find any exotic women until he got home… (By the way, if you are from Wisconsin and you are in Montana, you are considered exotic.) 
Hah! The folks in Montana just have a whole different set of priorities than the rest of us…Firewood and beavers for example, are considered a commodity, go figure…
LOL! Hey, the firewood was in before I left on the trip! Tradewinds Towing hired me, over the phone, while in MT. The boat - the Miss Lis - is small but well laid out. I have really enjoyed the level of professionalism at which the owners operate. They have be successful through hard times by focusing on the strengths of their shallow draft tug, coupled with going the extra mile for their customers. As a former business owner I appreciate all of the hard work that they are putting forth in order to keep the work coming in and to eventually grow the company.
The first hitch started in Cristobal (they pay for travel). We did the crew change in the anchorage, and the next morning headed south with a blasting barge. Two days later we headed north for Progreso, Mexico to pick up two split hopper barges for DragaMex - a subsidiary of Boskalis. We towed them back to Cristobal and did the prep for their canal transit. Once we finished that it was back to Progreso for the next tow, the dredge Cornelius back to Panama. That finished up the hitch!
So I’m back in MT getting settle into new digs, and hoping to get out hunting before the season closes next Sunday.
Best to all!
MTSKIER
Hey Buddy!
Glad you finally found a spot!
I just chatted with Montana Skier. He’s heading back out to sea, which is where he belongs. He spent his last day at home nursing a self-inflicted concussion.
Arms full of firewood + ice on ground = ooohhhhhcrrrraaaaaaaaaapppppppp!
Apparently, there is no “one hand for you, one hand for Montana” saying…
OUCH! No ice here in Michigan, just 12 inches of snow in the last two days and blizzard conditions, just finished snowblowing the drive again. Plenty of fire wood. Oh yeah, Just got an automated email from NMC, got approved to write for Inland Master/2nd mate/1600t master!