A captain aboard another ship sent this to me today after I asked him why he’s always so happy. It’s his tips for having a good day at sea.
[ul]
[=left]Have a good nights rest (7+ hours).
[=left]Have some strong delicious coffee and I steer the conversation with the mate on watch to something positive and energizing
[=left]Honest conversation at breakfast with just 1 or 2 of the crew where I try to ask insightful questions.
[=left]A brisk walk on deck.
[=left]While walking I find a quiet place AWAY FROM MY OFFICE to set out a productive todo list
[=left]Spend at least 1 hour on a project or activity that’s fun for me.
[=left]Healthy lunch with a large group of guys.
[=left]25 minute nap, not one minute longer or shorter. If I didn’t get 7 hours sleep the night before then I take another nap during afternoon break.
[=left]I make sure to have at least one solid open conversation with the OIM (or shoreside manager if I’m filling the OIM role) where I allow myself to be open vulnerable and have a productive conversation.
[=left]I find one thing I know the client will be interested in talking about and I stop by his office for a chat.
[=left]A brisk walk on deck with a few jots up and down stairs.
[=left]Find someone who is doing great work and is doing it well.
[=left]Spend 30 minutes shoot the shit in DP, the drill shack and ECR
[=left]I have a skype chat or phone call with someone at home who will make me smile.
[=left]Happy to control / do / change what I can in my environment relating to work. Making things better / improved vs waiting around for changes to happen…
[=left]Congruency and clarity of thought and actions throughout the day.
[=left]Empower the people around me to be better
[=left]I make sure to have a great balance of energy level throughout the day
[=left]I make sure I did everything I promised to people I would do.
[=left]Make sure operations are in order and good notes are written for the night watch.
[=left]Have a light dinner and a big bowl of blue bell ice cream.
[=left]I take a hot shower and read a few chapters of a good book.
[*=left]I wake up the next morning and ask myself what would make today great.
On my ship the only things I can check off that list each day are a hot shower and a brisk walk (deck/cargo inspection) each day. I’m (almost) always happy though.
OH CHRIST! What lame pathetic bromides…I mean no cigarettes? No personal vendettas to further? No lambasting subordinates in front of others? No salvos of broadside emails at management? No pointy sticks? No gCaptain?
how can this be!?!
btw, may not have ever mentioned before but c.captain cannot ABIDE people who are perpetually chipper and happy. There’s gotta be something wrong with them!
[QUOTE=cmjeff;86588]A captain aboard another ship sent this to me today after I asked him why he’s always so happy. It’s his tips for having a good day at sea.
[ul]
[=left]Have a good nights rest (7+ hours).
[=left]Have some strong delicious coffee and I steer the conversation with the mate on watch to something positive and energizing
[=left]Honest conversation at breakfast with just 1 or 2 of the crew where I try to ask insightful questions.
[=left]A brisk walk on deck.
[=left]While walking I find a quiet place AWAY FROM MY OFFICE to set out a productive todo list
[=left]Spend at least 1 hour on a project or activity that’s fun for me.
[=left]Healthy lunch with a large group of guys.
[=left]25 minute nap, not one minute longer or shorter. If I didn’t get 7 hours sleep the night before then I take another nap during afternoon break.
[=left]I make sure to have at least one solid open conversation with the OIM (or shoreside manager if I’m filling the OIM role) where I allow myself to be open vulnerable and have a productive conversation.
[=left]I find one thing I know the client will be interested in talking about and I stop by his office for a chat.
[=left]A brisk walk on deck with a few jots up and down stairs.
[=left]Find someone who is doing great work and is doing it well.
[=left]Spend 30 minutes shoot the shit in DP, the drill shack and ECR
[=left]I have a skype chat or phone call with someone at home who will make me smile.
[=left]Happy to control / do / change what I can in my environment relating to work. Making things better / improved vs waiting around for changes to happen…
[=left]Congruency and clarity of thought and actions throughout the day.
[=left]Empower the people around me to be better
[=left]I make sure to have a great balance of energy level throughout the day
[=left]I make sure I did everything I promised to people I would do.
[=left]Make sure operations are in order and good notes are written for the night watch.
[=left]Have a light dinner and a big bowl of blue bell ice cream.
[=left]I take a hot shower and read a few chapters of a good book.
[*=left]I wake up the next morning and ask myself what would make today great.
[/ul][/QUOTE]
I can see thinking about those items and even making the list, and watching it all get thrown out the window the first 30 minutes on watch.
I am going to detonate a large truck bomb here but since our twinkle-toed Captain Fred Rogers is on a drillship I must ask if there today are any REAL shipmasters commanding drillships or if the whole business has become so political and inbred with a management by cooperation and cover your ass culture that any man who is truly trained and experienced at being “in charge” of this vessel just has no place anymore? Unless you are a “team person” you just don’t belong in that world?
I have been there and can actually say that I believe the answer is exactly that…you cannot be the master in any real sense of the word…all you can be is the one whom the shit will descend upon after it hits the fan!
Anyway, let’s try to salvage something from what started as a big bowl of Gerber mashed peas baby pablum here. This should be an interesting discussion for current, former and future drillship “masters”!
[QUOTE=c.captain;86612]I am going to detonate a large truck bomb here but since our twinkle-toed Captain Fred Rogers is on a drillship I must ask if there today are any REAL shipmasters commanding drillships or if the whole business has become so political and inbred with a management by cooperation and cover your ass culture that any man who is truly trained and experienced at being “in charge” of this vessel just has no place anymore? Unless you are a “team person” you just don’t belong in that world?
I have been there and can actually say that I believe the answer is exactly that…you cannot be the master in any real sense of the word…all you can be is the one whom the shit will descend upon after it hits the fan!
Anyway, let’s try to salvage something from what started as a big bowl of Gerber mashed peas baby pablum here. This should be an interesting discussion for current, former and future drillship “masters”![/QUOTE]
I you want to be a Ship Master in the “real sense of the word”, drill ships are not the place for you. If you believe in the “Rig Management Team” concept, then it is.
[QUOTE=c.captain;86612]I am going to detonate a large truck bomb here but since our twinkle-toed Captain Fred Rogers is on a drillship I must ask if there today are any REAL shipmasters commanding drillships or if the whole business has become so political and inbred with a management by cooperation and cover your ass culture that any man who is truly trained and experienced at being “in charge” of this vessel just has no place anymore? Unless you are a “team person” you just don’t belong in that world?
I have been there and can actually say that I believe the answer is exactly that…you cannot be the master in any real sense of the word…all you can be is the one whom the shit will descend upon after it hits the fan!
Anyway, let’s try to salvage something from what started as a big bowl of Gerber mashed peas baby pablum here. This should be an interesting discussion for current, former and future drillship “masters”![/QUOTE]
You are in the drilling business on a DRILL ship, not the shipping business. You know that.
[QUOTE=Alaska Rain;86652]Sounds like the routine of the Noble Discoverer Captain, 25 minute snoozer while the ship is dragging anchor and NOT running aground, have a nice day…[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=anchorman;86617]I you want to be a Ship Master in the “real sense of the word”, drill ships are not the place for you. If you believe in the “Rig Management Team” concept, then it is.[/QUOTE]
So I genuinely have to wonder if you must be a goody-two-shoed little non entity to be acceptable to the drilling overlords. Perpetually positive and team playing even though your legal responsibility and concurrent authority means you are considered the top of the food chain and the head all will be looking to put on a pike if there is an accident. Any exertion of that authority is summarily considered as a threat to the “order of the universe”!
I really wonder about the boob who wrote these ludicrous words with the weight of tissue? Is he looked upon as being “the perfect drillship master” by his company? Is he really such a 90# weakling as all that?
Sounds like somebody read to many self help books.
Guy wouldn’t survive a day on an OSV or tug doing any real work if those things must be met for him to have a great day. Especially if he’s got to work the night watch…
[QUOTE=c.captain;86678]So I genuinely have to wonder if you must be a goody-two-shoed little non entity to be acceptable to the drilling overlords. Perpetually positive and team playing even though your legal responsibility and concurrent authority means you are considered the top of the food chain and the head all will be looking to put on a pike if there is an accident. Any exertion of that authority is summarily considered as a threat to the “order of the universe”!
I really wonder about the boob who wrote these ludicrous words with the weight of tissue? Is he looked upon as being “the perfect drillship master” by his company? Is he really such a 90# weakling as all that?[/QUOTE]
I don’t see where you would have to (in the course of day-to-day operations “exert” authority). It generally goes without saying whom the “Captain” is, what his authority encompasses, responsibilities during emergencies, and liability at the end of the day. The greatest danger to a drill ship is the drilling program itself, what happens down hole. The Captain does not have any authority or the knowledge to dictate to the client, engineers, or drilling superintendent how to proceed with the drilling program. Team management is required to get the entire picture, and if something does go wrong, the opportunity to reiterate “I am the fucking head guy in charge” may come, but it certainly will never happen if a Marine Captain is trying to exert this authority in day-to-day drilling operations. IF it’s needed, yes…but just to be chest pounding around 'cause someone made you Captain don’t work,… even on a crew boat if you ask me (Although some of the head strong insecure types act otherwise). I have no problem with what the guy posted, only that I don’t believe 90% of it. I don’t see nonchalantly prancing around the rig making rounds (to ensure you have a GREAT DAY) when most of the time, from my experience, you barely have time to scratch your own ass during the course of a day.
How I have a good day…eat, work your ass off till you are tired, take a show, eat again, sleep (really good because you busted ass)…and the most important part…wake up in the morning, then repeat. I am always is a good mood too…go figure.
