Saturday, November 29, 2008

The Top 5 (by special request...)

I was recently tagged by [Sailor Girl] at her blog [Atlântico Azul] in a meme called 5 things. She gave me the assignment of creating a post showing you five ships I have enjoyed piloting. It is a difficult task, to choose only 5, and I do not have a picture from every vessel I handled. Anyway, here is a list of 5 ships that, for some reason were somehow special to me:
 "Minerva II", because it was the first modern cruise liner to call at Viana do Castelo
 "Suula", because it was the most sophisticated chemical tanker to be built at Viana, with the interior of the wheelhouse looking like an airplane cockpit
"Carmel Ecofresh", because it was the largest vessel ever to be built at Viana do Castelo
"Creoula", because this task was assigned by Sailor Girl, Nº1 fan of this beautiful training ship...
"Stellar Cupid", a woodchip carrier and the largest vessel ever to call Viana for commercial operations

3 comments:

Raquel Sabino Pereira said...

I have no words to thank you fot this wonderfully accomplished task!!!

Thank for for showing us some of all the nice ships you piloted!!!
Specially CREOULA and the HUUUUUUUUGE stairs of "Stellar Cupid"!!!

Have a nice Weekend!!! Today I WENT TO THE SEA, A FRIEND FECTCHED ME AT CASCAIS, EVEN WITH BAD WEATHER, AND WE SAILED TO LISBON WITH 6 METER WAVES AND 40 KNOTS!!! YAHOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

DC said...

Hey Malheiro, interesting photos as ever. Did anyone log the two non-compliant pilot ladders? Minerva's does not rest on the ship's side and the accommodation ladder on Stellar Cupid has no stanchions and handrails inboard on the platform. Keep up the good work on the blog. Regards, Don - Fellow pilot - London

Luis Daniel Vale said...

Hi Don,

The issue of pilot ladder compliance is of the utmost importance for us in this port as we often have to embark in heavy weather. We even started using helmets this month for certain ships/weather conditions.
You will understand that I will not address particularly these two specific ships that you mention (this blog has been having "issues" with the authors employers) but I can assure you that all ship related deficiencies are relayed to the appropriate authorities, as part of our safety management system.
Thanks for the visit and I hope you keep coming back with more comments.
Best regards,