SAN LORENZO,ARGENTINA
SAN LORENZO, ARGENTINA- OCTOBER 14, 2006
On the midnight of October 14th, a cold gusty wind prevailed upon arrival at San Lorenzo anchorage area. While on stand by at the gangway for docking, we put on garments top combat cold and had a cup of coffee. We went to our respective post, dropped the anchor in the middle of the river and gave mooring lines for docking alongside a barge named Allianza G2. Exactly after docking, heavy rain showers suddenly poured on deck. We ran speedily and took shelter at the accommodation. My off duty mates already rest while me and an Able seaman remained awake for duty. At daybreak, only minute raindrops fell. The giant fireball has risen on the east. High aloft the uppermost deck, I raised the Argentina national color and switched off all deck illuminations. A very strange surrounding I saw. Few ships anchored in the river. No dwellings at the river banks. We’ve been placed in a lifeless loading area far from the city, without shore liberty guaranteed. After my duty at 8 am, a service boat docked at the barge. The foreman of the loading operations descended to our ship and talked with the Chief Mate. The loading had to be cancelled due to unpredictable weather. The operations would resume on Tuesday because Monday was declared national holiday in Argentina.
The visitors left via their speedboat. The huge Allianza G2 barge was left unmanned. During nighttime, it looked like a ghost ship with few lights on deck that illuminates their loading conveyor, cranes, and other equipments. The operators come if there’s a loading operation.
Due to three day rest, delays have been considered again. Meanwhile, our watch duty continues even though without operation. However, we need not worry about the adjustments of the accommodation ladder compared to when we are docked on pier where high and low tide exists. The agent also informed us that no security risk in the area and the persons involved in the loading operation are service oriented.
On the second day at San Lorenzo, my shipmates agreed to go ashore and make a call. They contacted a service boat thru VHF radio. After my duty at 8 in the evening, I decided to go with them coz I also wanted to call. From our ship, we passed by numerous vessels anchored at a river near the town proper. We traveled an hour via speedboat and a 30 minute taxi ride to municipalidad de San Lorenzo. The town is very tranquil at night time. We made long distance calls at Telecentro de San Lorenzo. There I met a muy simpatica amiga Senorita Sylvana Barozo, the friendly operator of the telephone center. She assisted us in order to make international contacts. We left the telecentro and headed to Popeye restaurant and bar. We witnessed a live band playing Spanish ballads and had shots of Bacardi. My shipmates played billiard at the recreation area. The audience is mostly Argentine and also has few foreigners. We went out of the bar at 2 in the morning. A taxi brought us to the service boat terminal, and then finally returned to our home called “ship”. Still sleepless, I let the hours pass by watching TV while waiting for the time of my duty at 4 to 8 in the morning.
October 17th, at 6 in the morning, generators and machineries at the barge have been warmed up. The conveyor belt rolled. Noise of operating equipments broke the silence in the middle of the river. The remaining empty cargo holds of the ship were opened for loading. Afterward, dust billowed on deck as the conveyor belt began pouring in milled Soya beans into the cargo holds. Dust everywhere, dust all around. The decks which have been cleaned by heavy rains in the past few days have turned into a desert-like ground. We put on safety goggles and dusk mask for protection.
The loading at San Lorenzo was completed on the 20th midnight. The cargo holds were fumigated after completion. The maritime authorities granted clearance to sail. The pilot boarded at 1 in the very cold early morning and we departed San Lorenzo for a very long channeling again downstream in the river of Rio Parana. After ten hours of navigating, the anchor party was alerted again for anchoring and dropped anchor in the middle of the river. There were also 3 loaded ships anchored waiting for the next high tide to pass the shallow part of the river. The pilot informed us that sailing would resume the next day. In the afternoon, we washed the ship’s deck with freshwater and also from uppermost deck to the lower deck. Dust of Soya beans have been washed out using high pressure hoses. We shoveled offboard tons of cargo remains until 6 in the evening. Another grueling effort exerted.
The following day, the pilot has been notified about the time of the highest level of high tide. The anchor was heaved up and resumed the navigation downstream. On a bright Sunday morning of Oct.22nd, I was at the bridge and steered the ship again for couple of hours. Then, I turned over the wheel to my buddy, an able seaman. We passed by fine-looking cottages, resorts, and mansions along the river bank. The pilot said it used to be a retreat site of Argentine for family picnic during weekends and holidays. After passing the narrow section of the river, engine revolutions increased when our ship finally cleared out of the river. On our starboard side, we saw the city of Buenos Aires, the capital city of Argentina. Tall buildings soared high. Yachts and speedboats docked inside the marina harbor. We navigated Rio de la Plata, where Rio Parana and all of its tributaries end to combine with the Atlantic Ocean. I kept on plotting GPS coordinates on the nautical chart to monitor ship’s position. Outbound ships loaded with grains are behind us, navigate in convoy. We reduced speed as advised by Recalada pilots. They ordered all loaded vessels to drop anchor again due to low tide and must wait for high water level again to pass the shallow part of the Rio de la Plata. At that time, tidal inequalities exist in Argentina maybe due to oceanographic depression in the South American continental shelf. After 3 hours of waiting for high tide, outbound ships like us heaved up anchor. The pilot finally gave the command to Master and off boarded. We headed to the Atlantic Ocean and altered course 180 degrees, south bound to the Strait of Magellan in the southern tip of Latin America.
On the midnight of October 14th, a cold gusty wind prevailed upon arrival at San Lorenzo anchorage area. While on stand by at the gangway for docking, we put on garments top combat cold and had a cup of coffee. We went to our respective post, dropped the anchor in the middle of the river and gave mooring lines for docking alongside a barge named Allianza G2. Exactly after docking, heavy rain showers suddenly poured on deck. We ran speedily and took shelter at the accommodation. My off duty mates already rest while me and an Able seaman remained awake for duty. At daybreak, only minute raindrops fell. The giant fireball has risen on the east. High aloft the uppermost deck, I raised the Argentina national color and switched off all deck illuminations. A very strange surrounding I saw. Few ships anchored in the river. No dwellings at the river banks. We’ve been placed in a lifeless loading area far from the city, without shore liberty guaranteed. After my duty at 8 am, a service boat docked at the barge. The foreman of the loading operations descended to our ship and talked with the Chief Mate. The loading had to be cancelled due to unpredictable weather. The operations would resume on Tuesday because Monday was declared national holiday in Argentina.
The visitors left via their speedboat. The huge Allianza G2 barge was left unmanned. During nighttime, it looked like a ghost ship with few lights on deck that illuminates their loading conveyor, cranes, and other equipments. The operators come if there’s a loading operation.
Due to three day rest, delays have been considered again. Meanwhile, our watch duty continues even though without operation. However, we need not worry about the adjustments of the accommodation ladder compared to when we are docked on pier where high and low tide exists. The agent also informed us that no security risk in the area and the persons involved in the loading operation are service oriented.
On the second day at San Lorenzo, my shipmates agreed to go ashore and make a call. They contacted a service boat thru VHF radio. After my duty at 8 in the evening, I decided to go with them coz I also wanted to call. From our ship, we passed by numerous vessels anchored at a river near the town proper. We traveled an hour via speedboat and a 30 minute taxi ride to municipalidad de San Lorenzo. The town is very tranquil at night time. We made long distance calls at Telecentro de San Lorenzo. There I met a muy simpatica amiga Senorita Sylvana Barozo, the friendly operator of the telephone center. She assisted us in order to make international contacts. We left the telecentro and headed to Popeye restaurant and bar. We witnessed a live band playing Spanish ballads and had shots of Bacardi. My shipmates played billiard at the recreation area. The audience is mostly Argentine and also has few foreigners. We went out of the bar at 2 in the morning. A taxi brought us to the service boat terminal, and then finally returned to our home called “ship”. Still sleepless, I let the hours pass by watching TV while waiting for the time of my duty at 4 to 8 in the morning.
October 17th, at 6 in the morning, generators and machineries at the barge have been warmed up. The conveyor belt rolled. Noise of operating equipments broke the silence in the middle of the river. The remaining empty cargo holds of the ship were opened for loading. Afterward, dust billowed on deck as the conveyor belt began pouring in milled Soya beans into the cargo holds. Dust everywhere, dust all around. The decks which have been cleaned by heavy rains in the past few days have turned into a desert-like ground. We put on safety goggles and dusk mask for protection.
The loading at San Lorenzo was completed on the 20th midnight. The cargo holds were fumigated after completion. The maritime authorities granted clearance to sail. The pilot boarded at 1 in the very cold early morning and we departed San Lorenzo for a very long channeling again downstream in the river of Rio Parana. After ten hours of navigating, the anchor party was alerted again for anchoring and dropped anchor in the middle of the river. There were also 3 loaded ships anchored waiting for the next high tide to pass the shallow part of the river. The pilot informed us that sailing would resume the next day. In the afternoon, we washed the ship’s deck with freshwater and also from uppermost deck to the lower deck. Dust of Soya beans have been washed out using high pressure hoses. We shoveled offboard tons of cargo remains until 6 in the evening. Another grueling effort exerted.
The following day, the pilot has been notified about the time of the highest level of high tide. The anchor was heaved up and resumed the navigation downstream. On a bright Sunday morning of Oct.22nd, I was at the bridge and steered the ship again for couple of hours. Then, I turned over the wheel to my buddy, an able seaman. We passed by fine-looking cottages, resorts, and mansions along the river bank. The pilot said it used to be a retreat site of Argentine for family picnic during weekends and holidays. After passing the narrow section of the river, engine revolutions increased when our ship finally cleared out of the river. On our starboard side, we saw the city of Buenos Aires, the capital city of Argentina. Tall buildings soared high. Yachts and speedboats docked inside the marina harbor. We navigated Rio de la Plata, where Rio Parana and all of its tributaries end to combine with the Atlantic Ocean. I kept on plotting GPS coordinates on the nautical chart to monitor ship’s position. Outbound ships loaded with grains are behind us, navigate in convoy. We reduced speed as advised by Recalada pilots. They ordered all loaded vessels to drop anchor again due to low tide and must wait for high water level again to pass the shallow part of the Rio de la Plata. At that time, tidal inequalities exist in Argentina maybe due to oceanographic depression in the South American continental shelf. After 3 hours of waiting for high tide, outbound ships like us heaved up anchor. The pilot finally gave the command to Master and off boarded. We headed to the Atlantic Ocean and altered course 180 degrees, south bound to the Strait of Magellan in the southern tip of Latin America.
posted by Arez at 8:49 PM
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