First Sea Phase on the Maersk Rapier?

[Wandaa]

Hello all,

I'm headed off on my first sea phase as an engineering cadet on the 30th March. I'll be joining the Maersk Rapier. I was just wondering if any of you have been on this ship previously, or similar ones, and if you have could you fill me in as to what your experience was like on-board, where you went, what facilities are on-board etc. Just any useful info would be great really.

Thank you in advance!

Wandaa.

[Steve]

Is she still on charter to the MoD?

[HarmlessWeasel]

Headed to Las Palmas, last port was Algeciras. Maybe you'll get to stick around in the warm weather

http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/shipdetails.aspx?MMSI=233816000

[Wandaa]

Steve: Yes, she is chartered to the MoD as far as I know

[YaBute]

http://www.pbase.com/zak355/image/145702938

She occasionally comes up to Loch Striven near the kyles of Bute. Thought I recognised her name, turns out I've seen her a few times from my bedroom window!

[Hatchorder]

Steve: Yes, she is chartered to the MoD as far as I know

Depending on what she is doing you could find yourself on your way to the Falklands and Ascension Island. I did one voyage on the Maersk Ascension, sitting at anchor for 4 months, and a few voyages on the Maersk Harrier which was UK to Gibraltar to Ascension to Mare Harbour! Lovely............. NOT! Maersk Ascension was a different matter though. Brilliant "Trip" even though in actuality it meant we went round the island once a month to give the engine a run and selected people were invited on board for a Jolly around the island and Lunch!

Ian

[Hatchorder]

...She occasionally comes up to Loch Striven.......

Dear me! I was on a laid up Gas Carrier there in about 1985. Horrible journey up there, train to Gourock, Ferry to Dunoon and a ride round the headland to the Loch in a land rover and then a month looking at hills covered in mist for a month. It only rained once - for 29 days!

Don't think I will be going back anytime soon. Is it still used to lay up ships?

Ian

[GuinnessMan]

Dear me! I was on a laid up Gas Carrier there in about 1985. Horrible journey up there, train to Gourock, Ferry to Dunoon and a ride round the headland to the Loch in a land rover and then a month looking at hills covered in mist for a month. It only rained once - for 29 days!

Don't think I will be going back anytime soon. Is it still used to lay up ships?

Ian

We go diving up there, when not being chased about by MOD Plod, it's rather scenic!

[Hatchorder]

We go diving up there, when not being chased about by MOD Plod, it's rather scenic!

The Navy used to use us for exercises on how to board ships that had been hijacked and so we would go down the engine room with a big shifter and tap out rude morse messages to the Navy Subs that were part of the exercise! The only time I think I used Morse! (They did ask us to pretend we were hostages or hidden crew!) We knew they had heard us because there would always be someone sniggering at the back when the messages were read out in the debrief! Divers creeping up the side of the ship, helicopter assaults, it was the only excitement we had!

[HarmlessWeasel]

The Navy used to use us for exercises on how to board ships that had been hijacked and so we would go down the engine room with a big shifter and tap out rude morse messages to the Navy Subs that were part of the exercise! The only time I think I used Morse! (They did ask us to pretend we were hostages or hidden crew!) We knew they had heard us because there would always be someone sniggering at the back when the messages were read out in the debrief! Divers creeping up the side of the ship, helicopter assaults, it was the only excitement we had!

how do you tap the dashes in morse? how would you distinguish between .. and .- ?

the exercises sound fun though

[Hatchorder]

how do you tap the dashes in morse? how would you distinguish between .. and .- ?

the exercises sound fun though

It was the length of pause between taps that indicated whether it was a dot or a dash so tap, tap, tap pause tap then tap tap tap pause was fu....... you know where this is going! We used to spent hours planning the messages to use as little words as possible because it used to take ages to tap out "We are three crew locked in the 2/e bathroom on Deck C and the 2/o is constipated"

[size4riggerboots]

*MOD HAT ON*

Given the points made in the "Harshness" thread this evening, I'd like to point out that this thread has deviated severely from the OP's question. Can we get back to topic please?

[YaBute]

We had a raft of Maersk ships up there during the economic downturn, but we don't tend to have many ships rusting away there anymore. You only tend to see Royal fleet ships but I did see a new destroyer moored up Loch Striven last summer. There was an old boat layed up there for years. Remember it as a kid, probably the same one your talking about. When it was finally moved it was one hell of a rust bucket!
Here a few pictures of the raft if you're interested, might bring back some 'nostalgic' memories! http://www.pbase.com/zak355/image/123974380

[Steve]

Loch Striven is lovely. Just a little isolated. Would be better if there was a convenient ferry to Rothesay.

I wonder if Rapier is used for the depot at Sembawang (Singapore) or if it is more convenient to top up that up from more local sources and Rapier is kept within the Atlantic/Mediterranean? I have certainly seen Cyprus mentioned as a port of call, and Gibraltar. If the depots work at the usual MoD rate you should get plenty of time in port. ;-)

Other UK ports I suppose are Yonderberry (Plymouth), Gosport (Portsmouth), Campbeltown, Loch Ewe, Garelochead (Faslane).

[Frenchy]

Wandaa, if you want to know about the Rapier, send me a message with your questions. I did 4 months on her before Christmas.