8 is not enough
It’s been a little bit since my last post but a couple of things have happened since then; 1) We stopped in Bahrain and got shitty and 2) We are on a new schedule and it’s shitty.
Let’s start with the fun. I was lukewarm to say the least about going to Bahrain. It was going to be a hot, sweaty, working port in which we had DITS so I didn’t foresee us getting much liberty, so I could have cared less. Well, my foreseeing was right. We didn’t get much liberty because of all the work we had to do but the liberty we did get was pretty great. We worked all 3 days in port but I had the first 2 nights off and made the most of them with my liberty buddies. In typical fashion we had plans to go hit up the Navy exchange and buy some essentials and bring them back to the boat before going out for the night. Uh-huh, like that ever works. We did get to the NEX but I hardly bought anything because I didn’t want to lug it around as we ate and bar hopped. So I bought a couple shirts, some cologne and that’s about it. I really needed a lot more but I guess one of these days I will get to ordering online for the stuff I need.
Bahrain, I have been told, is the Vegas of the Middle East. And while it is not as glamorous, it is as hot but it does provide for some relief for weary, thirsty sailors who haven’t seen a port in a month. It’s struck me as odd because they have a large amount of American restaurants right outside the base. We decided on Chili’s because who doesn’t want Chips and Salsa? While the appetizers were great, the main course left a lot to be desired and on top of everything they didn’t even serve beer. This proved only to be a minor roadblock as we found a few other oasis’s along the way.
The first bar we moseyed on over to was Wranglers. Can you guess what kind of bar that was? And me without my flannel and shit-kickers on! We bellied up to the bar and threw a few back there. Good time had by all except for Shaddock who threw up all over himself after like an hour and then tried to blame the food. It would have been funny until he cleaned himself up and noticed that I had bought shirts and asked to use one of them. I honestly resisted giving in as long as possible but eventually got guilted into it. After a ridiculous number of shots we headed to the very happening Rock Bottom. Rock bottom is a fun, casual place to have a drink and meet the Asian hooker of your dreams. It’s also a place where they like to put fire into every drink possible as you can clearly see in the video. I met some new cool people who I really hope I get to see again before this deployment is over and I hear that the chances are pretty good we will be going back.
The rest of the night is a blur of shots and high fives and generally insanity. When I awoke from my, oh so peaceful slumber the next morning, I couldn’t remember much after leaving the club but I got filled in later by Gatlin. She told me basically that we found a duty van from one of the minesweepers that we shared a pier with and they offered to give us a ride. Apparently the guy was driving like a maniac and while I didn’t notice being thrown around the van, apparently my girl Langston did. Just as we were pulling up to the pier, cue Projectile Vomiting courtesy of Ms. Langston. We said “thanks” and “sorry” as we took off down the pier to make it back before midnight. After getting back on board I went down to my shop and harassed Fiorello who was on watch. I was told that I woke him up just to get a high five. He was not amused!
The second night was a carbon copy of the first with even a little more excitement in regards to action for me but I will leave that for another post if/when I make it back to Bahrain to finish what I started.
The last day I had duty and we all know how exciting that is. Before we hit Bahrain we had, as a division, been getting bitched at every day about something. Every single day was a new crisis and something else that we had messed up. We were getting tired of it and apparently so was our senior chief because he put us on 6 on, 6 off. Which means exactly that. You work 6 hours, off 6 hours (notice I didn’t say sleep.) It’s a pretty craptastic schedule and one we were not thrilled to be adopting. I really was surprised because I thought we had been doing things ok but apparently not. We had been on port and starboard which is 12 on, 12 off which is not great but better than 6 & 6. So after some negotiating we were able to come up with 8 & 8 with two sections. It’s not much better than 6 & 6 but it does allow for a smidge more sleep. So basically one day we work 16 hours (split shift) and one day is 8 hours, but the 8 hour day does not include additional training to take place outside of those 8 hours. Take all that into account with the drills and all hands working parties, and flight quarters and manning the boat decks and sleep becomes a rare commodity on this schedule. The hardest part is if you get screwed out of some regularly scheduled sleep, there is no time to make it up like there is with 12 hours off. When we were on 12 & 12, at least one day a week I would sleep all 12 hours off to catch up. That is a pipe dream now. We are hopeful this schedule doesn’t last but I’m not holding my breath.
Well the Dolphins lost to the Patriots today but my Orlando Magic are looking great so far. As they say, You can’t win ‘em all.
It’s almost time for turnover which means 5 hours of sleep before coming back.
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