Greetings from Morocco

[93LXHORSE]

The offshore platform I was on last month has been floating around the Atlantic doing sea trials before it goes to drill off the coast of Angola. They were trying to test the mooring winches near the Canary Islands but there was too much volcanic rock on the sea floor so they packed it up and have moved it over to Morocco.

I got the call to mobilize Thursday, so I spent all day flying to get here. Got picked up at the airport by a transportation liaison, who takes me to a hotel in Casablanca and instructs me to rest up, for the night, enjoy the sights in the morning and be ready to go back to the airport tomorrow afternoon for a flight to Dakhla... which is where the vessel is sitting at the moment.

So.. I'm just chilling.

[93LXHORSE]

http://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/oldshipid:738470/oldmmsi:576851000/olddate:lastknown

I just received some email traffic stating that I will be taken to a hotel in Dakhla tomorrow afternoon and will remain at disposal in the hotel should there be any issues with the mooring winches during sea trials.

[93LXHORSE]

Looks like there is good windsurfing there!

https://www.google.com/search?q=dakhla&espv=2&biw=1247&bih=626&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=52kgVdeWH9fuaOq1gPgH&ved=0CDQQsAQ&dpr=1

[sc281]

Nice.

[lincolnboy]

Choo$$$$
Could i get a loan.

[KBScobravert]

I am jeleous. But I may just be upset that I am in Pecos, TX.

[John -- '02 HAWK]

If anybody asks tell them your Canadian.

[93LXHORSE]

If anybody asks tell them your Canadian.

No questions asked when getting to passport control in Morocco!

[orphan Shelby]

How does one get a job like this? Besides going to school and get education and stuff. Bring back some cool souvenirs. Lol

[93LXHORSE]

Some of it was dumb luck. Some of it was right place at right time. I have a 2 year electronics degree but that probably has the least to do with it!

[93LXHORSE]

Damn, what an adventure!

I flew from Casablanca to Dakhla, Morocco and was picked up by a "handler" and taken to a hotel.

I was assured by Wikipedia that Morocco the US are cool with each other so I went out to check the town out. There was a block party going on outside the hotel with a live band that played the synthesizer and electric sitar. Pretty trippy but cool.

Next morning the "handler" comes to get me at 9:00 as promised and takes me to the port. I am told in broken English that the vessel is in the water somewhere and I'll be transported to it.

I arrive at a shack that was the Customs office at the port and they do something with my Passport so that I can get on a vessel.

The vessel turned out to be a harbor pilot boat which took me 2.5 hours out into the North Atlantic, where I rendezvoused with the Siem Diamond, an anchor vessel that was supporting the anchor operations I was out there to support. The seas were rough as hell and the little harbor pilot was tossing around like a bottle cap, but I made the leap like a boss onto the rope ladder of the anchor boat.

The anchor boat had been sitting there waiting for me for a day to be picked up and taken to the rig, which was 22 hours away.... so the captain and staff treated me like a guest and fed me great food and gave me a stateroom all to myself. I slept like a fucking baby and the next morning the rig was coming into view.

I was transported onto the rig by a personnel basked via crane. That was cool as hell. As a matter of fact the whole arrangement was bad ass. These "handlers" are set up by the client, and even though I might not know the exact plan or speak their language, they get me there exactly according to instructions.

[JC316]

I am jeleous. But I may just be upset that I am in Pecos, TX.

I wouldn't be. Check out Balmorhea state park while you're in the area. The water is chilly, but completely worth it. http://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/balmorhea

[01-GATOR]

Bad ass man, need pics

[bluecollar]

Bad ass man, need pics

This. I want to see pictures!

[93LXHORSE]

OK... I'll get some linked up in a bit.