Advertisement
Published: November 26th 2008
Morning muster
Line up in order, pass the sign-in sheet down the line: time: 30 minutesI'm back in the States, having arrived in Seattle on 6 November, but I wanted to post one more blog. For those of you struggling with your commute to work, I thought I'd show you one possible alternative. This is a composite of a typical day for me and my medical colleagues traveling to clinic sites:
0500: I usually get up a little early so I can work on the Internet at a time when there aren't too many people on. That way it won't time out, and it usually works with the lightning speed of around maybe 50
kbps (much slower after about 0630).
0600: off to the wardroom for breakfast and to fill my Kearsarge nalgene bottle with ice for some cool water throughout the day (I wrap it in a towel in my backpack - works great).
0625: arrive in the hanger bay for morning muster (line up). Sign the sign-in sheet.
0700: move up the ramp leading from the hanger bay to the flight deck. Stand or sit on the ramp (about a 30-degree incline, maybe 45 degrees).
0720: put on life vests and cranials (helmets)
0730: walk out to the helicopter, sit
Walk up the ramp toward the flight deck
Put on life vest and cranial (helmet). Time: 20-30 minutes down and strap in, wait for helicopter to warm up/pilots to go through check lists - whatever else happens
0745: helicopter lifts off
0800: arrive at helicopter landing zone and transfer all the staff and equipment to buses
0815: arrive at clinic site and begin setup
1415: see last patients and begin closing up the clinic
1500: muster and get back on the bus
1515: arrive at helicopter landing zone
1545: call comes from battle watch that the winds are not favorable (too stiff or the angle is not correct because they're shifting) - so there won't be a helicopter - they can't fly off the ship
1600: Force Protection (the GWGs - guys with guns - my term for them) arrive and buses depart
16:45: arrive at Coast Guard base after the Force Protection has parted the traffic with lights and siren, creating a third lane in the middle of the two-lane road)
1800: the buses from the other clinic site arrive along with buses of engineers from the engineering projects. Muster again. Walk on to the LCM (landing craft mechanized)
18:30: LCM departs the beach landing site
19:30: LCM arrives in the well deck and gets tied on
Out to the helicopter
CH-53, can carry 29 people and gear 20:15: the water drains out of the well deck enough to allow us to walk without getting our boots soaked (some people just wade through it).
The good news: everyone arrives back, safe and sound. So the next time you're hassled by your commute, just log on this blog and imagine you
could be someplace else
.
My next adventure will be with Doctors Without Borders. I go to New York in mid-January for Information Days (3 days of trying to convince the attendees that it's challenging to live without electricity - but I won't be intimidated - been there, done that for 2 1/2 years in Zimbabwe). Then they put me on the 'active' list and I wait to hear where in the world I'll be sent.
I want to send a message to my friends and colleagues aboard the USS Kearsarge who completed the mission on November 23rd in Guyana, and to all who participated along the way: Congratulations on a job well done! Best of luck in the future.
More to follow from my next adventure. Keep in touch.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.102s; Tpl: 0.011s; cc: 10; qc: 51; dbt: 0.0431s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.2mb
Gretchen Watkin
non-member comment
Thank You!
Dear Nancy, Thank you for sharing your trip with me. What an adventure and what great work you are doing. Have a happy thanksgiving. Gretchen