This week, on the FPSO ( Floating Production Storage & Offloading facility) on which I’ve been working for the week , I’ve been looking at components and systems all the way from the riser, where the oil/gas/ water mixture comes up from the seabed, to the offtake hose where the oil is pumped into a … Continue reading From riser to offtake hose →

With the amount I am eating, I should be turning into a lump of lard. Three meals a day and endless snacks available, all good quality and tasty, would normally have an obvious outcome. However, I’m feeling fitter and healthier than ever. I’m offshore again, and walking everywhere, climbing ladders, on my feet. the stairs … Continue reading Offshore and fitness →

We have all been living in our very comfortable, spacious safe bubble for the last two years. Depending how you look at the upcoming border opening, we are about to regain our freedom and be able to travel again, or we are going to burst that bubble completely and let COVID into our State. I … Continue reading Impending border opening →

I was swimming today, down at Coogee Marina, in the shark net. The sea was a little rough, and I was feeling rather hard done by, due to getting the odd mouthful of water and being pushed around more than normal. I swam on grumpily, watching the ripples on the bottom, admiring the fish swarming … Continue reading Reflections on current situations →

It’s New Years Day and I’m sitting in our campsite at Walpole, reflecting on the year just passed. It was meant to be the year the world worked out how to manage COVID , we could all start travelling again and I’d do the big trip back to Europe I’d been planning for years. Instead, … Continue reading The start of 2022 →

We have just had a really quick weekend up in Northam, around 90 minutes from Perth and a faded old Wheatbelt farming town. It was a weekend of walking along the river, eating good food, drinking dodgy coffee and relaxing a lot. Sitting out on the balcony of an old, beautifully refurbished hotel, drinking rose … Continue reading End of a unit (nearly) & Northam →

I think it's been five years since I went offshore, as I really wasn't capable of the physical exertions of the helicopter escape training and general walking around/climbing up and down ladders/ narrow stairs that are inherent in that type of location. This week, I spent two days offshore, on the Ningaloo Vision. Sitting on … Continue reading And offshore again, after 5 years →

As an engineer in the offshore industry, a course you have to do is called the TBOSIET, basically an offshore survival skills course. This is needed before you are allowed to fly onto a platform or rig. It’s pretty physical, there’s climbing into helicopters, being inverted and having to escape while underwater. There’s escaping from … Continue reading Completing my offshore training →

More beaches, Coconut Wells this time which is a lovely, largely deserted tidal lagoon and wild, windy beach. It's been crazy cold for Broome, the wind hasn't helped, so we've been wearing jumpers and a scarf much of the time. This place was lovely, a wander around for a few hours watching how the lagoon … Continue reading Beaches and moonrise in Broome →

Four days we have now been in Broome, and it's a peaceful, mellow place. Lots of clean, empty beaches with dinosaur footprints, lovely sunsets to watch while eating curry at the surf club, remote capes to explore followed by a pearl farm tour and a rather lovely pearl necklace ... Sunset and beach colours The … Continue reading First days in Broome →