Rotterdam, & AfricaMercy May07

06May07
Rotterdam



Back to the ship!
The Africa Mercy has completed its logistics/prep work in Blyth UK and has stopped here to pick up a few containers and do some public relations/fund raising. This is where I jump aboard to head to Africa as I'd hoped to do in December, so finally Africa here I come.
Was a special moment as we left the dock and headed down the canal towards the sea, the captain gave three loud blasts with the horn to say farewell to Rotterdam. We are sailing with 136 crew across various trades - engineers, deck officers, galley staff, reception, housekeeping, deckhands, and some that will deploy to do community development work once in Africa. We will also have more people join us from the Anastasis once we meet them and settle in at Liberia.



























The Atlantic
The first night was ok, but as we got further out things got rougher and heading across the Bay of Biscay there was a lot of rockin and rollin going on as we headed into a gale. We went about the ship securing items, but still there were some we didn't get to and there would be chairs skidding across the floor and items falling off desks. A good test of ship and crew, especially as most of us are not professional mariners.

As you watch the video bear in mind that the Africa Mercy (16,600 ton) is bigger than the NZ Interislander ferry Arahura (13,600 ton).