Wet, Dry, Wet...

After 16 hours of flights, seeing a friendly face, holding up this sign was a sight for sore eyes! We were very excited to get back to our cabin in our home on the big, white bubble, The Africa Mercy, after almost six weeks of living out of suitcases in three states of Australia. Ten flights, two houses, four hotels and two rental cars later we made it back to the Durban dry dock, where the Africa Mercy had since relocated from the Dormac Shipyard, while we were away.

It was an interesting experience for Jess and I, having never lived on board during the dry dock phase, before. The last two times the Africa Mercy has been in dry dock during our service, we have been relocated to accommodation on land. This time a decision was made to allow those with children over the age of 13, to live back on board.

No air-conditioning, restricted laundry room use, intermittent hot water, hard hats, a strict curfew, cold lunches, closed toe shoes. and so much more......all the fun of dry dock. But it is all for a good cause as the Africa Mercy received vital repairs to areas usually underwater!

It was unusual for us to go into dry dock again, after last year as dry dock is usually a biannual affair. But pressing work on the portside propeller and fourteen metres of shaft meant that we needed to "GO DRY" once again.

Over 100 engineering projects were completed and 52 other projects!!!

Highlights included...

* Hospital Chaplaincy space modification (to give you some idea of the importance of the hospital chaplains, last field service there were 800 counselling sessions, 568 bibles were distributed and 164 one on one HIV counselling session took place)

 

* New Library Conference Room constructed

 

* Café remodel including painting and stripping/varnishing of café parquetry floors

 

* Remodel of Academy pre-school room

 

* New refrigerators in the dining room and galley (Andrew was instrumental in getting these! :) )

 

* The prop and shaft work

 

* Refrigeration piping

 

* Hull plating and anchor locker repairs

 

* Refurbishment of other rooms, including new flooring and replacing of windows

 

* Replacement of old domestic metal piping with new plastic piping on deck five, six and seven and replacement of drains

 

* New radar equipment on the bridge

 

* New washing machines and dryers installed in the crew and hospital laundries

The Africa Mercy in dry dock in Durban, South Africa; the giant bath tub. The ship sailed in and the water was drained out.
(Photo credit: Andrea Diallo)

 

A few cool vantage points of the impressive hull of the Africa Mercy.
(Photo credit, above and below: Walter Pretorius)

 

(Photo credit, above and below: Walter Pretorius)

One of the 50 ton propellers.
(Photo credit, above and below: Walter Pretorius)

 

Another issue that came up late in the Madagascar One field service was a water leak discovered in the anchor chain locker. The locker was temporarily repaired so we could sail to Durban where proper repairs were carried out.

An aerial view of the AFM in dry dock.

One of our very big anchors!

Each shipyard period, a group of dedicated crew come on board and are officially known as the Projects Team. They are there to work hard and to get the job done and all with a smile on their faces! Above, construction taking place on the library conference room which involved separating a part of the front room of the library and making it into a new room.

Ta da!! A new conference room that is being used daily for everything from departmental devotions, training sessions, exam taking, crew movie nights and more!

The new, super cold dining room refrigerators!

There is still time for some fun in shipyard, as we are in a developed nation and for many of the crew, it provides some "down time". Andrew scored an invite to a corporate box at a rugby match! There was a lottery on board for the other seats so several lucky crew were able to go along as well.
(Photo credit: Unknown)

But the fun had to end sometime and our school principal was determined to begin school on time, despite the delays in dry dock. Unfortunately, another issue was discovered on the portside shaft, causing unscheduled maintenance, which saw us remain in dry dock for an extra two weeks!

So the beginning of school was an interesting affair. Those with children over 13 were living on board the ship in dry dock and those with children under 13 were housed off ship in two guest houses, nearby. Junior High and High School began, as normal, on board with kids under 13 but still in Junior High and High School bussed in every day. The elementary teachers were bussed out to one of the guest houses where school took place in different rooms of the guest house!!

Above the Junior High and High School make their grand entrance after almost three months off school! Jess began grade ten, the only girl in her class of three! (Two in grade ten and one in grade nine).

Never let it be said that Mercy Shippers are not flexible!
(Photo credit, above and below: David Forrest)

 

One of the worst things about dry dock was having to wear a hard hat until we were out of the dry dock area, even to take the garbage out at the bottom of the gangway! Me and Jess on the way back to the ship after a day out.

We visted the Ushaka Marine World  precinct again, after visiting several times in the shipyard in Durban, 2011. It is a great place to wile away a day with a Sea World and Wet 'n Wild, lots of shops, restaurants and fast food outlets, a reptile park, huge kids playground, gondolas, Zulu dancing shows, pier and beach, bike hire and massive zipline/ropes course.

Jess just wanted to get a second piercing in her ears and a henna tattoo.....

 

The huge pier at Ushaka.

Jess getting up close to a couple of stingrays at the aquarium.



Eventually the day came when it was time to "GO WET" again!! Time for the Africa Mercy's giant bath tub to be re-filled and for us to be towed back to the Dormac shipyard ready for our departure back to Madagascar.

The Captain requested that all, but essential crew, go off ship for the day. Jess went off with the Junior High/High School for an excursion but we took the chance to do a self-drive trip through two game reserves, with some friends. What an amazing day it was. Breathtaking scenery, tranquil surroundings and so many sightings of majestic animals! What a great day this was for us after the craziness off the past few months.

Entering the lion enclosure.

 

 

Wilderbeest

Lots of zebra!

The hippos were a bit elusive and a long way away but got a few shots with the camera zoom.

Rhino

Tons of ostrich too!

Andrew and I at the game lodge where we had a lovely lunch overlooking beautiful, rolling green hills with the air crisp and cool and exotic birds singing all around us. Bliss!

Meanwhile Jess was a slightly more energetic school excursion to the Durban waterfront where the school hired bikes for a scavenger hunt. They also took a dip in the Indian Ocean, but had to make a hasty retreat after sharks were sighted. Above some of the kids enjoy a breather.
(Photo credit, above and below: David Forrest)

Unfortunately, due to the late hour of the day when we were ready to move back to Dormac, the pilot could not move us so it was back to dry dock for another night!! The kids return and cross the gangway over the giant bathtub. Well we did get a little water in the bath tub and we were floating once again!

Oh happy day!!! Water filling up the bathtub/dry dock!
(Photo credit: Andrea Diallo)

(Photo credit, above and below: Walter Pretorius)

 

A triumphant day! The AFM being towed back by the tugs to the Dormac Shipyard, after well over a month in the dry dock!
(Photo credit: Patricia Royston)

On our way back to Madagascar, After two months in shipyard/dry dock going wet, then dry then wet again, we were finally underway! The pilot was lowered down to deck eight to help guide us out through Durban Harbour. I was out on deck seven watching and Jess was up on deck eight. The helicopter came so close and the pilot waved to us all. Pretty cool moment before we were shoed inside-lol.
(Photo credit, above and below: Patricia Royston)

Like a smile sent down from heaven, we were treated to a spectacular whale show on our way out of the harbour!

After a couple more unexpected delays we made it back to Tamatave, Madagascar on the 30th of August.

We were so glad to be back to this beautiful country and it's shy and unassuming people. A land of contrasts from rice paddies balancing precariously on the sided of lush green mountains to the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean and it's palm fringed beaches. A nation that, despite it's stunning beauty and amazing ecosystem is crying out in desperation; for medical care, food and infrastructure.

For the next nine months we will endeavour to be the hands and feet of Jesus in a little town called Tamatave.