31 May, 2000

Life Aboard the Healy Part II

May 31, 2000

Wednesday

Janice and I are really getting a workout here on the Healy. No, we're not spending a lot of time in the gym. We get our exercise just walking down the hall.

For example, to get from the mess to the science lab, which are on the same deck, we need to open 5 doors. These are no ordinary doors either! The doors on the Healy are heavy watertight doors with a long handle that you crank down on. Opening them is a lot like lifting weights. The doors divide the ship into different compartments so that floods or fires could be contained in a small area. Hopefully we won't have to worry about those things, but all the same, it's comforting to know that there are so many safety features on the ship.

Finding our way through the maze of passageways and ladders isn't the only challenge we face when we walk around the ship. Remember how we told you about pitch and roll? Imagine trying to climb down a steep stairway when the floor is moving under your feet! Even walking down the passageway can be tricky. That's why there are railings everywhere for us to hang on to. We even have railings in the shower stall!

When we first boarded the Healy, Janice and I got lost a lot. It took almost a week before we could find our way around, and we still discover new places on the ship every day. To see a map of the Healy, check out the official website at: www.uscg.mil/pacarea/healy

See if you can find your way around the ship. Don't forget your compass!

To find out how to tell portside from starboard, click on Janice's page:

Janice’s Entry Today.

Some of the railings have fancy rope work on them. This is done by the boatswain (say bo-son). Aren't they beautiful?

....and a handle in the "head!"

Railings are even in the shower stalls.

This is a water tight door. Can you see the lever is in the down position? They are very heavy and need to be closed tightly. The window helps you to see if someone is about to come through the door.

Chief Flynn is holding onto the railing in this passageway. They always say to have one hand for yourself and one for the ship!