Today the JCB arrived, we're still not sure how it got here from the UK, but it did, and it's here, and it works. All it needs is an orange light and some number plates.
Oh, and a driver... Now for some serious training, but not for me!
Friday 31 August 2012
Christmas at Work
Today the JCB arrived, we're still not sure how it got here from the UK, but it did, and it's here, and it works. All it needs is an orange light and some number plates.
Oh, and a driver... Now for some serious training, but not for me!
Friday 24 August 2012
A Misquote
For those of you who read the local papers online (or for any local readers who buy them), I think (hope) I have been misquoted!
In the Sentinel, I am quoted as saying "The only thing we should have to do is catch a rock", I certainly didn't mean that, I think it's just an accent and interpretation difference. What I hopefully said was more along the lines of "The only thing we should have to do is if they [the fences] catch a rock".
For those of you who don't read the local papers, but are interested check out yesterdays Sentinel:
http://www.shbc.sh/L2_sentinel_about.html page 5 (ignore the photo, its old)
and today's Independent:
http://www.saint.fm/Independent/index.htm page 11
There is also a webcast news bulletin from Wednesday on the SHBC website, luckily the archive doesn't work so you can't listen!
In the Sentinel, I am quoted as saying "The only thing we should have to do is catch a rock", I certainly didn't mean that, I think it's just an accent and interpretation difference. What I hopefully said was more along the lines of "The only thing we should have to do is if they [the fences] catch a rock".
For those of you who don't read the local papers, but are interested check out yesterdays Sentinel:
http://www.shbc.sh/L2_sentinel_about.html page 5 (ignore the photo, its old)
and today's Independent:
http://www.saint.fm/Independent/index.htm page 11
There is also a webcast news bulletin from Wednesday on the SHBC website, luckily the archive doesn't work so you can't listen!
Today I have been mostly hanging on the end of a Rope
Sorry, I lied - but there is a half-truth.
Today I had to take a look at a Cliff Ledge above Jamestown, having been advised by my Rockguard Team that it was probably accessible without Ropes, they suggested that I was probably better off using one. Now, in the UK, I would not be allowed to go anywhere near a harness, rope and all the metal clip gizmo's without some proper training, a fully qualified expert supervising and goodness knows what else. In St Helena, you'll be pleased to hear, it's much the same. I had an extensive safety briefing (lasting less time than it took to put the harness on), from 2 of the 4 best Rope Experts in the Country, and then was talked down the cliff to the ledge we were looking at with one of them following on another Rope.
Spending a few minutes, or more, doing the inspection and taking a lot of photos I then had to climb back up. Now in the UK (when I've done rock-climbing for fun) they don't let you use the rope to get up, but here I was given a special tool, called an Ascender (I think), which I could use to pull myself up the rope. It was very much like abseiling, but going up. Now THAT's the way to climb, forget this hole finding handholds business, use a rope to walk yourself up the rock!
The things being a Roads Manager forces me to do. Have I mentioned that I Love My Job?
Ok, so I'm not red, the rope wasn't blue, and it wasn't tied in a bow at either end, but you get the picture (if you don't try refreshing your browser window). Oh, and the buildings aren't that small/I'm not that big. If you're unsure how this relates, check out the photos at http://www.malpas.cwi.sh/030.html (and you'll realise I didn't go very far!)
Today I had to take a look at a Cliff Ledge above Jamestown, having been advised by my Rockguard Team that it was probably accessible without Ropes, they suggested that I was probably better off using one. Now, in the UK, I would not be allowed to go anywhere near a harness, rope and all the metal clip gizmo's without some proper training, a fully qualified expert supervising and goodness knows what else. In St Helena, you'll be pleased to hear, it's much the same. I had an extensive safety briefing (lasting less time than it took to put the harness on), from 2 of the 4 best Rope Experts in the Country, and then was talked down the cliff to the ledge we were looking at with one of them following on another Rope.
Spending a few minutes, or more, doing the inspection and taking a lot of photos I then had to climb back up. Now in the UK (when I've done rock-climbing for fun) they don't let you use the rope to get up, but here I was given a special tool, called an Ascender (I think), which I could use to pull myself up the rope. It was very much like abseiling, but going up. Now THAT's the way to climb, forget this hole finding handholds business, use a rope to walk yourself up the rock!
The things being a Roads Manager forces me to do. Have I mentioned that I Love My Job?
Tuesday 14 August 2012
Mashed Potato
Picked up post today, for the first time in quite a while. And, thanks to an unexpected parcel, I now have un-lumpy mashed potato!
Some say the best invention ever was sliced bread, I say it's the metal potato masher!, well kitchen wise anyway; obviously simple things like the wheel, car, internet and AutoTrader.com are better than sliced bread or metal potato mashers!
In fact I can think of lots of things better than sliced bread, even kitchen things - ready roll pastry, gordon's gin bottles, kettles, ... am I rambling now?
Some say the best invention ever was sliced bread, I say it's the metal potato masher!, well kitchen wise anyway; obviously simple things like the wheel, car, internet and AutoTrader.com are better than sliced bread or metal potato mashers!
In fact I can think of lots of things better than sliced bread, even kitchen things - ready roll pastry, gordon's gin bottles, kettles, ... am I rambling now?
Sunday 12 August 2012
Diving Cheddar Gorge
Today we dived off Red Island - and the reef there looked just like Cheddar Gorge scaled down. Made me feel like I was skydiving - but without the terror of having just jumped out of a perfectly good aeroplane (although I guess I had just jumped out of a perfectly good boat...)
A more successful dive than my last one, although technically my last dive was successful - it was the one before that wasn't. My last dive lasted 5 minutes, whilst I went down to pick up a weight belt. the previous dive lasted a sensible time, but then I dropped the weight belt...
Back to skydiving - or perhaps one of those mission impossible films where the hero jumps and then the rope and fancy winch thing catch and slow them just before they smack into the ground/security guard's head/lost treasure. I'm getting quite good at that. Starting a few metres above the sea floor, and dropping down before catching myself just before I hit the bottom, without disturbing the silt/sand. Little things and little minds I guess. I wonder if that's how Curiosity felt landing on Mars? Oh, yeah Robot. Doh!
A more successful dive than my last one, although technically my last dive was successful - it was the one before that wasn't. My last dive lasted 5 minutes, whilst I went down to pick up a weight belt. the previous dive lasted a sensible time, but then I dropped the weight belt...
Back to skydiving - or perhaps one of those mission impossible films where the hero jumps and then the rope and fancy winch thing catch and slow them just before they smack into the ground/security guard's head/lost treasure. I'm getting quite good at that. Starting a few metres above the sea floor, and dropping down before catching myself just before I hit the bottom, without disturbing the silt/sand. Little things and little minds I guess. I wonder if that's how Curiosity felt landing on Mars? Oh, yeah Robot. Doh!
Saturday 11 August 2012
Quiz
Q: What do you get when you put 6 people who aren't very good at pub quizzes together?
A: A winning quiz team!
True!
Last night we went to Pub Paradise for a quiz - hoping not to be last, but fully expecting to be in the bottom 3. We knew we were doing ok as we were marking other teams and so saw their scores, but we weren't doing great.
By the time the results were announced the pub was quite noisy, they started with the booby prize, but because we were quite a way from the speakers we couldn't really make out what was being said. Then we heard our team called out, and because I'd sort of put the team together I was sent up to find out why - turned out we'd won!
A: A winning quiz team!
True!
Last night we went to Pub Paradise for a quiz - hoping not to be last, but fully expecting to be in the bottom 3. We knew we were doing ok as we were marking other teams and so saw their scores, but we weren't doing great.
By the time the results were announced the pub was quite noisy, they started with the booby prize, but because we were quite a way from the speakers we couldn't really make out what was being said. Then we heard our team called out, and because I'd sort of put the team together I was sent up to find out why - turned out we'd won!
Tuesday 7 August 2012
Dave's Days
Yesterday I have been mostly buying Pizza and Onion.Went to buy food because I felt I was running low. 3 Pizzas and 8 onions were purchased, my kitchen is now fully stocked!
Remote? short of supplies? Pah!
Oh, and I don't like Reds. For those of you who don't know, Reds are very similar to Oranges, except they're Red, and I don't like them because they're difficult to eat.
Sunday 5 August 2012
Survival
The RMS has returned from Dry Dock, a day late, but still it's returned. I assume it has brought food - particularly the major food groups which we have run out of whilst the RMS has been away (Pizza and Onion).
Honestly, I stocked up so I wouldn't run out, but the only things the shops really ran out of were pizza and onion - and as I've posted previously, the onion was ordered, but not delivered. The propaganda was all wrong.
Honestly, I stocked up so I wouldn't run out, but the only things the shops really ran out of were pizza and onion - and as I've posted previously, the onion was ordered, but not delivered. The propaganda was all wrong.
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