Mintrop is no longer in the hands of WesternGeco (2001), the new and original name is now MV Bremen, see it at Atlantic Marine

 

This was a good trip, if you take away the difficulties during the start up and the shark attacks on the streamers. The sun was shining and the weather always came down after 12. The crew was some very nice and funny people. The departments were working really well together, trying to help each other out when there was a problem on the back deck. I have never seen a crew so fit either. "Everybody" were on the helideck after 12 o'clock mostly walking, but also playing football. 

Mintrop April 7th - May 12th 1999  

The trip started off in Port Said, preparing for the new streamer configuration while the pitch on the engine got fixed, before steaming down the Suez Canal.

There were loads of sections to change before we could put the streamers in the water, but when everything was in the water and the helideck was free of paravanes then we could BBQ and watch the sun go down.

It seemed that we had to plan for going out in the work boat every night. Reeling on a new section on to the work boat. One morning we left really early to go and fix some tail buoys and change a streamer section. A couple of occations we came back to the vessel after 12 and shift change. At one occation the other shift were waiting for us ready to take off the bad section we had changed and put on a new one for them to change. The day shift actually changed two sections that day.

Then the shark attacks on the streamers started to happen.  It was always around the birds and on the two outer streamers. Streamer 5 was the one with the most attacks.  The sharks in this area are Hammerhead shark and white tip shark and the closest diving area is the Brothers Island.

Crew change day is always welcome, some of the crew ended up in the pool with all clothes and shoes on. Some of us stayed an extra day in Cairo so it didn't matter, but for those ready for the airport and only one set of clothes on for the travel.....