I found out just the other day that this could be my new boat. I just recently transferred out of Infield Data Processing to become a Field Geophysicist which meant moving 2 chairs down the bench but doing a job that is not so narrow in scope as processing. Field Geo takes all the information of the acquisition, navigation and makes sure all is good and acceptable for acceptance by the clients. It's a broader scope which fits in more with my general knowledge of seismic.
I had hoped to stay with my boss Steve and learn from his almost 30 years in the industry before crewing even thought of giving me my own boat. Now I find out, the last to know naturally, that after two and a half weeks in my new role I am possibly to be made the head honcho on this bulbous "beauty??", named after an explorer, Amundsen, who, whilst I admire his achievements (first through the NW Passage, first to the South Pole) I do not admire as a person. I never met the guy but can have an opinion right? I've read enough about him.Seems like he was a bit of a git.
The reason for the transfer is not due to my superb abilities, I know, I know, I'm brilliant, but legal aspects of our contract here in Brasil. To get work down in Brazil, the government insists that after a certain period of time we must have 30% Brazilians on the crew. After a year 60%!! This happened in Mexico also.
I remember well the day when a Mexicano official came on board and said what a great day for Mexico it was and how thrilled they were that we were there. Then he proceeded to say how they would be having 50% of the crew Mexican. We were aghast. What about us? So we got Mexicans. Trainees all of them. We trained them up and 2 years later when the ship left Mexico they all left the boat. So much time training them to a point where they were useful and then we go to Canada and they all bog off.
It's the same down here in Brazil. We get these trainees who speak poor English, so not only do we have to train them in the ways of seismic but also how to communicate. Most are here in a specific program lasting 3 years after which they will probably go in to the office on shore. 3 years of training them about seismic, the sea and English. Most don't even try to integrate into the crew. One in particular has no interest in being on the boat and can't wait to leave.
So back to me. Because the Amundsen is off to the North Sea and have a Brazilian Field Geo who is only there for percentages, the Neptune has two of the same grade and a new-hire Brazilian with a cocky attitude and airs and graces about himself that he's a brilliant geophysicist who can recite formulae but needs to cut and paste from Wikipedia for his training modules, I get shoved off. Shoved off the Neptune??? I have been on here for 8 years. I am one of three on this crew who have stayed since the beginning. I loaded gear, bolted monitors, ran network cables and overseen upgrades in dock. I have been through a lot on here. It is my second home, and now crewing behind my back are surreptitiously moving me to a smaller, uglier boat. I don't care if it's new. The Explorer class boats SUCK according to anyone who has been on them. And why? Because of my ethnicity? My 'misfortune' not to be Brazilian? Just Google "little brazil gort". I believe Brazilians were welcomed with open arms in Ireland. Well I'm up in arms in Brazil agus sin e.
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