Ok.. So it has been a bit since I have updated the site, please bare with me as it has gotten quite busy for us here and the scarce availability of the internet has slowed down my posting ability.
South Africa was far from what I would call a success, but I was able to get off the ship for about 5 hours and get a decent meal and pick up some trinkets and gifts for my loved ones back in the States. Cape Town really was quite a modern town with all the same amenities as a regular city you would encounter in Anytown USA. The biggest problem with the whole port is that only 1/3 of the crew were able to get off the ship to enjoy even the slightest bit of liberty. That is bull crap if you ask me, piss poor planning on the part of the chain of command created an ‘Epic Fail’ port experience for 2/3 of of my shipmates. Yes, they were robbed of an entire country!
The economy of South Africa was decent enough to allow us to get some pretty decent deals. The exchange rate was about 7Rand to $1. I was able to score a very decent meal of steak with various appetisers and a nice big beer for around $11US. Not bad at all.
The funny thing though, is that after all the lectures, training, videos, and stern warnings on crew behavior the majority of the people out on liberty that I saw ‘misbehaving’ were senior enlisted and officer personnel. *but we are the ones to blame*.
All in all it was definately an experience. I can plant a flag on my map at home saying I have been somewhere else that would have never been had I not joined the Navy.
One month down…
Take care of yourselves… I remain
Haze Grey & Underway
~Jaybob
Greetings from chilly Cape Town South Africa!
I saw Cape Town...
That is the view that I have of our wonderful “Liberty Port” I believe that it is called Table Rock. We haven’t been off the ship yet and we have been here for two days so far. The sea’s are a bit too rough for us to get the liberty boats near so we are just sitting here… it is more of an anchorage stop rather than a liberty stop. Well, looking on the bright side, at least I am not spending any money, I am not getting mugged, and for sure I am not contracting some horrible disease such as Hepatitis B, Chlamydia, or HIV. See… there is really a rainbow in every single crappy cloud out there. 
Just thought you guys would like to see where I am. I can see it.
Take care.. I remain
Anchored in hell
~Jaybob
Ok.. Time for a little rant because after-all a bi#@hing Sailor is a happy Sailor.
I have been doing this little job here called the Navy for over 17 years and have managed to survive upon this spinning rock hurtling through space for 35 years but the way this man’s Navy treats it’s Sailors like children is bordering upon the ridiculous. Everyone knows that a Sailor lives for one thing while on a deployment…….. YES! LIBERTY! Time off the ship in a foreign port to explore and see all the things that he never would have seen if he would have stayed in his po-dunk little home town. This is supposed to be the trade-off for all those days and nights of hard work, sweat, and tears while at sea yet the Navy must control everything right down to the way people can do even that. Now I understand that this is a totally different world and definitely a different Navy than my grandfather sailed in… I understand that the global dynamic has shifted and that currently we are locked in conflict and that various countries and extremist groups would love to see American servicemen killed dead in the street, but sometimes these controls that they inflict upon us can be a bit draconian. I consider myself a reasonably responsible adult, I know “when to say when”, and I am fairly observant of my surroundings while in unfamiliar territory… but they foister these rules on us… such as…
- You must have “X” amount of people in your liberty party. (Ok.. I can understand that… safety in numbers I will buy that for a dollar)
- You must have one person designated as your non drinking shipmate.. oh and that person has to sign a form saying that he is not going to drink under penalty of the UCMJ (ummm again.. are we not adults? Can we not make sound decisions? We can sail the seven seas and defend America from all kinds of tyranny but can’t enjoy the simple freedom of a drink when we want it? And lets tack on your signature so we can fry you if you take a sip.)
- You have to be home by “X” time. ( I haven’t had a curfew since I was 17.)
- If one of your buddies gets in trouble and has to go “see the old man” about it, you will get charged for the same thing because you were his buddy and didn’t stop him.
- Then you will sign a contract stating you won’t get into trouble or you can not go on liberty.
OK.. STOP THE MADNESS! I understand the meaning and the intent, but the implementation is where it is lacking in the smarts department. Here is the deal, if a person has been identified as a risk on liberty then that is the time that you should start imposing most of these rules and stipulations. Do not apply a “One shoe fits all” policy to the entire crew. The kid that even back in the states goes out and gets plastered then drives back to the ship and gets caught… yes.. he needs to be controlled on liberty because chances are he is going to screw up again.. but to punish people who know how to conduct them selves in public is both demoralizing and wrong in my opinion. What initiative does this give people to excel and be a good conscientious American citizen and ambassador to the world when they know that they are just going to get treated like children anyways….
I don’t know.. perhaps I am completely wrong about this… what do you think? leave a comment and let me know.
Till later shipmates.. Take care of yourself and your shipmates
~Jaybob
@ Sea | Jaybob October 6, 2008 | 
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