Longshoreman

[McGiver]

decided it is about time to take some pictures and describe what a longshoreman does.

the other noght i picked up my usual: heavy lift, and got elevated to a hatch boss.
i took some pictures aboard the container ship.


the crane's spreader using the guide rails to go down into the hold to pick a container laod.


hooking on to the load.


hoisting.
notice that in this case it has picked twin 20 foot containers


another discharged container.? heading out towards the hi-line to an awaiting UTR (semi-tractor)


Last night i picked up a heavy lift job rehandling chassis.? the following picture is the lift i was using and a hoisted chassis.



and this is how we stack them in huge rows.? the reason for the stacking is because of space.? there is not enough space available in a typical container yard so they stack the chassis and containers, since space is a scarce resource.



i just like heavylift jobs because i am generally 'turned to' and left alone.? i don't have anybody watching over me, calling me on the radio, or trying to be my friend.? i get left alone, to do what i have to do.
also, chassis are my least favorite heavylift jobs.? i usually take general cargo jobs.? which is taking cargo from the ship in bulk.? no containers.? the cargo is generally bundled or loose pipe, steel coils, other forms of steel, lumber, tires, etc...

in the future i will take some pictures of this process and add to the container discharge operation, as well as the dockwork portion.

[CuriousPrimate]

Do you prefer working day or night?

[McGiver]

nights.

first off i have always been a night person.
and secondly, its like giving yourself a 33% pay raise, since nights pays 1/3 more than days.

also days are a hell hole in the summertime.

[Postperson]

i like the docks, it's my fave part of town here. We do woodchip and wheat shipping - get some cruise ships in summer and occasionally navy. We had some huuuuge cruise ship come in, like seven stories high or something and half the town turned out to watch, lol. not much else to do here.

[McGiver]

yes the Queen Mary 2 recently made a stop in san pedro.  and the place was like a freakin zoo.

Long Beach owns the oringinal Queen Mary and they can't even pay people to see it.

whats the big deal with large cruise ships and public interest?

[QuirkyCarla]

You're not in any of the pictures! 

[Postperson]

what's the deal with large cruise ships and public interest?

well they disemark here usually a half day thing, and they spend lotsa money on tourist stuff, snacks, taxis, wineries whatever, so it's like money docking in the harbour!

[McGiver]

ah, i see.
it is a small profit for our fair cities as compared to other revenue sources.

the qeen mary and queen elizabeth 2 both take two full work shifts to load.

Quirky Carla,
 i am the one taking the pictures.  remember i enjoy jobs of solitude.  i will have someone take pictures with me in them next time the opportunity arises (so you have new avatar selections).

[Sanityisoverrated]

So you must be really good at those claw machines where you have to pick up stuffed toys and other assorted prizes?

[McGiver]

the trick is to be the crane.
you've got to visualize and beeeee the crane.
anybody can do it.

[McGiver]

sorry i haven't updated my little saga.

but i haven't been to work in 5 days.
no one cares, i am not missed.

in 2004 i simply chose not to go to work for 3 months.  and there was a job waiting for me when i got back.  the nice thing is that you don't have to ask permission not to work.  if you don't feel like it, you just don't show up. clean, simple, efficient.  freedom is great.

i will go back to work tomorrow.  i have been doing some work around the house:
*simplifying my electric schedule from the panel to the point that it enters the home.
*installing a timed delay switch in the bathroom for a new vent fan i just put up
*other household odds and ends that i have been putting off for far too long.

[Peter]

Are you proud of and satisfied with your job?  Do you feel that you've done an honest day's work when you get home?

[McGiver]

yes.
yes.

and i feel oft times that i have done more than an honest work for my pay.i feel that perhaps too much work done is screwing someone else out of a good job with benefits.

[McGiver]

i picked up a transtainer job last night.  it is a mobile crane that strads a row of containters and you can pick them up one at a time or dig one out to get the desired one for delivery.

we put them on chassis to be taken to some central freight station at an of dock location.

here is a crappy picture that i took last night.  its the blue structure.



it was highly nerve racking at first.  these are huge structures and have run over and maimed and killed several people.  after a little time up there i got comfy and actually did a pretty decent job, for a virgin.


this is a picture of my feet, looking down, from inside the cab of the trans.





the thing between my legs is the spreader, which actually hooks onto the container below with locking pins in all four corners.

[Leto729]

So why do You like being a Longshoreman?