As you've probably seen, I have something with the sea. That's not so strange because I spend much of my time off there working as hydrographic surveyor on rockdumping vessels. Hydrography? Survey?? Look here what that is.
Rock is dumped to protect pipelines laying on the seabed or to make pipeline supports or for platform foundations. Also umbilicals and cables sometimes need rock protection. A dull job? Not at all. It's always a surprise to see the condition of the seabed before the job can start. And nature of course goes it's own way. It's always fighting against current, wind and waves. But also against technical breakdowns, generally occurring at the most inconvenient moments. Or against ourselves, people who always make mistakes. We never can win from these, no matter how eager we are. Because work is always done at sea, problems must be solved on the spot.

Taking a faulty PC to the computershop is not possible of course. This gives an extra dimension to this kind of work. But most interesting is always again working together with so many different people and characters. From various nationalities and disciplines. Colleagues on board and colleagues ashore. Client representatives on board and on shore. All with one common goal: dump the rock as efficient and accurate as possible.
In short: rockdumping is fun!

Until 19th January 2004. When the Rocknes capsized and 18 colleagues passed away. This turned my life upside down. And that of many others...

Interested? Have a look at the links on the start page or the photo page

Or surf to www.rockdumping.eu and www.nordnes.nl