String of Pearls

You heard it here first! the String of Pearls have recorded a wonderful collection of tunes. I was fortunate enough to be asked by the Pearls to turn a few knobs on the project. A special thanks to David & David for making it happen in such a relaxed and inspiring manner. I look forward to being involved in future projects that include so many talented people!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjYkETgiuiY

Barbados Prison...the cells

Recently someone asked me about the cells in the new Barbados prison. This is a typical 3 man cell with just enough room to turn around in. There's a stainless steel toilet and sink with a steel mirror attached to the wall.

note: no flatscreen tv's! just 2 other snoring, farting room mates to keep you company

this cell is in the female wing

Chester wondering what it'd be like. This is a cell for one lucky permanent resident. Yup, solitary confinement in maximum security. Can you imagine twenty or thirty years living between those 4 walls??At the end of the corridor in this cell block is the room with trap door and hangmans noose. And then out the back door is the cemetary!

this is maximum security recreation area and will have fencing on all four sides and roof plus asphalt pad making escape impossible. The blue door on the far left is where the deceased will be brought out to the cemetary for burial.

Not the kind of place I'd want to 'hang' around very long. To make matters worse, the sewage lagoon is up wind of the facility and theres a constant breeze!

Svetlana from Omsk

Svetlana worked on the Sakhalin 1 project with me and I have very fond memories of her. She likes to travel and has been to Thailand and Turkey. She lives in central Siberia in a city called Omsk and commutes to work on Sakhalin. I keep reminding her that Canada has some wonderful sights too and she needs to come for a visit. Plus, we don't have snowbanks like that where I live!

Jet off Starboard..somewhere over South Korea

Just because I like this photo! Starting the descent into Incheon after the 4 hour flight from Yuzhno Sakhalinsk. The sky was so beautiful and then the other plane appeared. Just a magical moment.

room full of mirror's

This scene never ceased to amaze me every time I rode the train on Sakhalin Island from Yuzhno to Nogliki.I suppose over the course of those 2 years travelling the route I spent about 250 hours on this train and several of those hours were spent gazing into the infinite mirrors.It was just such a weird scene but so very cool and mind bending. No need for drugs on this train... just stare into the mirror!

Banks Brewery

Well folks, the sign says it all. Banks, exactly! Now I may be way off on my calculations but I'm thinking between the 10 or so expats on this project we must have polished off one or more of these tanks! Its true that some of us drank the occasional Carib beer and of course Mt. Gay and Cockspur rums were also popular and CHEAP!!! Come to think of it you could very easily become an alcoholic in Barbados without trying very hard or spending a lot of money! Having a bad day at the office?? Mt Gay to the rescue! A few shots of sugarcane brandy and the world is a happy place again! Trust me, it works!

Hobbit Heaven

Richard G was my assistant on the Barbados Prison Project and we spent countless enjoyable hours together. One day we decided to check out the ravine where the monkeys lived and discovered this old bridge that was covered in vines and just seemed like the perfect hobbit house. Upon entering we could hear this peculiar clicking sound coming from the other end. I had visions of big spiders or snakes but Richard assured me there was nothing that would harm us so we carefully made our way through the tunnel towards the sound. On the floor we discovered these Soldier Crabs engaged in battle or love, not sure which. The crabs find these old shells to call home till they get too big and have to move out and find a different shell. 

ah, the life of a crab under the bridge where its cool and shaded

Soldier Crabs busy doing what Soldier Crabs do. Pinching and pulling each other around till somebody gets hungry and bored. What a life!

Fixer upper

This abandoned house is across the street from friends of mine in Bridgetown and I thought it would make a good fixer upper project.....until I peeked around the side and discovered the house had no roof.

So much for that idea.

so...back to the beach at Worthing for a snorkel and cold Banks beer.

2 terrorist attacks Aug24,2004 and I'm on a flight INTO Russia...oops

August 24,2004 was not a good day to be flying from Domodedova Airport, Moscow. Chechen suicide bombers brought down 2 planes that day. Flight 1303 was en route to Volgograd and Flight 1047 was headed to Sochi. I was also in the air that day and headed into Russia from Seoul, South Korea. Sometimes its best to not know all the details and just carry on with your travels. Days later on August 31 the Moscow subway was bombed and 1o people died. Then on September 1, 2004 we were notified of a hostage crisis in Beslan. Little information was provided and we had limited access to TV news coverage. The Russian military was surrounding our camp as this was the largest foreign investment project in Russia and rumour was that the Chechen rebels might try to attack the project. After several days the Russian military launched an assault on the school where the rebels were holding the hostages. I believe 335 people were killed and many of those were school children. I think we were all pretty nervous about what was happening especially when we considered the significance of the project we were working on and how it could be a target for political purposes. I was glad to have the Russian military patrolling the perimeter of the camp and security was tight at the gate. Even the unmanned blimp that seemed to be photographing us was welcomed. I do remember having the 'what if' discussion with several expats just so we would be prepared in case of a terrorist attack. Who had access to weapons? what container would provide the greatest protection? where was fuel stored? things of this nature. It was early in the project and we had no idea the Russian Mafia had such a presence onsite. Looking back on it now from the security of home there's little chance a group of rebels could have penetrated the camp. The landscape and presence of the FSB made infiltrating very difficult.

Entry into and out of Chayvo was controlled by security personal at this gate. It was annoying to have them rummaging through your luggage searching for alcohol and weapons but the staff were respectful and most of us appreciated their diligence in keeping trouble outside the gates.Security checkpoint at Chayvo.

my boot story

ok.... I have to tell my boot story! I bought these Red Wing boots in Nelson for the Sakhalin 1 project in Russia that I was assigned to during summer of 2004. They were the most comfortable boots I've ever owned and over the course of the first 6 week rotation in Chayvo those boots and I put on many miles. Upon returning home after the rotation I went to the shoe store where I'd bought them to purchase boot grease so they would be waterproof for the next rotation. The lady looked at me and then asked 'are you the fellow who bought those Red Wings a couple months ago?' My reply was 'yes, those are the most comfortable boots I have ever owned!' She started to laugh then replied 'did you find yourself stumbling alot?' I said no, the boots are excellent. She then said ' you better check your boots when you get back to camp to confirm the right boot isn't a size 13 and the left a size 9 1/2.' I laughed and said 'there's no way the right boot could be size 13! I'd be tripping and stubbing my toe if that was the case. I put on way too many miles in those boots to not notice such a size difference between them!'

to make a long story short: when I arrived back in Chayvo the first thing I did was check the boots. I nearly fell over when I compared the two and realized the right boot was a couple inches longer than the left! Then, of course, I had to work for 6 weeks in the odd sized boot! Now that I was aware of the size difference I seemed to be stumbling and tripping over everything! When I returned to Nelson I took the boots into the store and the lady howled when she saw them. She gave me the proper fitting right boot but now after 12 weeks of work the left boot was scuffed and worn so here I was with a brand new right boot and a scuffed up left boot! So she offered to polish up the left boot and she did such a good job I had almost matching boots. Of course by then it was winter in Chayvo so we were wearing snowboots! The Red Wings sat on the shelf till spring but provided endless chuckles throughout the winter for all of us. The boots survived Russia and then spent 2 years on the hard Marro ground in Barbados till the heels broke apart and I had to retire them. I left them for a Bajan to repair and I bet they are still being worn. So thats my Red Wing boot story!

Cohiba Cigars

the House of Cuban Cigar shop at the Careenage, Bridgetown

One of the many pleasures of living in Barbados was going down to my favorite cigar shop in Bridgetown on Saturday afternoon and picking up a pack of Cohiba mini cigars. The little Cuban lady who ran the shop was always so happy to see me. We'd chat about our respective nations and I'd always come away from her shop with a smile on my face. The little mini cigars were perfect for late night chat's on the deck with neighbour Phil. We'd listen to the frog's chirping and watch the firefly's dancing across the night sky while indulging in a cohiba or two.

Albert the dog 1998-????

Albert on our favorite trail.

on the morning of Friday July 31, 2009 Albert the dog went for his usual walk around the property to check on cat activity and other critters who may have crossed paths during the night. When he hadn't returned by 10am I became concerned that something wasn't right. He hadn't eaten his breakfast which was unusual for Albie. He does like an early morning stroll down the road to see 'lil dog' (neighbor Moe) so I went over to check. No sign of Albert. I walked down to the highway expecting the worse but again no sign. I checked the ditches and the beach because its been hot and maybe he decided to go for a swim.Then I remembered the neighbor who likes to shoot dogs if they step on her property. I walked a mile down Longbeach Road but again no sign of Albie despite my whistling and calling. So I headed home. I worked Friday night and expected to find Albert tucked into his favorite cool spot in the backyard upon my arrival at 10pm. Nope, no sign of Albert. Saturday I did the same walk checking ditches and the lake for any sign of him. Again Sunday and Monday I went back to my previous house on Kokanee Landing Road and to the park to see if he'd wandered over to visit the dog beach. No sign of him anywhere. My neighbor Barb had called the SPCA to report Albie missing and Tuesday morning they called to inform me that no dogs had been turned in missing that matched Albert's description. Its been 4 difficult days coming to terms with the thought of losing my buddy who's been with me since January 1998. I think the hardest part is not knowing what happened to him. Thursday night I had groomed him after our walk and his collar was not put on properly. Friday morning I found his collar on the lawn so he had no identification. Anybody finding him would figure he was a stray and this is what I think happened......

for days I've been going out to the backyard and checking his favorite snoozing spot under the deck where its cool and sheltered. I must have checked 6 times today and no sign of him. About 2 pm I heard a noise in the back and figured the cats were wrestling and one of them had jumped off the deck. As I was heading down the steps I noticed someone had taken a big drink from Albert's water bowl. I was SHOCKED to see 2 beautiful brown eyes staring out at me from beneath the deck. Albert was back!! My eyes must have looked like saucers as I crawled under the deck to touch him and confirm I wasn't hallucinating. Nope, it was Albert! The neighbors must think I've lost my mind as I jumped around and cheered. I don't know what happened to Albert or where he's been but I know he's come a long way and must not have slept for some time. He came out to greet me and is very wobbly on his legs. I gave him some food and he just wolfed it down so he hasn't eaten either. Once both of us had settled down I gave him a bone and he lay down on the lawn and slowly chewed. Bones are his 'thing'.....

I sit here thanking GOD and the universe for returning my little buddy from where ever he's been. I just wish he could tell me the whole story! I learned a good lesson about collars. This also reaffirmed how much I love Albert and how important he is in my life and how many good memories we've shared. I also truly appreciate the support I've got from friends who helped me come to terms with the thought of never seeing him again while staying positive and not to give up on a happy ending. Thank you all!!! Albert's sleeping now and I'm going to go have a nap too! We've both earned a rest.....:-)

Empire Theater in Bridgetown Barbados

The Empire Theater is located on Probyn Street in Bridgetown. The limestone and brick building was built by a consortium in 1922 and featured live theater, vaudeville acts, and motion pictures. In the 1940's it was owned by the British Colonial Film Exchange. The theater was closed in 1975 and gradually deteriorated until 2007 when the Barbados government announced a $10 million restoration plan. The restored structure will become the home of the National Company for Performing Arts.

most of the stonework appears intact. Some of the woodwork can be restored or used as patterns for replacement

there used to be large round limestone globes sitting on each of those pedestals

wonderful stonework and woodworking

inside the theater

Siberia to the Caribbean....:-)

I left the Russian Far East in December 2005 and took a month off then got posted by Commonwealth Veco to Barbados in the Caribbean. Veco had a contract to build a prison for the Bajan Government and I was hired as project field engineer to look after the layout of 15 buildings, utilities, fencing, retention ponds, sewage lagoons, roads, sidewalks. Actually I was hired to go down and monitor the survey company that was subcontracted to do project layout but after a couple weeks it became evident that my assistant and I were going to be doing all the layout. That was fine by me and I spent the next 20 months doing what I love to do. It was a bit of a challenge to go from the cool Siberian climate to hot tropical but after a month the body acclimatizes. Here is a photo of the pool taken from my rear deck where I'd sit at night and listen to the frog's chirping and watch the firefly's dance across the sky. Phil Elliot who worked in Russia with me was on this project. We'd visit in the evening and solve all the world's problems while smoking a good Cuban Cohiba. What a life!
I had a little green friend that would visit me in the evenings. It would scurry in the window and across the ceiling. Sometimes I'd follow it outside and watch it climb the coconut tree. We always seemed to be eye to eye. I miss little greenie......

Yastreb, Russian for Hawk

Yastreb, Russian for hawk is the world's most powerful drill rig. It stands 230 feet (75m) high and will drill up to 20 extended-reach-drilling wells 5 to 6 miles horizontally under the Sea of Okhotsk to a depth of 8500 feet. The rig is land based and designed to withstand the earthquakes that frequent this area. The Sea of Okhotsk is frozen for 4 months of the year necessitating this land-based rig. In 2007 the project set a world record when extended-reach-drilling well Z-11 reached 11.282 meters (37.014 ft). That record was broken in early 2008 with well Z-12 reaching 11.680 meters (38.320 ft). The Chayvo field contains 17 of the world's 30 longest extended-reach-drilling wells.

Aerial view of the dredging operation

The harbour was constructed to accomodate the barges that carried the modules from South Korea to Chayvo

This photo shows the route the pipeline will follow to the DeKastri terminal for export

Flare Lift Oct. 1, 2005

October 1, 2005 was a flare raising experience for ECC-Veco at Chayvo. After several long days of planning it was time to get the flare stack off the ground and into the air. Conditions were perfect with clear skies and no wind. Two triple 9's and one triple 8 cranes were used to lift the flare onto the 24 giant bolts that secure the flare base to the pedestal. ECC-Veco's survey crew had painstakingly laid out the bolt patterns, checking and rechecking because there was no room for error. In less than 2 hours Chayvo's skyline was changed forever and for those of us who had arrived in Chayvo when it was nothing more than a big empty grass field this was a milestone. A lot of hard work was finally paying off and we were fortunate to be in Chayvo at that moment to witness it. The flare base slid perfectly onto the 24 bolts and if there had been champagne available this would have been the time to uncork a bottle or two!
The Flare Stack in position and ready to be raised

About 60 minutes into the lift

Free standing Oct. 2, 2005

The Flare Pedestal and 24 bolts securing it to the massive concrete foundation

I got to meet and work with so many wonderful people on the Sakhalin 1 Project

It was a privilege to work on a project of this scale and significance but it was an even greater honor to work with so many wonderful people. Here are a some of those people.

Nicholay, Bruce, and Svetlana

Vasily

the carpenters who worked so tirelessly on the TEG building

Andre

a group photo taken outside the Veco office

hey, there's me watching the flare stake get raised

every birthday was celebrated with a beautiful cake. This time its Michael's turn.

Bruce from Canada, Igor from Russia, and Ted from America

Michael and Natasha having coffee break

Igor and Nicholay

Veronika

Rob and Svetlana

Natasha and myself at the TEG building during layout of the concrete pedestals. Our crew set 450 bolts within 2mm tolerance and only had one bolt out of place which they were able to drill in after the concrete set. What a professional group of surveyors I had the priveldge of working with.

It got cold in November 2005. The goggles came in handy when the dust storms hit.

Andre relaxing

the other Andre surveying the heavy haul road

oops, same group photo

Clay had a birthday in Chayvo too

Ivan and Nicholay checking out the new camera

Anatoli peeling an apple on the train. On one of the trips to Yuzhno Anatoli came to my compartment and we shared a shot of vodka in the dark. That was such a special moment and one I shall never forget. Neither of us could speak the others language but that didn't matter. Thanks Big Boss Man!

Anatoli bought a new hat while home in Kharbarosk. It don't get much more Russian than that fur hat!