Photo Dump

08 August 2012

Welcome back to All @ Sea!, my effort to illustrate in my own words and images what it is like to live and work in the great ships.  My name is Tom Epps, I’m 50 years young and a veteran of 24 years’ service in the United States Navy plus nearly 8 years sailing in the US Merchant Marine, in the Gulf of Mexico “oil patch” and the Navy’s Military Sealift Command (MSC).  Currently I am working aboard USNS Joshua Humphreys, a replenishment oiler operating in the Persian Gulf region; her job is to provide USN and Allied warships with fuel, water, food and other stores that keep them sailing and carrying out their missions.

 HMS Diamond On Approach...

...And Alongside USNS Joshua Humphreys

Diamond Receives Fuel From T-AO 188

 

I would like to thank All Hands for the kind comments I’ve received in recent months about my postings and photographs as I’ve sailed in Joshua Humphreys; our voyage has carried us from the northern Persian Gulf south to the Horn of Africa and north to Suez, and it has been a busy and rewarding cruise.  Now, however, the time is come to say “farewell” to Humphreys and her fine crew; my tour of duty here is done and this coming weekend I ought to be flying back to the States for some R&R before the next voyage begins.  A few months of leave and some refresher training, and who knows where my next missive might originate!

French Frigate Guepratte On "Plane Guard"

I will of course be continuing to post on the All @ Sea! Blog (gloriousseas.blogspot.com) while ashore—there are plenty of sea-stories yet to tell, after all!  I’ll also continue with my “Weekend Astronomy” bulletins when interesting stargazing opportunities present themselves—and there just happens to a good ‘un this weekend.  Stay Tuned!

 

Frigate HNLMS  Evertsen makes a handsome approach!

Evertsen's Lynx helo snaps our photo!

I’m going to close out this voyage with a few photos of ships that have come alongside for fuel in recent weeks.  In actuality this represents only a small fraction of our recent “business”, but I don’t always have the luxury of time to take photos of the ships that avail themselves of our services. (occasionally I actually work…)  I hope you will enjoy these images!

Tom Epps

Able Seaman

USNS Joshua Humphreys

Persian Gulf

And we close this voyage with the powerful South Korean frigate Wang Geon...