AFM dry docked in Durban!

Well, it goes without saying that I am now back with Mercy Ships after a lovely three-and-a-half week break home in Cape Town, South Africa. It was great to see family and friends as well as visit my home church and do a presentation there. It was also wonderful to meet our new family dog, Flicka, (pictured just below) and reconnect with my nephews who have grown so much! (Pictured at left.)


Here with Mercy Ships I am based at the off-ship location of Appelsbosch, in the heart of the KwaZulu-Natal midlands. This is where those crew who are non-technical are situated. I don't have many photos of Appelsbosch to put up right now (they will come soon enough), but I do have photos of the Africa Mercy in dry dock in Durban. I went out to the ship on purser business and snapped these pictures earlier today.

AFM in the Durban graving dock.

The whole weight of the ship is supported by hundreds of these little wooden blocks! Also visible in this shot is our bow rudder, which is no longer used.

The starboard bow thrusters.

It's a very deep dry dock!

The bow of the ship.

One of the holes the shipyard has cut in the side of the ship for the generators.

Another view of the hole in the ship... Would be a bad idea to fill the dry dock now!

All the way aft and you have the propellers and rudders.

Instead of going into Deck 5, the Gangway is forced to use Deck 7.

Looking forward from the Gangway.

One of our gurkhas, Chitra, at the main entrance.

There is a lot of work happening here on the Bridge!

And this is the main engine room, where you can see the hole they have cut for the generators.

Even the Midships Lounge has been transformed... into a Nursery for the plants!

A view of the AFM from the road.