31 Degrees of Fire: A Fast Ship

 31 days out of 42

 Bliss = a fast ship, when 42 days becomes 38!!!

 APL Philippines Update

Last Position Received

Area: Japan
Latitude / Longitude: 34.8632° / 140.2178° (Map)
Speed/Course 7.8 knots / 0˚
Last Known Port: YOKOHAMA
Info Received: 5d 9h 58min ago (AIS Source: 116)
Not Currently in Range
Itineraries History

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Voyage Related Info (Last Received)

Draught: 11.6 m
Destination: SAN PEDRO
ETA: 2012-12-26 06:30
Info Received: 2012-12-16 02:46 (4d, 4h 16min ago)

starwars.com

The Hero's Return- Crossing the Return Threshold Plus

1. The Crossing of the Return Threshold
   The trick in returning is to retain the wisdom gained on the quest, to integrate that wisdom into a human life, and then maybe figure out how to share the wisdom with the rest of the world. This is usually extremely difficult.
2. Master of the Two Worlds
   In myth, this step is usually represented by a transcendental hero like Jesus or Buddha. For a human hero, it may mean achieving a balance between the material and spiritual. The person has become comfortable and competent in both the inner and outer worlds.
3. Freedom to Live
   Mastery leads to freedom from the fear of death, which in turn is the freedom to live. This is sometimes referred to as living in the moment, neither anticipating the future nor regretting the past.   

 Joseph Campbell, A Hero with A Thousand Faces


The human hero struggles with these last stages of the journey.  We often can go out and get the job done, but when we return how do we live?  Do we even have the ceremony or pathway for the excellent deed doer.  The modern warrior does not return from Iraq or the Middle East with more wisdom, only the feeling to go back to battle. 

The Jypsy does know himself enough to say "hey when I am in ship mode, it can be hard transitioning, back into the world of people".  The honesty is a good place to start after you return from a harsh journey.  The Jypsy is often so focused on action that relaxing, calming oneself down so that he can enjoy all the rewards of such hard work, is not always easy.  Such extreme behaviors is hard to carry.  That is being on a ship, highly masculine environment, with no communication with family, friends and lovers.  Then on top of this you are in action mode for 35 plus days. 

The Boon, the wisdom, being atoned completely with yourself are the elements of the hero's return.  Essentially the purpose of all journeys is evolution of the individual as a dynamic being.  We are all on a path of discovery.  If you look closely you will notice the magic, the wise ones and the monsters all are present in your own journey.  We have a map that can help us attain some inner peace, but our scientific lifestyle is not the only element to our existence.  There are symbols and strange synchronicities that permeate our lives.  We are myth- makers which means we are designed to make up fictional pathways that mirror the human existence.  They are metaphors for the energies that exist in life.  These energies are the forces of nature, our own collective unconscious and potentials. 

First Degree of Separation: Shifting the Fire

 "The mythological hero, setting forth from his common day hut or castle, is lured, carried away, or else voluntarily proceeds, to the threshold of adventure.  There he encounters a shadow presence that guards that passage.  The hero may defeat or conciliate this power and go alive into the kingdom of the dark (brother-battle, dragon-battle; offering, charm), or be slain by the opponent and descend in death (dismemberment, crucifixion).  Beyond the threshold, then, the hero journeys through a world of unfamiliar yet strangely intimate forces, some of which severely threaten him (tests), some of which give magical aid (helpers).
                                                               - Joseph Campbell, Hero with a Thousand Faces




1st Degree of Separation- Shifting the Fire 
Day 1 of the 42 Days out at Sea

I am not sure how many degrees of separation the hero of this tale is experiencing right now, but it is significant.  The hero of this tale is on his way to Dutch Harbor, Alaska traveling on the APL- Philippines Cargo Vessel.  He is the first engineer, a sailor and wander in the first degree of fire. If passion exist then he has it.  If spirit exists he has this also.    

Joseph Campbell explains that the first stage of the Hero's journey is separation, but there are stages within stages.

• The Call to Adventure
• Supernatural Aid--protective figure supplies amulet (or whatever)
• The Crossing of the First Threshold--encounter with guardian/monster
• The Belly of the Whale--womb-image/self-annihilation

  Does the modern merchant marine experience these stages?  I would say yes.  Now my particular hero is a bit different than your permanent career first engineer.  He does not have a particular ship that he has a permanent position on.  This allows him to have his own schedule and to pursue his other hobbies and interests.  This particular hero is also known as the Jypsy for this reason.  He might be the ultimate shifter between worlds.  I have to be honest and say this makes him much more attractive, because he dictates his own destiny, and is able to withstand the unknown even more than your average 9 to 5 suit. 

The Call in most literature and movies revolves around some mysterious problem or call to adventure. It is the move from the known world to the unknown.  It is a psychological shift of going beyond your normal routine. My muse has to pay the bills, but I think his inner desire for intensity and adventure prompts him to go out to sea in probably one of the most intense and difficult jobs on the planet.  As a first engineer he is responsible for an engine room that is the size of two 2000 sq. foot houses including the backyard and front yard.  With Crossing of the First Threshold, he deals with a monster engine of 40,000 horse power. It hums and spits out oil and other juices.  Sometimes breaking down or acting up with a storm comes or when maneuvering in and out of ports.  Within the first five days out at sea he must do an oil change because of California fuel regulation.  That means every time you port in a California, he must shift the oil without spilling it in the ocean.  Spilling oil in the ocean is federal crime and he will be arrested.  He assures me that this is an ongoing worry of his.  For example, he explains that one time somewhere on the ship he heard the word spill over the radio.  He proceeded to freak out and shut down everything in the engine room, especially the emergency shut off line.  He had to investigate the source of the spill fearing the worst.  He finally found the guy who was talking on the radio.  One of the crew had knocked over a bucket on board that had spilled something.  I don't think it was even oil.  The coast guard had heard the radio transmission also and decided to do a fly by of this vessel.  It is a very intense environment.  

The Belly of the Whale is the last part of the separation stage, as most sailors finally let go of land.  That is they finally submit to the ship world, and remain in her belly for the duration of the journey.  They begin to have that ship-secluded existence.  They become more introvert, non communicative.  They are an intense heightened state, a surreal world that is foreign yet familiar.  Whoever they were on land matters no more out at sea.  The ship is everything.  Their identification his only as the engineer that will fix or break the monster.  The ship essentially swallows them, and for us back at home, it is as if they have died.  American ships especially do not help in this regard.  There is no communication and so hero feels that they have been kidnapped.  Family does not know one single event until 42 days later when the hero returns and can explain their life.

The Jypsy hero has been a Marine Engineer for six years or more.  With so many journeys he has attained supernatural aid in the form of intuition and practice.  Although he would deny any supernatural forces helping him in these very intense moments, I do believe they are there.  Now this is my bias not his.  

 Sing in me, Muse, and through me tell the story
of that man skilled in all ways of contending,
the wanderer, harried for years on end,
after he plundered the stronghold
on the proud height of Troy.
                                           He saw the townlands
and learned the minds of many distant men,
and weathered many bitter nights and days
in his deep heart at sea, while he fought only
to save his life, to bring his shipmates home.
                          
                                       The Odyssey