long time....

i know it has been a very long time sinc i have put anything up on my blog but... this import has been so very super busy. we have been working on getting our boat ready to head back out to sea! i has been very long hot days but the boat looks great! i will put up more about my adventures as soon as i get the next chance! i am looking forward to hearing from all of you while i am out at sea!

memorial day

this memorial day was so much fun! i was able to go to the beach with some friends and relax all day! we had a bbq and went for a dip in the nice warm water! we also went to the minimal regatta (boat races). it was such an awsome day! thank you for all your prayers and support for my brothers and sisters in the military as well as myself. without all of your support we would not be able to do our jobs!

an old railroad bridge

my real good friend aaron

the best part of key west

me...!

a crab!

iguana

our boat...lost to...

...a drag queen!

visit from the parents

a few weeks a go my mom and dad took a long weekend and come to Key West! we had a blast. they were able to meet the Cpt. of the base, they were able to tour my boat, and they were able to meet a lot of officers on my boat including my Cpt. they met a lot of my friends (who were from CA) and we all went to dinner at the best mexican place here (salsa locas). while they were here we also toured around the island. ha ha we rode around on a little train for a few hours learning about the island and its history. i am glad they were here to do it cause i dont think that is something i would have just done on my own or gotten anyone else to do with me. on Sunday before they left we went to the church i have been attending (as much as i can) and then went to brunch for mothers day! we had a blast! even though the heat and humidity took a lot out of my mom she says she is already planning a trip back!

me and mom outside my base

me and dad by my boat (he calls a cruise ship)

sunset...every night!

me by my "cruise ship"

boot camp

the hardest 8 weeks of my life. i went to boot camp jan. 14 and graduated mar. 14. how i can describe bootcamp...cold! being in Cape May, NJ in the middle of winter is very cold. it was hard academically and physically. i had great company commanders who inspired me to give everything that i had! i got a lot of letters from friends and family! it helped me get through boot camp knowing that i was making everyone back home so proud!

mom, Master Chief Dykema (lead company commander) me and dad!

the first time i met baby James

me, sean, james and sandy!

my new home

Key West, FL....wow! i cant express how much i just love my new home! Station Vacation as we like to call it! My time here so far has been spent working and enjoying all the extra activities there are to do here such as swimming, wave runners, speer fishing, scuba diving, shopping and so much more! Us coasties are always having a good time!

the water is amazing!

underway

my first trip underway was only 9 days long. myself and 3 other shipmates drove to Miami, FL to meet up with our ship there. As soon as we got underway from Miami we got right to work. There are so many qualifications and tests to do before making the next pay grade. We have a helm ( driving the boat) and lookout (describes itself) as our first test we have on our boat. We also have inport security qualifications and DC (damage control) qualifications we have to do. We also have to draw the fire main on our boat.

all our qualification packets

our DC qualification packet

work, work, work

Since we have been back in port we have been working very hard on making our boat look its best! We just finished the port (left) side...scrubbing running rust, sanding, priming, and painting. I lucked out because now i mess cooking (helping the cooks with whatever they need) for 30 days! Right now our galley (kitchen) is closed because we are doing a lot of maintence (remodeling) and cleaning, getting ready to go back underway!

helping fix one of our small boats!

full of paint...but still cool!

a shipmate i graduated boot camp with!