Had a primary light failure at 80 feet on a harbor job in Seattle last Thursday.

The umbilical got pinched on a steel beam and the light just cut out, leaving me with just my backup. I had to feel my way back to the bell by touch and memory, which was not fun. What's your go-to check for umbilical routing before you drop in?

3 comments

3 Comments

wyatt7712mo ago

Holy crap, at 80 feet?

park.nathan2mo ago

Man, getting left in the dark like that sounds like a bad horror movie. My go-to is basically a full pat-down of that umbilical, like I'm looking for contraband. Gotta trace the whole path with my hands and make sure it's not gonna hug any sharp edges on the way down. That feeling your way back is the exact situation we're all trying to avoid.

seanh912mo ago

Yeah, that's a rough spot to be in. Honestly, the hand check @park.nathan mentioned is good, but for me it's more about the tender's job topside to keep it clear. Gotta trust your team to manage the line.