Stately progress

Waiting a little distance off the Elgin complex. 

There's a seismic survey vessel working in the area, and every time it comes past it takes precedence over every other boat in the field.  We all have to down tools and move out of the safety zones around the platforms for a couple of hours as it creeps past.

Partly, it's that it costs far more to hire by the day than the other boats.   But, it's also that it's towing 6km long 'streamers' that record the sound waves, created by it's 'guns', returning from out of the seabed. 

As it moves past, onboard here it's like being in a Uboat that's being depth-charged.  Every 15 seconds or so there's a dull 'whump' and the floor and walls vibrate.  Luckily I sleep like the dead so I've not noticed it off shift, but there are more than a few tired looking faces around today.