So here's my quick guide to closing out a tank:
1. Ask how big the tank is. This will determine how much time you need to put aside. Depending on the size of the tank, it could take a few minutes to a few hours.
2. Figure out where it's located. Now this is very important. You have to add in time to reach the tank, especially if it involves climbing down several decks' worth of ladders. Also very few tanks are easily accessed. Usually because we're trying to do this whole warship thing and preserve space, we put pipes and fittings and other equipment around the access covers. This is where I evaluate whether I can even get into the tank.
3. Outfit appropriately. Tank diving is not the time to wear your favorite pair of coveralls, unless you want to break them in. And for the love of everything, don't even think of doing this in NWU's. A headlamp is super useful because it frees up both hands to pull yourself into and out of tight spaces. I ALWAYS carry a second light on me though after banging my only flashlight and it going out... in the middle of a huge tank.
4. Stretch... It's like yoga or urban spelunking as I like to think of. You are going to use muscles you don't normally use in weird body contortions.
5. Empty your pockets of everything, minus the aforementioned flashlight. The more stuff you have in your pockets, the more stuff you can leave behind in a tank. I always bring my phone with me though so I can document the condition of the tank (and perhaps snap a few selfies along the way). Plus, with me, the less stuff I have in my pockets, the less bruises I end up with.
6. Have fun! Do your best to not freak out how you're in the middle of a huge cavern where maybe one other person can hear you cry if you get stuck... Or how even though we've been ventilating these fuel tanks for weeks, there's still a slightly overwhelming smell of fuel... Or how if you fumble with your headlamp, it's complete darkness waiting for you... Or if you crawl under that obstruction, will you have enough strength to pull yourself out?
7. Be prepared to explain what "tank diving" is to every person you meet on the street later because you will get strange looks when covered from bruises all over your legs and arms. Every male friend I've been out with since then usually gets glares from complete strangers as people assume he's beating me. Because trust me, when it comes to steel v. human being, the steel always wins.
Even the subcontractors have mentioned that I've "evolved" to be a perfect Cheng as I am small, aren't scared of the dark (that they know of), and have fun doing so.
But there has been one tank that even I could not fit in. I am sure I could have fit, but I just could not get over/under pipe hangers/fittings to get into the tank. I tried several different ways/means, watched the contractors who cleaned the tank get in there and tried to copy their routes. But in the end, I was defeated. That doesn't mean that no one else goes in there. It just meant I had to find a stand-in... So I wandered up to the main deck, searching for a super skinny engineer and found a brand new fireman. After greeting me respectfully and properly, I immediately asked, "Are you flexible?" The look on his face was priceless, but this kid was able to get into the tank... head first... and upside down...
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| Inside a tank with one of the many holes you get to crawl through.. That's my hand for size comparison, and I don't have a big hand. |
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| Tank Selfie |
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| This was a choose your own adventure... Want to go through the top, bottom, left, or right port? In the end, you have to do them all so you have to be careful to not lose track which compartment of the tank you've been in... |
