The CHIKYU – a home for everyone

　Three times a day it is teatime on the CHIKYU. Although called ‘teatime’, sometimes pizza is prepared for the crew who do a lot of physical labor. Since circumstances in drilling work always change, people are sometimes unable to have their meal at the determined times. Sometimes meals are delivered to people who are busy on duty. Care is taken at every turn to enable people to do their work comfortably. Sometimes, when somebody is ill, the nurse sends a message and rice gruel is brought to their room.

　“Creating a comfortable home away from home,” explains Sakai, whose job is not only that of chief cook. He also supervises various areas relating to daily life on board ship such as cleaning and laundry. Many crew members arrive on the CHIKYU by helicopter, which means that they must travel light and bring changes of clothes for only about 2-3 days. If these people request for things to be washed, they get freshly laundered clothes back after a few hours.

　Looking after the hygiene and above all else the comfort of people who, coming from all over the world, spend time on the CHIKYU, the role of the Chief Steward is an important one.