Weeks 21 and 22 - final weeks of my ASL.

Well, I'm back at CPIT now, and it's been a week of many emotions.. Even though I know I'm a Tutor who is now teaching the future electrical workers who will help rebuild Christchurch, I feel I've abandoned my city.  Packing a shovel and digging, helping with joints, even talking to locals with broken homes, I felt like I was  helping defy these earthquakes that have progressively worsened or ruined life for many of us.

What I don't miss; seeing damage. The central city and towards the east just has so much damage. Seeing all of this gets me down, really. I get this feeling of 'where do you start'? The job of fixing Christchurch seems massive. It will be a long process.

I want to thank so many people for helping me with my Academic Study Leave, what I will do is a new post (next time) and do it then. This post will cover my last two weeks with Connetics.

Soooooo....

Work log:


Monday 20th June: 11kV PILCA-XLPE-PILCA transition joints outside AMI stadium with Steve, Ivor, Dennis and CJ.

The cable joint hole.. took a long time to pump out!

Starting the joint
Tuesday 21st June: Reconnect pole, Lincoln.

The pole in Lincoln to be reconnected
Wednesday 22nd June: Disconnect overhead lines for insulation test, Moncks Spur, and straighten pole, Kingsford St, Dallington.

Danny attaching earths to 11kV cables on Monck's Spur
Poles on Kingsford St, Dallington. 

Thursday 23rd June: Pages Road reattach barge board, Sumner 11kV overhead repair using helicopter.

Love this photo.. the boys about to earth the 11kV circuit.

The helicopter about to lift Carl

Carl working hanging from the helicopter

Friday 24th June: Straighten pole Locksley Ave, light pole New Brighton Road, and pole on Avonside Drive.

Leaning pole at Locksley Ave

Monday 27th June: Install disconnect in 11kV overhead conductors, Birch's Rd, Lincoln.

Ken and Bevan installing a line break

Finished line break


Tuesday 28th June: Grays Road, Chch Airport, install 33kV copper conductors.




Wednesday 29th and Thursday 30th June: 66kV underground-overhead pole connection, Islington substation.

Sealed against the weather; a 66kV pole having  underground-overhead terminations done.

Barry and Terry preparing the 66kV cable for terminating


Friday 1 July: Red Zone: cut and sleeve 11kV PILCA, Gloucester and Colombo Sts.

Robbie and I sleeving off the 11kV PILCA
Steve isolating the cable

Me in front of the destroyed Christ Church Cathedral

Further analysis to come. Now my Academic Study Leave is over, I'm in a 'holding pattern' waiting for the green light to start developing courses for Cable Jointers and Line Mechanics. In the meantime, I'm back in my old role of teaching electricians, students that struggle at high school, and pre-trade electrical theory to current high school students. Next week, thank-yous.



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