| 2021 | Quarter 4 | Issue THREE |
the voyager Newsletter
Welcome to another issue of Dupre Marine’s quarterly company newsletter! Holiday Issue
CONTENTS
Calvin’s Message
Employee Spotlight
Safety Topic
DMT Anniversaries
Company Updates
Holiday Recipes
Holiday Quiz
“What if today, we were just grateful for everything”
“The turkey. The sweet potatoes. The stuffing. The pumpkin pie. Is there anything else we all can agree so vehemently about? I don’t think so.”
“Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.”
“To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.”
“At Christmas, all roads lead home.”
“Three phrases that sum up Christmas are: Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Men, and Batteries not Included.”
“Adults can take a simple holiday for Children and screw it up. What began as a presentation of simple gifts to delight and surprise children around the Christmas tree has culminated in a woman unwrapping six shrimp forks from her dog, who drew her name.”
“The Supreme Court has ruled that they cannot have a nativity scene in Washington, D.C. This wasn’t for any religious reasons. They couldn’t find three wise men and a virgin.”
“Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas, kiss my ass. Kiss his ass. Happy Hanukkah.”
Merry christmas!
This year has come with some exciting changes and growth at Dupre Marine and now that the holidays are approaching, we have so much to be Thankful for. For most of us, family, gifts, decorations, music and food are deep in our hearts. The smell of cookies baking, gumbo on the stove, turkey roasting. We all have favorites we look forward to every year or look back on from past holiday parties or gatherings of friends and families. We know you will enjoy holiday meals, whether with your crew family or your family and friends at home, so we are sharing a few of our favorite Christmas recipes from the Dupre Marine Family. Recipes made up of love, joy, peace and gratitude.
dupre marine favorite Holiday recipes
Roasted turkey
Recipe from the M/V Megan E Dupre Crew
Main Ingredient: 1 (14-16 pound) frozen young turkey
For the Brine:
1 cup Kosher salt
1/2 cup Light brown sugar
1 gallon Vegetable stock
1 Tablespoon Black peppercorns
1 1/2 tsp Allspice berries
1 1/2 tsp Chopped candied ginger
1 Apple
1 Orange
3 Stalks of celery
1 Bell pepper
1 Garlic pod cut in half or to taste
4-5 Sprigs of rosemary
4 Bay leaves
1 gallon Heavily iced water
Aromatics:
1 Red apple sliced
1 Onion, sliced
1 Cinnamon stick
1 cup of water
4 sprigs of rosemary
6 sage leaves
Canola oil
Directions:
Two to three days before roasting: Begin thawing the turkey in the fridge or a cooler kept at 38 degrees F
Combine the vegetable stock, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice, 1 apple, orange, celery, bell pepper, garlic, 4-5 rosemary, 4 bay leaves, and candied ginger in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally to dissolve solids and bring to a boil. Then remove the brine from the heat, cool to room temperature and refrigerate.
The night before or very early on the day you’d like to eat: Combine the brine, water and ice in a 5 gallon bucket. Place the thawed turkey (remove innards) breast side down in brine. If necessary, weigh down the bird to be sure it is fully immersed. Cover and refrigerate or set in cool area for 8-16 hours, turning the bird once halfway through brining.
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard the brine.
Place the turkey on a roasting rack inside a half sheet pan and pat dry with paper towels. Inject with favorite injection.
Combine the (aromatics) apple, onion, cinnamon stick, water and microwave for 5 minutes. Add steeped aromatics to the turkey’s cavity along with the rosemary and sage. Tuck the wings under the bird and coat the skin liberally with the oil.
Roast the turkey on the lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees for 30 minutes. Insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the breast and reduce the oven temp to 350 degrees. (Set the thermometer alarm to 161 degrees if available). A 14-16 pound turkey should require 2 to 2.5 hours of roasting. Let the turkey rest, loosely covered with foil for 15 minutes before carving.
Christmas punch
Recipe by Alva and Rory Dupre
1 Bottle of Champagne
4 Cups of Cranberry Juice
4 Cups of Orange Juice
8 Cups of Ginger Ale
Combine together and add fruit such as fresh cranberries and orange slices
Sweet Potato Casserole
Recipe by Mary Dupre
Ingredients
Crust:
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 cup chopped pecans
1/3 stick butter, melted
Sweet Potato Mixture:
3 cups mashed sweet potato
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp of salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs, beaten
1 stick butter (1/2 cup melted)
Directions:
Combine brown sugar, flour, nuts and butter in mixing bowl. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine sweet potatoes, sugar, salt, vanilla, eggs and butter in a mixing bowl in the order listed. Mix thoroughly.
Pour mixture into a buttered baking dish.
Sprinkle the surface of the sweet potato mixture evenly with the crust mixture.
Bake for 30 minutes. Allow to set at least 30 minutes before serving. Serves
Rocky road candy
Recipe by Denise Morencie
I’ve been making Rocky Road Candy almost every year since I was a child baking with my Mom for Christmas. And so quick and easy to make!
1 package of semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
2 Tbsp of butter
2 cups dry roasted peanuts (I prefer salted)
1 package of mini marshmallow
Directions for Rocky Road Candy:
In a large bowl, mix together peanuts and marshmallows.
Line a 9x13'“ pan with waxed paper
In a heavy pot, over lowest heat, melt chocolate chips with sweetened condensed milk and butter
When melted, turn off heat and fold in chocolate mixture into marshmallows and peanuts. Spread in waxed paper lined pan and chill for 2 hours to firm. Flip over on cutting board and cut into squares
Alternated: If desired, the mixture can be dropped by spoonful onto waxed paper lined baking sheets.
This freezes well to last the season
STRAWBERRY OVERDOSE CAKE
Recipe by Laird “Paco” Rodrigue
Strawberry overdose cake
Ingredients:
1- large disposable pan
3- boxes strawberry cake mix
3- large boxes strawberry Jell-o
3- large boxes banana pudding
6- quarts frozen strawberries ( can use fresh strawberries if you prefer)
2- large tubs of cool whip
Directions:
Bake 3 boxes of cake mix as directed and remove from events
Let strawberries defrost if frozen or slice up fresh ones and refrigerate
Mix 3 boxes of jello as directed and pour over cake
Place cake into refrigerator for at least 4 hours I prefer over night for jelly to set into cake
After this time has expired mix pudding and let in stiffen up
Spread pudding completely over entire cake evenly
Put layer of strawberries on top of pudding also evenly
Top entire cake evenly with cool whip
Return cake back into refrigerator for at least 2 hours( I prefer longer to be of setting or stiffness) At this time cake will be heavy so be careful while moving it back and forth.
After this time has expired serve and enjoy!
Banana Pudding
Recipe by Patricia and Calvin Self
Banana Pudding
Ingredients
1 (12-oz) container frozen whipped topping, thawed, or equal amount sweetened whipped cream
1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups milk
1 (5-oz) box instant French vanilla pudding mix
6 to 8 bananas, sliced
2 bags chessmen cookies
Directions
Line the bottom of a 13x9x2-inch dish with 1 bag of cookies and layer bananas on top.
In a bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix and blend well using a handheld electric mixer. Using another bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk together and mix until smooth. Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture. Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture and stir until well blended. Pour the mixture over the cookies and bananas and cover with the remaining cookies. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Squash Casserole
2 lbs of yellow squash cut in large slices
1/4 lb butter softened
1 bag Pepperidge Farm Cornbread Stuffing Mix
1 cup sour cream
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 large onion chopped
salt and pepper
1 grated carrot or chopped red bell pepper (optional)
Boil Squash until tender. Drain and mash. Add in butter, onion, soup, sour cream, salt and pepper and 1/2 of the bag of stuffing mix. Mix thoroughly.
Pour into a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle remaining stuffing mix on top and bake at 300 degrees for one hour
“Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer.”
“The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.”
“Be thankful for everything that happens in your life; it’s all an experience.”
“Strange, isn’t it? Each man’s life touches so many other lives. When he isn’t around, he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he?”
“The smells of Christmas are the smells of childhood.”
“What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. What if Christmas ... perhaps ... means a little bit more!”
“A toy is never truly happy until it is loved by a child.”
“Just because you can’t see something, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.”
“Christmas is a season not only of rejoicing, but of reflection.”
“Never worry about the size of your Christmas tree. In the eyes of a child they are all 30 feet tall”
“You stink! You smell like beef and cheese, you don’t smell like Santa!”
“Hallelujah! Holy sh*t! Where’s the Tylenol?”
“When Santa squeezes his fat a*s down that chimney tonight, he’s gonna find the jolliest bunch of a**holes this side of the nuthouse.”
employee spotlight: Josh Petroff
It’s about doing the work, working safely and enjoying your work/home away from home life. Josh Petroff, aka Tater, has only been with Dupre Marine since earlier this year, however his work ethic exemplifies our company culture. He has made his place with his crew on the M/V Rex Dobson.
Tater started out as a deckhand from harbor tugs then switched to push boats, where he worked his way up to Mate. He then pursued his Tankerman’s license, then put his efforts into his steersman license. He is now close to being cut loose as a Dupre Marine Wheelman! His attention to work and safety details, going over and above daily and thoughtful interactions, such near misses, does not go unnoticed and will make him a great Captain.
Port Captain Frank Bumgarden easily states, “He is a hardworking, fun-loving guy. There is never a dull moment around Tater, that is for certain.”
CAlvin’s corner:
“Cornerstone”
Core Values are the Blueprint, Employees are the Cornerstone
Safety
Customer Service
Passion For Our Work
Respect and Honor
Dupre Marine Transportations Core Values. These words mean something to me, and I hope they mean something to each of you. They are more than just some words meant to check some box during an audit, they are the building blocks of the culture needed to reach our goal of being the best. It’s just that simple. The blueprint for the culture needed to reach our goal is posted on every vessel and in the shore side office. All we must do is live up to these words every day, one watch at a time.
If our core values are the blueprint to the culture we are constructing, then employees are the cornerstone. We cannot meet and maintain our goal of being the best without hiring the right people and providing them with the tools and knowledge they need to be successful. We can have the best vessels and the best processes, but without the right people we will never reach our goals. A group of people with the same goal using these core values can be a powerful thing. If every action you take is with the purpose of meeting a set goal, you will reach that goal. Your actions affect DMT’s collective culture. The only question is how they affect it.
safety topic: Risk
By Calvin Self
I have always done it that way. I have done it like this a million times before. I have heard some variation of those words more times than I care to count. It seems as though every time I am investigating an incident, those words come up. What people sometimes forget is that an unwanted negative result doesn’t always happen the first time you take a risk. Taking risks are funny like that. Sometimes they burn you the first time, sometimes it’s the hundredth time. The only guarantee is that they will eventually burn you. How many times have your texted while driving? How many times have you stood on the rung of a ladder that says, “NOT A STEP”? I think we can all agree that these acts are unsafe, yet we do them anyway. Why? Because we have done it before and nothing bad happened.
Every time we take a risk and there are no negative consequences, it reinforces our belief that the risk isn’t real. This is called risk tolerance and it is what stands between us and ZERO. It is what defines the safety culture of a vessel and a company as a whole. If you continue to take unnecessary risks, one day you will look down to read a text and when you look up there will be a car stopped or someone will be crossing the street in front of you.
⚠️
It is the goal of Dupre Marine that all employees work safe hitches and go home to their families after their hitch is completed
thank you to our crew members
Message from Shoreside
We would like to say a special thank you to all of our crew members for your dedication year round to Dupre Marine, we can’t do this without you and your hard work. And we especially would like to extend that gratitude to those working over the holidays. We know you would rather be with your family and friends over Christmas, but part of being a towboater, working in a 24/7 industry is giving up special family time, like Christmas, and we appreciate you for that dedication.
holiday quiz!
Just for fun! (no googling!)
For more fun questions, check out last quarter’s newsletter!
Holiday listening
Two hours of Christmas favorites!
Cajun Night Before Christmas
DUPRE MARINE’S ANNIVERSARIES for 2021 Fourth Quarter
Anthony Verdin: October 2nd - 2 Years
Laird Rodrigue: October 12th - 12 Years
James Davis: October 20th - 6 Years
Jeremy Freeman: October 28th - 8 Years
Brad Autin: November 7th - 5 years
Leo Brunet: October 18th - 2 Years
William Caples: December 21 - 3 Years
company updates
2021 at Dupre Marine Transportation has been a busy and exciting year with our fleet expanding to 14, which has also expanded our crews by over 70 new employees! Also with Hurricane Ida hitting Louisiana and devastating much of the area on August 29th, many of our crew members, shoreside and families have been affected, so please keep them in your thoughts, especially over the holidays.
Here are a few updates coming up
Open Enrollment for health insurance will begin in January. Forms and documents will be emailed to you the end of December.
If your address has changed, please let Jamie know as soon as possible for W-2 mailings in January 2022.
Not only your address, but if you have ANY changes to your address, personal info, marital/child status, banking info, please let Jamie know as soon as possible! You can call her during office hours or email her directly at jrobichaux@dupremarine.com. Please also know that any of these changes must come directly from the employee.
Do you get stuff shipped to the office for crew change? We are more than happy to get your packages to the vessel, but please help us out and text/call/email to let us know when it is coming so we can look out for it. Shipping to Houma as been awful since the hurricane especially.
For those who are new or may not know, this website and our social media pages are filled with photos and videos sent in mostly by our crew members or Frank, Jeremy and other towboaters. If you have photos you want to share, please send them to Denise via text, email or dm on our Instagram or Facebook pages. If you haven’t done so, please check out all the amazing contributions on all our socials and this website. And we are now on TikTok @dupremarinetowboats for any video contributions!
If any of our crew members would like to contribute content to future newsletters, please email Denise dmorencie@dupremarine.com
Office hours are 0800-1700 Monday to Friday, please note the times you contact shoreside during off hours when it is not urgent. If it can wait until office hours, please call then, and of course if it is urgent call the necessary contact for the problem. Also during Christmas week the office will be close Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.
SAFETY HIGHLIGHT
CONGRATULATIONS to Captain Robert “Woody” Stracner on the M/V Chris Miller on receiving his Kirby NO HARM recognition award for using Stop Work Responsibility (SWR). Captain Woody is always putting the safety of his vessel and crew first!
CONGRATULATIONS to Captain Lloyd Sauce on recently receiving his Kirby NO HARM recognition for using Stop Work Responsibility (SWR)! Thank you for your putting safety first!
Remember to submit your Near Misses and Stop Work Responsibilities in Helm regularly. They are not only strong safety learning tools, but also recognized in the charter group and rewarded from Kirby Inland Marine. An important recognition.
⚠️ Always be ready to work wearing the proper PPE and wearing it correctly! Your PPE will NOT protect you if it is not the correct type, is damaged or worn and if is not on correctly and adjusted properly!
⚠️ Be responsible and know what PPE is required to use in your particular work situation Check yourself and ask yourself if you have on what is needed and required to be safe for that job
⚠️ If you have any questions concerning your PPE, please contact Port Captain Frank Bumgarden
⚠️ Steel toe boots are required footwear. All Dupre Marine crew members will get $100 towards new boots: all deck crew every 6 months and wheelhouse every year. Please get with April, Denise or Michael when you need to purchase new steel toe boots. We use Joe’s Boots in Houma, which we will payroll deduct the amount over $100 or you may purchase elsewhere and submit your receipt to April for a reimbursement up to $100. We are now tracking boot purchases. Deck crew this is an important part of your PPE, so please make sure your boots are in good shape always. Captains, please inspect the boots of your crew regularly. If you have any questions, please contact Frank.