Well that only took 30 years.

 Back to work, back to sea, etc etc.  I'm aboard the HQ. Home was awesome. Pics to follow. 

 For some reason I feel like I was gone a lot longer than 2 weeks. Might have had something to do with me not traveling this time at home, and not getting balls-deep in any large projects. I'm not going to say I was bored, I certainly wasn't, but I did a lot less than I normally do, and it was a pretty good time. 

So, something cool DID happen during mail call one fine day at home this time.  Every 5 years mariners have to renew their licenses and credentials to give free money to the government.  It was time for me to renew and I got my new MMC, the passport-like document that lists all licenses and certs for each mariner, and my new MMC showed up. 

    This is renewal #6 for me, so I guess that means I'm on Issue #7.  I believe that might qualify me as an old salt. How, in the name of the seven mad gods of the sea, did 30 years go by? And worse, those 30 years started when I was already an adult? 

 I've averaged 240 days at sea a year for most of that time. That's a lot of days at sea. The slow years I was just putting in 180, except for college and grad school where I only had fishing time, but still got in 150-180.   After my very first 180 days at sea on a ship, I got credited with over 3 years of additional sea time (1080 days at sea)  from prior service as a commercial fisherman to allow me to get an unlimited rating as an Able seaman. 

     I started baiting lobster pots when I was 8. So, fair trade I guess. 

   

1986 I think. I was about 12. 

present day. Unlike my wife, who doesn't age,
anno domini isn't kind

      In 30 years, if I am still alive, my maritime career will have been wrapped up for some time. It's strange to think about, dealing with Swallowing The Anchor.   I'm not ready yet, although I think at this point it wouldn't kill me. You can't do anything for 30 years and not have it become something with a lot of routine.