Today marks 4,000 Days At Sea since I was rated Able Seaman Unlimited in 2000. That's 10.9 years spent on the water as a merchant mariner in 15 1/2 years Holy shit, where does the time go?
That time doesn't count the 1,080 days at sea that I had to accrue to get rated Able, either. This was, of course, back in the day, when there weren't classes you could take to be rated able, and you had to sit for a comprehensive exam, be rated lifeboatman, and then take a practical exam where a chief bosun's mate assigns you splices and knots to show mastery of marlinespike seamanship.
In talking about this earlier, I was asked if I regret not going right into this career as a kid. The honest answer is 'a little.' I LIKED being a marine biologist, and I flatter myself to think I had a certain talent for it in a journeyman fashion. But, for all the lustre that is long gone, this job suits me better, and me it.
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6 comments:
Dear Anonymous reader whose comment I deleted: have a nice day. Quit being a pud.
Woah!
Congrats on a major milestone. When I win the Lotto, I will want you to Captain my yacht at an appropriately exuberant salary.
Err, my Lady Friend will want to ensure that no ht Brazilian chicks are nearby ....
;-)
Congratulations. That's quite a milestone.
How long did it take you from becoming an AB to get your Master's ticket?
Peter, I've got a limited-tonnage ticket, not unlimited. I got my first one (100gt) in 2000, using 720 days commercial fishing time, and worked my way up from there using unlimited time from ships to push my license up. I haven't upgraded since 2008, I switched to brown water work before I sat for unlimited, and never went back. My unlimited time on tonnage has expired, so I'll never rise above 1600 ton master unless I change jobs, which I prefer not to do.
There's not much work for an unlimited ticket holder that I'd want to do these days. I'm comfortable as a tankerman and occasionally whoring myself out as mate or master on small boats and occasionally on a small cruise ship, which is when I get to wear the fancy uniform in some of the pictures I post. Otherwise, I look like I work at a gas station, which, after a fashion, I do.
Removing someone else's comment from your blog really destroys any credibility or substance it may or may not have had. Also, you may want to research the ticket you may or may not hold (your answer below to a perfectly strait forward question is obfuscated beyond understanding) if you have indeed spent 10.9 years as an AB SINCE 2000, where did you find the time to serve as an OPERATOR for the requisite sea-time to upgrade from 100 tons?? Also, I hate to break it to you but if you haven't served as an operator in any capacity since 2008, your ticket would be expired, anyhow. Be proud of who you are and what you've accomplished. That DOES have substance. Have the wherewithal to let someone else chime in who took the time to read your opinion. THAT has integrity. Have a good day, sir. Safe sailing.
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