Re: a wee question or two
I joined as a DHU and think it was allowed because I had served as galley boy on a ocean going tug plus done time on basin tugs in Chatham Dockyard. What I did was to stay on home trade or run jobs for a while as I reckoned that allowed me to understand derricks and mooring better. Maybe I was blessed but found I fitted in like a finger up the orrifice and sure that if I had not then I would have been given a hard time which is one of the traits I loved about being at sea. Of course progressed to EDH as soon as possible but because I did not do the usual training from deck boy I was adamant that I would not take my AB ticket. Just the way I am about rankings. Mind you the DHU's that did not come up to scratch soon got wittled out and usually lasted for one trip.
That's the way the mop flops.
My thanks to Brian for this site.