Mark Sewell

#9 A skipper offshore in 1991 when I started off here in WA on the lowest paid offshore vessel was on over 70,000 and that was 6 weeks on and 6 weeks off. If on construction was on double. Haven’t a clue what they got outside the offshore industry. But do know the Harbour tugs in Dampier were a much sought after job and came under similar condition plus living conditions ashore for your 6 weeks on , plus a motor car every 4 men for transport down to the port. Think you had to be a blue eye of the maritime union to get in on that one. Mind the tax man had a feast day , the first 3 years I had no tax file number and every dollar was taxable until I got citizenship , I never ever paid less than 30,000 tax , that’s the reason why so many wouldn’t work on their 6 weeks off as were only working for the taxman . This applied to some shore workers as well . Cheers JS

Hi Les: I was to young to know better. I did last 51 days over Christmas/ new year 63/64. I had no excuse a year later in 65 when i joined the Wandsworth
and lasted 5 days as you say doing the power station run, i don't remember going to bed just slept in the mess room.
Time and tide:

Hi Des: update on safety in numbers delivering yachts. My Son <Paul> called in to Srilanka to bunker?? must have needed more wind! < yacht>lucky they did they are now in glass off in the indian ocean 3 days out from Seychelles. Bad news the engineer went ashore and brought covid back on board. Paul has had his 3 shots but has caught it anyway. they have to quarantine on anchor when they arrive. No one is safe.
Time and tide:

Hi Mark.
I think everyone will get a form of the Covid\Omicron whether bad or mild, think flue. Hope your son and his crew are Ok now.
Des

Thanks Taff: I was just reading an article on merchant seamen cast adrift in a lifeboat after being torpedoed in WW2. It seems there pay stopped as there was no ship there services were no longer required. It will be interesting to see if the delivery crew of a boat stuck on anchor because of covid will have there pay stopped!! Mark.
Time and tide:

HI Mark.
Not only was their pay stopped but their families were left to get what they could from relatives, not bad knowing that King George made himself head of the MN. We had a bloke in our small village, {Seven MN seamen there} who was torpedoed four times, the village helped the family out.

Des

nd father, ships engineer, adrift for four days on a life raft when his ship was torpedoed.
Not a brass razoo did the family get and knew nothing of his situation for almost three weeks.

Hi Des: Just heard from Paul evidently he caught covid somewhere flying from Auckland to the Galapagos islands to join a yacht back in early 2020. it took a couple of weeks <at sea > to recover, He didn't tell us about that one. This time it was just like the flue and only lasted a few days. all good now.
regards mark.
Time and tide:

Hi Mark
Hopefully the worst may be over, NSW dispensed with mask wearing except on Public transport on Friday, we still wear them in shops and up the Club, I think shortly the Herd immunity will kick in and it will slowly disappear. Paul should be good to go by now.
Des

Des, Saturday in the bowling club in Moama. no masks. no QR just back to normal.
Told this is all over NSW now!!