Life after sea life

[James Diamond]

Hi,
I left the sea life in 1968 having decided that I wanted a change and that was because all the old ships that I enjoyed working on were being sold and I didn't fancy working on the newer ones, so I took a shore job as a barman in a Auckland hotel named the Star Tavern in Karangahape Road where I stayed for about a year. From there I worked in several other hotels before moving back to my home town of Nelson. There I worked at the Tasman Tavern for 1 year and then drove away to the city of Christchurch where I spent the next 30 years. I still miss the sea life after all these years and wish now that I had stayed as I had friends and it was a good life.

[Jim McNaughton]

Hi James, like you i left the sea in 1971 and came ashore in Auckland. I think the Auckland Star Pub was on the corner of K road and Vincent St having had a few drinks there after leaving the sea. I enjoyed my seven years at sea but think it is a young mans game with the desire to have a family and children
Jim