It's never too late

[Capt Bill Davies]

Reading through a thread a short time ago and many of the membership have expressed their views on a thread recently started by an individual wishing to commence a career at sea. I think we all know which thread I am alluding to.

The question is, does age really matter? Still a member of the Nautical Institute (NI) and a recipient of 'Seaways' (NI periodical) it is clear that the age profile of those entering our profession has increased dramatically. Gone are the days of entering at 16 as Deck Boy or Apprentice. Some of us 15, ex Aberdovey.

Understand there are men and woman in our colleges now preparing to go to sea in their late 30s giving an average age intake of 27. Many of the intake are post grads with several years industrial experience under their belt.

What do the memberships think. Easy now!

Bill

[Tony Morcom]

Personally I think that these days anyone who goes to sea does so as a job. When we went to see it was a vocation. In this day and age people don't expect to be in a job for life and where possible tend to chop and change companies at will often believing a better deal is to be had. Again the reason people go to work is for the money. Did any of us actually go for the money? I think not as it was pitifully poor, certainly until the late 60s/70s and early 80s.

We went to sea at a young age because it is what we wanted to do and what we expected to do for life. Crew members tended to be either very young and in which case still fit or had been at sea all their lives in which case they were still fit. Fitness was a necessary element in those days whereas I don't believe it is these days. Granted you may need stamina for the long hours but it wasn't nearly such a cushy life in the past. You actually had to work and often very hard.

Just my opinions of course.

[Neil Morton]

Hello Catpt. Bill, can you tell us in what capacity these mature students climb the gangway?

[John Cassels]

Morning Bill ,

I think that this is just the modern way things are done. They would be a generation behind us of 40 or
so years ago.

Some of them appear to go to sea for the first time around the age that we got our first command !.

[Capt Bill Davies]

Morning John,

Hope you are well.

Exactly! That is what I thought.


Brgds

Bill

[Captain Gordon Whittaker]

Just back from a cruise on Thomson Celebration, where I made friends withe the Staff Captain. He has a cadet of 40 years of age, and has a hard time trying to teach him, as he thinks he knows it all already! Staff Captain is 42 and ex RFA, one of the three Brits on board. This "Lad" will not see a command prospect until his late 50s, but I doubt he will stay at sea for that long, as he will gain a degree, and come ashore. The cadet does not like being told what to do, but is sponsored, and therefor not the responsibility of Thomson Line. I find this a strange situation, compared to our day, but we are fast becoming the dinosaurs, The "Celebration" is ex "Noordam", a proper ship, and to be recommended.

[John Pruden]

if you think about it the best part of going to sea was your age you were going to places other young lads could only dream about at sixteen going out the door as a boy and coming back a man even the Peggie had the respect of his shipmates and learned by his mistakes both aboard and ashore and set you up a standard to live by.but it was fun wasn't it.john

[Captain Kong]

I sailed with a "mature" man who was ABLE SEAMAN, he would have been late 20s.
I joined my Regular ship in Southampton and was taking it to the London River. I decided to take a short cut through the Downs, from Dover inside the Goodwins and past Ramsgate into the Thames to make the tide.
I had passed Deal and approaching a `dogs leg` I noticed another ship south bound in the next channel so I took it off the auto and told the AB to take the wheel. We would be at the bouys at the same time so to give the other ship a bit more searoom I told the `AB` to ease her over to starboard and close to the bouy.
He goes Hard a Port, right across the other ships bows, I dived acros the wheel house and knocked him off the wheel and took over.
We exited the channel on the Port side and all I could see was the other ship missing my starboard quarter by inches. I had given her hard a starboard swung around the port hand bouy and brought her back into the channel. and levelled her up. put her back on auto.. I had to make an apology over the VHF to the other ship after recieving a load of abuse.
I said to this so called AB , `What the ******* hell were you doing? I said ease her over to starboard and you go hard a port.`
He answers , `I dont know what starboard is` . I could not believe it here is an ABLE SEAMAN who does not know the difference between port and starboard.
He said` I havent been on a ship before`, He had joined the same day as me and had signed on as ABLE SEAMAN, How did you get a ticket then.
He says, I went to Gravesend Sea school for two weeks and I have a Lifeboat Certificate and an ABs Certificate and have NEVER seen a ship before.
`
So this is what you get, men who have never been to sea and ship out as ABLE SEAMEN with a Certificate to prove it. on ABs pay. It took the average lad seven years to become an AB on top pay in my day..
.
So Blue Whale if you read this go to the Gravesend Sea School you may get to sea one day. you may not survive but you will get to sea.

[Ivan Cloherty]

Iis`.
So Blue Whale if you read this go to the Gravesend Sea School you may get to sea one day. you may not survive but you will get to sea.

Blue Whale if you ever do get to go to sea, please keep in touch with us and let us know what ship you are on and where you are trading so that we are able to steer clear of the vicinity.

Now if you do decide to reply to any of these posts and ask sensible questions we shall only be too happy to guide you in the correct direction.

But do remember that going to sea if you do not like it can be the most miserable existence. When you feel down and sick in bad weather and finish your day job or come off watch, the misery doesn't end there, your bunk will still be behaving like a bucking bronco. In the messroom your plate will be performing 360 degree circles on the messroom table, whilst traversing through rolls covering a 40 degree arc from port (left hand side looking for'ard) to starboard (right hand side looking for'ard) and pitching for'ard (that's the front end) and aft (thats the blunt end). That's if you feel like eating

Now if you can live with all this and still enjoy it then give it a try, Oh! and also remember that ships do not only sail in hot weather seas, they also cross the North Atlantic and North Pacific in winter, treats that no one should miss!especially when the ship is in ballast (thats empty of all cargo).

No we are not trying to put you off, but going to sea is "not a job" it is a "calling" and there-in lies the difference between misery and enjoyment.

Do you still want to go up the gangway (thats the walkway going from the quay to the ship)

[Capt Bill Davies]

What seems to come out of the posts is that the profession is very much vocational and not just to be considered a job of work. I sense we have arrived at this conclusion on another thread elsewhere.
I don't think there is anything wrong in confirming what we already knew and more importantly, proud to be part of.

Brgds

Bill