Saw you mention maritime creds recently. Until I moved to KY, middle of nothing but catfishing I always was involved in the sea. Commercial fished much my life. My own lobster boat off CT for 3 years. Commercial charter boats, Chief engineer, cook, mate, didn't matter I was on the water. Time on US military vessels, 2 weeks on Uss Kittyhawk CV63 think it was, a very cool 2 weeks sea trial and ops. certified all catapults, trip wires, weapons etc. Stint with NOAA as Chief electrician. Love the sea Man, sounds like you do too.
Dad joined WW2 from Kansas at 15 years old, 1943, fought sea of Japan did 20 years never floated a desk, loved being on the sail. Old SS ww2 boats, I been all over them
That's cool Shawnee B ! What a career you've had sir ! I'm really surprised that you've moved so-far inland to be honest...
As for myself ( since you asked ), I became a mechanic once I left school at what we now call over here Year 11. I didn't mind the job too much, but soon discovered that a work-place & its employees have a turn-over about every 2-years or so. And I was the same, where I'd work for a couple of years at a place, & then dislike the place & new staff etc etc, & so hit-the-road playing in bands until similar circumstances happened, &/or I needed more living money. I got to my mid-30's, & realized that I was getting no-where financially with my trade or my music, so I got a hair-cut, & found a real job lol ! - Or so I thought...
My old-man joined the Merchant Navy at age 14, leaving a war-torn Germany & sailing around the world for a number of years on a "Tramp-ship". He encouraged me to do the same, after realizing that there was no future for me in cars, ( at least here in Oz ). Sadly, there's no future for me here either regarding Australian Shipping & its industry, with work contracts becoming less & less regular, & shipping companies employing over-seas staff for peanuts-on-the dollar.
I love the sea too, & working on it as an engineer, but I can now say that I've been there & done that.
I could work overseas for sure, but there are 2-things that stop me, namely that Australia has a high cost-of-living, so I need to earn Aussie $$$ to make it all worth-while, & secondly, with all the radioactive sewage being poured into the oceans from our nuclear industry world-wide ( not just Japan ), I figure that it's all over for me, & will happily take an early retirement. I have no debts, own everything, & I'm not greedy...So the big picture tells me to enjoy the time that I have left, whilst I still can.
Cheers,
Rastus
-- Edited by Rastus on Monday 4th of June 2018 02:12:14 AM
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"Only an alert & knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial & military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods & goals, so that security & liberty may prosper together". Dwight D.Eisenhower.
That's cool Shawnee B ! What a career you've had sir ! I'm really surprised that you've moved so-far inland to be honest...
As for myself ( since you asked ), I became a mechanic once I left school at what we now call over here Year 11. I didn't mind the job too much, but soon discovered that a work-place & its employees have a turn-over about every 2-years or so. And I was the same, where I'd work for a couple of years at a place, & then dislike the place & new staff etc etc, & so hit-the-road playing in bands until similar circumstances happened, &/or I needed more living money. I got to my mid-30's, & realized that I was getting no-where financially with my trade or my music, so I got a hair-cut, & found a real job lol ! - Or so I thought...
My old-man joined the Merchant Navy at age 14, leaving a war-torn Germany & sailing around the world for a number of years on a "Tramp-ship". He encouraged me to do the same, after realizing that there was no future for me in cars, ( at least here in Oz ). Sadly, there's no future for me here either regarding Australian Shipping & its industry, with work contracts becoming less & less regular, & shipping companies employing over-seas staff for peanuts-on-the dollar.
I love the sea too, & working on it as an engineer, but I can now say that I've been there & done that.
I could work overseas for sure, but there are 2-things that stop me, namely that Australia has a high cost-of-living, so I need to earn Aussie $$$ to make it all worth-while, & secondly, with all the radioactive sewage being poured into the oceans from our nuclear industry world-wide ( not just Japan ), I figure that it's all over for me, & will happily take an early retirement. I have no debts, own everything, & I'm not greedy...So the big picture tells me to enjoy the time that I have left, whilst I still can.
Cheers,
Rastus
-- Edited by Rastus on Monday 4th of June 2018 02:12:14 AM
Not sure why I am so far inland. I do like Kentucky and the people. I was just passing thru originally but liked it and stayed. 8 years here now. It does get hot though something I'll never get used to. I miss the sea of course.
That's cool getting to sail on the merchant ships, engineer at that. I often considered MSC or likewise. NOAA was OK but ran on a very low budget. Interesting ship for an electrician though. 4 Fairbanks Morse and 2 electrics for drive. Set up much like an old diesel/electric sub from WW2. Slept great too, my cabin was just over the engine room. Cook was awesome, 2 weeks in nobody could fit in khakis anymore, just poopie suits. I put an hour a day in the gym and still couldn't keep fit! Cheers
I'm starting to miss my boat now with all this talk about the sea! lol
Great details Shawnee and Rastus! My forum is packed with seamen! har-har
My Grandfather was a sailor in the Royal Navy back in the day and my Dad a big fan of boating, so I have always enjoyed the water. Never been out on the ocean in a boat yet as the sea is one of the few things that puts the cold tingle feeling of fear into me. I have seen what the sea can turn into within the matter of minutes - much respect for the sea!
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What is to give light must endure burning -- Viktor Frankl
