I’m a newly credentialed OS and I will be heading to the maritime academy this spring. I just turned 29 and after many career changes, educational paths, and adventures in overseas, I think I have finally found my passion in the maritime industry. A couple of years ago, I worked a season of commercial fishing in Alaska and it opened my eyes to a whole new world. I had an excellent undergrad GPA so people always told me I should go to law school, but I always hated the classroom and would rather be outside working with my hands or traveling to a new place.
So anyway, I know there is a lot of romance around this industry, especially because I’m sure a lot of us have read about the explorers of the past, or about pirates, or the old merchant navies. I was wondering if there is any romance left. We have GPS now and the entire earth has been explored. Is there still adventure to be had or is that reserved for museum piece tallships? I just want to feel like I’m out there, isolated, a dot in the ocean, you know?
Based on my wife’s experience I would say there are plenty of options besides law school to afford the lifestyle you want.
That aside, there is hardly any romance left in this industry. If you really want to find it, do some vessel deliveries, there are very few mom and pop shops left doing it but they exist and they’re still fairly old school. That’s the most fun I’ve had sailing.
Other option would be on some of the “heavy lift” tramp ships still out there. They hit some interesting ports. Otherwise, it’s just a job that gives you a lot of time off and a lot of money to spend at your discretion.
It’s kind of a myth that law school will make you a lot of money. Sure, if you go biglaw and work 80-hour weeks for a few years, you will make enough… to pay back your law school debt. I can’t see myself enjoying the work.
Adventure & debauchery is still alive & well on many vessels in the maritime research sector. Might not pay as much but the non-credential holding researchers & support staff on research ships aren’t as uptight as money hungry shipping executives & allow time in port. Non-mariner support staff on research vessels make a little above minimum wage & allowing them to go to town & have fun is the only way to get them to come back. Credentialed mariners on board use this to their advantage & go ashore to act the fool too.
I only mentioned it because you claimed that was your recommended alternative.
If you really want to get a taste of sailing on a real freighter apply to Coastal Transportation in Seattle. It’s probably among the last of the real adventure type jobs at sea that provides most of what you think you want in a legitimate and professional environment. You pay for it with hard work.
I know there is a lot of romance, in the SA ports!!, i’ve also seen places you can’t see any other way. There are different ways to go to sea, Sand Pebble show cases a good one i’m familiar with and you only have to work if something breaks !!
Besides research vessels & the Alaskan coast tramp trade like Coastal offers, I always thought TradeWinds Towing would be an adventure to work with. I’ve only known one guy who worked for them & he spoke positively about it. He had an oversized license than what TradeWinds needed & quickly left for more money. From what I’ve read about them, no two jobs or vessels are exactly the same.
Another interesting destination, the Alaska Marine Highway. The ferries are like mini cruise ships in many ways, they connect Alaska with the outside world via the Canadian inside passage and Washington state, most all of southeast Alaska, and what I really liked, the Aleutians. I really enjoyed the first “chain trip” of the season on the Tustumena. It was the first ship to visit several of the small native communities at the end of a long winter and the entire village would meet us at the dock. The kids would head straight to the vending machines and village women would sell the Japanese glass fishing floats and other beachcombing finds along with jams made from local berries. It was a real National Geographic experience. The crews are fantastic, friendly and welcoming, half the passengers are local commuters and the other half are tourists enjoying a really different kind of cruise.
