East coast tug and barge employment question

If you could please do go into details I’m very interested to know every little thing there is to know about this type of career good or bad, I dont want any surprises. I am doing a week long orientation class in Chesapeake bay for people who have no experience and just starting off and I’m sure I’ll get all sorts of info but I would also like to get as much first hand experience of other people on the tugs as I can before I make a decision on this career change. And thank you for the info on the rotation schedule for those employers you mentioned but I realy could not be gone for any longer than 14 days. I know I shouldnt be picky but that would just be way to long being away from home.