Ashley,
You may want to check out the thread “BST and AB” for a related discussion on gender.
Seadog!,
Hey, I checked it out. Great info there; however, this person has worked in this type of an environment for quite a few years. LOL I found it irrelevant to me.
For instance, if you’ve worked predominately around a homogeneous group of people and/or any type of environment like THAT, this would be the least of your concerns (which is why that was something this person didn’t waste time asking about).
It’s one thing when you can be just as malicious, or beer-guzzling, and trash-talking as the next person…but it’s another when you just want to WORK and get your job done, being as professional as you can.
Ashley-
I’ll make you a deal my friend-
I’ll pay for your MMC, TWIC, and BST- If you’ll apply for 50 companies.
You won’t find a better offer- anywhere…
I know female captains, mates, engineers, AB’s,Pursers- etc… ALL make more than $40k a year.
You can make more than $40k out the gate- if you’re willing to be out for long hitches.
If you get hired at MSC- you can make twice that.
AND- you can see the world.
US flagged Cruise lines that hire-
NCLA www.ncl.com Hawaii (1 big ship)
The companies below operate small ships/boats
American Cruise Lines americancruiselines.com East Coast
Cruise West Cruisewest.com Alaska, West Coast, Baja Mexico
ACCL www. accl-smallships.com Canada, East Coast Caribbean
Lindblad/National Geographic expeditions.com Alaska/ West Coast
American Safari Cruises amsafari.com (I think)
Also-
The apprenticeship program at Piney Point Maryland guarantees a job upon graduation- and you’ll come out with an AB (special) seafarers.org
You need about $1500 - they provide meals/housing
Or-
you can go with me to PMI (Seattle) or Mitags (Baltimore) and have a 1600 ton mate’s license in under 2 years. You VERY likely to get a mate’s job with your sponsor company- upon graduation. This one costs several thousand upfront- but you can pay most/all of the rest of your tuition from money you make while going through the program
My offer stands:)
Good luck!
[LEFT][B]SHIPPING OUT:
the Story of America’s Seafaring Women[/B][B]
[FONT=Verdana][SIZE=4]http://www.waterfrontsoundings.com/pages/shippingout.html[/B][/SIZE][/FONT][/LEFT]
[QUOTE=Fuji;17307][LEFT][B]SHIPPING OUT:
the Story of America’s Seafaring Women[/B][B]
[FONT=Verdana][SIZE=4]http://www.waterfrontsoundings.com/pages/shippingout.html[/B][/SIZE][/FONT][/LEFT][/QUOTE]
This is an excellent documentary and features one of my heroes, Columbia River Bar Pilot Deborah Dempsey.
[quote=Ashley;16041]Sea Dog,
I have nothing to prove to anyone. The work I do speaks for itself; having said THAT, it’s getting someone to take me seriously. [B]True, women who are mariners DO NOT openly share information–that is another indication that[/B] [B]makes me believe there are not a whole lot of them doing ANYTHING meaningful.[/B]
I know they’re out there. Just don’t know any from my state that don’t do anything more but cook.[/quote]
How can you say that female mariners are not doing anything meaningful just because you think they don’t openly share information? On my last ship the last 3 Chief Mates were all females. And two of them got bumped up to Captain. I’ve also sailed with many more female 2/M, 3/M, 2A/E, 3A/E, ABs and OSes.
If they’re not sharing any info with you, maybe it’s just you or maybe you’re asking the wrong ones. AMO has a women-at-sea chapter, perhaps you should try looking them up.
da second,
I CAN SAY IT BECAUSE THAT HAS BEEN MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.
I’m not saying that there are NONE…just that [B]those WHO ARE[/B] are possibily [B]too busy[/B] proving to be the best they can, than being laxed and sharing info. on Gcapt. LOL
[U]O’ woe is me[/U]…whose family works on land, and who does not wishes to put strains on their family for being out on the sea for months at a time–missing family time and all other things that come most-dear to them.
I ask to poll–to get answers–to determine the [B]truth[/B] to the industry–as compared to what others that I do know have shared (possibly telling all negative sides for me not to ruin my life, because THEY think that I shouldn’t do it).
Ty for that last bit of info though. ^5
Have an awesome day.
Ashley-
What skills could you bring to a boat if you got a seafaring job?
Do you get seasick?
Can you cook?
Can you splice?
Know your knots?
Make and throw a heaving line?
Throw dock lines?
Stand lookout?
Assist in damage control?
Be a fireteam member?
Box a compass?
You [U]COULD[/U] learn all these things on the beach (except about gettin’ sick…).
Most employers would be impressed if a newbie showed the gumption to learn these skills before looking for work.
Ashley, in all sincerety, if this is how you really feel, then you should consider looking for employment elsewhere. That is the sacrifice that all mariners make. You will miss birthdays, you will miss weddings, you will miss funerals, you will miss graduations, you will miss your friends and family, and other milestones of life. This isn’t a job for everyone.
Da Second,
That QUOTE [B]wasn’t[/B] to REFLECT [B]MY[/B] SENTIMENTS AT ALL.
I do not aspire to marry, or have a family.
I don’t have anything to miss…except, LAND. LOL
[QUOTE=Ashley;17354]da second,
I’m not saying that there are NONE…just that [B]those WHO ARE[/B] are possibily [B]too busy[/B] proving to be the best they can, than being laxed and sharing info. on Gcapt.
[/QUOTE]
Hey Ashley, perhaps you’ve overlooked some of my posts. I’ve been on gCaptain giving my input and hopefully helpful advice for free, damn near every day.
Nope, I didn’t specifically respond to your post, mostly because I wasn’t quite sure what you were asking, and also because I thought that you were getting good advice from everyone else.
You have to understand that most of us women that have been doing this for awhile (I’ve been sailing for over 20 years) are pretty g-d tired of talking about our gender, or “how it is” for us. Sigh. We are, or at least I am, quite frankly, over it.
And also, no woman has had the same experience as the next out here. I’ve been treated fairly and as an equal on 90% of my ships. The other 10% were aberrations and I actually am writing off those officers as management morons. (That keeps me from wanting to strangle them.) But, as I said, mostly I show up, work hard, try to earn my shipmates’ respect just like the next guy, and usually end up with some great friends.
However, I know some women with big tickets and lots of sea time who still have to put up with an unthinkable (given that it is 2009) amount of grief. (Mostly they put up with crap that I wouldn’t stand for, but I’m lucky enough to be able to walk away from a job if I need to.) Clearly, their experience is going to be different than mine.
So, to sum up, every niche of the industry is different, every boat is different, every captain and crew is different and the filter through which every woman sees the world is different.
But, you can mitigate (although certainly not completely get rid of) any lurking bull-shittery by really wanting to work, showing up on time, keeping quiet and listening to the old salts, and showing up knowing that as a rookie you are going to have to do some scut work. It is going to happen and it has nothing to do with your gender.
Hopefully that helped clarify at least one woman’s viewpoint.
Cpt. Fran,
A lot of your information/the way that you expressed yourself through the postings were VERY good, to me. I guess…the way that I had depict you, was…of ‘another cut’–(someone with a STEEL backbone, per ce). I think you mentioned having a military background? Anyway, some how I figured you been around this kind of environment & that gender shouldnt or wouldnt faze you ‘no way.’ LOL
Here I am, with none of that background, just wanting to do something offshore. The guys that I know ‘here,’ think it’s ludicrous! Just the environment–rough necks/trash. Why would I want to subject myself to that–they wonder. Most have told me THEY wouldnt necessarily be working in the industry if they didn’t have to. A lot have too many bills to quit, and/or too old to restart. I can understand a man getting trapped in work, that brings in a lot of money: the wife doesn’t work, takes care of kids, bills accumulate.
I didn’t want to work on a cruise ship. Maybe I need to reread your posts, but I think you had mentioned of that.
Ms. Cpt. Fran :-),
Is there anyway that I can get aboard on something to ‘try it out?’ Something like an internship experience?
Ashley
Do not let the people on this forum or on the boat intimidate you,If you want to do it you can, some people just have the mentality that if they can not do it neither can you, I had 3 captain tell me that they would not hire me when I was a chef in private yachting because I never went to cooking school, i basically said screw you, talked my way onto a 150 foot private yacht, won the chef show in Monaco that year, made 4 newspapers, 2 magazines, and a TV appearance, gotta love it,
Ashley, if you want to go to sea bad enough, do it, do not anybody stop you, get your MMD and Twic, then start knocking on doors, do not get discouraged, just remember, some people have an IQ of a retarded golf ball, don’t listen to them, JUST DO IT
i have worked with and have meet MANy mariners in the industry that are women and they love what they do
:rolleyes::rolleyes:
Ashley,
Tidewater Marine in Bayou Boeuf ran an “ad” a week or so ago…don’t know if they are hiring entry-level or are providing training/documentation…by far not the best company to work for…they are “gender friendly”…they were a company to get “started” with, get your ab and then get the hell away from…suspect half of the crews in the GoM have worked for them at one time or another…myself included!!
**may have some good news from a couple of neighbors who are “company man types”…seems to be alot of “meetings” going on…they are looking for a “spike” in GoM activity in the last quarter of this year…seems that some of the oilfield company budgets are in surplus and if they don’t use it they’ll lose it!!
Seadawg,
I have heard too many negative things about them, just as you’ve said; however, they still have employees. LOL
I did time with Sealcraft, Hornbeck and Tidewater in early '91 when it was 90 days on, 30 off. Personally, I only survived abt 30 each!! A job is a job, and it can help get you into the next a lot easier than never being in the industry- read “you have a clue what is going on”. I’ve sailed with quite a few women, from OS to 2nd/M. Most of them I would gladly sail with again. Only 2 that I wouldn’t: one flaunted her sexuality and another was a giddy, clueless 3rd right out of SUNY. All the rest were very competent and were there to work, same as everyone else. If you have the dream, go for it.
Hmmmm…Giddy is not all THAT bad! I’m kinda, sorta that way.
Flaunting? How much can a woman ‘flaunt’ out on a boat? Do tell.
That certainly sounds for some good entertainment right about now. LOL:confused:
Besides, I need to know what my OS may be encountering on HIS ships. *grabs his collar by the fist full LOL
Somebody-PLEASE hire her-lol! Her frustration is turning violent:rolleyes:
What have I encountered Ashley? Not much- 90% of the crew is male- half of the females are married- and then only “harassment” I’ve seen is from the women to the men.
Things change, apparently I’m still not used to it.
[QUOTE=Ashley;17699]i [color=magenta]love ordinaryseaman![/color][/QUOTE]
Ashley
i used to be an ordinary seaman toooooo:D:D:D:D:D
mr 100