I remember reading an article in GEO magazine back in the Eighties, written by, I think, an American who acquired a fake Third Mate certificate in Egypt. He did so deliberately to prove the point of fake documents being bought. He got a job in a ship named “Aphrodite B.”, IIRC. The Master soon uncovered the deception when the “mate” was told to take a bearing, I believe. When the Master realized what the blank stare he was met with meant, he said “You’ve never been to sea, have you.” and walked away shaking his head. The “mate” was allowed to stay on.
This is my best recollection of the story. Can’t find anything online.
Also, relating to the topic, this is why I stopped sailing foreign for the final years of my career. I could never get ashore for more than a couple of hours. Even though there was hard work for everyone aboard, at somewhat miserable wages, there was a lot to be said for the tramp bulker trade. You could really get to know a place.
It’s pretty simple - pay. None of us are out here for charity. Pay needs to keep up with inflation at a bare minimum which it hasn’t done.
Other things that would significantly help are shorter hitches and good WiFi.
Now that I’ve had high speed WiFi I don’t think I could ever go back. FaceTiming my kids every day isn’t something I’d give up.
I could do 120 hitches when I was single - with kids I’m not doing that anymore. I do 28/28 now which to me is the perfect sweet spot for me but I don’t think anyone should be missing entire seasons of the year especially for pay the isn’t commensurate to the sacrifice.
Great thread and very important for seafarers. Wellbeing and mental health is very important. There is a website which also helps seafarers check conditions onboard vessels before they join. Which can help mental health with right down time conditions on vessels. Its great to see some modern vessels so well equipped
Anybody here who is or have been sailing on ships under Wallem management?:
PS: HJW was born in Bergen, Norway in 1881 and died there in 1951, after a life of great achievements and near bankruptcy in 1922,
He donated money and property to many different causes, both in Bergen, incl. to reconstruct a village in France after WWI:
Haakon Johan Wallem was involved in the reconstruction of a village in France after World War I. The town is still called Bouchavesnes-Bergen today. On the entrance facade of the French town’s hotel, we see Haakon Wallem’s portrait.
I found myself thumbing through this topic ‘Seafarer’s Wellbeing’ today, and realise that I have written a lot about it.
Indeed I have ranted at length about a number of the subtopics, particularly that of the removal of shore leave from what any seafarer can expect from going to sea. But I found that over several years I have written about the Day of the Seafarer. Did you know there was one? We are now in the thirteenth of fourteenth year of its existence.
I have written about it in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 and I provide links if you would like to see how things have progressed here:
