[QUOTE=miriam;186478]I have a message for the leadership at Kings Point, particularly the individuals responsible for the decision to stop the sea year due to harassment.
The sea year is not a semester at sea for college students to have a fun semester away. It’s for young professional mariners to get real experience in their field. It’s an opportunity for cadets to troubleshoot, think on their feet and learn by working in their industry- in the real world.
I didn’t go to Kings Point, but I’ve sailed with many graduates from the Merchant Marine Academy, and many incredibly bright cadets. The sea year really puts Kings Point cadets ahead in the industry, as that year at sea on several different vessels is priceless experience. I can honestly say that all my Kings Point cadets have been hard-working, smart young people who I would appreciate sailing with again.
Who am I to speak about Kings Point if I didn’t go there? Well I’ve been sailing professionally for 9 years. I’ve worked on research vessels, fishing vessels, container ships, heavy lift ships, car carriers, navy ships, tugboats and passenger ferries. Sure, I’ve seen my share of harassment happening on and off ships. Both directed at me, and directed at others. I reacted like so many other women before me have done- I spoke up. I did something about it. I defended people who were being harassed and I defended myself.
We cannot put our heads in the sand. If I did nothing, or if I simply complained to the company or to the Academy that people were acting wrong and expected them to “save” me because I said a “safe word” nothing would ever be done- no lessons would be learned and bad behavior, harassment and general ignorance would continue.
Many strong, courageous, smart and hard working women came before me. They did not get where they are today because they complained about harassment, or because they simply let it happen. They spoke up. Women like Tuuli Messer Bookman, Deatra Thompson and countless other brave women who went to sea before me. They worked hard, they spoke up, they changed this industry’s attitude towards women.
A safe word isn’t going to change this industry’s mind about women, blacks, gays, or anyone who feels marginalized or harassed. It will only affirm in people’s minds that these incidents are just “part of sailing”.
We need to teach these cadets to stand up for themselves. We need to teach captains and other senior officers to stand up and be leaders who are progressive and fair. Officers on the management level need to know how to effectively handle harassment on their ships, not sweep it under the rug.
To all the Young women and men coming into this industry. You are strong, smart, brilliant and courageous. Don’t be deterred by bullies. If you are hard-working, honest, and carry yourself with integrity, you should have the strength and ability to stand up for yourself, to right the wrongs, to teach this industry that you won’t put up with harassment. That said, you still have to work hard, you still need to take constructive criticism- after all you have to begin somewhere. Be humble, be open to learning, be proactive.
These are not “children”, Mr. Jaenichen. These are adults. They’re old enough to work, they’re old enough to support their families, they are old enough to lay their lives down for their country. Don’t treat them like weaklings who need to be protected. Empower them to protect themselves- to protect each other- to change the industry’s mind about “Academy Kids”. If we baby these young people- we will get babies. I, for one, would rather sail with able professionals. I don’t care if you are black, white, female, transgender, republican or lactose intolerant- if you can do your job safely, if you are a good shipmate and contribute to the operation of the vessel- I’m happy to sail with you. I’m happy to teach you, to learn from you, to collaborate with you to make this industry more tolerant and safe.
It’s great that you’re having this week’s Call to Action. Obviously there are people who need an attitude adjustment. The academies need to understand how to turn out mature, able officers who are going to carry themselves with integrity and bravery- speak up for themselves and others, prove themselves by their hard work, do their jobs and provide safe working atmospheres for their crews and the cadets who follow.[/QUOTE]
You are well intentioned, but clueless, if not just misguided.
I relieved Deatra Thompson on the old Green Dale years and years ago, as 2/M. Neither before nor since have I seen such a cluster fuck of a global charts and pubs portfolio. She had plenty of time and space (a dedicated, spacious chart room with a closing door)to get the job done and maintain things. And yet she passes me a giant fucking turd sandwich.
I spent an entire round the world hitch sorting it out. I think she should’ve stayed in the Navy.
I do not know the other person of whom you speak.
Unfortunately, you leave out major clowns such as S. Pyrtle who causes nothing but problems wherever she goes. It’s not about her work it’s about her attitude and her mouth. As recently as May, every one of her classmate at MITAGS wanted to strangle her, repeatedly. For me, a few days in the same Seattle union hall with her was more than I ever needed or wanted.
And you also leave out fellow clowns like that Houston pilot “Holly” (good friend of S Pyrtle) who comes on the ship decked out in pink from head to toe. Pink laptop, pink coffee tumbler, pink shirt, pink hat and whispers every fucking bell and rudder order. Real professional…
There’s nothing special or extraordinary about any of these 3 women. They are not mavericks or trailblazers, nor is there anything exceptional or noteworthy about their work history or achievements. I can name just as many great mates/engineers whom happen to be female as I can female mates/engineers who happen to be one or many of the following: a bad shipmate, a bad officer, a bad seaman, a bad mate, a bad engineer, a troublemaker. And we all know the same can be said for men.
How many female cadets or new female 3/M, 3A/E can you name that decide to bang their shipmates (licensed and/or unlicensed) at the very start or merely a year or two into their careers? I can think of more than a few, and I only have to go back to my last ship 3 months ago for the first name. Shitty decisions as such carry more harmful weight than the presence of
countless other brave women who went to sea before me. They worked hard, they spoke up, they changed this industry’s attitude towards women.
Women on ships doing a good, bad, or other job … about as revealing as a men on ship doing a good, bad, or other job.
AND regardless of religious beliefs or lack there of… we all get the saying…
“There, but for the grace of God, go I.”
There is nothing special about the achievements nor failures of any of them. I didn’t relate my first hand story about Deatra to trash her. I included it to point out she isn’t some divine female mate sent by Poseidon to pave the way for change. She hasn’t changed shit, nor has Holly, and certainly not Pyrtle. And the last 2 are nearly 20 yrs older than Deatra.
Wow, 9 years, stop the presses! You don’t know shit about shit.
[QUOTE=noice;186524]I’m not going to single out which one, but of the two you listed, one worked as a C/M aboard the Green Dale and Ocean Giant. She penciled in more OT while she was sleeping than any one I have ever seen. Perhaps my favorite experience with this individual was when she was lowering a hatch cover and did not have the link bars locked out of the way, instead of investigating why the hydraulic relief valve was lifting, this C/M held the lever down until it pierced the hatch covers and destroyed the watertight integrity of the ship (super awesome when carrying grain or any cargo than can’t get wet). After riding the relief for so long an O-Ring eventually let go. Due to the fact this C/M felt it was not necessary to put the scuppers in there was oil over the side of the ship in a US port, and not a cup or two either.
To get a good idea of their character, they immediately grabbed their bags and headed down the gangway, she was due off that port.
If you are going to reference someone, don’t pick someone that has a continued history of causing ships to go off hire due to laziness.[/QUOTE]
And I’m sure that was Deatra as she was a long time permanent C/M at Waterman. As far as I can tell from MMP shipping registry, she is no longer at Waterman.