For those who have attended this program in the past, any advice? Any unpleasant surprises I ought to be prepared for?
The blog Entirely Alive either is outstanding fiction or accurately details the BS and Suck. This post is the first of his series on Piney Pt. and current posts are about his apprenticeship on a bulker on the lakes.
Yea it’s accurate. Just lay low and go with the flow, you’ll come out the other side. Make sure you’ve got bills accounted for, you won’t make $ for awhile. Also, obvious but important: make sure you’re committed & finish the entire program or you’ll walk with nothing.
Be ready to spend weekends scrubbing seagull shit off the docks or picking up cigarette butts. Does anyone know if they still have the farm? You may go there to shovel pig shit. Oh yeah and scrubbing lots of pots and pans and plenty of sweeping and swabbing. Mostly cheap slave labor for all the menial tasks around campus.
Thanks for the info. They don’t make you shine your shoes there, do they?
And how are we supposed to maintain a short haircut? I’m guessing there’s not barber on campus?
Head gets shaved when you get there. Shined boots are part of the daily uniform inspection and there is marching to and from any point on campus.
I’ve never been in the program but congratulations making it in.
Why waste time on doing free grunt work and being abused at the Piney Point boot camp, when you can just go get a good paying OS job, and then 120 (12 hour) days later become an AB?
[QUOTE=Fraqrat;144860]Head gets shaved when you get there. Shined boots are part of the daily uniform inspection and there is marching to and from any point on campus.[/QUOTE]
My question was how is your hair maintained throughout the 12 weeks. Hair does grow back, unless they know of a way to prevent it from doing so.
Shoe shining material is not on the packing list. Do they provide such things there?
It’s been 23 years since my days there some things have changed. From what I read on here it is still basically the same as far as time on campus. I’m guessing a tin of shine is provided with uniforms. They shaved our heads after the first week there and it was good enough until I left 3.5 months later. When I say shaved heads I mean boot camp style right to the skin. Unless your Sasquatch that should take a few months to grow back long enough to be a problem.
[QUOTE=Fraqrat;144884]It’s been 23 years since my days there some things have changed. From what I read on here it is still basically the same as far as time on campus. I’m guessing a tin of shine is provided with uniforms. They shaved our heads after the first week there and it was good enough until I left 3.5 months later. When I say shaved heads I mean boot camp style right to the skin. Unless your Sasquatch that should take a few months to grow back long enough to be a problem.[/QUOTE]
I might as well be sasquatch. 
Thanks for your help. I’m really looking forward to this.
[QUOTE=renoun;144825]The blog Entirely Alive either is outstanding fiction or accurately details the BS and Suck. This post is the first of his series on Piney Pt. and current posts are about his apprenticeship on a bulker on the lakes.[/QUOTE]
I’ve been reading the blog like a bible and, while it contains outstanding information, is anybody else put off by the author’s attitude? Sometimes it sounds like he thinks like he’s too good for the job (which then makes you wonder why he’s doing it). This is not a slight on the seafaring career, but the author sounds like he needs a big slice of humble pie and check his sense of entitlement. Then again, I’m still not halfway through his blog - maybe he mellows out a bit later.
Clearly, he’s making it through the program, but from the very beginning, he seems to think he’s God’s gift to the merchant marine.
Yeah tugsailor and how easy is it to get a job thes days?
[QUOTE=ddash79;144959]Yeah tugsailor and how easy is it to get a job thes days?[/QUOTE]
A lot easier than spending six months in the SIU boot camp.
In some parts of the country maritime jobs are very hard to find. In others, its pretty easy. Anyone in reasonable shape and willing to work very hard can get a job as a fish processor on a factory trawler out of Seattle. Just go to a job fair or go door to door. That is good way to get onboard experience and may result in good pay too. There are many small companies operating smaller boats in the Gulf that will hire almost anyone with no credentials. I occasionally hear people mention a small Gulf company called B. J. Martin ( I know nothing about them). I also hear about people who cannot find a job at a Gulf boat company going to one of the “third-party riggers” like Longnecker Rigging to gain initial experience.
Anyone that can present themselves decently and makes an effort can find a maritime job of some sort as a stepping stone to a better job.
[QUOTE=TheShipCantSink;144952]I’ve been reading the blog like a bible and, while it contains outstanding information, is anybody else put off by the author’s attitude? Sometimes it sounds like he thinks like he’s too good for the job (which then makes you wonder why he’s doing it). This is not a slight on the seafaring career, but the author sounds like he needs a big slice of humble pie and check his sense of entitlement. Then again, I’m still not halfway through his blog - maybe he mellows out a bit later.
Clearly, he’s making it through the program, but from the very beginning, he seems to think he’s God’s gift to the merchant marine.[/QUOTE]
The kid is a great writer. I see a future as a maritime novelist. I suspect he is probably one of the brightest and best educated guys at Piney Point. More power to him.
[QUOTE=tugsailor;144964]The kid is a great writer. I see a future as a maritime novelist. I suspect he is probably one of the brightest and best educated guys at Piney Point. More power to him.[/QUOTE]
When you are a greater writer that maintains a blog, you will definitely suspect the author is one of the brightest and best educated guys there.
I do appreciate his willingness to share his experiences with us, if not his thoughts.
Tugsailor that’s great info but it’s not easy living in Jacksonville Florida to just pick up and start knocking on doors. I tried that once in August, went to Louisiana and struck out. It seemed nobody was hiring. I even tried the smaller companies with no lock. I am planning to try it again next month but it’s not easy and I’m not able to spend a whole week out there staying at the Chateau on the bayou and knocking on doors. I definitely can’t make it out to Seattle anytime soon. I’m really hoping I can have better luck in the Gulf when I go out there next month. I have a MMC with OS and Wiper, I have a TWIC and passport, and I have the STCW/BST credential so I have the right things to get started somewhere. I just need an open door. I also applied to the MSC and they forwarded my application earlier this month. I’m just waiting to be called for an interview. So right now all I have been able to apply online to different companies which has been a waste of time because I’m sure my applications get lost in the shuffle.
Have you contacted any of the companies up on the lakes? Interlake, American Steamship, Great Lakes fleet, Grand River Navigation, Andrie.
Go see Mobro Marine right there in Jaxs
[QUOTE=ddash79;144974]Tugsailor that’s great info but it’s not easy living in Jacksonville Florida to just pick up and start knocking on doors. I tried that once in August, went to Louisiana and struck out. It seemed nobody was hiring. I even tried the smaller companies with no lock. I am planning to try it again next month but it’s not easy and I’m not able to spend a whole week out there staying at the Chateau on the bayou and knocking on doors. I definitely can’t make it out to Seattle anytime soon. I’m really hoping I can have better luck in the Gulf when I go out there next month. I have a MMC with OS and Wiper, I have a TWIC and passport, and I have the STCW/BST credential so I have the right things to get started somewhere. I just need an open door. I also applied to the MSC and they forwarded my application earlier this month. I’m just waiting to be called for an interview. So right now all I have been able to apply online to different companies which has been a waste of time because I’m sure my applications get lost in the shuffle.[/QUOTE]
Since you have put some effort into it and have some credentials, I’ll make a couple suggestions. Florida is usually a difficult place to find a non-yacht job. Too many mariners and wannabe mariners for not all that many jobs. Go see Manson (not sure about union) and Crowley ( they are SIU, but iit wouldn’t hurt to try to talk to them) right there in Jax. Call Local 25; I think their Florida office is in Tampa. There must be a ton of small construction companies with a few boats and barges in that area. Sometimes right before the holidays is a good time to look.
I live in a coastal town, but most of my career I have worked hundreds, if not thousands, of miles from home. That is just reality for most mariners.