some have ran south for bigger pay. I think the big issue is aging masters of tugs and a group of mates who have not had a lot of hands on operating experience. On the west coast the capts. Primarily do most of the boat handling and shared knowledge can be hard to obtain from the old school guys. You also have a change in the dynamics of vessels with atbs more prevalent there is always an assist at most docks. You don’t see many companies landing barges solo much, it’s a lost art. I have seen at some outfits that have upper houses the captains calling the shots from the wheelhouse and the mate is just a distance caller, not much learning happening there. There is a different era of young mariners it seems now. A lot of the younger guys don’t relate to some of the older ones who went to Alaska with loran and a shitty radar and NO CELL phone. Now you almost have phone and internet daily, computer chart plotting and ais it’s a changing world out there new tools but old knowledge have to meet in the middle. Finding the balance and working to train young mates and AB’s is important.