MerchantNavyCadet

So it's been a while since I last.. well posted anything really. I don't know why, just kind of forgot about this webpage for a while I suppose. Anyhow you'll be wondering what have I been doing since. Well last I mention I was working as a steward on the cross channel ferries in Dover. Well that quickly changed to working as an Able Bodied seaman on the ferries. I moved to another ship in the fleet, the Pride Of Burgundy and spent 2 years working their. I did go across the fleet doing temporary cover as well so I wasn't just stuck to one ship. 

While I was hoping for a job as a deck officer, looking back it actually did me a world of good. I learnt so much much more, especially when it came to the physical deck hand type of jobs, deck maintenance, rope work, mooring. Also seeing how these ferries were navigated in one of the busiest waterways in the world was an eye opener and I really got a better understanding on how to safely avoid other traffic. 

During that time I was still looking for work as a deck officer, hoping that P&O Ferries would offer such an opportunity, however with the job market in the shipping industry being as it is, that opportunity never came and I wasn't getting much luck as where being stuck in a catch 22 situation where companies wanted people with experience but not offering others to gain in the first place. 

But then and quite out of the blue I was invited for an interview and was very quickly accepted for a job as an Officer Of the Watch and now here I am working for the world's largest tug operator, Svitzer. 

While working on tugs wasn't something I considered even though I did work on one very briefly in London, I'm wondering why I didn't think of it earlier. 

And things are looking good as straight away I was assigned to then the newest tug in the UK, the Svitzer Avon. I started the job in September just as it was being delivered from Turkey and since then I have been working with a new team to get the boat in service and helping ships come in and out of Bristol. Even now we're still ironing out a few teething issues but we've pretty much got it sorted out. 

And now I'm starting to learn about tug handling, also been put on a simulator course and will most likely start my training to become a tugmaster myself. With the licence I got I'm already qualified to be a captain on a tug and I'll be pushing for the opportunity to do so. These past few months have been pretty interesting. 

So there it is, did one job for a few years, learnt a lot and now taking those skills into something else and doing well out of it, with much further potential. So I'm keeping busy. While I'm not exactly travelling the world anymore, I'll try to post some interesting stuff on here when I can.

Firstly, no I'm not dead or missing. I've been busy mostly with full time unemployment for the past few months. Retook the bridge simulator course back in October with no success. Managed to get a weeks work serving food to passengers on P&O Ferries Pride Of Canterbury, then not much since. However today comes great news. I retook my Orals exam at the Cardiff Marine Office and I passed! It's a big hurdle that I've overcome and believe me it wasn't easy. Now only one thing left before I will be qualified as an Officer Of the Watch, that blasted bridge simulator. Well that's it for now, thought I'd share the good news. 

Unfortunately it just wasn't my day. Didn't get it this time. It wasn't a bad effort. Spent over an hour in the exam room covering a lot of topics. I'm a little amazed I did as good as I did. But there were times where I had to admit that I had no clue to the answer on some things and one of those things was a safety related topic. 

But all is not lost, I got positive feedback. While I was told I had gaps in my knowledge and application of that knowledge I was praised for my decision making skills and the fact I clearly thought about what actions I would take and why. 

Not everybody passes their orals first time and this was the first time doing a 1 to 1 session so it was new to me. But saying that as well, a lot to pass the second time round. Don't know when that will be, maybe a month away. 

At least now I know where I stand and what my weak spots are.

If anyone is interested in reading my orals report, PM me and I'll send you a copy. 

That's right, tomorrow I'll be at the Maritime & Coastguard Agencies Head Office in Southampton taking my Orals Exam. The last one and the most important of them all. Everything I've learnt in the last 3 and a half years will be tested tomorrow to determine whether I'm competent enough to be in charge of a ship. Been trying not to make a big deal out of it, but a lot is riding on this. 

Do I think I'll pass? Probably I know all the safety related topics fairly well and I know my 'Rules Of The Road' too. Should know the answers to most of questions that could be asked, or at least know where I can find the answer if I don't know.

So my exam is in the afternoon and just maybe, this time tomorrow, I'll be a newly qualified British Merchant Navy Officer. Hopefully.

365 days have past and once again it's the 4th of July, a day where one country goes crazy firing off fireworks and partying till the suns goes down all because they made the decision to not pay their Tea Tax, which by the way we're still waiting for. 

Yes that's right, it's Independence Day in the USA. So today the words 'Liberty' 'Freedom' 'Independence' and of cause the phrase 'Merica, f**k yeah!' will be said move times then I would said 'please' or 'thank you'.

Now I could just say rubbish and say Yankee this and Yankee that and all that bullshit. But not this year because I've been thinking, that's rare for me. 

But anyway I've had a bit of a ... revelation, for you see the US gained independence from the British Monarch, who by the way has powers vested from god. So, if I've got this right, that would mean, the US rejected the British monarch, therefore... rejected... god? Yes? There's something to think about today. 

But enough deep thinking, lets have another funny point. Well picture 

For you see I like the Red, White and Blue. And I'm not the only one, even some countries like it so much, they put it on there flag. How nice of them.

 

Well that's it from me for this year's July 4th message. Take it easy guys.