10 facts about a merchant navy sailor`s life
I have basically covered
some facts about the life of a merchant navy sailor in this article as per my
life experiances on board and as a wife of a marine engineer.
Being a mariner's wife is not easy....blah blah
blah
Being a wife or a mother itself
is a great responsibility so not as easy so what`s special about being a
mariners wife. I do not wish to repeat the same old tape that being a mariners
wife is different as we have all heard it repeatedly. I agree one has to be strong
however it goes for most of the wives and mummies. Everyone has a struggle
emotional especially as some point or other in life.It true if your hubby is an
actor who travels frequently,or a businessman who travels or a soldier or say
any other profession that requires being away from home. So I conclude my words
saying being a mariners wife is not an ocean of harships..its a ocean of
opportunities, its only your attitude that matters
Life is glamorous for those who
love to enjoy the glamour
For
those who love to taste a luxurious lifestyle having 7 star hotel
stays and spas being a
mariner
and wife is one of the best things that happen to you. From meeting wives of
fellow mariners who have no fear speaking their heart out aloud. Not to mention
the numerous kitty parties and get togethers celebrating every precious moment
in life in classy style.Majority of wives as a have seen are well qualified
,having a mind of their own and most important strong thinkers. Ships,
exotic countries, smart uniforms, great technologies, enchanting sea etc. might
make our life at sea seem nothing short of a Hollywood flick.
However
no lunch comes for free and there is no gain without pain. All these fortunes
have to be achieved after bearing the realities. The reality for the
sailor is the dirty boiler suits, the torn safety shoes, the
condition of one’s face at a dusty port, the fatigue that engulf them at the
end of the day and so on and so forth. Agreed that there is a certain level of
sheen that exists in our line of work. But that lustre only comes once all the
dirt has been removed.For the queen it is single parenting, doing household
cores alone, handling finances alone, facing all problems single handedly when
hubby is away.Though friends and family are always a support system.Optional
support for a spouse is not possible in traditional way of face to face communication.Its
digital and at times not there.
Family life-caring loving father who finds time
I do not
understand why sailors are interpreted to be inherently unfaithful! There was a
time when a sailor was greeted at ports with a string of women to choose from.
But then that was decades back! However, over time, with the advent of safety
regulations and other security measures, this has become a thing of the past.
Combine that with the possibility of ruining one’s health and life back home,
we have a purely fictional idea of a sailor’s entertainment at port. It is
undeniable that if looked for, services can be found anywhere in the world, but
that’s for any human being and not restricted to a sailor. A new country, a new
port offers a plethora of sights and experiences. Also, none understands the
value of a relationship (and the loyalty that goes with it) more than a sailor.
Time away from loved ones doesn’t weaken bonds but strengthens them instead.
Unlike others, seafarers knows the true meaning of – someone special is waiting
back at home.
Todays
mariners have access to internet 24*7 and available to chat just as any
hubby.As I see the world arround me most hubby's are out office trips meeting
strict deadlines not being able to make time for family.What I understand is
that its a matter of time management and taking efforts to make relationships
work.Wheather a mariner or an IT professional a man who spends quality time
with his child excels as a father.We all put efforts in one way or other to
make a system called family work.Mariner has his way of contributing.Gone are
the days when a sailor hardly met his family and had no updates about his
home.Technology advanced, we evolved and its time to make new family system
work.This new family system has its values and traditions which are influenced
by globalisation and diversity in unity.In this system we spend vacations with
family,are digitally connected.We may miss celebrating every birthday and
festivals every year but we know the value of time together with family and
spend it wisely.
Food and
drinks:
We all
have a notion that sailors drink alcohol a lot and alcohol is indeed very cheap
onboard (but that doesn’t give us the liberty to drink it freely though).
Moreover, considering increasing stringent regulations, most of the ships are
now becoming "no alcohol" zones. What seems to be ignored
is that there are random alcohol tests onboard, and that now there is a
‘Company Policy’ against drinking and all of that. Also forgotten is the fact
that drinking deters sharp judgment; and that mistakes at sea can threaten the
lives of all onboard. As we have immense knowledge of various drinks and wines
without studying science most of them are aware of health benefits of various
wines in moderation.Wives have great idea of various crucines around the world
without any special cooking classes.If viewed as a science cooking has variety
of things to be studied as we know about home science.Shipping gives you good
idea of these.
Are they rich and earning loads
of money?
May or
may not be depending on investment habits and spending habits as is true for
any individual. Some of the wives have great knowledge of shares mutual funds
and other financial aspects while others are dependent just like any common
man.Over the years the returns determine rich and poor. General belief that get
paid a huge amount of money. Agreed, the pay is good. However, it is similar to
the pay that individuals get after getting themselves a decent MBA/Masters and
landing a respectable job (Of course, after certain years down the line in
their careers). It is correct that the initial pay is far better than what one
would get at shore, but the gap closes up as time goes by. Moreover, people at
shore ought not forget the pains a seafarer has to go through to bring in that
sort of money- time away from family, living at the mercy of nature, tough
labour onboard etc. In our favor though, we don’t have to pay taxes, and
rightfully so (Rules on taxes may vary across different countries) !
Get To
See New Ports and countries if time permits:
Times have changed and so have trading
patterns. Discharging at ports is fast and efficient, leaving little or no time
ffor shore leave. Some ships don’t even get to reach port at times. Bulk carriers are
probably the only kind of ships that have the luxury of being at port for over
a couple of days. That too, work shifts and stress makes seafarers put bed rest
over going out to the city. Just because seafarers visit new ports and
countries that doesn’t mean they have the luxury or opportunity to roam around
according to their own wish.
Here
again I would like to mention some ships travel shorter distances and cover
many countries so you get to see ports with family and shop from around the
world.For the wives and family you hav to have passport and visa of visting
countries and paperwork cleared while reaching the port as routes of travel amy
not be fixed and you may not be prepared.also kids exams ,health have to be
considered when you get an opportunity to travel.
Its
contract based not 6 months sailing and 6 months on shore:
There’s a
universal idea that all seafarers have a ‘common 6 months on, 6 months off’
regime. So naturally, they believe that the life is easy for we work for 6
months and laze around for the other 6! Ridiculous, come to think of it. First
of all, contracts differ in tenure. It can be 4 on, 2 off or a variety of other
combinations depending on the rank and company. Secondly, the months that we
don’t work, we’re only spending and not earning. Even with companies that pay while
their seafarers are at home, it’s normally much reduced. Third, the work that
we do over the few months that we are onboard, makes it necessary for us to go
back home and relax; else we’d all go insane. Couple that with handling family,
relationships, exams etc. and we barely get proper time to completely switch
off.
Education is important to be
a sailor
Gone are the days when joining the merchant
navy meant getting on a ship when one came of age and sailing away. Many people
think going to sea doesn’t need much of education. But the truth is today,
every rank, including the crew of the ship, has to be well informed, educated
and dexterous in theory as well as practice. As far as the officers are
concerned, it is a different ball game! Studies pertaining to the merchant navy
have become very intense.Those who have been through 3 years of BSc in Nautical
Science or 4 years of BTech in Marine Engineering will clearly know the hell
they have to go through! So, assuming that sailors are complete buffoons with
no knowledge of their craft is a very misplaced concept Exams that officers give
is different nature.Its a competitive exam that requires immense preparation and
grilling which can be a whole new article.Officers earn ranks and certificate
of competency after and engineering degree,a maritime course and then a marine
engineer which is areal tough path involving lot of sacrifices.
Solitude
and idle sea life
Life is easy for seafarers, there is nothing much
to do on board ships – that’s what many people think. A myth goes around that people
at sea just lazy around, fish and make merry once the ship sails. As many don’t
have a clue about the working of the ship, they think seafarers have lots of
time in hand which allows them to booze, travel and relax. However, the fact is
seafarers are one of the most hardworking people in the world who have to face
serious issues everyday on board.I became a blogger while I was on ship.Wives
are not just cooking as per popular belief they have immense time for crafts and
reading.Knowing about different geographies and knowing new places,coin
collection…immense knowledge as per area of interest or simply enjoy solitude. At
the end, however many inappropriate things seafarers might hear about their
profession, the love for the sea and their job is never diminished. Sailors love
talking about their job and their stories at sea. Seafarers are humans too who
work very hard through the roughest weather putting their lives at risk.
It’s
important that the common folk is well informed about the merchant navy and
life at sea; for if it wasn’t for seafarers, the economy of the entire world
would come to a halt! From laptops to clothes and almost everything in-between,
how do the goods needed to power the world get from one place to another? Even
in our modern, speed-driven and globalized economy, 90 percent of everything
still travels as it did almost 500 years ago: by ship. The shipping industry
carries necessities like food and clothing all over the world, and yet it’s an
industry that goes largely ignored by people outside of it. There are
many issues that do not gain importance
from the isolation of a shipping crew to the complicated business of flags of
convenience. I do not know why shipping goes unnoticed though no matter what
the future holds, the world will always need ship. The merchant navy is
an auxiliary entity that might be called upon in case of dire emergency to assist
the navy. As in a business wherein goods are exchanged for monetary gains, the
merchant navy involves the same process where goods are handed over from A to B
for money. Might be a reason they don’t get national recognition for their
immense work.
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