The career of a seamen portrays a life of adventure, visiting distant shores flooded with cultures foreign to those living ashore, but this is not the entire picture. Commercial shipping, sailing as we refer to it even though it’s all motor power in today’s age, is a hustling industry of moving the most cargo between ports in the shortest amount of time.
Ships make money at sea, not at the dock where all of the costs are incurred so port times are kept to a minimal. Sailors are lucky to have a few hours of freedom in which they may escape the confines of the hull for a taste of shore. For their entertainment, ports are still inundated by handy cat houses and cheap bars within reach of the water’s edge. Make no false judgement, sailors still have the opportunity of a lifetime to gaze upon distant cities and the stories they hold.
The modern age has brought about many advancements, but many a sailors’ stories could be easily transposed to the age of sail without much altering.
Arriving in a foreign port is still quite the adventure, taking in the architecture, quality of life, different languages and new faces.
The purpose of the ship, containers, tankers, reefers, LNG, ro/ro, tramp will dictate the obscurity of the globe which she will reach. Where there are people, there will be necessities and moving goods by sea still accounts for the most economical method of delivering this planet we call home.
When the dust finally settles and she sails away from port, a calm besets the vessel. The methodical hum of the engines lightly pulsates the ears, while the scent of salt air floods the nostrils. Crews go about their maintenance under the sun and the bridge team gazes upon the horizon, dreaming of the mysteries that await in the next port.
During this voyage from February to May, I have landed upon the shores of Spain, Turkey, India, Singapore, Philippines, Kuwait, Gibraltar and the United States.
John Dunaway
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