"Simple Simon" wrote in message ...
I've come to a conclusion after having to deal
with the likes of Shen44, otnmbrd, and RickyTugs
and some others this past year or so that perhaps
I have misjudged their motives.

I think I owe them all an apology because I
underestimated their love of the sea. It dawned
on me as I was pedaling to the store a little while
ago that, given all their other shortcomings and
faults, their love of the sea must be a match or
greater than that of the average sailor.

Why did I come to this conclusion? Easy.

Just examine what they do. They sit in a
wheelhouse surrounded by modern technology.
They breath air-conditioned air full of noxious
fumes from the operation of the ship. They
are subject to constant vibration and unnatural
motion. Noise is a constant companion. They even
admit to becoming seasick on a regular basis.
They spend their time alternately gazing at a
radar screen a Playboy Magazine and perhaps
a video tape or television.


Ever hear of crewboatidas? Its a real condition caused by high speed
crewboats
slamming over the waves. A compression of the spine. We use to stand
in the galley and time jumping with the waves so that you would float
in the air for a very long time, sorta like NASA's vomit comet. Alot
of fun unless you time your jump wrong and have the deck slam up as
you slam down. The galleys in most halter built boats had 12 foot
ceilings. One type of boat was notourious for slamming because it had
to much flair on the bow. Called Cam Crafts, everyone nicknamed them
slamcrafts. And the noise is something you will never forget on a 145
foot crewboat that had 5, 12 clynder fully blown turbo charged 149
detroit diesel main engines screaming along at 25+knots. Only boat I
ran that sounded better was a 95 footer that had 3 800 Hp Mercedes
turbo units(MTU's).

For several years we adveraged 600 miles a day working for Mobil. We
serviced 3 drilling rigs 5 miles from the flower gardens and loaded
out in Freeport Texas. Do the math, thats over 21,000 miles a year.
How many miles at sea have you done in a year? What we saw would take
you the adverage weekend sailor like you 5 lifetimes to see.


If they are willing to ruin their health and
well-being and put up with such conditions just
to say they work at sea then they must truly
love the sea in order to sacrifice everything
to it.

Is that way mariners work at sea so they can say "I work at sea" most
I knew did it for the money.


What one must wonder, though, is why is it
they are either too stupid or too afraid to go
to sea in a small sailing yacht where they can
commune with their love of the sea and actually
enjoy what they're doing being close to the sea
in a healthy and challenging environment.

Most do both.

Go figure!

S.Simon - Weekend warrior at best.

Joe