My Maritime Story

When I entered the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in 1976, I was 6’ 3” and weighed less than 170 pounds – eating was a passion. When I went to sea eighteen months later, I quickly learned to make friends with the cook and the entire steward’s department, because eating was still my favorite pastime. My…

After four stories about my life at sea as a midshipman from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, a bit of background about that fine school might be in order. The purpose of the school was (and still is) to provide the country a highly trained group of officers who could lead the American merchant fleet…

People who take to the sea During my second and third years at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (1974-75), I spent twelve months at sea on various U.S. flag merchant ships.  I’ve written three stories about the Captain of the second of those ships – the SS Export Adventurer.  As important as he was to…

The Voyage Home Being at sea on a merchant ship is like what they say about flying – 99% boredom and 1% sheer terror. The routine of life at sea is highly regulated by the watch cycle and other duties The average voyage in those days was about 3 months, and one quickly falls into…

The Straights of Gibraltar and Into the Mediterranean It was 2 o’clock in the morning and the sound-powered telephone next to my bunk – a truly obnoxious machine – started jangling like a demented alarm clock. Sound asleep after coming off watch at midnight, I was in no mood to be polite but didn’t get…

Oh Captain, My Captain In the spring of 1974, after a year and a half at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (known as Kings Point to most), it was time to embark on the school’s real-world curriculum of spending a year at sea on various U.S. flag merchant ships. I was 19 years old. On…