Importance of Family

Being old and working at sea is a lot different to if you were young. For me I am young. My heart and passion are all about working at sea but at the end of the day I still need my family around me for love and support. You really find out the true meaning of family when you go to sea. Think about this for a minute: "You are on ship in a far off ocean with no land around to be seen in 100's of miles. The only human life you encounter is the other 17 people on board your ship. Writing in a journal and letters home to family and friends is a great way to express yourself, taking photos and collating them holds together memorable moments and experiences and counting down the days till you get home to be with your loved ones. Time away makes time at home have much more meaning. You tend to learn to cherish every little moment more, those little precious moments with family will be the basis of your pleasant memories to recall back on when you are at sea.

So my words of encouragement to all young people either considering working at sea or who are currently on board a ship is: "Reflection is good for keeping you at peace while at sea, but be sure to make the most of every opportunity when on land to spend time with your family." Take lots of photos, give lots of hugs, share heaps of meals together, plan lots of family and friends reunions and cherish every moment as if it were your last!