The Merchant Marine Express

It’s normally described as “..on the beach” or “..on vacation”…phrases used by merchant mariners to indicate being at home, and on land, which is also,the allotted time away from a working rotation, at sea.
“..At sea”; “..currently sailing”;”..on a ship”;”..afloat and abroad” could be phrases typical of indicating working on a ship or vessel, somewhere BUT NOT at home.

Yet, on the beach..there are a few mundane merchant mariners that opt to set their agendas with traveling as much while they’re on vacation, as they would, while working on board a ship!
You see,a good percentage of mariners are married and have children. But there are a great deal of those who don’t have an “honest woman waiting at home” for their return.
These fellows, for instance, set their sights on planned trips to warm climate territories, and may be welcomed by a female companion who has anticipated their visit. Once payed off and with money to burn, a mariner may not need to return to a vessel for upwards of four months, or longer. And with fresh “greenbacks” in the bank, and a vast planet to conquer, a mariner can cover a lot of ground in that four months.
As well, many fellow mariners, find this time of being on vacation the perfect opportunity to visit family which they’ve not seen in months, or even years. Booking a hotel room, renting a car, and leaving the house to a neighbor to look after, the merchant mariner can spend upwards of a month at a remote location, other than that of the comforts of their home port. And a home port is anywhere their company has arranged to fly them to and from, which is the local airport that is nearest to them.
Most friends, acquaintances,and family members know of the life that a mariner has planned for themselves, and the questions that arise in the start of a conversation is usually, “..when and where are you heading next?” To that reply,”..same ol’ ship, same places”. or “..not sure as I’ll find out soon enough once the union dispatches me to the next ship”.
But remarkably, the life spent ashore, rarely includes talk of shipboard life, unless approached and questioned by a newly introduced friend or the short interrogations from family like ,”..how was it?” or ,” ..any new places you visited?”. Within a month of being home, all that has occurred one or two months previously, has all been swiped from the memories of those who have been keeping track of their travels. Just an occasional recollection or trivial factoid, which,for instance,I may have voluntarily blurted to those close to me, is all that remains of the prolonged journeys into the deep, blue sea of just weeks before that I’ve embarked.
So a merchant mariner, could blend in with society, without anyone noticing. Maybe a maritime insignia emblazoned on a shirt of the shipping company or a sticker on their car showing off their travels may be all that identifies them from any other tax paying citizen in the world. Therefore, the next time you glance over at someone in the car next to you at a stoplight, take a peek at their bumper or back glass, and what you see might surprise you. Because it could show proof of a fellow merchant mariner, on the beach, visiting a remote land, away from their home port, all while on vacation…. Or it could be me!
Have a great day, folks!

Tags: Michigan – Home Port