Topic: Off to sea (Read 22291 times)

IRI5HJ4CK · « **on:** September 10, 2011, 19:55:46 »

Hi all,

I'm heading off to Nautical College tomorrow (finally!) to join the Merchant Navy as a deck cadet.

I just wanted to say thankyou to everyone here - my passion/interest in the Merchant Navy has been strengthened greatly by the people here who have been of great inspiration to me as seafarers, or as aspiring cadets like me.

I have met some great people here, many of whom I intend to stay in touch with for a long time, and maybe one day cross paths with at sea

. 1 person here who I have been great friends with is also joining me tomorrow at Fleetwood (it's a small world!).

I'll be living in at college for my 3 years training, and so I will have little time for Ship Simulator anymore. However, I'll certainly keep you all updated now and then with how things are going

...my first ship is on the 28th of January, which will be an 8 month sea phase, and I'll certainly try my best to get some pictures on here for you all.

Anyway, thankyou everyone, Ship Simulator has been great fun. I hope that all the other people here who aspire to go to sea also achieve their goal.

Jack.

Captain Cadet · « **Reply #1 on:** September 10, 2011, 19:58:35 »

enjoy

just be glad your doing deck captain
not captain cadet

The Ferry Man · « **Reply #2 on:** September 10, 2011, 19:59:33 »

Good luck Jack

Hope it all goes well for you

What ship *cough Seatruck Ferries* are you on?

Ralphy · « **Reply #3 on:** September 10, 2011, 20:02:14 »

Jack,

I wish you luck with your career, If you ever get time make sure to pop onto Skype and give us an update

VirtualSkipper · « **Reply #4 on:** September 10, 2011, 20:08:27 »

Lots of luck and have fun with your new carrier, Jack!

danny · « **Reply #5 on:** September 10, 2011, 20:09:51 »

Good luck jack!
You never know, I might end up being a cadet under your command at some point

IRI5HJ4CK · « **Reply #6 on:** September 10, 2011, 20:14:48 »

Thanks a lot CD, I'll certainly enjoy it!

TFM; Thanks very much, I hope it goes well as well!

. As yet I don't know what ship I'm going to be on, BUT, Seatruck are bringing in 4 brand new ships and it's been indicated that the cadets will be on the new ones for the first sea phase. The 'Seatruck Progress' was launched a few weeks ago, the last is expected to arrive in June next year

Ralph; Thanks a lot! I'll certainly try let you all know how things go. I won't be bringing the laptop to college, but I will no doubt get the odd occasion off here and there where I'll be able to post the odd update

VS: Thanks a lot! fingers crossed it all goes well

Danny: Thanks! And Oooooooh...just hope you don't eh

. Good luck with it! Keep me informed on how you get on.

Jack.

The Ferry Man · « **Reply #7 on:** September 10, 2011, 20:15:26 »

Nice

Well hope it all goes well

Wave Music · « **Reply #8 on:** September 10, 2011, 20:20:25 »

Hopefully you stay safe at sea... Remember the story I told.

IRI5HJ4CK · « **Reply #9 on:** September 10, 2011, 20:58:57 »

Fingers crossed

rjwhyte09 · « **Reply #10 on:** September 11, 2011, 00:20:32 »

good luck IRI5HJ4CK

hope everything goes well for you

Ballast · « **Reply #11 on:** September 11, 2011, 09:15:00 »

Sea you Jack and all the others that are joining today

clanky · « **Reply #12 on:** September 11, 2011, 12:05:43 »

Best of luck Jack, welcome to the start of a fantastic career.

I can just about remember back to the days of being a cadet, so if you ever need any help, advise or even just a chat, PM me.

Viking28 · « **Reply #13 on:** September 11, 2011, 12:17:10 »

Good luck with your career. I hope to work at sea one day to

IRI5HJ4CK · « **Reply #14 on:** September 17, 2011, 10:07:28 »

rjwhyte09: Thanks a lot!

MJ: Thanks, although it's only been a week it feels like I've been a cadet for years now

Clanky: Thanks very much, it's always nice to know someone who has been through the same experience and knows what to expect

I came back from camping yesterday with the college

. Although it really was a case of drilling discipline into us, and at the time it was seriously tiring, it certainly puts a massive rubber stamp on your brain as to what discipline and order really is, and I'm pleased that Fleetwood still does that to their cadets...I get the impression that some colleges have become a bit lazy with discipline from what some people have said.

Anyway, I'm at home over the weekend (had a great sleep last night

), but I'm not sure when the college are going to sort their WiFi out; so I'll speak to you all at some point again soon

Jack.

danny · « **Reply #15 on:** September 17, 2011, 12:30:24 »

Glad to here your having a good time! do you know if liverpool john moores does the camping still?

Ballast · « **Reply #16 on:** September 17, 2011, 12:42:55 »

The nautical college where i went for my A/B license has the same policy. The accomodation was devided in several 'wings' and each had it's own supervisor which were called bosun's. They woke you up at 07:00 and if you weren't out of bed by 07:15, you would find yourself cleaning the hallways after 21:30. If you were late for anything or fooling around you'd face the same thing. Everyone went home on friday 12:00 but if you really made a mess of it, the bosun would give you detention on friday afternoon and you could go home with the last train.

Rooms were shared with 2 other persons and the toilet/shower was shared with another room. Once every 3 week is was your turn to make sure the cabin was clean and tidy for a week. Once every 6 weeks it was your duty to keep the toilet/shower clean. Once every 12 weeks or so it was also your duty to assist in the gally where 3 meals a day were prepared for about 200 persons. Our school wasn't that big, mind you that the flow of cadets isn't that high in Holland.

Every night it was study hour from 18:45 to 19:45 where it was mandatory to study with the bosun patroling down the hallway. He didn't cared if you already finished your homework or not, there was always something to revise ofcourse. The teachers would note everything in the class logbook which had to be delivered back to the bosun after the last class, so he could also see what everyone had to do.

It really prepared people for the life on board a ship. It really gave me a work ethic and self disipline that still comes in handy on daily basis.

onllshan · « **Reply #17 on:** September 17, 2011, 18:52:58 »

good luck jack all the best with your career

Tomaten · « **Reply #18 on:** September 17, 2011, 21:44:29 »

Good luck Jack!!!

Stuart2007 · « **Reply #19 on:** September 18, 2011, 10:47:21 »

Ballast, sorry, I thought you started off your career as a powder monkey before learning to climb the sails before steam ships came in.

IRI5HJ4CK · « **Reply #20 on:** September 18, 2011, 22:44:36 »

Danny: To be honest I'm not sure, I'll ask about!

MJ: It's great to hear that the discipline was strong. Personally I totally agree with it, and as you say, it all goes towards your making as a qualified officer when you finish your cadetship.

Onllshan: Thanks a lot!

Here's a pic of my cell for you all

I'm very pleased with it - it's like luxury compared to what the accommodation was like before they started tearing the college down and building it up again!

Jack.

danny · « **Reply #21 on:** September 19, 2011, 12:59:55 »

Oooooo..... its has carpet, and a swivel chair!!

vin_sun · « **Reply #22 on:** September 19, 2011, 15:45:08 »

Hi Jack,

Your cabin on a ship may even be like this one ......

The Ferry Man · « **Reply #23 on:** September 19, 2011, 15:47:14 »

The cabin looks better then the room Jacks in

I mean the walls look... like brick walls...

IRI5HJ4CK · « **Reply #24 on:** October 16, 2011, 13:16:08 »

Vin_Sun: If my cabin is like that onboard ship, I'll be beaming!

TFM: In all honesty, I'm very pleased with it. It grows on you very quickly!

Overall the past few weeks have been great, I love being in this career...and I've not even set foot on my first ship yet

. The other cadets seem to enjoy me playing the accordion as well, and I really enjoy it.

The ensign goes up every morning at 8; all of the cadets are on a rota. Thankfully that day the wind stayed away for us...great fun putting it up when it's blowing a gale

Me

Will keep you all updated on the next few weeks. We start the short courses soon, Ie Fire fighting, sea survival etc.

Kind Regards,
Jack.

Author Topic: Off to sea (Read 22291 times)

Viking28