<p>thanks for the two cents…usmma95. I have been reading recent messages here about all the down time in port and wondering if my son is at the same academy as those with such nice layovers. The most time he has at any port is about 24 hours. Barely enough time to get out and do something. He did get to go snorkeling in Guam last week. But that was all there was time for. His spirits are still great, golly not sure I would enjoy about 25 days at sea with only 7ports (one of which he cannot get off ship because no Chinese visa) I had no idea a number of mids quit during sea year.</p>
<p>I am still amazed at the stories of sea year. It has to keep to keep you alternately busier that you can imagine and lonely/isolated when there is nothing to be done. What a great introspective time for all these kids! And to have the discipline to do the sea year project as well… </p>
<p>I can’t wait to see how this story unfolds for all these kids, and continues to unfold for them once they graduate KP.</p>
<p>No fear cjcatl, my DS has not had long port time either. Heck the longest he was anywhere “safe” enought for him to even get off the ship once they left Baltimore was Dubai, and then he only had one evening.</p>
<p>When he was in Kuwait, he did call me again. The captain of the ship had someone or another bring onto the boat some “disposable” cell phones for him to be able to call home, since he could not leave the ship.</p>
<p>I think it is a great thing to be able to really, truly, “test out” your future career choice. And if it is not for you, you would know that after your first sea year I would think.</p>
<p>a lot of kids go out to sea first time and quit school. They say it wasn’t for them. In some cases they are correct, but at the same time you could get on a ship with a really bad crew and hate it completely. Not all ships are like that, got to keep that in mind.</p>
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<p>the true “test” will be after you graduate and start working.. Home, marriage, family, financial situation, chances for advancement, changes in the industry, etc. etc. will all have a bearing on whether you stick it out until retirement. As a side note on marriage, over 90% of my schoolship classmates have been divorced and some have gone through it more than once. :(</p>
<p>I have been at this game for 33 years.. Would I do it again if I was just starting out again tomorrow? Probably not.. But then again, the shipping industry has so radically changed for me that I really dont recognize it as what it was when I started back it 1972.. </p>
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<p>Do you know the difference between a sea story and a fairy tale? A fairy tale starts Once upon a time . And a sea story begins This is no bulls**t :)</p>
<p>deepdraft1 ~ Your ending quote is too funny! I have not heard that for a few years.</p>
<p>Hello I thought I’d stop by and see what is happening. </p>
<p>Nice to catch up. </p>
<p>Royce’s DM I am happy things are going well so far for your son. </p>
<p>I ask you and everyone else two simple questions: </p>
<p>How much do the midshipmen earn on these ships and if and how much income supplementation is necessary? </p>
<p>OK one more question: what are essential items to purchase before boarding the ship? </p>
<p>I am somewhat embarassed to say that I have no tears associated with KP10 going to sea, he leaves the end of Oct and I view it as a fulfillment of who he is. I guess I always new from age two when being on a 23 foot sail boat was what calmed him (the only thing) that on the water was where he would end up. I suppose I have had a bit more time adjusting to it than most, this is always been the direction his life has taken. It is odd though because I feel like I should be feeling something emotional and it just isn’t coming. Wierd.</p>
<p>When your son gets his orders it will state on there what his pay will be. My son’s pay is 864.30 per month. (I don’t know when the month starts/stops and how they deal with partial months… that is yet to be determined)</p>
<p>Essential items included one trip to Walmart. He wanted some blue Dickies ~work clothes~ and I think he bought 3 pairs. That was his main purchase before he left. </p>
<p>Which luggage to use was an issue for him too, because of flying and traveling and having to move all that luggage himself and having to carry it on the ship himself… Also the over weight issue due to all the text books. Not sure how that worked out in the end for him. </p>
<p>I know the emotional thing.. I never cried at the first day Kindergarten, 1st grade, middle school or high school, or even HS graduation. I was HAPPY for him, knowing this is what he wanted and he was happy. So yeah, I understand how it “just isn’t coming”- feeling.</p>
<p>But him leaving to sea and to the academy with limited contact was the hardest. Yeah, the limited contact was what upsets me the most, if I can at least hear his voice and know he is OK, then I am OK.</p>
<p>I know each person deals with every issue differently, and I am happy that you know this is what he wants.</p>
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LOL LOL LOL
Boy, can I relate to that one…</p>
<p>Get 'em tons of socks. I wish I would have taken a photo of the boy’s socks when he came home. Ya’ll would have laughed at why he even bothered to pack them home. NASTY! Looks like a Target trip before he goes back out. Anything that involved feet is totally in need of replacement. I pitched the work boots, socks & tennis shoes (while he was sleeping so I didn’t have to hear any grumbling that he actually has to go “shop”). </p>
<p>During the first time out, we’d send him a few bucks when we knew he’d be in a port then we figured out that he had stashed a couple of grand in cash away under his little mattress. I wondered why he wasn’t asking for money. So this time out, he’s been on his own. There it is again… A couple of grand banked away. His pay varies & take home pay is usually around 5-600 bucks monthly. I recall seeing a 700 deposit once. I know it doesn’t sound like much but they don’t need much out there really. Some kids don’t hit ports long enough to spend anything. Most of my kid’s funds went for buying the local trinkets for the family. We’ve got some cool treasures from some dozen countries so far. Almost beat the girlfriend up over a pair of earrings this time home. What was he thinking in not buying two sets!!</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice ladies. He will be home over columbus day, we will stock him up with the essentials. I HOPE his boots are still in good shape but will find out. </p>
<p>The pay is what I wanted to know and the financial needs too. I have been told that “what we make just isn’t enough”. LOL, I supsect it will be from this point. </p>
<p>Was there anything they needed to do to get their account in order for foreign transactions? Have any of the midshipmen had problems with that. </p>
<p>I think today I will go by t moible and find out about getting his phone turned on for international use but see if there is a minute “cap” that can be put on that too. </p>
<p>Once again thanks. What a great opportunity these young men and women have to see the world.</p>
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<p>Pay starts when you sign aboard and stops when you sign off. $864.30 is currently the correct monthly pay for cadets. If you are signed on for 45 days your pay would be 45 x $28.81 ($864.30/30) or $1,296.45.</p>
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<p>Deepdraft recommends two or three pairs of Carhart work pants (the BEST work clothes you can buy) good work boots/shoes and good leather gloves. Also dont forget your foul weather gear, a good flashlight and knife. For knife and flashlight I recommend a Pelican Stealthlite 4AA and the Leatherman tool (or other brand multi-tool knife like SOG or Gerber).
I like the Leatherman because I find I need pliers, screwdriver blades and file blade more than I need the knife blade. The Leathermans knife blade is adequate for most jobs on deck. Its tough opening a frozen shackle pin when all you have is just a knife and you arent carrying channel locks.. </p>
<p>And deckies bring your sextant and a stopwatch.. </p>
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<p>Try and go schooner rig if possible. Less is better. Ships have many of the books that deck cadets will need for the sea project. All ships will have a Bowditch and Bowditch tables and at least one rules of the road manual on the bridge. They will also have sight reduction tables. (H.O. 229 and H.O. 249) and plotting equipment (dividers, triangles and parallel rules) The Sea Project disc also has an electronic version of Bowditch on it. You can also download an electronic version of the Rules manual on line here. <a href=“http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/mwv/navrules/download.htm[/url]”>http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/mwv/navrules/download.htm</a>
The file size is 1.3 MB.</p>
<p>My son, DD2 also recommended that deckies bringing an extra (yellow) drawing tablet, small area plotting sheet tablet, blue navigation notebook (all school issue), plastic notebook page tabs, drawing templates (including a French curve), a thumb drive or portable hard drive, a digital camera and good sunglasses.</p>
<p>DeepDraft1, great advice. When I ask my son if he needs anything for Sea all I get is a shrug and “I dunno”. I think he’s like Jamzmom’s son and afraid I’ll take him shopping. 
Does anyone have any recommendations for Engine Cadets?</p>
<p>“good sunglasses” </p>
<p>He’s been through two pairs of $60 Gargoyles. I am NOT buying him another pair. Poo on him. He can get his own this time. :D</p>
<p>Son adds, if you’ve got 'em going out for the second leg of sea year, to purchase a back-up watch. His battery died & he hated being without until he got into a port where he could pick up a cheap replacement. I guess it about drove him nuts. Hey! The Carhart’s were about the only thing keep-able out of everything he just drug home. Wonder if they make socks… I’m gonna go look.</p>
<p>What color Carhart’s did he take? Do they have to have a standard color?</p>
<p>I think my son took the “putty” colored ones.. But the color really doesn’t matter. Carhartt even makes work shorts which may be more comfortable in tropical climates (for deckies only, as engineers won’t be able to wear shorts in the engineroom). Carhartt wears like iron.. When I was working as Chief Mate I had several pair of the pants that lasted for over five years through VERY hard use. I also had a Carhartt jacket that lasted for over 7 years.. It’s good stuff!</p>
<p>Thanks Deepdraft 1…I am making notes for next year.</p>
<p>hmmm, carharts = christmas present.</p>
<p>Yes putty colored carharts and you can stencil holly all over them…</p>
<p>Our mid just called from NYC on his way back from the Persian Gulf from his first trip. It’s funny how distances are elastic even though he is still clear across the country, it feels like he’s almost in the neighborhood. KP always seemed so far away before he left for the Dubai. Certainly not a luxury cruise with port-o-calls but he learned lots, worked extremely hard, very much respected his officers and is looking forward to his new ship after at least a few days of R&R. The best part was just listening to his voice. It was happy and excited about that whole new world out there still in front of him. Problem is that it has me daydreaming when I should be working. The old adage that “youth is wasted on the young”, I don’t think that generally applies to our mids — I really believe that they are using it wisely even if they don’t believe it themselves sometimes.</p>
<p>Got an email from our son who is on a break bulk in Africa. He indicated that the ship was going to pick up a load in SA and will offload in Turkey. He was unsure if the school would fly him back from Turkey or allow him to stay on board until the ship returns to the US. The second option would put him back at school a week or two after the second trimester starts. Any information would be great.</p>