Maritime Shipping Photo Gallery - Rough Seas - Tropical Revolving Storms & Hurricane force winds.

This is what mariners and the vessels go through when caught in a tropical revolving storm to bear hurricane force winds.

Maritime Shipping Photo Gallery - The Sun,the Moon and the Sea.

The best thing about doing the morning and evening watch at sea is the chance of witnessing rise and setting of heavenly bodies.

Sunrise and Sunset bring sequence of changing colors on the horizon and the way Sun SINKS in the sea slowly and calmly leaving water and horizon all crimson and burning is well worth a sight.

Same is the Moon that shows itself gradually and rises from the surface of the sea on the horizon to spread its cool rays over the dark sky.

I watch for the changes on the sky and horizon, brought by rising or setting of the sun 'moon or Venice - the second brightest heavenly body on the night sky. Sky is filled with colors that along with clouds creates fascinating sight.

Colors keep on changing as the sun gradually set or rises. Presence of clouds and other weather phenomenon enhances the joy of crimson , orange, fiery, sky. Some times it appears like fire in the sky, and some times rays of color pour out of the horizon and spread in all directions causing strange and interesting scene

You may see rainbow in the sky - well that's usual isn't it, but how about your ship passing through the semicircle of rainbow colors - I tried to capture , but not to the fullest beautyof rainbow colors as we passed through it. By the way, some sailors say if a ship passes through the rainbow the singles onboard get married :) !!!

Some of these images, that I captured while on 4 to 8 watch fascinated me and ended up as wallpapers on the screen of my laptop..

SAILING Vs SHORE JOB BY SEAMEN

It is though quite easy, as it feels now, to switch to shore employment than to maintain it.

The requirements for the shore job by seafarers need additional skills, some of which they use to a lesser degree during their career onboard ships: Administration, management and advanced (or may I call it tactful) communication skills being few of many.

Same holds true for the qualifications. A Certificate of Competency is sure good to have on shore as well - but when supplemented by additional shore based qualifications, it raises one's chances of career advancement to a higher degree.

There are maritime shipping related qualifications available mostly through the Nautical Institute, Lloyds etc.

It would be a good idea for the mariners to go for these qualifications in addition to their Certificate of Competency to keep them ready for a career change, which they will certainly consider seriously MANY TIMES DURING THE SAILING DAYS.