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Changing Course: Fishing Trips, Merchant Ships and New Directions: Good Life Merchant Navy, Sunday Dinner Every Day
When I grew up in Hull during the 1950s and 60s, the city was a major seaport and the home of the largest deep-sea fishing fleet in the country if not the world.
As a fifteen-year-old it was natural that I wished to chance my luck in this world-famous industry and I left Hull’s Trinity House Navigation School and signed on my first trawler as a galley boy – without my parent’s permission.
I soon progressed to become a deckie learner but already realised that there were easier and safer ways to earn a living, so leaving the icy cold wild Arctic waters around Iceland, Norway, Bear Island and Spitzbergen, in search of more exotic places, I joined the merchant navy. This book recalls the experiences that followed. From my life as a naive, young sailor just starting out, to my time working on almost every type of ship imaginable including: tankers, short sea traders, tramps, coasters, a ferry and, finally, pilot cutters on the Humber operating from Hull, Grimsby and Spurn Point.
“Changing Course” also explores aspects of the life of a young sailor both at home and away. Also mentioned in the book is how the Seafarers' Education Service and the Open University, as well as some significant individuals, assisted me to navigate down a diverse and unexpected career path.
The book has been published in paperback format by Riverhead, Hull, and is also available for purchase through Amazon.
As a fifteen-year-old it was natural that I wished to chance my luck in this world-famous industry and I left Hull’s Trinity House Navigation School and signed on my first trawler as a galley boy – without my parent’s permission.
I soon progressed to become a deckie learner but already realised that there were easier and safer ways to earn a living, so leaving the icy cold wild Arctic waters around Iceland, Norway, Bear Island and Spitzbergen, in search of more exotic places, I joined the merchant navy. This book recalls the experiences that followed. From my life as a naive, young sailor just starting out, to my time working on almost every type of ship imaginable including: tankers, short sea traders, tramps, coasters, a ferry and, finally, pilot cutters on the Humber operating from Hull, Grimsby and Spurn Point.
“Changing Course” also explores aspects of the life of a young sailor both at home and away. Also mentioned in the book is how the Seafarers' Education Service and the Open University, as well as some significant individuals, assisted me to navigate down a diverse and unexpected career path.
The book has been published in paperback format by Riverhead, Hull, and is also available for purchase through Amazon.
513 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 3, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 5, 2023
Diverse and interesting
Bob is an enterprising "out there"persona!ity. Not many would have gumption to follow their instincts as Bob did - and succeeded a man of solid ethics and morals. Commitment to every job coupled with hard work developed him as an asset to society .A remarkable story - makes one hanker after those blissful years cruising the world.
John Perry
South Africa
Bob is an enterprising "out there"persona!ity. Not many would have gumption to follow their instincts as Bob did - and succeeded a man of solid ethics and morals. Commitment to every job coupled with hard work developed him as an asset to society .A remarkable story - makes one hanker after those blissful years cruising the world.
John Perry
South Africa
February 21, 2025
Very enjoyable read.
Local lad makes good..
This story brings back so many happy memories of my time in the Merchant Navy.
Being brought up in Bridlington from a seafaring family and then also my father being a fisherman who also did plenty of trips deep sea from Hull and Grimsby, made it easy for me to understand the Authors views etc.
Local lad makes good..
This story brings back so many happy memories of my time in the Merchant Navy.
Being brought up in Bridlington from a seafaring family and then also my father being a fisherman who also did plenty of trips deep sea from Hull and Grimsby, made it easy for me to understand the Authors views etc.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews