There was a strong and cold wind blowing. Visiting the ships went well. The crews were very friendly and both ships had the same nationalities.
What was rather interesting, not profound but still food for writing a blog, was the fact that the one ship was brand new and the other one was very old and tired looking.
When you visit an old ship, close to retirement and soon to be cut up for scrap at the beaches of India or Pakistan, you can imagine how many storms she had to face in her life. Also the ever present salt that eats away steel and paint is a constant battle that keeps the ship afloat.
The real difference between the new ships is the technology that has taken place since that old ship started her career at the seven seas. What a difference even how the office, galley and other compartments are designed. I can only imagine the change in technology like engine, fuel efficiency, electronics and computers.
The same fate will wait for the brand new ship that I visited and one day she will be docked, somewhere in the world old and tired looking and beside her is another brand new ship laying.
What doesn't change is the fact that whether the ship is old or brand new, there is a crew on board that works, is away from families, deals with loneliness, boredom, danger and face many storms in their life.
May there always be a chaplain, and a seafarer center somewhere for them where they can rest, relax, talk to their family and, if possible, hear the greatest news ever announced in the world about the one ' who can still the storm to a whisper '.
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| Here she is - brand new! |
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| Old and tired! |
