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An Officer. . . . Not a Gentleman

ISBN: 0-9798008-0-3
ISBN 13: 978-0-9798008-0-1
Pages: 178
Date Published: July 19, 2007
Publisher: Marine Techniques Publishing Augusta, ME U.S.A.
Author: Leroy J. Lester, B.S., M.E./M.B.A.
Price: $17.50

Item Description:
Binding: Paperback / Perfect Bound

Shipping
For calculating additional shipping cost, for shipping outside of the U.S.A. shipping weight is: One (1) pound

Narrative
Is an expansive chronicle of Mr. Lester's sea life, with beginnings in the harsh beauty of San Diego's Portuguese-American Tuna Fleet through military and civilian maritime experiences worldwide.

Leroy J. Lester writes with great detail, compassion and humor about the family and professional lives of commercial fishermen, the logistical trials of military ships' movements, and the participation of civilian defense contractors in modern ship and helicopter development in both war and peacetime use.

About the Author
Leroy J. Lester: The child of Portuguese immigrants, Leroy Lester has literally grown-up in the maritime industry in San Diego. His family has generations-long involvement in the commercial fishing industry, and he himself fished with the fleet in his early years. Ever tied to the sea, he ventured into the Merchant Marine, eventually to the U.S. Navy, and settling in his civilian life as a professional Marine Surveyor, which he does to this day in addition to his writing.

Mr. Lester resides in beautiful San Diego with his wife, Tanya. When not working and writing, he enjoys boat-building and classic cars as outside hobbies.

Book Review
Letter dated June 27, 2007

Dear Mr. Lester

It is very kind of you to donate to the Cal Maritime Library your book, An Officer…Not a Gentleman.

In browsing the book, it looks to be a rollicking good read. First hand accounts like this are very important for maritime historians needing to better understand various eras. I like particularly to have books like this in our collections so that our students can better appreciate the heritage of the industry and those who have gone before. Yet, at the same time, we are a library that likes good sea stories as well.

We are delighted to now have this title in our collection. I applaud your efforts in taking the time and thought to write such a book. It is a wonderful addition to our stacks.

Thanks for your support of the Cal Maritime Library.

Sincerely, Carl Phillips, Library Director - California Maritime Academy Library - Vallejo, California

Note For an autographed copy by the author, once you have placed your order, please email Marine Techniques Publishing regarding how you would like your book autographed by the author. Email us at: approximately 7 day delivery.
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Dead Stuck

ISBN: 0-615-33011-8
ISBN 13: 978-0-61533-011-2
Pages: 152 - Perfect Bound
Date Published: October 2009
Publisher: Availability: Usually ships in 4-6 business days
Author: Dr. Richard E. Mounce, DDS
Price: $15.95

Item Description: One man’s stories of adventure, parenting and marriage, told without heaping platitudes of political correctness.

Dead Stuck boisterously describes how being a root canal specialist (endodontist) has provided me unique opportunities and challenges in marital and parental relationships, how I once wore girl repellent, my addiction to world football, diverted flights with fire on the wing and mortal danger encountered while cave diving.

I do not believe this book is not courageous in its disclosure. Its always been my bias that if people were honest with themselves and those around them that they would be happier, especially when the truth is not pretty. I wrote Dead Stuck to speak my truth on a number of subjects without hiding behind politically correct clichés and platitudes. The lengthy period from its conception to birth gives evidence to a nagging doubt that if I lifted my skirt and made this public, it just might be ugly! Ugly or not, this child is born and my hope is that sharing the contents of Dead Stuck will resonate with those who can see themselves in some part of its varied subject matter.

The experiences related in the chapters of Part 3 (Marriage: “Come to Heal”) are a semi autobiographical personal memoir. Some of this material is my personal history and much of it is not. The conclusions I draw in these chapters are my truth. It is up to the reader to decide what they believe and want for themselves. I have no intention to preach or tell the reader what they should do. I intentionally chose the language and tone of these chapters to provoke thought, dialogue and reflection.

What constitutes a marriage for one person or couple my be entirely different from another. Varying definitions of marriage bring varying goals, expectations and desired behavior, all of which may be contrary to mine. I write of marriage in the traditional manner of two people coming together with the intention to remain mated as monogamous partners for life. There are many routes in a destination, in this case a happy and fulfilling long-term marriage. What is written describes my path. I encourage the reader to compare notes as they walk on theirs in dating and marriage.

A special note of thanks goes out to Fred Michmershuizen, my editor. His suggestions and reflections were an invaluable resource.

I take personal responsibility for all errors within, factual, philosophical or otherwise. I write of God with the male pronoun. I could have called God “She” or “Her” and it would have been every bit as valid.

Blessings, Peace, Love and Light,
Richard E. Mounce, DDS
Vancouver, Washington USA
October 2009

Book cover photo by Paul Heinerth 2009. This image of the author was taken in the Devil’s Eye cave entrance of the Little Devil’s Cave system, Ginnie Springs, Florida.

Note: All sales are final. Purchased books cannot be returned or exchanged for a refund or credit for any reason.

About the Author
Richard “Rich” Mounce, DDS is a root canal specialist (endodontist) by profession. Aside from running a private practice, he lectures and writes globally in his specialty.

He scuba dives in caves and frequently loses cribbage matches to his wife, Laura. Among many things, his life's goals are to have his ashes spread (legally or illegally) at Old Trafford, the home of Manchester United Football Club in England and walk on top of the president's heads at Mt. Rushmore in South Dakota.

Dr. Mounce is a native of the Northwest. He lectures globally on endodontic therapy and is widely published. He has been in full-time endodontic specialty practice since 1991. He was one of the first endodontists in the world to use the surgical operating microscope on a daily basis in 1992. He is married, and lives in Vancouver, Washington, USA with his wife and family. Amongst other interests, he is an avid scuba diver and soccer supporter.

Book Preface
This book is dedicated to my wife, Laura, and twin daughters, Alana and Bianca. All my love, I am still in awe.

Special thanks to: Emily Schauer, Fiona Collins, Kirsten Komara, Bob Gannon, Fred Michmershuizen, Houda Naayem, Lisa Moler, Lynne Smith, Mick Hoban, Libby Gill, Dennis Ghormley, George Mounce III, Penny Mounce, Tim Smith, Tim Chapman, Steve Bogaerts, Brian Kakuk, Theresa Kohlhoff, Brian Hollander, Ed O'Mara, Warren Mersereau, Sergio Rosler, Shawn Potter, Paul Heinerth, Ghia Sarouphim, Marcel Hagendijk, Courtney Willis, Anna Friedhoff, Phillip Barrett, J. Mauricio Giraldo, Gary Glassman, Lauren Bundschuh, Thomas Iliffe, Sean Seaberg, Dave Monette, Agnes Milowka, Philip Porter, Ricardo V. Rodriguez, Joe Kieffer, Julian English, Howard Carsman, James Kangas, Laura, Alana and Bianca, John Weaver, Gary Glassman.

"Teachers of Literature are apt to think up such problems as "What is the author's purpose?" or still worse "What is the guy trying to say?" Now, I happen to be the kind of author who in starting to work on a book has no other purpose than to get rid of that book and who, when asked to explain its origin and growth, has to rely on such ancient terms as Interreaction of Inspiration and Combination-which, I admit, sounds like a conjurer explaining one trick by performing another." (Nabokov 311)

Book Reviews
“I was completely enthralled and riveted to every word you wrote.”
Source: - Gary Glassman, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

“No one has attempted to address the issues you mention in your book, the life challenges personal and professional… You took them on headfirst… it’s a great read. I laughed a lot.”
Source: - John Weever, Dublin, Ireland

“Congratulations on a fine piece of work!”
Source: - Bob Gannon, Huntington Beach, California

“Changes will occur because what you wrote shook my brain and my spirit to a level no one has that ability to shake before”

“Completely enthralled and riveted to every word you wrote. Clearly you had purpose and direction in the writing and clearly edited it carefully choosing your words just so.”

Table of Contents
Part 1 Armchair Adventures and Miracles
1) E-Mails From the Road
2) Dead Stuck at 123 Feet Underwater
3) Fear. The Spice of Life
4) Football Addiction and the Miracle at Highbury
5) Man Wears Girl Repellant

Part 2 Setting the Kids Free
A Christmas Letter to Remember

Part 3 Marriage: "Come to Heal"
1) Marry Her When
2) Finding "The One"
3) For Men
4) For Women
5) Should I Stay or Should I Go?
6) And Finally

Epilogue
Appendix A: Q&A: "The Overhead Environment"
Appendix B: References
Appendix C: Endnotes

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Field Guide To Rivers of North America

ISBN: 978-0-12-375088-4
ISBN 13: 978-0-12-375088-4
Pages: 472
Date Published: November 2009
Publisher: Availability: Usually ships in 4-6 business days
Author: Edited by Arthur C. Benke and Colbert E. Cushing
Price: $49.95

Item Description:
Binding: 6" X 9" - Paperback / Perfect Bound

Based on the comprehensive, award-winning book Rivers of North America, the new Field Guide to Rivers of North America describes 200 of North America's most significant rivers in a reader-friendly, compact format. Each featured river is accompanied by a color topographic basin map, a beautiful color photograph and vital physical and biological statistics compiled by regional river experts. This guide is a handy companion for serious nature enthusiasts and anyone interested in our most valuable natural resource.

Shipping
For calculating additional shipping cost, for shipping outside of the U.S.A. shipping weight is: Three (3) pounds

Accolades for Rivers of North America
A CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title
A Library Journal Best Reference
Association of American Publishers 2005 Award for Excellence in Geology and Geography

Contents
Preface
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1 Introduction - Arthur C. Benke and Colbert E. Cushing
Chapter 2 Atlantic Coast Rivers of the Northeastern United States - John K. Jackson, Alexander D. Huryn, David L. Strayer, David L. Courtemanch, and Bernard W. Sweeney
Chapter 3 Atlantic Coast Rivers of the Southeastern United States - Leonard A. Smock, Anne B. Wright, and Arthur C. Benke
Chapter 4 Gulf Coast Rivers of the Southeastern United States - G. Milton Ward, Phillip M. Harris, and Amelia K. Ward
Chapter 5 Gulf Coast Rivers of the Southwestern United States - Clifford N. Dahm, Robert J. Edwards, and Frances P. Gelwick
Chapter 6 Lower Mississippi River and its Tributaries - Arthur V. Brown, Kristine B. Brown, Donald C. Jackson, and W. Kevin Pierson
Chapter 7 Southern Plains Rivers - William J. Matthews, Caryn C. Vaughn, Keith B. Gido, and Edie Marsh-Matthews
Chapter 8 Upper Mississippi River Basin - Michael D. Delong
Chapter 9 Ohio River Basin - David White, Karla Johnston, and Michael Miller
Chapter 10 Missouri River Basin - David L. Galat, Charles R. Berry, Jr., Edward J. Peters, and Robert G. White
Chapter 11 Colorado River Basin - Dean W. Blinn and N. LeRoy Poff
Chapter 12 Pacific Coast Rivers of the Coterminous United States - James L. Carter and Vincent H. Resh
Chapter 13 Columbia River Basin - Jack A. Stanford, F. Richard Hauer, Stanley V. Gregory, and Eric B. Snyder
Chapter 14 Great Basin Rivers - Dennis K. Shiozawa and Russell B. Rader
Chapter 15 Fraser River Basin - Trefor B. Reynoldson, Joseph Culp, Rick Lowell, and John S. Richardson
Chapter 16 Pacific Coast Rivers of Canada and Alaska - John S. Richardson and Alexander M. Milner
Chapter 17 Yukon River Basin - Robert C. Bailey
Chapter 18 Mackenzie River Basin - Joseph M. Culp, Terry D. Prowse, and Eric A. Luiker
Chapter 19 Nelson and Churchill River Basins - David M. Rosenberg, Patricia A. Chambers, Joseph M. Culp, William G. Franzin, Patrick A. Nelson, Alex G. Salki, Michael P. Stainton, R. A. Bodaly, and Robert W. Newbury
Chapter 20 Rivers of Arctic North America - Alexander M. Milner, Mark W. Oswood, and Kelly R. Munkittrick
Chapter 21 Atlantic Coast Rivers of Canada - Richard A. Cunjak and Robert W. Newbury
Chapter 22 St. Lawrence River Basin - James H. Thorp, Gary A. Lamberti, and Andrew F. Casper
Chapter 23 Rivers of Mexico - Paul F. Hudson, Dean A. Hendrickson, Arthur C. Benke, Alejandro Varela-Romero, Rocio Rodiles-Hern ndez, and Wendell L. Minckley
Index of Rivers
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Mariner's Employment Guide

ISBN: 0964491508
ISBN 13: 978-0964491502
Pages: 598
Date Published: 2007
Publisher: Marine Techniques Publishing
Author: James Laurence Pelletier
Price: $85.00

Item Description:
Binding: Perfect bound, 12pt C1S softcover (four-color) gloss lamination cover finish

Shipping
For calculating additional shipping cost, for shipping outside of the U.S.A. shipping weight is: Five (5) pounds

Need a Better Job? The Mariner’s Employment Guide can help you!

(1,700 plus addresses and more than 300 Job descriptions and salary ranges listed, 598 total pages). The only complete navigation guide to maritime employment. It takes you through a step by step process that is listed in both layman and nautical terms. Pelletier fully describes the merchant service, giving its history, its present situation, and projections for the future. The book clearly explains the full spectrum of the merchant marine, from small passenger vessels that carry six or less passengers for hire to large passenger vessels that carry thousands of passengers, from towboats that ply the waters of the Western Rivers to freighters, crude oil, chemical tankers and containerships, that cross the seven seas, from crew boats working in the Gulf of Mexico “oil patch” to supply boats that service oil and gas rigs worldwide. Merchant marine employment, as the Guide’s nucleus, is handled in a very thorough manner however; the book also covers shipyard careers, marine biology, oceanography, ocean engineering, geology, geophysics, naval architecture, commercial diving, commercial and sport fishing, marine surveyors, commercial yachting and more.

Book Specifications:
8.375” X 10.875” X 1.4”, vertical, glued and smythsewn (stitched) perfect bound, 12pt C1S softcover (four-color) gloss lamination cover finish, 598 pages and over 1660 total listings of marine, aquatic, and nautical resources

This book also contains: 33 illustrations - 304 marine position descriptions & salary ranges - 70 national/international contacts listed - 620 marine/aquatic schools listed - 145 marine/aquatic employment agencies listed - 512 marine/aquatic associations listed - 162 marine/aquatic publishers listed - 152 marine/aquatic bookstores listed and 1,525 entries of marine and aquatic words and terms glossary.

Book Reviews:
“This book should be on the bookshelf of not only every active merchant mariner, but also in the libraries of every high school and every guidance counselor’s office in the country. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is seeking employment or who is already employed in the merchant marine.” Captain John F. Whiteley, Director of The Inland Waterways Academy at Marshall Community and Technical College - Huntington, West Virginia

“As the largest website of maritime employment, we serve both experienced merchant mariners as well as those looking to start a career. Therefore, we recognize a great guide when we see one. The Mariner’s Employment Guide is, by far, the most extensive summary of U.S. Marine employment and its lucrative career paths. Whether you are interested in bluewater, brownwater or offshore, buying this Guide is money well spent.” Mr. Jim Ireland, President of MaritimeEmployment.com - Houston, Texas

“As a professor of nautical science, and Master of the offshore marine technology training vessel R/V Dan Moore here at Cape Fear Community College, I heartily commend you for the comprehensive scope of your work. It should be a tremendous asset to any aspiring candidate for employment in the vast, and often complex, maritime, marine science, and marine technology fields. I offer a sincere closing salute for your tremendous achievement in authoring this vital work. Pending the final preparation of the 10th Edition, I will await your guidance on the ways that we may provide a home for three copies.” Captain Steve Beuth, Professor of Nautical Science and Master of the offshore marine technology-training vessel R/V Dan Moore at Cape Fear Community College - Wilmington, North Carolina

“The Mariner’s Employment Guide is an excellent informational tool for anyone wanting to learn about the maritime industry. I will make it available in our library for our students, faculty and visiting guidance counselors to use as a valuable resource.” Captain Richard G. Youcis, Director of Career Services and Cadet Shipping Program at Maine Maritime Academy - Castine, Maine

“I referenced an early edition of The Mariner’s Employment Guide when I was a young cadet, just graduating Kings Point and hungry for a job. Now, 20 years later, I am impressed by the many improvements and enhancements made to this new edition, especially the excellent distillation of STCW and USCG requirements and clear information on career tracks. I have yet to find a more comprehensive or well-organized marine employment guide anywhere. This book is an invaluable resource to anyone searching for or even just considering maritime employment. I heartily recommend this text to all maritime training centers, libraries, and high school counselors. As I work primarily with senior cadets at the California Maritime Academy, I will be recommending this Guide to my students as they begin their job searches. You have really done an outstanding job, and I commend your efforts.” Captain Tuuli Messer-Bookman, Esq., Associate Professor - Marine Transportation Department at the California Maritime Academy - Vallejo, California

“Congratulations on producing your outstanding Mariner’s Employment Guide. As the largest fresh water port in the world, the Port of Philadelphia provides thousands of jobs that underpin our region’s economy. We created the Maritime Academy Charter High School in 2003 hoping to open doors of opportunity for inner city students to learn about and aspire to careers in maritime industries and become functioning members of this area’s vibrant maritime economy. Your employment guide is a solid answer to our need to have a single, comprehensive source for our staff and students to get information about maritime employment opportunities, where the jobs are, how to get them, and what they pay. It’s a wonderful volume that we expect to use in our maritime career exploration classes with our high school freshmen and with parents who can help guide their children to strive for maritime careers. Thank you for providing us with an excellent learning tool. Dr. Ann Gillis-Waiters, Chief Executive Officer at the Maritime Academy Charter High School - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

“This edition is an outstanding example of a well-thought-out and well-laid-out reference manual. It is representative of every area of the maritime industry and will aid both the beginner and the Master that may be on his 5th issue. All areas including maritime history, service requirements, and differing vessel types and sizes. Practical topics range from Coast Guard procedures to employment opportunities with pay scales. Information is backed up with reference links for each area covered. This manual is a “must have” for every reference library. I highly recommend it to those seeking guidance in this field. Captain Carl Moore, Marine Operations Coordinator at the Louisiana Technical College, Young Memorial Campus - Morgan City, Louisiana and Approved by: Mr. Gregory L. Garrett, Regional Director

“Jim: Just wanted you to know that I finally had time to take a look at The Mariner’s Employment Guide. I think it is a comprehensive document with up to date information that should be very helpful to those in the maritime fields who are seeking employment or trying to figure out how certain jobs fit into organizations. What I personally found very helpful about the book was the list of schools with marine related programs. This was particularly helpful in deciding on which schools offered what sorts of curricula for on board training, and for marine and oceanographic training. Thanks for asking me to review this directory. Good luck with printing and distributing it. Maggie L. Merrill, Editorial Director, Marine Technology Reporter Magazine, New York, New York

“Hello Jim, Yes, I have received the book. . .tremendous job, I am woowed! A lot of dedication and work resulting in a great product, Jim. I hope you understand when I say that I may become learned in the Mariners way as a direct result of reading an intriguing and interesting volume of work as you have put together! Truthfully, I just began skimming and found myself saying time and time again “wow, that’s interesting!” Thank you for having me involved in so powerful a body of information. Thank you for the honor of inclusion in your book and I am proud to say it has found its place in our entry hallway, displayed on a table beside my favorite reading chair.” Jos Van Poederooyen, Inpix Business Solutions, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

“Employment guide helps maritime workers navigate waters of the trade. If you’re thinking of jumping ship to escape the confines of your maritime or office job, hold off just long enough to get your hands on a copy of this guide. Painstakingly researched and compiled by U.S. Merchant Marine Staff Officer and Marine Engineer James Laurence Pelletier, the “Mariner’s Employment Guide” may be the shot in the arm of your maritime career. If you’re new to the field, even better: Try starting with the succinct and straightforward history, current conditions and forecast for the U.S. maritime trade. This directory is laid out to take you step by step through a variety of merchant mariner, U.S. Coast Guard, and educational/training opportunities. But it also covers careers in the yards, marine biology, oceanography, commercial diving and fishing, surveying and much more. Within these various fields, Pelletier reviews average salaries, entry-level procedures, training requirements and options, national and international contacts, bookstores, and employment agencies, among many other features. The vast range of information in this guide is accessible and invaluable. Whether you’re an experienced merchant mariner, a guidance counselor or a frustrated cubicle dweller, get a copy for your shelf.” NF Jessica Hathaway, Associate Editor, National Fisherman Magazine, page 5 January 2007 issue.

“Mariner’s Employment Guide - The Complete Navigation Guide to Maritime Employment. Here’s one job hunting guide you won’t find in every Resource Room! This 598-page book covers the full spectrum of jobs in the merchant marine, from small passenger vessels and towboats to huge cruiseships, freighters and tankers. It covers basic entry-level procedures, licensing and other requirements. It contains more than 300 maritime job descriptions and salary ranges, and over 1,700 listings for marine/aquatic employers, schools, employment agencies, associations, publishers, and bookstores. In addition to merchant marine employment, the book also covers careers in shipyards, marine biology, oceanography, ocean engineering, geology, geophysics, naval architecture, commercial diving, commercial and sport fishing, marine surveyors, commercial yachting and more. An aging workforce and growing international trade have combined to create a potential shortage of merchant seaman.” Mr. C. Paul Mendez, President, National Association of Workforce Development Professionals, Washington, DC, page 10 January 2007 NAWDP Newsletter Volume 20 No. 1.

Letter dated: 25 January 2007. “Dear Mr. Pelletier, Thank you for your letter of 15 January 2007 transmitting two copies of the 2007 edition of the “Mariner’s Employment Guide” and related articles. The courtesy of your gesture is appreciated. I trust that your book (which will enrich our Library) will inspire young men and women to pursue a career at sea. As you know, IMO, with the assistance of the World Maritime University (WMU) and the International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI), supports administrations in developing countries in all affairs maritime but much more needs to be done and your contribution is greatly valued. I know I can count on your continued support in any way you are able to.” Yours sincerely, E. E. Mitropoulos, Secretary-General, International Maritime Organization, London, England, United Kingdom.

"When we decided to review James Pelletier’s Mariner’s Employment Guide, we had no idea as to the enormous scope and depth with which the book examines virtually every aspect of the world of maritime employment. But, the 598 pages of this remarkable compendium cover the broad range of applying for Coast Guard documents, where to get training, career tracks, salary surveys and much, much more. There is literally something here for everyone: from the entry-level mariner right up to the most experienced Master."

"First published in 1983, The Mariner’s Employment Guide has been updated no less than eight times -- the last in 2007. Pelletier updates the book regularly and stays abreast with changes in licensing and documentation procedures -- no easy task as the Coast Guard revamps how it does business with the U.S. commercial mariner. The book covers lower-level endorsements all the way up to unlimited licenses and provides statistical background on all of them."

"The answer to virtually any question that a candidate might have about the maritime employment game is contained with this book. Pelletier’s compendium probably gives its best utility to the entry-level mariner because of its exhaustive overview of so many obscure job titles that exist over a wide range of marine platforms. For the person who might ordinarily think there was no place at sea for him or her, James Pelletier will make him or her think again."

"James Pelletier’s background includes at-sea experience in the U.S. Navy and another twenty years on board a wide range of foreign and domestic, deep-draft vessels. He has a wealth of experience in other transportation modes, as well. After you read this book, you’ll understand that his research abilities speak for themselves. At a time when the industry is literally crying out for competent mariners, James Pelletier’s Mariner’s Employment Guide shows potential seafarers the way forward. And, not a moment too soon." - MarEx – by Captain Joseph Keefe, Managing Editor - The Maritime Executive Magazine & Newsletter – Thursday, November 15, 2007

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Acknowledgments
Brief History of the United States Merchant Marine
Job Situation in the United States Merchant Marine
Commercial Marine Employment - Basic Entry Level Procedures Involved
U.S. Coast Guard Regional Examination Centers (RECs)
Obtaining a Mariner’s Credential
United States Coast Guard Information
Department of Homeland Security
General Information for Merchant Mariner’s Documents (MMDs), Licences, and STCW Certificates
Acceptable Documents for Identification and Citizenship
Mariner’s Navigation Guide to Licensing and Documentation
Applying and Qualifying for a U.S. Merchant Mariner’s Document (MMD
U.S. Merchant Mariner’s Document (MMD) and Professional Requirements
Service Chart for Qualified Member of Deck Department Ratings
Service Chart for Qualified Member of Engineering Department Ratings
Military and/or Foreign Sea Service Requirements
National Driver Register (NDR) Check Requirements
United States Coast Guard Licensing Fundamentals
Licenses vs. Certificates of Registry, and Merchant Mariner’s Documents
Examination and Reference Materials
United States Passport Requirement
Common Questions Asked and Helpful Hints
History of STCW-95 Implementation
STCW-95 Training and Demonstrated Proficiency
United States Coast Guard User Fee Schedules
Active Mariner Credentials Issued
Shipboard Careers
Career Tracks - United States Merchant Mariner Document (MMD)
Original or Renewal of Merchant Mariner’s Document
International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping of Seafarers (STCW)
Able Seaman (AB) and STCW
Able Seaman Flow Chart - Climbing the Coast Guard ladder
Career Tracks - United States Merchant Mariner Licenses
Upper & Lower Level Deck and Engineering Department Officers
Summary of Required Documentation
International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping of Seafarers (STCW)
Career Tracks - United States Merchant Mariner Certificates of Registry (COR) or Radio Officer (RO) Licenses
Checklist for Certificate of Registry or Radio Officers Licenses
Summary of Required Documentation
International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping of Seafarers (STCW)
Career Tracks - United States Merchant Mariner Licenses and Qualified MMD Renewals
Guide to Renewing U.S. Merchant Mariner Documents (MMD), Licenses and Certificates of Registry (COR)
Checklist for License or Merchant Mariner Document (MMD) Renewal
Summary of Required Documentation
General Requirements for License and/or Merchant Mariner Document Renewal
International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping of Seafarers (STCW)
Career Tracks - United States Merchant Mariner Duplicate Copies of Licenses, MMD, STCW or Certificates of Discharge to Merchant Mariner
Checklist for Duplicate License, MMD, STCW and/or Certificate of Discharge
Summary of Required Documentation
Career Tracks - United States Merchant Mariner Lower Level Limited Deck Licenses
Common or General Requirements for Deck Licenses
Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessels (OUPV) or “6-Pack” Licenses
Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessels (OUPV) Limited Licenses
Limited Master License of not more than 100 gross registered tons (GRT)
Master of Vessels of not more than 100 gross registered tons (GRT) - All Routes
Examination Modules and Passing Scores
Career Tracks - United States Merchant Mariner Lower Level Vessel Specific Deck Officers’ Licenses
Common and General Requirements for Lower Level Deck Officers’ Licenses
Master Ocean/Near Coastal Uninspected Fishing Industry Vessels
Mate Ocean/Near Coastal Uninspected Fishing Industry Vessels (non-STCW)
Master of Towing Vessels Ocean/Near Coastal/Great Lakes/Inland/Western Rivers
Mate (Pilot) of Towing Vessels Ocean/Near Coastal/Great Lakes/Inland/Western Rivers
Apprentice Mate (Steersman) of Towing Vessels Ocean/Near Coastal/Great Lakes/Inland/Western Rivers
First Class Pilot of (Tonnage To Be Determined) GRTs
Limited Scope Deck Licenses
Career Tracks - United States Merchant Mariner - U.S. Coast Guard Approved Courses
United States Coast Guard - U.S. Merchant Mariner Applications - Forms - Documents and Example Letters
Visual Illustrations of Applications, Forms, Documents and Letters
Instructions for Completing United States Coast Guard Forms
Application for License as an Officer, Staff Officer, Operator and MMD
Acceptable Documents for Identification and/or Citizenship
Merchant Mariner Physical Examination Report
Merchant Marine Certification of Fitness for Entry Level Ratings
Camera Set-Up Form for Merchant Mariner’s Document (MMD)
DOT/USCG Periodic Drug Testing Form
Small Vessel Sea Service Form (Merchant Marine Vessel Service)
Sea Service Form (Merchant Marine Vessel Service) with Certificates of Discharge
Request Pertaining to Military Records Form
Sea Service Form (Military Experience)
Declaration of Consent Letter (Example)
Letter of Commitment for Entry Level Merchant Mariner’s Document (MMD)
Letter of Competency (Example)
Letter of Sea Service/Sea Time (Example)
Sea Service Letter (Example)
Random Drug Testing Program Letter (Example)
Renewal for Continuity Purposes Statement (Example)
Acknowledgment of Radar Requirements Form
Tankerman Letter (Example)
Tankerman Endorsements
Engineering Officers - Gas Turbine Main Propulsion Qualifications
Vessel Stability and Trim Training
Shipboard Firefighting Certification
Standard First Aid and Adult CPR Certification
Shipboard Firefighting Training Certificates (Examples)
Standard First Aid and Adult CPR Certificate (Example)
United States Merchant Mariner’s Document (MMD) - Old Version
United States Merchant Mariner’s Document (MMD) - New Version
Master’s License Steam or Motor Vessels of any Gross Tons upon Oceans
Chief Engineer’s License Steam or Motor Vessels of any Horsepower
Certificate of Registry to United States Merchant Marine Staff Officer - Old Version
United States Merchant Marine Staff Officers License - New Version
Certificate of Discharge to United States Merchant Seaman (Example)
STCW-95 Certificate - USCG Form CG-5611 (illustration)
Shipboard Position Descriptions and Average Salaries
Commercial Merchant Marine Position Descriptions and Average Salary Ranges
General Overview, Training and Experience Requirements
Deep-Draft (Blue Water) - Inland & Coastal (Brown Water) - Offshore Oil & Gas Support Vessels and Passenger Vessels
Offshore Oil & Gas Specific Jobs - Significant Points & General Overview
Working Offshore - The future for the offshore oil & gas industry
Types of Offshore Oil & Gas Rigs
Offshore Oil & Gas Rigs - Position Descriptions and Average Salary Ranges
Commercial Shipbuilding and Boat Manufacturing - Significant Points and General Overview
Recreational Boat Building, Repairing and Manufacturing Industry
Ocean Economy Sectors and Industries by NAICS and SIC Codes
Ship Building & Repair and Boat Building & Repair Position Descriptions and Wages
Naval Architects - Naval Engineers - Ocean Engineers - Chemical/Petroleum Engineers
Commercial Diving as a Career - Significant Points and General Overview
Marine Surveyor - Ship’s Surveyor - Marine Investigator as a Career
Commercial Fishing/Sport Fish Charter as a Career
Fishing Careers Ashore
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S. S. United States: Lady in Waiting DVD

ISBN: **********
ISBN 13: **********
Pages: 60 minutes (approx)
Date Published: September 15, 2008
Publisher: Availability: Usually ships in 2-4 business days
Author: Directed by Robert Radler
Price: $35.00

Item Description:
A DVD film by Robert Radler, Produced in cooperation with the SS United States Conservancy. Music Stephen Edwards, Editor Curtis David Sackett, Director of Photography Ilan Rosenberg, I.S.C., Story Consultant Susan Gibbs, Associate Producer Dan McSweeney, Co-Producer Kitty Radler, Producer Dea Shandera and Robert Radler. Produced by Mark B. Perry and Directed by Robert Radler. This documentary was shot in high-definition, was originally a presentation of WTTW National Productions and has aired throughout the United States on American Public Televison.

Shipping
For calculating additional shipping cost, for shipping outside of the U.S.A. shipping weight is: One (1) pound

DVD Narrative:
Take a journey of discovery on the SS United States in this incredible look at the largest and fastest passenger vessel ever built in the United States. The groundbreaking film follows the ship's journey from being a mid-20th century technological and design marvel to a largely-forgotten relic docked in Philadelphia as she awaits a decision about her fate.

Combining never before seen archival footage and compelling interviews with the crew and passengers, SS United States: Lady in Waiting tells the story of what historians consider to be the greatest American ocean liner of all time. Originally designed to be a secret weapon in the cold war disguised as a luxurious passenger liner, the SS United States was completely fire-proof and the largest and fastest passenger vessel ever constructed in her namesake's country.

The brainchild of United States Lines president, John M. Franklin, and the 20th Century's preeminent naval architect, William Francis Gibbs, she was the pride of America during her flawless service career from 1952 to 1969. Take a journey of discovery to learn everything about this fabled vessel from her top-secret design and construction to her star-studded glamorous heyday to her gradual decline into obscurity.

Featuring interviews with:
- Walter Cronkite, LeRoy Neiman, maritime historian William H. Miller, Jr. and other notable former passengers and crew, SS United States: Lady in Waiting serves as a fitting tribute to this great ship as she awaits a triumphant return to her rightful place in American history.

Amazingly, the ship still exists, moored and seemingly derelict at a pier in Philadelphia, where the production team has been allowed access to examine her current state and explore the concept that she might again sail the seas..

DVD Reviews:
"her story is indeed diverse, varied, dramatic. But she sails again in glorious triumph and colorful recollection in SS United States: Lady in Waiting. Unquestionably, it is a grand tribute and one of the finest documentaries of its kind ever made. Happily, those great whistles are 'sounding' once again! ...“one of the finest documentaries of its kind ever made” -Bill Miller, Maritime Historian

..."this is an enormously entertaining – and educational – film about one of the greatest ships ever built. Merchant Mariners and Naval veterans alike will be intrigued by the facts, dialogue and personal insights from a myriad of prominent and not-so-well-known persons interviewed in the making of the production" Captain Joe Keefe, Editor, Maritime Executive Magazine and Newsletter (includes shipping)
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Shipping Out DVD

ISBN: **
ISBN 13: **
Pages: 60 minutes (approx)
Date Published: 2006
Publisher: Availability: Usually ships in 2-4 business days
Author: Maria Brooks
Price: $35.00

Item Description:
Produced, Directed and Written by: Maria Brooks - Videographer: Blake McHugh - Musician, composer: Jason Martineau - Mandolinist: Paul Kotapish - Vocalist: Shay Black - Waterfront Soundings Productions, Oakland, California

Shipping
For calculating additional shipping cost, for shipping outside of the U.S.A. shipping weight is: One (1) pound

DVD Description:
"The Story of America's Seafaring Women" This unusual documentary tells the history of women and seafaring in America. Filmed on board merchant ships in coastal waters from Alaska to New York, Shipping Out looks at the little known history of women and seafaring in America. Featured in the program are women who hold jobs in commercial shipping. We meet them working as engineers, bar pilots, tug boat captains, mates and deckhands.

History tells us that women worked on ships for hundreds of years - most often then were disguised as men - or they were pirates - or they were toiling wives of sea captains. Shipping Out looks at the complicated, and sometimes contradictory, history of women and the sea.

Women were 'allowed' into maritime academies beginning in 1974. The women who graduated were the first officers to sail on merchant ships in America. Often they were unwelcomed by their male colleagues and sometimes they were harassed. But they persevered.

DVD Reviews:
"...For a lot of girls and a lot of women there's this connection with running away to sea and a kind of power. You're away from restrictions and boundaries. If you can get out of sight of land, something else is possible for you." Barbara Sjoholm, Shipping Out.

One labor publication described "Shipping Out" as "a comprehensive, spirited look at the women of today who sail the seas for a living. The video documentary opens with striking images of intrepid women on tankers and tugs, climbing on board containerships, piloting through dangerous waters, and yes, even cooking up a gourmet meal in a ship's galley.

"Over the course of the film, the viewer gets to know a dynamic, diverse group of women who have been drawn to the merchant marine, not just in the last 20 years since significant restrictions have been lifted on women's access to these jobs, but as far back as the late 1800s, when women disguised themselves as men to be able to ship out."

Brooks said she found it "refreshing" to meet her interview subjects. "I was awed by their daunting, their daring. It's as if they've tested themselves and proven something to themselves," she said.

Also reviewed in Booklist, School Library Journal, Video Librarian (2006) "Shipping Out" has appeared on PBS and was recently nominated for an Emmy.

A free teacher's companion 23-page .pdf guide to Shipping Out is available to educators at the following link: Click Here.
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The Men Who Sailed the Liberty Ships DVD

ISBN: ***
ISBN 13: ***
Pages: 60 minutes (approx)
Date Published: 2005
Publisher: Availability: Usually ships in 2-4 business days
Author: Maria Brooks
Price: $35.00

Item Description:
Writer, Producer, Director: Maria Brooks – Executive Producer: Danny L. McGuire – Original Music: Bob Navarra – Narrator: Ed Markmann – a Waterfront Soundings Productions, Oakland, California

Shipping
For calculating additional shipping cost, for shipping outside of the U.S.A. shipping weight is: One (1) pound

Narrative:
The Remarkable Story of the Civilian Seamen who volunteered to Sail Cargo Ships to the Front Lines of WWII.

Filmed aboard the Jeremiah O’Brien, the last unaltered Liberty Ship still afloat, The Men Who Sailed the Liberty Ships tell the untold story of “the forgotten men” of World War II.

Soon after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, which triggered U.S. involvement in World War II, a quarter of a million American civilians volunteered to sail cargo ships to global battle zones. Ordinary citizens, these men came from America’s farms and factory towns. Many had never seen an ocean. Yet after only a few weeks of training, these volunteers joined seasoned sailors to crew the tankers and freighters bringing food, fuel and materiel to America’s allies on the fighting front. Mostly unarmed vessels, the Liberties were frequent targets, and the men who sailed them numbered among the highest casualty rates of the war. Thousands lost their lives in the North Atlantic while delivering supplies to Murmansk on the Russian front. Many more met death in the Pacific.

Despite their patriotic service and sacrifice, American merchant mariners returned home to a chilling reception. Slurred in the media and denied their Seamen’s Bill of Rights (G.I. Bill), these sailors would remain haunted by the war for years to come.

DVD Reviews:
“High marks for untold story of WWII” The Men Who Sailed the Liberty Ships. A Maria Brooks film by KTEH-TV (PBS) and Waterfront Soundings Productions.

Reviewed by Eugene Dennis Vrana ILWU Archivist and Research Librarian as it appeared in The Dispatcher Newspaper.

In her latest documentary, The Men Who Sailed The Liberty Ships, producer-writer-director Maria Brooks has raised the art of documenting workers in wartime to a new level. Using a powerful combination of interviews, archival film footage, and still photographs (many from the ILWU-archives), the film dramatically tells the tale of merchant seamen in World War II – weaving together the heroism, loyalty, sacrifices, and tragedy that were commonplace among those who volunteered to sail the cargo ships that supplied America’s military machine and its European allies between 1941 and 1945.

Also told, with great emotional impact, is the largely untold story of how these seamen successfully fought to maintain their union conditions against employers who sought government (and military) intervention to override collective bargaining agreements and place the civilian sailors under military authority – at times sinking to red-baiting to garner public support. But the men stayed under the banner of the maritime unions; as a result, the workforce was racially integrated, and working conditions were usually protected – a terrible irony in light of the fact that the merchant seamen suffered a casualty rate triple that of any branch of the military during the war.

Abandoned By Uncle Sam
The film’s tension mounts as several survivors, interviewed on board the Jeremiah O’Brien, the last unaltered Liberty Ship, describe not only their wartime experience, but also the bitterness and anger at being abandoned at the war’s end. Denied health and social benefits under the GI Bill, by 1950 many also had their seamen’s papers revoked as political screening swept the ships of alleged communists and other security risks – a persecution resisted also by the ILWU. Those interviewed include ILWU pensioner Bill Bailey.

Throughout the film, on which Local 34 retiree Don Watson was associate producer, we are reminded by rare images (and a refreshingly simple narrative carried forward by composer Bob Navarra’s remarkable original score) of the strong bond between seamen and longshore workers – of the common strength forged in 1934, the shared burdens of handling hazardous cargo, and standing together to maintain union contracts while fully supporting the war effort.

There is also attention to details of life aboard ship, as well as the horrors of war – and the lasting traumas of watching shipwrecked shipmates suffer agonizing deaths caused by freezing seas, feeding sharks, and enemy submarines that besieged the supply convoys in the North Atlantic, including the famous Murmansk Run to the Soviet Union.

Noble Wartime Workers
Underlying it all is the nobility of the working men and women who built America’s merchant fleet (over 650,000 shipyard workers built nearly 2,751 Liberty Ships in just four years – nearly half of the wartime total of 6,000 merchant vessels), and of the men who sailed them under impossible conditions (“suicide missions” they were called by Navy personnel assigned in 1942 to staff the inadequate shipboard gun emplacements).

If you are after more information about how WWII was fought, or about the merchant fleet, or seamen and their unions; or if you just enjoy fine documentary films, this is a superb and moving film you won’t want to miss.
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The Odyssey of Captain Healy DVD

ISBN: *
ISBN 13: *
Pages: 60 minutes (approx)
Date Published: 2006
Publisher: Availability: Usually ships in 2-4 business days
Author: Maria Brooks
Price: $35.00

Item Description:
Writer, Producer, Director: Maria Brooks – Executive Producer: Danny L. McGuire – Original Music: Jason Martineau – Narrator: Russ Holcomb – a Waterfront Soundings Productions, Oakland, California

Shipping
For calculating additional shipping cost, for shipping outside of the U.S.A. shipping weight is: One (1) pound

Narrative:
One of the U.S. Coast Guard’s most celebrated officers… the story of an ex-slave who stood for American law and justice along a 30,000-mile coastline of a lawless frontier. From San Francisco’s Barbary Coast to the treacherous Ice Fields of the Arctic Sea.

Mike Healy was born a slave on a Georgia plantation in 1839. At age 15, he ran away to sea.

By the time he arrived in San Francisco after the Civil War, he’d become an officer in the Marine Revenue Service. In the 1870’s, San Francisco was a boomtown, its port beckoned ships from around the world. In the gin joints lining the waterfront – in an area called the Barbary Coast – sailors swapped tales of “Hell Roaring Mike Healy”.

With the purchase of the Alaska Territory, Healy’s career took off. On board the cutter BEAR; Mike Healy represented the U.S. government and its justice in the Arctic. Healy charted and patrolled the treacherous waters of the Bering Sea. He confronted the rumrunners and poachers. He foresaw the extermination of marine animals caused by unrestrained harvesting. And he contended with the devastation wreaked upon the Eskimos by marauding schooners.

Throughout his career, Mike Healy had secrets to hide. His life unfolded in the era of Jim Crow – an era of legal separation of black and white Americans. In this climate of segregation, Healy remained vigilant. But personal demons would prove to be his deadliest challenge.

In 1896, Captain Mike Healy stood before a U.S. Court Martial. The public was stunned by the charges against him.

DVD Reviews:
“The Odyssey of Captain Healy is destined to live alongside independent film classics”
The Dispatcher Newspaper
“A compassionate portrayal of a mythical man nearly forgotten in American history”
Knight Ridder Papers
“A remarkable documentary about one of the most celebrated officers in the Coast Guard…a fascinating film”
Oakland Tribune Newspaper
“Tougher than a walrus, Healy was a brilliant, complex driven man”
San Francisco Chronicle Newspaper
“Highly recommended”
Library Journal

“Maritime Man” The Odyssey of Captain Healy. A Chapter of African-American history that is virtually unknown today, the story of the 19th century “Ruler of the Arctic Sea,” Captain Michael Healy, would make one heck of a movie in the tradition of Glory and Amistad. Healy, who kept a remarkable secret that he took to his grave, was born in Georgia to an Irish plantation owner and his black common-law wife. Because he was exceptionally light-skinned, Healy was able to pass as white; embarking on a career path that would have been closed to post-Civil War emancipated African-Americans. Healy loved the sea from the time he was a boy, and following training in the Naval Revenue Cutter service, went West and settled in San Francisco. He eventually became captain of his own ship and began to make numerous trips into the still unexplored Alaska Territory, establishing a reputation as a tough, but fair-minded skipper who cared for his men and for the Eskimos he was sent to help govern. The events that turned Michael Healy from hero to villain are brilliantly conveyed in this video through a mixture of historical photographs, archival motion pictures, and interviews with prominent historians. A prime example of just how fascinating history can be when told well. Video Librarian
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Tugging On A Heartstring

ISBN: 0-9798008-2-x
ISBN 13: 978-0-9798008-2-5
Pages: 204
Date Published: 07/09/2009 2nd edition
Publisher: Marine Techniques Publishing, Augusta, Maine
Author: Emily V. Lambert
Price: $16.00

Item Description:
Binding: Paperback / Perfect Bound

Shipping
For calculating additional shipping cost, for shipping outside of the U.S.A. shipping weight is: One (1) pound

Narrative
This is the true story in the 1970's of a young 13 year old teenage girl living and working on the Chesapeake Bay. Emily Lambert was a documented AB (able-bodied seaman) merchant mariner, by her 19th birthday and with her father as Captain and mother as first mate - her mother being "the first woman licensed as tugboat operator in the United States" - Emily and her five older sisters worked on their non-union family tugboat. Strength and courage held the Lambert family together with the only girls crewing on a commercial ship on the Chesapeake. From dangerous action to delightful comedy, this is an unforgettable voyage for all ages.

About the Author:
Emily Lambert worked for several more years on her family's next tug, a 1945 DPC class called the Nanticoke, and sailed two voyages on a T-5 tanker. While raising a family, she became a sportswriter in newspaper and a sports personality on television. She became the first woman sports columnist at her city paper. After winning two writing awards in her field, one national, she retired to write this book, and, to resume a college career interrupted by the winch wheel incident.

Book Reviews:

"As a very young girl, Emily Vaughan Lambert may have chewed tobacco, but she was female, make no doubt about that! This story is told in first person, and what an intriquing tale it is! Chesapeake Bay tugboating is well-described and authentic, from bucolic to nasty-difficult.. utterly fascinating. Now, if only there was another sequel.."
Hugh Ware, Tugbitts - Summer/Autumn 2008

E.V Lambert has a very special book here. Amazing how an adult can tell her story through her childhood's eyes. Story is told effectively and with feeling. I hope Ms. Lambert will have more books forthcoming. An excellent read.
- Robert Andrews, Haines, Alaska

"Dear Mrs. Lambert

Just to let you know how much I enjoyed your book and now that I see from your website that you have a sequel on the way I will anxiously look forward to that. Will watch your website for availability.................

Thanks again for sharing stories of a wonderful family. With admiration.........

Ron Hansen
Omaha Nebraska"

This is a wonderful family story! I was left wishing I could have crewed with this loving family and a family based on integrity (something I've unfortunately needed to personally be reminded of from time-to-time). Going to sea is hard work! And for a young 13 year old woman and her five older sisters, well I found myself wishing I could have replaced several grown men I've sailed with over the years with any member of this family. This for me was an inspiring family story, which should be read by the families of today, whom think they have such a rough go of it. - Jim Pelletier

Note: For an autographed copy by the author, once you have placed your order, please email Marine Techniques Publishing regarding how you would like your book autographed by the author. Email us at: approximately 7 day delivery.
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Tugging On A Heartstring: The Sequel

ISBN: 0-9798008-1-1
ISBN 13: 978-0-9798008-1-8
Pages: 108
Date Published: December 2008
Publisher: Marine Techniques Publishing, Augusta, Maine
Author: Emily V. Lambert
Price: $15.00

Item Description:
Binding: Paperback / Perfect Bound

Shipping
For calculating additional shipping cost, for shipping outside of the U.S.A. shipping weight is: One (1) pound

Narrative
More True Adventures on a Family Tugboat on the Chesapeake Bay. (price includes shipping within the U.S.A.)

Tugging on a Heartstring: The Sequel is the true story of an all-American seagirl in the U.S. Merchant Marine. Barefoot and tobacco-dipping with long, blonde braids, Emily Lambert started working on tugs at age 13 in the 1970s. In this sequel to her exciting adventures, starting at age 16, Emily survives a violent deck injury and internal bleeding far from shore, achieves her Able Bodied Seaman's ticket, and sails deep-sea on a T-5 class tanker to decide, once and for all, between a life on land or on her beloved sea.

Book Reviews:

"These two spare little books present a world that few of us will ever experience, the huge, sometimes brutal world of commercial tugging. We may admire the shape or the line of a classic tug from the shore or appreciate the tingle in the pads of our feet from the deep throbbing rumble of impossibly powerful engines, but the routine of daily life aboard is what E.V. Lambert vividly shares. In 1972, when she was just 13, her parents left the family farm in the hands of a tenant, bought the tug, Rose, a 1906 converted steamer and went into business hauling and pushing barges up and down the eastern seaboard. Six daughters rotated as crew, along with Zeke “a tent of yellow oil skins” and other assorted male crew. Debbie, alias Mom (later to become the first licensed female tugboat operator), the ship’s cat, Bilbo and the family dog, Toto filled out the team. Papa was very much the captain. Emily (E.V.) and Alison, her nearest sister in age shared duties for most of their teen years, working on the boat during the summers and (boarding) school vacations.

Everyone on board worked six hours on, six hours off. Emily’s watches were midnight to six and noon to six. Older sister, Suzannah was a more than acceptable cook, the two younger girls were deckhands and, boy, did they haul some hawsers. The tug became a popular fixture in her home waters, which may have inspired Papa to rename her the Babe. “We want to name ‘er something for us,” he explained, possibly tongue in cheek.

The years of riding through storms that raised 8-foot seas in the open waters of the Chesapeake and through the fog and the ‘skeeters of the Ditch, became a treasure trove of family stories and they made a healthy living in the bargain. It isn’t hard to imagine how dull those off months at school must have been and the author gives them little space. (The reader wants to get back the boat as much as she does.) “Anticipating boarding school was like waiting for a ship’s wake to hit and with too much time to worry about it.” Besides, taking snuff and enjoying the end of watch beer was frowned upon at the Quaker school. The first book ends when Papa Lambert sells Babe. It’s a shock to the reader as well as the girls. We all want the adventure to go on forever. The Sequel, published two years later, resumes with a new, bigger and more powerful tug, a 1945 DPL class. The Nanticoke had many amenities especially appreciated by young women, like fans, private spaces and a roomy, modern galley--although the hawsers are even bigger and heavier. At this point in the voyage, author Emily is 16. The girls continued heave to with enthusiasm. Slightly older sister, Alison became the second licensed Able Bodied seawoman out of Norfolk. Mom was the first and Emily was the third.)

All was not roses aboard the Nanticoke, however. An on-board accident that tore the skin off Emily’s hip and thigh laid her up in hospital for months. Though not referenced, it seems to have been the beginning of the end of the family’s tugging career. After recovering, the author went to nursing school and eventually Papa sold the boat-- claiming that he and Mama missed the farm. Emily tried another type of life on the water, signing on with an ocean going oil tanker, but found that the military-type hierarchy did not constitute family. As a writer, Lambert often startles the reader with the aptness of her similes, (she describes her arms as feeling like “old celery” after hauling a nettle-infested line) the keen-ness of her observations and the immediacy of her description. Her enthusiasm for life aboard is infectious. The books are written as if they happened yesterday complete with lively dialog that makes one wonder how she could remember or even imagine conversations that happened thirty years ago. But, I think Lambert was a writer before she was a tugboat crewmember."
- Carol Standish, Maine Harbors, http://www.maineharbors.com/ - January 2009 Book Review

"Having spent almost 38 years on tugs I can tell you E.V. Lambert has brought the world of tug boating to life. She has done what most men dream of and succeeded where many men have failed. This book is hard to put down once you start reading."
-Captain John Kinzel, Foss Maritime, Seattle, Washington

"E.V. Lambert's tale of growing up on a working tugboat is a rollicking good read ... As a woman who broke into the maritime industry in 1976, I have always been interested to know who had gone before me."
- Captain Jan Tiura, senior captain with Starlight Marine Services, San Francisco Bay www.phototiura.com

"Immediately drawn in from the very first sentence by her vivid imagery, detailed and rich sensory descriptions, I found myself on board the Tug Babe...."
- Captain Marcia Macone, Tug Stalwart, Crowley Maritime, Valdez, Alaska

“Dear Emily,

I ordered and received the Sequel from Amazon and couldn't put it down. The only bad thing about it was having it end. I truly enjoyed your two books more than I have enjoyed ANY books in a very long time. You made me laugh and you made me tear up as well. Your honesty is overwhelmingly rare. You must have the coolest parents and the greatest sisters in the world. Your parents have certainly lived what 99% of us can only dream about.

Living in Nebraska my love of water has only extended to pleasure craft and canoes and kayaks. But I have always been an armchair "old salt". Both of my parents were in the Navy in World War 2 and I was born in 1947 at the Bainbridge Naval Station in Maryland. However, they moved to Nebr. upon being discharged when I was less than a year old.

Again I want to thank you for sharing the wonderful and fascinating story of your teen years with your family in such an open and honest way.

Very sincerely,
Ron Hansen
Omaha, Nebraska”

Note: For an autographed copy by the author, once you have placed your order, please email Marine Techniques Publishing regarding how you would like your book autographed by the author. Email us at: approximately 7 day delivery.
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