Out of Arklow

Ido not remember when Ifirst sailed out of Arklow, butI do remember when I almost drowned in the dock atthe age of three. I was brought up in a fishing community, and in our streetof fourteen houses, every one of them had at least oneperson in the family earning a living from the sea. I first shipped out of Arklow as a boy aged thirteen onlocal fishing boats. Later on I joined the Merchant Navy,and over the years, I worked my way up from ordinaryseaman to master. I served on eighty different boats and ships and wasmaster of thirty-seven of them. These included fi shingvessels, coasters, tramps, cattle boats, passenger ships,heavy-lift vessels, nuclear fuel carriers, tankers, VLCCs,OBOs, container ships, dredgers, survey ships, yachts,and patrol boats. This is my story.