Happy To Have My Seafarer Home on the Day of the Seafarer

Yesterday was the “Day of the Seafarer”. My social media was full of posts in support of the hardworking people at sea – crew members on cruise ships, those on cargo ships, ferries – but, much like how these days raise awareness and provide thanks for a day, sometimes it feels like that’s all they do. This year I am extremely grateful to have my seafarer home on this particular day. I found myself wondering yesterday as all these super supportive posts popped up at those that worked at sea why I didn’t join in. Not only have I worked at sea, my husband still works at sea, it’s his career. So, why wasn’t I jumping on to shout from the rooftops that it was the Day of the Seafarer and show my support?

Honestly before I worked onboard a cruise ship I didn’t know there was a “Day of the Seafarer”. I’d been on cruises as a passenger but I guess never in the month of June or maybe never over that particular day. It wasn’t something that showed up in the newspapers in my very land-locked state even though 80% of goods shipped internationally travel some portion of their journey by sea.

When I worked onboard it was maybe a year or two before I happened to be on a ship when the Day of the Seafarer came around. I think there was a crew party, maybe some cake somewhere, and that was about it. Another year the ship was in Victoria, British Columbia and the local food vendors near where the ships docked gave us all some free food – maybe like $10 off our bill with a crew ID – something like that. I think the higher ups onboard the ship took a picture to promote on social media.

Then, last year happened and the Day of the Seafarer happened to fall just after I was able to go home from the ship I had at sea on for 100 days. The irony is this was just before my husband and I’s first year wedding anniversary and my husband was still on the ship. Despite having been onboard already for two months past his contract date there didn’t seem to be a country that would allow full crew change. The Philippines had a “green lane” to allow crew to go home, but their visa offices were closed (due to COVID) so those needing to join the ships weren’t able to get the appropriate visas. My husband was in the category of “essential” worker and couldn’t leave the ship until his replacement arrived. Those damn engines and all of that mechanical equipment.

At the time I partially cursed his essential status because it meant he couldn’t fly home with me. While it was frustrating I was also grateful because at least for the time being it meant he had a job and despite the craziness of the world we would still have financial stability. And, lest I forget to mention that when things shut down I happened to be onboard with him and so we got to ride out the first few months of craziness together. I’m forever grateful for that.

Last year people talked about the Day of the Seafarer and at the time I was just damn mad. My husband was still stuck at sea, so could everyone just stop talking so much about how they’re appreciated and just find a country that would let crew change happen so that he can get home? (A big shout out to Cyprus that has definitely been a friend to the cruise industry throughout this pandemic.)

His situation wasn’t exclusive to him. My frustrations over missing our anniversary seem small versus friends that missed the births of their children, kids birthdays, last moments with grandparents, and funerals. But, it’s real and it’s what my people – my seafaring people – were dealing with when the Day of the Seafarer came around last year.

This year is a bit different. Like any good storm there is a rainbow at the end and this year the Day of the Seafarer comes as my husband and I are in the same country for our anniversary, as cruises begin to restart out of the US, and things start to feel cautiously hopeful.

We can’t celebrate everything and everyone every single day. I get that. I think the Day of the Seafarer is great for raising awareness about those that earn their livings and live their lives at sea. It raises awareness that wouldn’t otherwise be there and I know there are organizations like the IMO, CLIA, and Nautilus that fight for the seafarer. I certainly don’t want to discount any of the work that they do not just on the Day of the Seafarer but every day.

And, while I love what our life at sea has given us, this year, as the Day of the Seafarer comes and goes I’ve got so much to be thankful for, but most of all that I’ve got my seafarer home.