Hanging Up My Trawlers
I’ve been a tuna boat captain for over 60 years. I never thought I’d retire and live on the land. It just seems to still every moment of the day. Like it’s completely decided that’s all it ever wants to be. I am considered one of the elite commanders of tuna vessels this side of the Atlantic. And I never thought that I’d end up leaving it behind me. It’s still something that I want to be a part of my life. I think I’ll just start fishing for pleasure more often.
Living on the shore is nice. Seeing the ocean stretch out for miles. It looks like someone cut a great line across the world. I feel lucky that I’ve been able to make my living off the sea. So few of my children were able to take up their own ships. My other sons wanted to but it’s too difficult to find an independent position. None of them wanted to be a part of the family business. They all wanted to be there own captain. I tell ya, that’s just not the way things are supposed to work. There’s so many things that young people don’t understand about business. It makes me worried that they are going to need me when I’m gone.
I had to come out to figure out which houses to rent. They had to come to me to find out if the contract they signed was good. They had to come to me to find out what their retirement plan was comprised of. I guess that’s the new way of the world. You don’t figure it out yourself. You asked for help, and everyone gives help without a second thought. I don’t see how they would make it on their own but I’m glad that they don’t have to.