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So You Want To Earn Your  Captains License – Some Literary Inspiration to Motivate You

These days, there’s no need for you to leave your home because there few of the classics out there that can surely take you right on the water. So, if you think to pursue your captains license or just want to read a great story about man’s interaction with the sea, then you can’t surely go wrong with the following:

Literary Piece of Ernest Hemingway: The Old Man and the Sea (1952)

With this literary piece, Hemingway won the Pulitzer Prize along with countless satisfied readers. It contains all the details regarding with the struggle of an old man by the name of Santiago who is on the haunt for a large marlin. The said man is under pressure to catch something that he has not caught anything in over 80 days. But on his 88 day, Santiago finally catches hold of the marlin, and the novella follows Santiago’s fight with the mammoth beast and the sea. With this terse prose of Hemingway, he again dominates this love story of man and nature. That is why, if you have the desire to gain a better understanding of man’s relationship with the sea, then there’s no better place to start than this award-winning story which is also known as the last literary piece of Hemingway.

Literary Piece of Patrick O’Brian: Master and Commander (1969)

Skip the Russell Crowe movie. Nobody can capture a sea battle scene better than Patrick O’Brian. This so-called historical fiction novel takes place during the Napoleonic Wars and is loosely based off Lord Cochrane. This literary piece chronicles the adventures of Captain Jack Aubrey and Stephan Maturin as they try to stay alive and serenade the sea with music. This is the first of 21 books, and you should definitely start from the beginning. This book is heralded for its realism and detail. If you want to feel like you’re in the Royal Navy in the 1800s, read O’Brian.

Literary Piece of C.S. Forester: Mr. Midshipman Hornblower (1950)

You can’t have a list of sea fiction without including Horatio Hornblower. This is the first book in chronological order where we meet Hornblower. It must be noted that this was not the first book Forester published. That would be Beat to Quartersin 1937. In Mr. Midshipman Hornblower, Horatio Hornblower begins his career in the Royal Navy. He suffers from seasickness, but his mathematical skills make him a natural at nautical analysis. He is derided by some but ultimately becomes acting Lieutenant by the end of this novel. The novel has ten self-contained chapters and is a joy to read for anyone wishing to read historical fiction about naval life.  The author of the next book on this short list often said he recommended Hornblower to everyone literate he knew.

We hope you enjoy these literary classics about famous men that have accomplished their captains license and live the captains dream on the open sea.

 So You Want To Earn Your Captains License– Medical Dis-qualifiers

Remember that it is very important for every crew member be physically fit and free from any debilitating illness and injury so that they can safely operate a maritime vessel. Typically, availability of medical assistance or treatment is generally minimal and the seafaring life can be grueling, often hazardous.

Below are some maritime safety guidelines that you may follow. However, they are not intended to be absolute or all encompassing.

We cannot deny the fact that there are some individuals that may have other medical or physical conditions and limitations that would make them incompetent to do their maritime duties aboard vessel. There are also some individuals who may be quite capable of working at sea without even posing a risk to themselves, their ship, or shipmates even though one of the listed conditions exists.

The ability of each crew member to perform his or her routine duties and respond to emergencies becomes even more critical, as the industry continues its trend toward smaller crews. The following are the top 5 medical conditions that can delay your Captains License application or cause the application to be denied:

• Sleep Apnea
• Chronic use of Narcotics
• Diabetes
• Cardiac Disease
• Psychiatric Disorders

Keep in mind that it is really important for you to provide medical documentation from your Doctor if you have one or more of these medical conditions. Any cause for rejection is disqualifying only while the condition persists or is likely to cause disqualifying complications.