Alan Parsons
15th April 2008, 18:58
Hi, my name is Alan Parsons and I'm a life long shipping enthusiast. I had hoped to go to sea and in 1963 had an apprenticeship as a deck officer lined up on the 'Blue Flues' until an eye sight defect was revealed and that was the end of my hoped for career. It was suggested that I could train as a sparks but that really wasn't my thing (sorry to all the sparks out there).
Eventually I joined the police service where strangely my eye sight defect didn't prevent me from qualifying as a Class 1 driver and parolling motorways etc at very high speed!!
My sea going ambitions have been met at my own expense as a fully paid up member of the yellow welly navy (a yachtsman) but I have obtained a considerable number of qualifications and try to sail as professionally as possible. Currently I'm sailing my yacht from Falmouth so plenty of opportunities to see interesting shipping movements here and also at Fowey.
My main interest is in the coaster fleets of the past and present but sad to see how few UK vessels are at sea now compared with the past.
Regards
Alan Parsons
Eventually I joined the police service where strangely my eye sight defect didn't prevent me from qualifying as a Class 1 driver and parolling motorways etc at very high speed!!
My sea going ambitions have been met at my own expense as a fully paid up member of the yellow welly navy (a yachtsman) but I have obtained a considerable number of qualifications and try to sail as professionally as possible. Currently I'm sailing my yacht from Falmouth so plenty of opportunities to see interesting shipping movements here and also at Fowey.
My main interest is in the coaster fleets of the past and present but sad to see how few UK vessels are at sea now compared with the past.
Regards
Alan Parsons