(ThyBlackMan.com) 71% of the world’s surface is covered by ocean.
That’s almost three-quarters of the entire globe! Clearly, there’s enough ocean for everyone.
Oceans have held an allure to humans since the dawn of time. They hold power and profundity that draws us to the water. Tens of thousands of years ago, intrepid early humans hit the high seas in search of new land and epic adventures.
We’ve followed in their example ever since.
People all over the world take to the open water for all manner of reasons. Some for their livelihoods, many for their hobbies and still others for their homes!
And for good reason too. There are a host of advantages to an ocean-faring way of life- especially when you’re doing it for work. Are you thinking of joining the ranks of able bodied seamen?
Keep reading to discover 7 top benefits of doing exactly that.
1. Adventure & Travel
There’s something intrinsically adventurous to a life at sea.
You’re out in the middle of the ocean for extended periods at a time. There’s nothing around you but open water. You leave the harbor and lose sight of the shore. It’s an exciting prospect- who knows what you’ll find over the horizon!?
Likewise, you’re literally being paid to travel the world! Where people usually spend thousands of dollars getting to foreign countries, you’ll find yourself doing it by virtue of your job!
You can be in new places every week, seeing new sights, and exploring exotic shores. You’ll witness things you’d only ever seen on TV before.
2. Explore New Cultures
Exploring new cultures is worth a mention in its own right.
The world is a big place. But you never really understand the extent of that fact until you leave your front door. It takes seeing new countries to truly realize the bubble most of us live inside.
It turns out there’s more to life than your school, your street, your friends and your neighborhood!
The seafaring way of life naturally exposes you to new ways of life. First and foremost, you’re living on a boat! That’s its own unique culture. Moreover, you regularly step foot into new and exotic countries.
You’ll meet the people there, hear the language, and see the architecture. You’ll try the food, walk the streets, and witness novelty at every turn. There’s nothing like spending time in new countries to develop your understanding of yourself and the world.
3. Newfound Maturity and Responsibility
Life at sea is hard graft.
It might sound like one long adventure, full of fun and laughs. In reality, though, there’s a fair amount of work and responsibility that goes with it.
After all, there’s no-one out there to hold your hand. It’s just you, the crew and the boat to handle any problems that arise. High levels of teamwork are required to work effectively together.
When a storm hits, the true power of the ocean is revealed. It can be frightening and awe-inspiring in equal measure. The ocean will humble you and force you to realize your fallibility.
All told, you’ll be forced into maturity from an earlier age. You grow up fast when you’re out at sea.
4. High Pay
Nicely, you’ll be rewarded financially for your labor.
Generally speaking, a career at sea pays a decent salary too- at least when compared to others. That’s obviously good news for you.
You get to explore the world and earn a good wage at the same time. Likewise, you can’t exactly spend much when you’re out at sea! That means your money goes even further when you get back to shore.
In terms of earning and saving opportunities, they don’t get much better.
5. Simplicity of Life
Daily life can get complex in the big bad world.
Take the corporate life. Head to the big city and you’ll be immediately caught up in the melee. It’s fast-paced, growth-driven, materialistic and stress-filled. It’s a dog eat dog; life revolves around work and getting ahead.
It’s easy to get caught up in it all. Before you know it, you lose sight of what’s important.
The opposite is true at sea. There’s a simplicity to daily life. Sure, there’s a whole host of responsibility and work that we mentioned. Yet, overall, it’s still just you, your workmates, the boat, and the ocean.
Life becomes a routine. It can be a simple existence.
6. Do Something Different
Don’t you want to do something different with your life?
Aren’t you bored of the mundane, and tired and living an ordinary life?
The typical approach is anything but exciting. Hitting the ocean is a means of living differently. You’re making life extraordinary, and coming home with a tale or two in the process.
Your mates finish school, get an office job and work 9 to 5 until retirement. You take to the open ocean, have adventures on foreign shores, see incredible sea-life, and live vitally as a result.
7. Gain Transferable Skills
You don’t have to live and work at sea forever.
Sure, you might fall in love with the lifestyle and choose to do exactly that.
However, you aren’t restricted in any way. The skills you gain on the ocean transfer to many other areas of life. Among others, you’ll learn to be hard-working and clear-thinking. You’ll develop quality decision-making and leadership skills too.
All of these look great in job applications for other careers. Life at sea may also highlight other interests of yours, such as Maritime Law (find a law firm here).
Hit the ocean and, in more ways than one, the world becomes your oyster.
Final Thoughts on Able Bodied Seamen
There you have it: 7 key advantages to pursuing a job on the ocean and joining the ranks of able bodied seamen.
The world is a big place. And the vast majority of it is covered in ocean!
Finding a way to live and work upon will make for an extraordinary life. Hopefully, this post has highlighted exactly why that’s the case.
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Staff Writer; Paul Jackson
