The author had an exciting career as a Ship’s Marine Surveyor, traveling nearly 60 countries to investigate maritime casualties, inspecting cruise ships, tankers and other vessels, in exotic locations, such as Yap, Kwajalein, Dubai, Singapore, Peru, Samoa, Fiji, Trinidad, and other places too numerous to mention here. Over 300 color photos help describe these events, plus technical illustration drawings.
These experiences range from investigations into accidental deaths, to finding an unexplained source of oil pollution from a tanker. In Bob’s words, “Sometimes I have to pinch myself to realize I actually experienced all of this in my career, and didn’t just dream it up.”
Bob’s descriptions are not just travelogues, but insights into the cultures of the people, personal relationships, and criticisms when warranted. Advice for travelers is offered, and how to avoid the “Ugly American” image when traveling abroad.
Bob spent 30-days on the Island of Yap, in the Federated States of Micronesia, experiencing the culture, and getting over the shock of the topless wardrobes. Bob also made nine trips to Panama during the hand-over of the Canal, supervising repairs to the riveted lock gates. Then there were the numerous trips to American Samoa, New Zealand and Australia, to investigate a sinking and oversee repairs to a fleet of large tuna seiners. Each of these experiences and many more are described in detail, as well as some of the humorous events, good friends made in the Ukraine and Panama, riding a tanker across the Atlantic, and many of the experiences and off-ship activities on those cruise ships.
Bob is a graduate Naval Architect (ship designer) who decided sitting behind a desk, designing ships, did not satisfy him. He took a Field Surveyor’s job to train with a large worldwide ship inspection company, and later decided to start his own business, traveling the world. His writing style is practical and down to earth, giving good definitions of the technical aspects of the stories, when that is needed. The book will be interesting for both Maritime professionals as well as those with no maritime background.