Photo when Chief Officer of Clan MacLeod

By Andy Skarstein

I was born in 1943 in Saltash, Cornwall, while my father was serving on destroyers based in Plymouth. I come from a long line of seafarers, spanning at least six generations.

My early education took place at various schools until, at age 11, I became a boarder at Caterham School in Surrey, where I remained until completing my GCEs. In 1959, I enrolled at King Edward VII Nautical College in London and joined British India as a deck cadet in January 1960, serving my cadetship entirely aboard the Chantala.

After obtaining my Second Mate’s Certificate in 1963, I joined British & Commonwealth as Fourth Officer on the Capetown Castle, later serving on several other vessels in the fleet. I achieved my Mate’s Certificate in 1965 and my Master’s in 1968, both in London. My career included service on multiple cadetships such as Clan Malcolm, Kinnaird Castle, and Clan Menzies, in roles ranging from Third Mate to Second Mate, and a brief period as a training officer.

I also served aboard Union-Castle mail ships, intermediates, and fruit ships, as well as Bowater's paper and pulp carriers, Clan Line general cargo ships, the tanker Hector Heron, and the bulk carrier King Alfred. Later, I worked as a supercargo, flying out to various ports to oversee the loading of chartered containerships for the Beacon consortium. I also spent six weeks as relief Port Representative in Mombasa.

In 1983, I was made redundant and subsequently joined the teaching staff at Warsash as a full-time lecturer, focusing on seamanship and cargo work. Since taking early retirement in 1993, I have specialized in preparing students for oral exams, while also covering other nautical subjects.

Beyond teaching, my interests include writing articles for Sea Breezes, marine photography, researching family history, and other maritime-related projects. I recently completed a book titled Clan Line in Photographs 1878–1918, with two more volumes underway.

I’m a member of the Nautical Institute, the World Ship Society, the Thames Ship Society, and the Shieldhall Paddle Steamer Preservation Society. Continuing the family tradition, my daughter is now at sea with the Great White Fleet, serving on a container ship carrying bananas, and is expected to return to Warsash in January 2003.