Subject: Reflections from a Former B&C Apprentice - July 2014

I recently came across your website dedicated to the B&C Company, and I wanted to take a moment to thank you for putting together such a valuable resource. I’ve only just begun exploring the various sections on the Companies and Ships, but I’m looking forward to diving deeper over the coming days and weeks.

I joined B&C as an Apprentice in 1961 and served aboard many of the Company’s vessels until I left after obtaining my First Mate’s Certificate—just short of earning my Master’s. My time at sea during those years was truly memorable, and I hold many fond memories of life aboard ship. It was a vastly different era from what we see today.

That said, not every experience was a positive one. One notable exception was my time aboard the Rotherwick Castle in 1962. For me, and for the other cadets on board—most of us on our second or third trips and still in our teens—it was a particularly difficult and unhappy time. From the moment we stepped aboard until the day we signed off, it was a deeply unpleasant experience. I won’t go into detail, but suffice it to say it was the most miserable ship I ever served on.

Thankfully, practices like those we endured would no longer be tolerated today, and in that sense, the advent of modern oversight, paperwork, and HSE protocols has certainly brought positive change.

After leaving B&C, I joined a major oil company where I advanced to the rank of Master. Throughout my career, I made it a point to treat my junior officers with the respect and dignity that had often been lacking in our early days. Now, at 70, I’m semi-retired and work part-time as a Consultant and Advisor in Marine and Port Operations around the world—typically just two or three months a year. I’m currently based in the South of France near Monaco. My certifications are due for revalidation in 2016, and I expect that will be the time to “swallow the anchor,” as they say. With so many new regulations and courses for shore-based mariners, I’m not sure the old grey cells are up to the challenge anymore!

Thank you again for your work on the site. I’m truly looking forward to spending more time exploring it.

Best regards,

Peter Reeves