In 1975 i was a deckhand earning $25 per day. Home port was Houston and we pushed diesel and gasoline barges mostly up the Mississippi. I was fresh out of high school and had intended to make a career out of it. Turned out i only lasted one summer as i didn't like the 30 days on, 30 days off. I met one guy that had been on over a year without going home. I was too much of a homeboy for that life
A fellow colleague! I too was young and started out as a deckhand 6 hours on 6 hours off. I did not like that schedule. Thirty days on fifteen off (it didn't always work out according to plan LOL!) but that was the general idea. Tankerman was much better. I was 12 hours on and 12 hours off (much of the time unless needed) At least I could get some relaxation before back on duty again. The money was good. The food great. The transportation to meets the boat was all paid. We were for the most part not allowed off the boat for obvious reasons. Bars...Bars..Bars and girls...girls We may not make it back in time for our company duties! I liked the job but it was the winters that I did not like. We were keeping the Yankees warm but us southern boys were freezing out butts off making locks in the dead of night on a cold winter day. Busting our tow up to chop up gorge ice with the boat then hooking back up to our tow and pushing forward maybe 200 yards then rinse and repeat. Slipping and sliding on the barges. Then I got married and promptly quit. But I now look upon it as an adventure in my youth and for the most part have fond memories of it. My adventure too was back in the 70's.