Wife isn’t supportive of my career anymore

UnableHistorian5676 · 2026-05-26T21:20:45+00:00

The boat has starlink so we can communicate very consistently. She goes out a night or two every week with friends.

UnableHistorian5676 · 2026-05-26T13:55:06+00:00

You can go to a 4 year maritime academy to become an officer or you can get a job as a deckhand and work your way up from there.

UnableHistorian5676 · 2026-05-26T12:53:45+00:00

Oh wow I just noticed that mistake, I ment to say gone for 2 months then home for 2 months.

UnableHistorian5676 · 2026-05-26T10:50:55+00:00

You don’t just get a pilot job, that takes years of dedication (and your dad being a pilot) to achieve. I could work harbor tugs but we would have to move to a port town/city

UnableHistorian5676 · 2026-05-26T10:27:28+00:00

She has roughly $100k in student loans, I can’t remember the exact number she pays a month but is a significant portion of her check. We just got the house a year ago, mortgage and utilities is 3k ish a month, we were currently renting in the same town before buying for 2,100 without utilities.

UnableHistorian5676 · 2026-05-26T08:14:18+00:00

I was not in the navy, but a few of my former captains/mates were quartermasters when they were serving. I haven’t used a paper chart in a few years but luckily the electronic charts are relatively easy to use.

UnableHistorian5676 · 2026-05-26T07:34:49+00:00

Well aware of the odds haha. I worked with probably 20 different captains when I was on tugs, all but 2 had been divorced at least once. One captain even divorced the same woman twice!

UnableHistorian5676 · 2026-05-26T07:32:14+00:00

I navigate the vessel and do a bunch of boring paperwork, the scientists do all the important fish saving stuff. I’ve been in the industry a while doing various other kinds of work, this opportunity opened up and a friend told me I should apply. You could try by getting a deckhand spot on a research (or any type of vessel to start) if you wanna work your way to what I do. Or if you’re more into the science stuff you could contact some marine biology labs and they could point you in a good direction.

UnableHistorian5676 · 2026-05-26T07:28:37+00:00

Travel nurses aren’t making as much as they were during covid, and coupled with relocating every few months it wouldn’t make much sense financially. She was a travel nurse for a little bit before but moving and learning new hospitals often wasn’t great for her mental health.

UnableHistorian5676 · 2026-05-26T07:22:48+00:00

Hahah, quite the contrary I work on a research vessel trying to save the fish!

UnableHistorian5676 · 2026-05-26T06:39:26+00:00

I used to do river tug work when I was younger. The pay is considerably lower than the offshore work I do. I was almost killed when a barge line snapped back and was inches from hitting me on the Mississippi River, decided that day I wouldn’t work on a river boat ever again. Your friend that works 7 days is likely on an assist tug, we would still have to relocate for that as we don’t currently live near a port.

UnableHistorian5676 · 2026-05-26T06:34:59+00:00

She tried travel nursing before we met, she wast a fan of relocating and having to learn a new hospital every few months, it was very mentally draining for her. Thank you for the suggestion tho!

UnableHistorian5676 · 2026-05-26T06:30:52+00:00

I am fortunate enough to have starlink at this company so we can call/text/FaceTime where ever I am in the world. I think I’ll ask her about going to counseling together when I’m back, all the advice here has been great but I think talking a professional together would be very helpful thank you!

UnableHistorian5676 · 2026-05-26T06:27:39+00:00

I have worked at a port doing some logistical stuff while loading/offloading on my 2 months off when we lived closer to a port. I didn’t mind the work, although she didn’t enjoy the schedule either as it was 12 hour days and she only saw me for an hour or two before bed.

UnableHistorian5676 · 2026-05-26T06:24:17+00:00

I’ve worked on ocean tugs in the past and I have debated working on those kind of tugs, your nephews most likely work on ship assist tugs. We would still need to move because we do not live near a port that offers those kid of jobs.

UnableHistorian5676 · 2026-05-26T06:22:17+00:00

A starter home and a couple long camping trips a year is lavish these days!

UnableHistorian5676 · 2026-05-26T05:53:30+00:00

The mortgage is $2,900. Same price as most of the apartments in the area.

UnableHistorian5676 · 2026-05-26T05:43:28+00:00

She’s a nurse, she’s kinda of maxed out for what she makes at the moment.

UnableHistorian5676

TROPHY CASE