A Canadian shipping company sent out Christmas cards this year, with a nice picture of one their ships, operating in the arctic. There was a passage inside the card, by Thomas Fuller, the English cleric who lived in the 16th century - I assume." he that will not sail till all dangers are over must never put to sea "
Now, I understand the power of quotes to invoke certain feelings; I use them extensively on my website. Being a professional mariner, and my wife hearing my stories of Canadian ships I've work on, we both had a good laugh and a strange look after reading this quote...
Being the positive persons that I am, I believe the company was trying to convey that they operate in harsh environments, and that the job being done is not without risk, and that it takes skills to accomplish it.
My wife was more in the mind that the company was sending out a message - quit your belly aching; its a old ship, and shit happens, now get back to work. But whose to say.
OK, OK, like usual, I am probably breathing too much into it. After all, it's nice that a company sends out individual Christmas card to their employees - not quite as nice as getting that IPod clone that one company gave me for Christmas, but still a nice gesture.
Oh yeah, by the way, Happy New Year. Welcome 2012.
Rustbucket picture, from Dubai's Mission to Seafarer.