Diary: The Deckhand Blues

Megan Waldrep and Chris Dabney on a lobster boat in California Partners of Commercial Fishermen

As I read this back, I realized that this feeling can go both ways. In this entry, I talk about the struggle to find a deckhand committed to working hard season after season, yet I know many hard-working deckhands struggle to find a captain who isn’t a giant A-hole. 

In our experience, our deckhands are great people who choose to work in another fishery or were just trying out commercial fishing for a season before seeking their other passions. I get it. Fishing is hard, and if your dream isn’t to eventually own a boat or you’d like to have a more stable income, who can blame you? 

Yet, from the horror stories I’ve heard, and Chris has a few of his own, I truly do not understand why a captain would be so cruel to their deckhands. Obviously, there are some undealt-with anger issues there. Maybe it’s being filtered down from their experience with former mean captains that they feel the need to pass on the pain. (Can you imagine what female fishermen must emotionally deal with in situations like this?) 

I wonder, what can we do as POCFs to help create a better work environment for everyone? This entry is a peek into the life of a captain’s wife who is unsure what to do. What would you do? Let’s dive in! 

Diary of a POCF: The Deckhand Blues

I don’t know many captains who are completely satisfied with their deckhands. Honestly, I can count them on three fingers. The main complaint from many business owners, in general, is the struggle to find good employees. In commercial fishing, multiply it by one hundred.

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Diary: Why Self-Care is the Port in the Storm

I love going back and reading Diary entries of past fishing seasons. Sure, it’s a way to remember but also to see how much I’ve changed since then. Mainly the self-soothing ways I handle anxiety and the new things I do in my morning routine to prioritize.

I don’t wake quite as early anymore, as mentioned in this entry, at least for now. Physical therapy has transformed into yoga practice with deep meditation afterward. This process takes about an hour and a half before I reach for my morning coffee.  

Some days are easier than others. Sometimes, my mind is all over the place, and it takes a lot of practice to return that focus on my feelings and not to thoughts of a million other things. But I show up. I show up for myself because this is the way that works for me. For now. 

When I read about people sharing their routines, sometimes, I’d feel bad or guilty that I wasn’t doing the same. That’s definitely not my intention here. I’m sharing to normalize the human experience of being human. Things change, fishing seasons change, and emotions fluctuate with them, and we must remain flexible to move with the tides instead of fighting against them, or else we’ll feel as if we’re drowning.

If you’ve felt or are feeling this way, know that you are not alone. Take a step back and take a few minutes to breathe, go on a walk, or step outside your door and look at nature around you. When life feels overwhelming, remember you are your port in the storm, and you can always return home. Let’s Dive In…

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Perfect Go-To Gifts for Commercial Fishermen

You’re looking for a gift to buy your commercial fisherman? I’ve got a gift guide to make shopping that much easier!

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