Good evening!No,sorry,-night for me. I am on my first night shift in May. Not everyone likes working at night, but I don't mind it at all. It's not too busy and gives you time to reflict and truly analise things that happen at the office during the hectic afternoons.You can read all the maritime newspapers that had been waiting for you while phone calls from seafarers kept you busy.New ideas come flocking in silence, encouraged by dark blue of the sky and warm yellow light that comes from windows of houses opposite the office.

These "ordinary" square windows make me think of round ones on numerous distant ships that in this very moment sail in vast blue oceans.I wonder what brave people who serve on these vessels are thinking about after a long day of work, what do they dream about,what they think, what they read? Do they prefer books that tell them tales of a secure dry land, or would they read about people who decided to ride the waves, like them? Which films do they watch, what are they talking about during their spare time? Which games sailors play? Do they use newly produced set of cards that contains some information on maritime law and seafarer's rights? If they do use this particular set of playing cards, is it helping them to realise that there are people out there who care about them and are willing to offer their support?

Questions are numerous, but answers are rare. Yes, we are visiting ports and talking to the crews, attending conferences and are in constant contact with seafarer centres. But perhaps we still need serious help from journalists and port workers to share with us true,three-dimentional experiences of life at sea. We most definetely need to hear more from seafarers themselves, and not only when they have a problem, but even when they go through their daily routine. Of course such opportunities couldn't be provided by Seafarer Help,-active support from maritime publications and other forms of media is vital here. But are there maritime libraries that are independent from Seafarer Centres, are there film archives that offer a wide choice of movies with marine theme? How many TV programmes dedicated to the seafaring issues?If such facilities exist, are they known to seafarers and are they easily accesable for them?

We know about the Sea TV in Holland, about quite a few maritime newspapers and magazines all over the world, but still there is a feeling that it wouldn't be enough to make dry land dwellers aware of matters of the sea, and cultural life of seafarers more fulfiling. We clearly need more TV programmes, probably better stocked libraries on board of many ships and generally more interesting and varied cultural events for seafarers at sea and on land. Maybe a database of maritime fiction and cinema should be created, or perhaps there is one in existance already and we simply need to became aware of it? Perhaps some research has to be carried out on the topic of how seafarer's cultural and spiritual needs are met?..Ideas keep arriving, as I said, but now inspired by almost silver sky of early morning.

Hello to those who might come accross this writings on the net!Today in London we had a very first day that could really remind everybody that summer is just around the courner.But alas,- mood in and outside the office is not always the same!So,when I arrived at my desk I found that there is not much time for relaxation, as essentual ability to connect to our colleagues abroad is failing us.

For a few days now I had been desperately trying to contact our twin organisation in Ukraine, but without any success. I know that situation in this country is far from being stable and communications are first thing to go when country experiences a period of chaos. My own memories of life in post-soviet Georgia proove it: darkness, silent phones and faint internet connection that isn't always there... I truly hope that circumstances in Ukraine are not that grim and that kind people I met there won't have to put up with the harsh reality for long.

Eventually familiar voice broke the silence on the other end.Hurrah!We finally got in touch!We came up with alternative ways of communicating and will try them out tomorrow. What a relief! Re-established connection makes me truly happy, I understand once again how important it is to be able to reach people and feel that our planet is not too big any more. Now I will be able to solve some problems and inform seafarers about the outcome of their cases in their own language, and my ukrainian colleagues will help me with that.

If you are reading this lines and find them a bit sentimental, please think twice: often we are dealing here with high emotions caused by very seriouse issues brought to us by real three-dimentional people. And in the midst of all this it can be stressful to loose an ally, even if it's just for a week, for a day, or even an hour. However now everything should return to normal and hopefully tomorrow will bring only solutions, not problems to everyone, but first of all to people who work at sea.

Hello. Last few days at the office forced me to think about families of those who work at sea.We had several calls not from seafarers themselves, but their mothers, wives,brothers.These people although might have never seen the sea, but seem to be so weel-informed about it, so familiar with the joys and problems that it might give brave humans who are trying to tame it!

Often sea professionals are extremely corageous and compitent while on board of their vessel, but once they step on dry land their strength leaves them. Taken out of their familiar world they become somewhat lost and need assistance of their loved ones to get on with their daily routine.Their families gladly provide seafarers with such help. Perhaps they understand that after months at sea filled with physical strain and risk,their children, husbands, brothers need and want to be taken care of.Sadly often seafarer's families have to deal with something less ordinary then daily errans. They might need to fight for the rights of their seafaring member, protect them from the unfair treatment, assist them with finding a new employer,or persuade a previous one to finally pay their hard earned wages. This list could be continued into infinity.

Such reflected experience apart from obvious negative impacts on seafarer's family also makes them stronger, bonds people together and I guess increases true understanding between it's members.It is difficult not to admire young or aged women who persistantly fight for the interests of their husband, or father, keep calling inpenitrable biurocrats, searching for organisations that might be able to help, are never tired to ask for justice again and again. After conversations with women like that I start to realise how important is the second part of the sentance,-" Seafarer Help is assisting seafarers and their families". These families do need our support, both practical and moral. I do understand now that often they have no-one to share their concern with, no-one who is ready to truly listen.

Recently Film four showed a new film about somebody who was born on board of the ship and spent all his life there. Their problems started when one day they had to step off it and live on a dry land...The hero of this story is not exactly a seafarer, but it still is relevant to what we do here at Seafarer Help. The title is "Legend of 1900", highly reccomended!