My first job was unexpected and is classified as one of the most dangerous jobs in the world ??

My first job was unexpected and is classified as one of the most dangerous jobs in the world ??

Imagine this....

I'm 16 years old and very much like most normal 16 year old lads.

My Mum & Dad had a static caravan in Scotland, in Kirkcudbright, a beautiful place.

I spent most of my holidays there with my family. My dad was a lecturer teaching electrical courses at Kitson College in Leeds.

The benefit was that we got half terms, summer holidays, bank holidays and any other holidays to spend in Kirkcudbright at the caravan.

I'd met a group of friends who also had static caravans and we always met up in the holidays. We enjoyed meeting new people, going to the clubhouse, having campfires on the beach and generally just having a great time. Slight risk of sounding like my parents here but they were the best days of my life.

I'd finished my school exams and had some time where only I was off school and asked my parents if I could go by myself to Kirkcudbright, to which the short swift answer was "No!!!" ??. Aparently I couldn't even be trusted to make a bacon sandwich without nearly burning the house down.

I worked on my parents for a few days, even weeks until finally I won. I broke them down. I persisted asking "why?" and I gave them every reason under the Sun to say "Yes" and eventually, reluctantly they gave in.

I'm feeling on top of the world, excitement begins to well from within. 3 weeks with my friends with no parents. Nobody to tell me what to do and when to do it. I had to pinch myself!

I remember thinking how lucky I was that my parents trusted me to go to the caravan by myself. I could make my own decisions, stay out as late as I wanted. Enjoy time with my friends and potentially have the best time I'd ever had for 3 weeks straight.

I arrived at the caravan by myself, unpacked my clothes checked round the caravan to make sure my parents weren't hiding anywhere ready to spoil my fun and got ready for my first night chilling in the caravan waiting for my friends to arrive the following day.

My Dad has always been a bit of a joker. I should have known better!

I thought to myself, I'm home and dry, I have convinced my parents with my super negotiation skills that it was a great idea to let me stay in the caravan. Life couldn't get any better...

And there it was.....a knock at the door. I wasn't expecting anyone. I thought, its nearly midnight, who could that be?

I made my way to the door and opened it. In front of me was a a man in his early twenties. He looked weathered, skin like leather and a couple of fingers missing on each hand.

"Richard" he said.

"Yes" I said.

"Your Dad, John sent me" he said.

"Yes. He's got you a job whilst you're here so you don't get bored" he said.

He announced that my Dad, who I thought I had negotiated with, who I thought I had convinced, had got me a job working on the fishing trawlers starting now!

I mean come on, a 9-5 I could have accepted.

I was immediately whisked away down to the harbour, onto the trawler, shown my sleeping quarters and introduced to a team of 10 men I'd never met before.

After my initial disappointment and shock, I flung myself into it 110%. It was the most dangerous job I have had, it was the hardest, it was the most rewarding and it taught me the most. I had small boating experience with my Dad, water skiing, fishing and lobster potting and I applied the small stuff to the big stuff. The principal is the same.

I wouldn't change it for the world. I went out for 3 weeks we came back once a week for one day in the harbour to drop off our catch of queen scallops, repair the nets and back out to Sea. It was 24 hours a day, 10 minutes sleep every hour. It was the most amazing learning experience ever.

When you are put into a position like that you have to comply. You sink or swim. You can't be fake, you have to consider others. You must pull your weight, you must learn fast. You must be respectful and command respect. You must be part of the team and you must do all of this in the right way. Thats what I learnt.

Out at Sea at night was truly amazing it never really gets dark. Mornings were beautiful, watching the Sun come up and watching the vast array of sea life and wildlife. I made some fantastic friends and it taught me the importance of hard work. At the end they asked me to stay on which gave me recognition..............I politely declined!

When I returned home afterwards to Leeds, the family, my sisters, my mum and my dad all had a good laugh at my expense. We laughed together and created one of those memorable moments that we all talk about time and time again.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.