Almost, was too close.

[Captain Tim]

I obtained my ticket while I was a Navy Air Crew Instructor, teaching young Navy helicopter crewman everything they needed to know about the Sikorsky H3 Helicopter. . If we did not teach it, they did not need to know it. SAR and SONAR. That happened 32 years ago.
I thought then, I would NEVER let my Masters ticket expire.

For reasons that are mine, I almost did. So much so at the last possible moment. It was counted in days. I used almost my entire 1 year "grace" period (started in April of 2016) before I decided to make a half hearted attempt to renew one last time..Although I would be working a dive boat for disabled divers and veterans, that was going to be as a volunteer position for a veterans group and was all being formulated from donation and grants from many NFP veterans groups..

Even as I maintained my currency that last year as a senior deck on a whale watching boat (that was fun) I was convinced my last renewal in 2011 was certainly the final word.

Then my long time close personal friend and "brother" AKIMBO (on this forum), reminded me that if I allowed myself to expire to the point of no return (new test required) and then suddenly I decided I had made a BIG mistake, the only recourse was as a captain on a Safari Boat at Disney Land or even worse ,singing an Italian love song while "Paddling "a gondola at The Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas. THAT WOKE ME UP!

So today most is back as it was...almost.
Holding a ticket once again but no longer held hostage by the bank for a boat No longer directly involved with the divers who seemed to have missed all of the memos on diving safety.
The iDiver with all of the super cool stand off buckles...digital everything hanging off his harness.
Also gone, The diver who is opening the box of the latest and greatest dive computer, reading the instruction manual 10 minutes out from SPLASH. Still wonder about him (?).
The wife who knowingly left the shoulder zipper open on her husbands dry suit..after a heated argument on the way to the boat. That one is still funny.

Missed ? All of the rapid, energetic dialog between dive buddies as the regulator is removed and the gear has not even been taken off. The "thank you" for the "...wonderful time we had on your boat."
The stories told by divers returning after a wonderful dive vacation . The crew members and the long lasting friends I still have from that experience..
Most of all .the one true love who became the best part of all of it, for more years than I really deserved.

I am active once again when I thought I would not be. Whale watching charters, whale disentanglement team and even called upon to, on occasion, help to train crews. I know now I would have regretted it, I would have hated myself about this time. Fortunately my good friends knew better than I did, which is often the case.

The long and the short of it, the USCG will make the decision for you when the time is right, let them do so and leave quietly when it happens. In the mean time, keep driv'n 'em, drive them safely, and drive them home to their loved ones at the end of the day.

 

[nolatom]

I have come to appreciate the thorough physical exam I have to get every 5 years. It's pointed out a couple of things (deteriorating hearing, for one) that I could do something about.

Yes, the "grace period" is nice, but I try not to have to use it. Some folks think you can still legally be captain during it. You can't, as Tim has explained, and this is not something you want to find out the hard way.

 

[Wookie]

I have come to appreciate the thorough physical exam I have to get every 5 years. It's pointed out a couple of things (deteriorating hearing, for one) that I could do something about.

Yes, the "grace period" is nice, but I try not to have to use it. Some folks think you can still legally be captain during it. You can't, as Tim has explained, and this is not something you want to find out the hard way.

The physical is now required every 3 years, Tom. We're at that age where it isn't a bad thing. They caught my hypertension and impending diabetes when I could still do something about it.

Tim, I can't wait to get back to it. Nope, not the whiners and the instant divers, but I built a lot of awesome repeat clients over the years, and I miss them terribly. I won't ever run a 100 foot 24 passenger liveaboard again serving anyone with a thousand bucks, but I will have a 6 pack liveaboard and take my friends to strange exotic places.

To pay for that, we are setting it up as a range clearance vessel for ATMO, who you may have heard of, since you worked for NAVAIR at one time. We lost 4 lightweights in the past 2 years, and all because we didn't have a fast boat to chase them down. As I said, I can't wait to be back in it.

I won't miss the big boat payments, though.

 

[nolatom]

I'm one of those repeat clients (and wheelhouse pest) who will be glad to see Frank back in the wheelhouse, and on the dive deck.