Atlanta Forest

08.01.1993 - 02.08.1993

03.03.1994 - 04.09.1994

2nd Officer

Atlanta Forest

Here still under Finnlines as m/s Atlanta

Bona Fe

1991-1992

2nd Officer

m/s Bona Fe (ex. Norrstal)

Bona Fe loaded 

(Credit: Capt Jan Melchers)

Mariella

Christmas and New Year temp gig
m/s Mariella

m/s Mariella (photographer unknown)

Bore Britannica

18.05.1989 - 05.06.1989 OS
19.06.1989 - 13.07.1989 OS
18.12.1989 - 04.01.1990 OS
09.04.1990 - 20.04.1990 OS
24.05.1990 - 25.06.1990 OS
26.06.1990 - 05.07.1990 AB

Ordinary seaman 

Able seaman (combined deck/engine)

Bore Britannica

LOA 156 m

GT 15525

Bore Britannica (unknown photographer)

Pasila

21.07.1989 - 19.08.1989
Ordinary seaman

The bad times in Finnish shipping were still going on in late 80's and jobs were always temporary. Nobody employed crew on a permanent contract due to no vacancies as ships were sold en masse abroad or flagged abroad under flags of convenience. 

This time I had been called up from the job centre to report to Pasila as ordinary seaman. I signed on at west coast in some port (I think Pori) with a power plant as ESL shipping's vessels supplies coal to all of them in Finland. As soon as we were empty we sailed for Poland or another port on the Baltic south coast to load more coal and bring it back to the hungry power plants.

Pasila being towed (unknown photographer)

Military service

In 1988 I was drafted to do my military service and I managed to get into the Navy. In Finland this could be tricky as the draft officers could be difficult and just assign you far up north to Lappland if you wanted to be in the Navy. Furthermore, I was a serving merchant navy seaman so it was bound to attract some questions if I would not like to go inland and serve my country. Fortunately the Draft Officer was in a good mood and after some discussion he assigned me to Helsinki to do my basic training. 

Photo by Kari Martiala

Crewing onboard as rating

Bore Sun, built 1977 in Norway

Bore Sun

14.06.1985 - 20.07.1985 OS

04.10.1985 - 13.12.1985 OS

02.01.1986 - 10.01.1986 OS

24.01.1986 - 31.01.1986 OS

04.04.1986 - 10.04.1986 OS

13.02.1987 - 08.05.1987 OS

29.05.1987 - 12.06.1987 OS

26.06.1987 - 10.07.1987 OS

31.07.1987 - 21.08.1987 OS

04.09.1987 - 11.09.1987 AB

12.09.1987 - 25.09.1987 OS

16.10.1987 - 30.10.1987 AB

06.11.1987 - 13.11.1987 Engine apprentice

14.11.1987 - 20.11.1987 AB

21.11.1987 - 27.11.1987 AB

04.12.1987 - 18.12.1987 AB

19.12.1987 - 30.12.1987 Engine apprentice

31.12.1987 - 15.01.1988 OS

01.02.1988 - 20.02.1988 AB

Ordinary seaman

Able Seaman

Carpenter

Engine apprentice

m/s Bore Sun

LOA 150 m

GT 10762

Bore Sun (by Tommy Gjerling)

Bore Queen

26.02.1986 - 26.03.1986
11.04.1986 - 20.05.1986
01.07.1986 - 09.09.1986
23.09.1986 - 14.01.1987

Ordinary Seaman
m/s Bore Queen

Bore Queen (unknown photographer)

Fortuna

21.08.1985 - 05.09.1985

Ordinary seaman

m/s Fortuna

Fortuna still with derricks

Credit: unknown photographer

School - General rating

Åbo Navigations Institut

Lita

m/v Lita at Long Beach Roads 1983, photo by Raimo Mäkinen

s/s Borea

s/s Borea (courtesy Ålands sjofart magazine)

Bore King

Bore King (by unknown)

Grandfather Bernhard

The book cover