Life at sea during a pandemic The ramblings of John Dunn - an HSE Offshore Medic

You can change a day in the life of a seafarer to a “groundhog day” in the life of a seafarer. The global pandemic has hit almost all of us regardless of who you are and position, but key workers in particular have been hit with some of the most challenging situations, I am talking as a healthcare professional AND as a seafarer.

As we can see from news reports seafarers have been hit probably more, given they are continually away from home, but never normally for more than 3 months. Some of my crew are now entering 1 year away from their family, including quarantine pre mobilisation. 

The daily challenges are fatigue, crews are evidently tired and communication from head office doesn’t help when there is no clear plan of action in place due to so many uncertainties as to when and where crew changeovers can take place. Crew change dates are given and then changed at the very last minute and this affects the mental health of the Captain down to the whole crew.  

Covid is the main excuse given daily as certain countries are unable to be given visas and for those that do the embassies are reported as having major backlogs, but this excuse is wearing thin. 

Trying to maintain positive outlooks is difficult but we do try daily. Mental Health is my biggest challenge and I am seeing more and more crew members at the clinic on a daily basis with complaints ranging from sheer exhaustion to nonspecific chest and abdo pain just so they can have a rest. 

Overcoming or assisting the complications of poor mental health is a challenge that I have addressed through support and though team building and it seems to be working. Yes, we are still here, but competitions such as “International Master Chef” where a special home dish is cooked by the crews together has proved really successful and has been fun. Who knew we had so many budding chefs!! Challenger cup games of Deck Hockey, fuse ball even having santa drop by for a visit have relaxed the crew immensely. 

Having poor internet is challenging and I have noticed some more stress arising when it comes to have to say goodbye to their loved ones via FaceTime/WhatsApp.

But its not just about facilities, it's about the team itself. Communication is key, keeping the crews informed of any decision that affects them. Mental Health and Support can be challenging to both the Healthcare professional and the crew, support should be available 24/7 provided without the fear of feeling like a failure. Simple things can make a big difference.