How the Telegraph brings the maritime community together

There are times in our lives when looking back can give you a satisfying feeling of contentment.

Last weekend was one of those times. My wife and I headed to Hull for a reunion of friends who met at Boulevard and Trinity House sea schools before heading off on an adventure which has lasted 50 years. A number of us also met our future wives there. Although some of of the original friends and colleagues have sadly passed away, many were able to attend –  some from other parts of the world.  Even our one remaining lecturer Dave Martin attended with his wife.

One of my friends who at the age of 16 attended pre-sea school with me is no longer with us. Ian Wilson, a Barnsley boy, had the idea 25 years ago to get us all back together in Hull, to swing the lamp, tell sea stories and reminisce about all those wild times when we were studying for our 'tickets'.

When Ian was planning the first reunion, he wrote a letter to what was then the NUMAST Telegraph, as well as to the Daily Mail's Lost and Found column, hoping to reach as many of us as possible. It was a great success then and remains so to this day. Ian's vision is carried on by his wife Karen, who he met in Hull while she was at teacher training college.

Who would have thought back at the first reunion that it would have become an annual pilgrimage not to be missed. We are already booked again for next year.

Not sure our colleagues today build the same sorts of friendship as we did back then. Maybe today's seafarers, sadly, get more from their computers than they do mixing with colleagues.

Stephen Gudgeon