Closing Open Water: -a study on modern communication and social life at sea

Abstract: Living interchangeably in two different worlds, onboard at work and ashore with family, is an eminent reality in seafaring. Three forces drive the development of the seafarers’ situation; technological development in terms of Internet onboard and TV/DVD availability, shortened turnaround times at port and the evanescence of the social arena associated with alcohol. Social isolation from society has been replaced by isolation internally onboard. Social stimulation onboard has been replaced by remote interaction. The main purpose of this report is to investigate how increased social interaction affects the relation to life ashore and social life onboard. I have followed two crews on cargo vessels during a week. The theoretical approach emanates from role theory focusing on expectations and transitions. The study provides a theoretical extension by introducing the concepts of micro and macro transitions, adding a dimension of time and environmental context as base for describing transitions. Findings reveal a complex role system and a set of coping mechanisms to life in two interchanging worlds.