Day 2 ~ January 06 2015 3 Sea days in a Row

Captain Jonathan Mercer joined the British Merchant Navy in 1968 as an apprentice with the British & Commonwealth Shipping Company. He attended a training school in the south of England for six months prior to going to sea for the first time. His first voyage lasted 1 1/2 years and took him to South and East Africa, India and the Mediterranean. Later assignments took him to the Great Lakes, where he first experienced the hospitality of the American people. He returned to England in 1971 and qualified for his Second Mate's Certificate. He then went back to sea as Third Officer on general cargo ships, traveling worldwide. He qualified for his First Mate's Certificate in 1975 and then saw service as Second Officer on passenger vessels operating between England and South Africa before being transferred to container ships running to the same destinations. In 1979 he had sufficient experience and 'sea time' to be able to sit for his Master's Certificate and having gained this qualification, he joined Townsend Thoresen Ferries. He was promoted to Captain in 1989 and served in this capacity until 1994 when he was offered the position of U.K. terminal manager at the Channel Tunnel. He could not however, forget his first love, the sea, and returned to sea in 1996 as Captain of the MS Veendam. When on leave he lives in Cocoa Beach, Florida. Salt water is in his veins and his hobby is windsurfing, which he has done for 18 years. Subsequently he prays for wind when on vacation and that it remains calm when back on one of the 'Dam
We traveled with him on our 2012 World a Cruise.  Very down to earth person.