As he looks back on 44 years at sea, Bosun Rowan ‘Tubby’ Klein recalls the days he used to watch ships come and go in Table Bay harbour from his grandmother’s stoep. Little did he know that several decades later, he would serve on the Safmarine Benguela as bosun and his daughter Cher (28) as second officer. Bosun Klein and his daughter both joined the containership, Safmarine Benguela in October last year. Being ‘old school’, Bosun Klein says he kept to tradition by addressing his daughter, while on duty, as Second Mate. “I don’t believe in using first names while on duty, so she could only call me dad after hours!” A career in the maritime runs in the blood for the Klein family. Klein says his father was an AB in the Royal Navy and his uncle, a cook in the merchant navy. He has fond memories of his time at sea on several Safmarine ships – from the SA Constantia to the Victory ships, the Vergelegen and Morgenster, and the SA Statesmen. His role model was one of the first bosuns employed by Safmarine, Bosun William Walker. “I remember looking at Bosun Walker when we received the first three Safmarine vessels from America way back in 1947 and thinking, “I want to be like him.” Klein says that 44 years at sea have gone quickly and he would do it all over again. “I love what I do and when you love something you’re unaware of the years going by!” A highlight of his career was his time onboard the Safmarine passenger ship Astor. Klein recalls the Astor’s Commodore, Robin Thomson, summonsing him to his cabin and saying: “Bosun this is not a cargo ship or a tanker. The cargo we carry is very fragile. No chipping and no noise.” Klein says when Commodore Thomson signed off in Southampton, he called him and said, “Bosun, job well done!” And those same four words apply today, as Bosun Klein celebrates a long and rewarding career at sea with Safmarine.
