SAILING ON A GRAIN SHIP |HOUSTON to DJIBOUTI | LIFE OF A SAILOR

As a dock worker in Houston, I see these ships come go and go day by day. Thanks so much for letting me see what goes on between the ports! keep up the great work!

I don't know if you have any background/training in making documentaries, but you're a natural at this. Professional-grade stuff.

Farmer here... nice to see what happens after it leaves the local elevator we deliver it from the field to. We farmed cotton, grain sorghum, soybeans, and corn about 70 miles west of the Houston Ship Channel, 45 miles SW of downtown Houston. Row crops got too expensive to grow-- rich man's game unless you're farming a few thousand acres, then you just work your brains out for the banker and seed/fertilizer/chemical suppliers and equipment dealers, and you're lucky to have as much in the bank as you would working at Walmart at the end of the year. We switched to all cow/calf, so we could better control marketing and input costs.

That was a LOT of wheat! Probably from central and north Texas, the High Plains. We're too far south for wheat, but they grow a lot from around Waco to north Texas and up on the High Plains around Lubbock in the Panhandle. Most of the corn and grain sorghum in our part of the state, goes straight from the combine into semi's and straight to the Port of Houston. Big farmers that own semis or hire semis to haul it for them can get more money hauling it directly to the port. Since we were small farmers, we only had a 1966 Chevy tandem grain truck, so we hauled to the closest elevator-- 23 miles away. Course it all went into semis going to the Port, maybe a little to a couple local Purina feed plants around the area, but probably 95% goes straight to the port.

Looks like an interesting job... probably what I should have done 33 years ago when I got out of high school. Would've made a h3ll of a lot more money than farming! OL J R :)

I started working at sea when I was 19 in 1990. Engineering cadet and now a Chief Engineer for the last 15 years. Nice videos.

In my younger days, I went through the Suez, down to Aden, then across to Singapore and the Far East. Borneo, Phillipines and the South China Sea. This brilliant video brought a lot of memories back. Love the Sea, loved being at Sea, love everything about it. I finished up working 35years in Ship Repair Yards.Thanks Joe and safe voyages. I will be watching all your vids,wish I could turn the clock back.

Thank you mariners for supplying the world! We could not live without you, may god bless and watch over all sailors!

Yes I too found myself going back in time to the years I worked for Hornbeck Offshore and traveled all around the world including all the places you went on your way to Djibouti. Saw and did a lot of amazing things. We did not stay in Djibouti only long enough to resupply make some repairs and then we were off to Oman UAE for a few months then on to India and South China Sea. From there we eventually returned toward home and made the long trip back to the states and the beautiful GOM. All told we were gone over 3 years working for our government. Flying to and from the vessels every couple months going thru Europe Africa Middle East and Asia was a once in a lifetime experience for me. Age finally caught up to me and some medical issues put an end to my life at sea traveling around the world. I thank God for the experience still to this day. America is truly an awesome place to call home. Mariners are a special breed and I would gladly do it all again if I could. But then again at 64, my wife has stood by me all these years while i was out at sea. Now I enjoy each and every day with her, trying to find new ways to show her just how much I still love her. Sometime in the not to distant future, God will call me back home and I will once again go on a voyage to places unknown. All I can say is if God is capable of making this awesome planet we all call home. I can't wait to see what he has in store for us in the next part of life
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The Bible says our spirit will live on for eternity. It is just a matter of where? In heaven with our loving creator, and all the other men and women who have passed across this planet and did it with a love for God, Jesus Christ the Holy Spirit in their heart and a love for all the other peoples we meet along the way thru our life.

If I could do it all over again I would try a lot harder to love everyone I meet along the way. God Bless you Joe Franta.

I thank you so much for sharing a part of your life. I know exactly how it feels to work as an AB and mate on vessels that go to places most people will never hear of, less get to see.
May God smile down upon you all the days of your life! If you have not found your peace with our loving creator, I would like to say it is the most amazing voyage you will ever go one.
It has no end to it and the love we find is truly the most powerful force upon this planet. It TRUMPS all other things, peaCe to you ...Steve

Takes me back. Was a UK merchant sailor back in the day. Sailed on ship just like this one tramping around for 13 months. Thanks for the memories mate. 👍

That was interesting.. I used to run a food aid warehouse. We bagged it and it either went break bulk, which took FOREVER to load, or in 20' containers. I toured a warehouse with a USDA inspector a few months ago and they had thousands of empty bags. I asked why, she said that most of the bagging was done and the port of discharge now days. I've wondered how they did it. Back 20 years ago it was literally a bucket brigade to unload bulk shipments of grain. You answered my question. It's coming straight from the holds to the bagging line. Nice! Also former USN, I do miss the open ocean. The porpoise shots brought back some memories...

Came across your channel by accident. Really enjoy it! I started as a deck hand on Ocean going tugs & barges when I was 17. Got my mates license at 21 and would have been the youngest Captain in the fleet's history but developed bone cancer from the cargo... So at 24 I was given full retirement by the company. Your videos bring back some great memories. I could watch the ocean go by all day long.
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In my old age I finally understand the job of a Merchant Marine. No Merchant Marine, no toilet tissue for me---no gas for my car etc, etc. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the job you do💯❣💥👍🥀💐

Lots of respect for you guys doing the deep blue sailings. I switched to the offshore about 10 yrs ago. Went from the Bridge to the Engine Room and now serving as a Barge Master on self propelled Jack Ups. Keep up the great work💪🏿💪🏿💪🏿

On my little 33, it was my wife's job to clean the chain and anchor. When that windlass started I knew it was going to be a couple of difficult hours ahead. My ear grew very tired listening to her. But I loved her and she was always the best. Absolutely great job!

I love the pacing of your videos. Lots of time given over to each scene, allowing the visuals to do the work, only as many words as are needed.

It's neat knowing that some of that grain might very well have come off of my family farm in Missouri. In a sense part of me was traveling along with you Joe.

The grain silo’s where your ship topped off at, my mother worked there for 30 years. Nice to see operations still going.

Brah, somehow your channel came up. I just watched at first as a curiosity, but have been binge watching all the videos. As an old Navy dude, ya doing some real sailor sh*t…and dealing with sailor BS. Don’t let anyone tell ya different. Keep it up! 🤘🏽 Great music choices with the videos too. 👍🏽 Peace brother. 🤙🏽

I work in the offshore industry as project engineer, contracting to some of the biggest oil companies there are. I cant tell you how how hectic those offshore trips are when there are literally hundreds of millions of dollars on the line when developing a field, having to work 20 hr days sometimes to help get the job done. My first trip ever was 113 days down in trinidad all offshore, what a learning experience LOL

You have skills in making these types of videos love seeing other viewpoints from another sailing buddy! Its really nice to see some of the merchant mariner perspective that doesnt seem so hectic, just preventative maintenance on the ship and enjoying the transit. Keep it up and stay safe on the waters!

Awesome video! I really enjoyed getting a glimpse into what it is like to work on a grain ship! Thank you for sharing!

That "Piss of ya c#$t"farewell was priceless.