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ISSREPORTERlStaffLifeonaLighthouseMARCH201226www.iss-shipping.comVICKISPENTHERprimaryyearsfromfivetotwelveonthreedifferentlighthousesx13theiconicCapeReingaatthetopoftheNorthIslandMokoHinauIslandintheHaurakiGulfnowawildlifeprotectedareaandrenamedBurgessIslandandCentreIslandintheFoveauxStraitoneofthemostdangerousstretchesofwateranywhere.HerfatherhadbeenintheNavyandhermotherintheAirForcewhichiswhysheeventuallyjoinedtheArmybutthatx19sawholeotherstoryTheMarineDepartmentasitwasknownthenwerekeenonexNavalpersonnelandwithsixchildrentobringuptheLighthouseServicewasanattractiveoption.Vickitakesupherstory.x1cGrowinguponalighthousehaditschallengesx1drecallsVickix1cbutIhavefondmemoriesofourtimesthere.CapeReingaisaccessiblebyroadattheverytopofthecountryandafavouritetouristdestinationalongNinetyMileBeachsosuppliesandschoolingwerenotsuchanissue.HoweverMokoHinauwasrestrictedtoafortnightlysupplyboatandCentreIslandafortnightlylightplanedropandsixweeklyboatservicex13soacertainamountofselfsufficiencyhastobelearned.x1cWithsixchildrentoberearedandeducatedmymotherx19seffortsarewhatspringtomind.Iwellrememberhermakingbreadbakingplainbutnourishingfoodallontemperamentalcoalranges.Alargevegetablegardensometimesinaninhospitableclimatewasamustandourdietwassupplementedbyfreshseafood.TothisdayIhaveTheISSLighthouseRelayVoyagehasremindedusallofthisiconicsymbolofsafetyatsea.VickiTeAmoformerlyofISS-McKayinTaurangaNZandmorerecentlyaVesselOperatoratISSBrisbanehasacloseraffinitythanmosthavingspentherchildhoodlivingontheminNewZealand.Learninghardworkandindependencenointerestinfishingitx19shardtoseeitasahobbywhenitusedtobecompulsoryespeciallywhenthestoresplanewascancelledbecauseofbadweather.InadditionMumwasexpectedtoprovidemorningteaandcaterforanyvisitingworkmensuchastheshearerswhocameyearlytoshearoursmallflock.WehadmilkcowsacrankyoldbullwhichmeantcalvesforustorearandanoldcarthorsecalledDollywhooncemusthavehauledscrubandclearedlandbutbythetimewegotthereonlyhauledover-activechildrenwhohadseenx1cNationalVelvetx1dandre-enactedthatrideonourlongsufferingchampion.x1cSchoolingwasbycorrespondencethreeorfourweeksofworkwassentatonetimetoensureyouneverranoutandthoselessonsweremeanttobespreadoutoveranormalschoolweek.Howeverourmotherwasabornteacherandfairlykeentogetusoutfromunderherfeetasshehadplentyofworktododuringthedaybesidessupervisingreluctantscholars.Sotherulewasaslongastheworkwascompletedsatisfactorilywewereexcused.Henceonehourwasusuallysufficienttowhizthroughitandtherestofthedaywasspentonmoreexcitingthingstherewererocksandtreestoclimbanimalstorearpicnicsandfishingexpeditionswargamessixkidsmeanstwoarmiesandplentyofhikingthroughpretendjunglesandofcourseswimming.x1cWhenwedidfinallyleavethelighthousesitwasformetostartCollege.Interestinglywewereallputupayearinclassfromwhereweshouldhavebeensotheonehourhomeworkmusthavebeenampleeducation-therestwaslearningonyourfeet.IhavefondmemoriesofanidyllicchildhoodwithbothparentsaroundalldayandIcannotspeakhighlyenoughofthelifestylethatsadlydoesnx19texistnowintheageofautomatedlighthousesandunmannedstations.x1cLivinginisolationteachesyouindependenceandhardworkmyfamilyarecloserthanmostbecausebrothersandsistershadtobeourfriendstoosoyoulearnhowtogetonwithpeopleandworkasateam.x1cTheseandmanyotherexperiencesbuildcharacterandinadditiontothemanyskillswehavetopossessasshipsagentsourx1clifeskillsx1dbroughtaboutbyourupbringingandpreviousexperiencesenhanceourmoretangibledailyskills.x1cInadditiontoknowingthemeaningofhardworkandindependencemystintintheArmytaughtmeafewthingstoox13pathologicalpunctualityforoneandanabilitytoprioritiseandrollwiththepunchesIfyoucanlearnhowtododgeanarmedsoliderinthemiddleofthenightaftertwoorthreeenforcedsleeplessnightsand100kmofterraintocrossyoucancertainlyadapttolifeasanagentx1cAllourISSagentshaveastorytotellanditissurprisingtofindoutthingsaboutyourcolleaguesthattheythinkareeverydaybuttoyouarenot.ThiswiderangeofpeoplewithrichlivesandexperiencesarewhatmakesInchcapeShippingServiceswhatitissothenexttimeyouaretalkingwithyourcolleagueshareyourexperiencesx13youmaybesurprised.x1dMokoHinauIsland