Reflections on Nautical Lessons: Scott Thybony’s Alaskan Adventure

Nautical Lessons: A Young Deckhand’s Journey on the Alaskan Seas

At just 18 years old, Scott Thybony embarked on a journey that would teach him invaluable lessons about life and self-reflection. With no prior maritime experience, he left Arizona to join the crew of the Pathfinder, a survey ship tasked with mapping the Alaskan coastlines following a powerful earthquake.

The Pathfinder, a Coast and Geodetic Survey vessel, had its deckhands setting up camps on isolated islands for triangulation surveys. In between these tasks, they were engaged in the monotonous work of chipping paint and scrubbing decks. To cope with the tedium, a seasoned crew member advised Thybony, “Concentrate on the doing of the job, not on getting it done.”

Despite the grueling routine, Thybony found himself drawn to the ship’s deck during storms, where he braced against the railing as the sea raged around him. During calmer times, he honed his skills in knot-tying, mastering the elusive one-handed bowline, though it never proved necessary in his later life.

Rough weather was a constant companion on these surveys. On one occasion, returning from a near-shore survey, Thybony and the crew were drenched by waves as their motor launch battled heavy seas. Upon boarding the ship, they were handed nip bottles of brandy—a tradition rather than a remedy for hypothermia.

Close to the end of his tenure as an ordinary seaman, Thybony faced a daunting task on the bridge. Assigned to steer the ship towards a mountain, he was unaware of a hidden passage they were approaching. As the officers watched, he struggled to maintain the course, unknowingly heading for the mountain until relieved by an experienced helmsman. “Go back to the fantail,” the officer instructed him, “and take a look at the wake.”

The wake told the story of his navigation errors, swinging back and forth like a drunken sailor. It was a vivid reminder of the importance of learning from past mistakes. Each of us, Thybony realized, must eventually stand on the fantail of our own lives and reflect on the paths we’ve taken.

For more of Scott Thybony’s reflections, visit his Canyon Commentaries, produced by KNAU Arizona Public Radio.