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2/M here. We usually have cadets on my RoRo. Three last time I was there. If you're going in June,

i assume you're going to be on for 90 days or so. Here's a bare minimum.

#1 Most important thing for ANY Mariner- Required Documents. (License, MMD, TWIC, Etc.) You can work without clothes, but you cannot work without documents.

Clothes (Your ship will likely issue you coveralls (for port visits), safety glasses, hardhat, & gloves.)

1 pair 'going out' pants, 2 going out shirts.

3-4 pairs work pants (say, 2 jeans, one khaki, maybe some Carharrt overalls.)

6 or so work t-shirts I like these

1-2 button down work shirts.

7 pairs socks, 7 pairs underwear.

Hoodie

work jacket or coat. Mostly for going out, if you work in the ER.

1-2 pair gym clothes (if you work out)

Steel-toed shoes w/ GOOD gel sole inserts.

sneakers

Depending on when you'll be in Alaska, a good pair of themals (I like SmartWool) and thick socks

Tools, etc

1 leatherman

small (powerful) flashlight & maybe a headlamp

All necessary toiletries including a nail trimmer (and spare deodorant!)

Pocket notepad/pen (or Tally Book) for taking notes. Like This

AA Batteries. Because you always need them.

Good digital watch.

Personal

Gaming system or laptop. There will be a community TV you can use and sailors your age to play with.

eBook or iPad if you like to read. Your ship will have DVD's and paperbacks, as well.

Stamps AND Postcard stamps. Send your mom a postcard every month, she's worried about you.

You'll have lots of time to pass. Fill it up with your choice of hobby. I'd recommend the gym.

Journal, sketch book, musical instrument, art supplies if you're into that.

Decent sunglasses. Good leather gloves in case you don't like the ship-provided ones.

Elastic clips for the inevitable shitty bedsheets. Like This

Probably a new pillow. Cadets get the worst of everything. Buy them online and they'll be 'vacuum packed'.

Contigo ($20) steel coffee travel mug from Walmart. Carry coffee in your pocket all over the ship without spilling it.


Stuff I always bring (or just leave on the ship)

2 bottles of my favorite hot sauce (or whatever) for flavoring bland/shitty food

3 lbs of GOOD coffee, and a Bodum Press coffee mug No 2-hour old Sysco coffee for me.

4 TB hard drive (full). I Pirate everything when home, and fill up everyone elses when I come aboard.

PB2 Powdered Peanut butter 2 pack. Because it's awesome on oatmeal.

My Fitbit. Record is 26,000 steps / 6300 calories in one day.

iPod (some ships have 'earphone' restrictions)

Over the counter Melatonin pills (low grade sleeping pills)

I'll add more as I think of it.


Likely your ship will have a 'slop chest' or easy access to shopping. I actually use Amazon Prime and everything gets delivered to us in Baltimore. I open mine up to the crew and we all spend an average of $500 together every delivery. If there's something you think you might need, box it up for mom/dad, they can mail it to you later if you need it.

I also recommend knot work. My favorite books are Ashley's Book of knots, Handbook of Knots, The Hervey Garret Smith Dover Pubs and The Sailmaker's Apprentice

Start with getting good enough making gaskets with 3 strand braid that you can teach children to make their own. Perfect the Boatwain's WHistle Knot/Lanyard knot/Diamond Knot and put it on all your landyards. Make your own buttons and toggles with Crown knots.


Find nice fine cotton and braid yourself a turkshead bracelet, or better yet make one for you SO or family members. Don't size it too tight as it will shrink with daily wear.


Buy some 1/2" Manilla/Hemp cordage and work on reeving your own door mat, go from there. Working fresh coiled cord from the pack to something workable takes some time. After this you can work on model sailboats and getting the rigging just right.

never be more than arms reach from a good flashlight. I suggest this one. I've got one now and it's rugged, the batteries last a while and it's water proof/intrinsically safe for work on tankers. Congrats and good luck out there.

I'm struggling to find any collapsing models that aren't just gimmicks. They all seem to have insanely high magnifications and tiny objective lenses. Which means you'll see a close up of fuck-all.

I have a Steiner MiniScope that I'm quite happy about but I won't say it's fantastic. It's neat and fits in a pocket, so it might fit what you're looking for, but if I were to buy a new monocular I'd go for a fixed 8x42 or even 8x50 from a decent manufacturer. They're chunky but give a far superior viewing experience.

I found the seamanship examiner very useful. Especially after studying a large amount of dry material this is useful to review with a friend over a beer.
It is full of good questions from Oow to master and extra ROR questions. Makes it easy to fire questions at each other as if it were an oral. Once you start vocalizing the information it becomes easier in the exam.

http://www.amazon.ca/The-Seamanship-Examiner-David-House/dp/075066701X

As an aside (cause this is a lovely idea!) if you can find one of the heavier duty more rubber like buckets, I always feel more secure with one of them. Filling it up when the boat is moving actually puts a lot of force on them. I'll try and find a link to illustrate the type I mean.

Edit: one like this. You might be able to find something a bit more cost effective, but these things are indestructible.

Dr martens. Slip on kind. Break them in first and like walking on air. Not a very thick boot in the heat either. If you don’t listen to anything anyone says please do not go cheap on boots. Walking on steel for 12 hours will make the hitch very long if your feet hurt the whole time.

Dr. Martens Men's Fusion Safety Toe Chelsea Boot,Black,8 UK/9 M US

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002OIP132/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_sctRAbYJXT4T4

Honestly, to get a 100T license, all you need is a book, "Get Your Captain's License" by Charlie Wing. http://www.amazon.com/Your-Captains-License-Fourth-Edition/dp/0071603697

How about a no spill mighty mug. It actually does an ok job of not spilling my tea when we are rolling.

Mighty Mug Go - The Travel Mug That Won't Fall Over (0.47 Litre), Red https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00CPP8Z1O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_Hxg3BbNV91Z42

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0870219553?pc_redir=1395279573&robot_redir=1

I read a book over ten years ago ("Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World") and it basically said we're going to wipe the North Atlantic Cod out if we can't curb our over fishing. Its depressing to think that we can't overcome short-term greed to harvest these animals in a sustainable way.