Thanks for your replies, good to hear from folks out there. This is definately a career change; retirement age but can't retire, like so many others, the only option is "what's my last career going to be> SOS or something I enjoy? Hard work and long hours I don't mind, as long as my back will hold out. I would like to get my license for small/medium size vessels, commercial or not, but I don't mind sailing on large ships, as long as I enjoy it and it gives me the experience I need. I haven't been at sea for years, so I suspect I'll need to crew aboard something even to qualify to go for any license and re-learn alot I've forgotten. I'm smart enough to know I don't know enough about anything right now; I need to talk to some experts and see what I need to do. May have to get another corporate job just to continue to explore my options> man I hope not!!!! What I need now is a job that will support me and help me reach my goal of a full time job at sea. Is that too much to ask? Probably .... mushing on here. Thanks again.