My name is Darin Collins and I’m from Summerford, Newfoundland. I’ve been working for McKeil now on two occasions: my first time I started back in ‘97. I worked with them till 2002. Then I kinda of left the water and worked on land for a while. I rejoined McKeil again this year in June. So I guess 5 or 6 months now.

My position on the boat right now is a deckhand. I trained to be an engine room assistant. There’s not just one story of my most powerful memory of water; different things led up to the occasion. My grandfather had a motor boat and used to take me out for rides. My father was a fisherman. My first memory of water….was down on the beach. Mom telling me not to go down and still I go in and fall in and get wet. Water is important to me because I was born and raised around the water. It means a living for me and my family. I grew up around water, something as important to me as my family.

I love the saltwater. I sailed right around North and South America. I’ve done a little time up on Beaufort Sea. Up off of Greenland, towing icebergs. That was a bit of excitement. We used to tow icebergs away from oil rigs up there, from test drills. We tried to tow them out of the way. That was a try. Sometimes you’d be two or three days of it towing you and then maybe change its direction just a little bit. When them icebergs wanna go, they’ll go and they’ll take you with them. I’ve sailed down through Panama now 5 times, through the canal. First time it was exciting. Second time was “Oh I’ve done this before”. By the fifth time, “I’m getting bored now, gotta find somewhere else”.

Right now I work on saltwater mostly around Baie Verte area. There’s a bit platform they’re building. McKeil is getting a lot of work on the water. It’s not as warm as the lakes. I like the cold temperature.