Captain Robert Fearnley, one of Falmouth's longest serving sea pilots officially retires from the port's pilotage service on Sunday after 23 years service.

Speaking to me this week Robert said: "There is never a dull moment in pilotage. It's an exciting job, where you meet all kinds of people and get to handle a large variety of ships. I will certainly miss the job."

Robert, of Woodlane Crescent, Falmouth, who celebrated his 60th birthday a week ago embarked on a career at sea at the tender age of 13 when he joined the Training Ship Mercury, a converted hulk moored at Hamble, near Southampton.

Run along the lines of a Royal Navy shore establishment Robert and his fellow cadets faced extremely strict discipline. Each night the cadets would row whalers out from the shore to the Mercury where they slept in hammocks. One former cadet wrote "In winter Mercury could be a Gulag with ice forming outside the hammocks. In summer to awake to the sound of seagulls was magical."

Three years at Mercury resulted in Robert being granted 12 months remission of sea service. He joined Walter Runciman's, a famous British tramp company, as deck cadet on the brand new tramp Jedmoor and went world-wide tramping.

Recalling his early days at sea he said: "Life on tramp ships was easy compared with the discipline of Mercury. And as cadets with Runciman's the only time we saw the bridge was when we scrubbed the wheelhouse decks by hand."

After gaining his Second Mates certificate Robert joined Palm Line running down the West African coast to Sapele, Warri, Koko and Burutu. Palm oil, in bulk, palm kernel oil, cocoa, coffee and timber were carried by the Palm Line ships that ventured up jungle rivers to load their precious cargoes.

In 1965 he joined one of Britain's top companies the British and Commonwealth Line serving on Clan Line cargo-passenger ships and the lavender-hulled Union Castle liners plying the Cape mail route. Serving in the liners Windsor Castle, Capetown Castle and Stirling Castle gave Robert a good grounding in passenger ship work.

Studying for DOT Certificates of Competency at the Plymouth College of Maritime Studies Robert and myself shared digs in Plymouth at a house affectionately known as "Fort Wolny". And our landlady Mrs Wolny, a loveable battle-axe with a heart of gold ran a tight ship. Sharing the digs with us at various times were John Badcock of St Mawes, Falmouth Coastguard Simon Rabett, Captain David Pascoe, master of the Scillonian, and Fowey pilot Captain Sam Guy. That well-known Falmouth pilot Captain Gordon "Tolverne" Kent was also floating around the college at the same time.

Joining Fred Olsen Lines in 1970 Robert served in the ferry Eagle. He then went onto become staff captain on the passenger liner Blenheim.

Outward bound for the Canaries in 1973 the Blenheim suffered a major engine-room fire. Robert took charge of the fire fighting party. After several hours the blaze was extinguished and the ship limped into Lisbon for repairs. Robert and his team were warmly congratulated by the passengers for fighting the fire. And the story has a funny side to it.

"Outward bound the staff captain held the Sunday morning service and northbound the master would take the service. There was intense rivalry as to who would collect the most money from the Sunday collection." said Robert. He took the Sunday service following the fire and broke all ship's records for the money collected.

Appointed master in late 1977 Robert went on to command the 30,000 ton bulk carriers Star Boxford and Star Bulford running between Europe, United States and Japan.

He came ashore in 1979 to become a Trinity House pilot at Falmouth and during his 23 years service he has piloted an estimated 7,000 ships in and out of the port. Robert is well-known in port circles as a highly-talented seaman, a man of strong principles and impeccable manners - a true professional and excellent colleague whom we all will miss.

Robert and his wife Wendy have three children Jessica, a trained ballerina, Charlotte, who has just completed her BA(Hons) degree and William, who until recently served with the Royal Logistics Corps.

On behalf of their many friends on the Falmouth waterfront may I wish Robert and Wendy a long, happy and healthy retirement together.