The barge pilot

On board his boat, every day is different. Whether Friedrich Stuntz spends the twilight hours at the helm, in his cabin or at home in bed depends entirely on the length of the trip. And on the size of his crew.

But one thing has remained the same for the past thirty years: Breakfast. With a smile, he describes his morning ritual: "I eat porridge - from Monday to Saturday. And on Sunday I eat an egg and a bread roll." All washed down with a cup of tea or two. Coffee only follows a few hours later, by which time he's already long been at the helm of the barge.

The 68-year-old is well past retirement age. But as a self-employed barge pilot, he still spends a number of days each week on Germany's rivers and canals. An affinity for water is in his blood. His family has been plying the waterways for generations.

"On a boat you have freedom," Stuntz explains. That's why he decided to follow the family tradition half a century ago.

Captain Old School

The old metal helm is still on board. But it's actually just a souvenir of old times. Nowadays the captain only needs two fingers to steer the vessel. The bridge is like a cockpit: Radar, two-way radio and computer.

"When I got started you had to do everything yourself," Friedrich Stuntz remembers. In the old days you had to start at the bottom and learn every aspect of the job. "Back then the bosses were also seamen. Nowadays they come straight from university and think they know everything better."

Steering the vessel, judging weather conditions and the level of the waters, cleaning the deck and cargo hold, maintenance on the engine - all this is part of Friedrich's job. But it is getting harder the older he gets. "The physical work is beyond me now," he admits, "but with the people we have now I don't have to." He relies on his four-strong crew, and says he has complete faith in them.

Friedrich Stuntz belongs to the old school of independent boat owners who take the helm themselves. "It's a great thing to have your own vessel," he says. "But it ties up a lot of capital." How much he makes is only really clear at the end of the year. Repairs, breakdowns and new equipment take their toll – he always has to keep cash in reserve because he never knows what might happen during the course of the year. His vessel isn't exactly brand new, and has to be kept up-to-date with the latest technical innovations.

There's fierce competition. "It's not the one who has the most beautiful ship that gets the contract, not even the one who has the safest ship: It's the one who does the trip for the lowest price," Friedrich observes. He keeps his head above water in the current financial crisis by transporting gravel and scrap. Despite the difficulties, he is content with his lot. He couldn't have found anything that suited him better he says.

Talking and joking make the time fly by on the boat. Stress is just not in Friedrich Stunz's vocabulary. He has a simple antidote. "I'm a believer. What will be, will be," he says.

When he has safely delivered his cargo, it's time to switch modes of transport. He swaps the helm for the steering wheel of his car, which always travels along on the barge. It takes just a few minutes to unload it with the crane.

Then he's off for home. Virneburg is a small village in Rhineland-Palatinate. His wife and four grandchildren are already waiting for him. All the grandchildren are from his only son Torsten. He's also a barge pilot. Friedrich's pets are also looking forward to seeing him - and they too reflect his love of water. The goldfish and carp wait patiently in the pond for their master to come by to say hello and give them their food.

There's another ritual that this barge pilot likes to follow: He regularly keeps up with current events by reading the weekly news magazine 'Der Spiegel'. Friedrich is interested in politics and business news. "I'm active in the local branch of the Christian Democrats," he says. "I try to talk to the politicians frequently and to criticize what I don't like. I'm quite persistent," he declares.

Friedrich Stuntz leads a full life. His job takes up a lot of time, and so does his family. After his political activities, there's not much time left over. But he's always happy to meet friends, chat with the neighbors or play a round of cards. "Most people only want to know people when it's to their advantage. But to get to know someone when you have nothing whatsoever to gain, that for me is the greatest thing," he says with conviction.

Friedrich Stuntz is an honest and open individual. When he has something to say, you're inclined to believe when him.

Author: Elisabeta Milosevska (jp)
Editor: Rina Goldenberg