To ask them about their purpose was to hear a narrative about resisting broader forces like greed, climate change, and the needless killing of living creatures. But there were visceral motivations, too: adventure, the chance to travel, the thrill of a good fight, seeing places few others knew existed, acquiring practical seafaring skills, the camaraderie of shared purpose. One thing, though, was clear: as in most professions, mine included, the longer they did the work, the more they bought into the central narrative that the higher calling at its core is what fortified them at scary moments
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