After leaving Mercury Mick Gear joined Strick Line as an apprentice but, instead of completing this, he became an ordinary seaman qualifying as an AB. In those times he sailed with Runciman and United Baltic Shipping. He then joined the Port of London Authority working his way up to the master of a tug. At the age of 40 he passed his Master’s Home Trade Certificate and joined Tower Shipping. Later he joined the Maritime Trust to become the senior skipper of their Small Ships of London which included last steam coaster, Robin; the last working West Country topsail schooner, Kathleen & May; the steam tug, Portwey; and the steam drifter Lydia Eve. When these returned to their home ports he became 2nd officer of the Cutty Sark in Greenwich before retiring to his home in Kent. Mick died around early 2021 – sadly a victim of COVID.