TikTokThe joy of TikTok is the ability to discover a new community or learn about a topic that you never knew, you never knew about! Right now, the North Sea has piqued our collective curiousity and no creator is driving this conversation more than Captain Mark! Captain Mark is a master mariner who shares insight into what life at sea is really like. From transporting 120,000 tonnes of cargo to navigating the perils of fog - and he still makes time to share the beautiful views too.
Captain Mark is also known for his content of what it's like behind the scenes on huge cargo ships, such as emergency protocols and why sea captains do alot more admin than you'd think. Keen to inspire the next generation of seafarers, he also shares useful information like what the career path from cadet to captain can look like.
With 137.9k followers and counting, we caught up with Captain Mark to discuss all things North Sea TikTok, becoming a TikTok favourite, and the content he can't get enough of.
Have you been surprised by the reaction from the TikTok community to your content?
Astonished! I still can't quite get my head around so many people wanting to watch what I do, and that it's people from all over the world, from all walks of life.
The feedback has been so overwhelmingly positive. I get DM's and emails all the time. From people asking for career advice to just saying thanks for showing them my world, which is lovely.
People come up to me in the street to say they love my content. I will never get used to being 'papped', but I do get a great kick out of it.
Why did you decide to start sharing your profession on TikTok?
I really have two lives. One at sea and one on land.
Whenever I would go home after a voyage, I'd get a lot of questions about my life at sea, because it's a very hidden industry and I guess people don't meet sea Captains every day. So I decided to start making videos about the trips, the ships and my life at sea in general. It was more for me, my family and friends really, at first. A kind of journal. Maybe something my grandkids can watch in years to come?
Then it began to grow organically. I started to gain followers and my comment section filled with questions and requests. I was happy to oblige and now here we are.
What other creators do you follow on TikTok?
Lots of musicians, scientists, artists, educators and the weird and wonderful.
A few I'm enjoying right now are Fleshsimulator, you never know what you're going to get with that guy. Justin Hawkins and his soothing musical critiques. Chris Williams gives excellent management advice and if I want a bit of a laugh, Tadhg Fleming.
What is your goal on TikTok?
To have fun. It's a hobby and I am really enjoying it, especially with the interactions with my followers. So as long as it keeps being fun, I'll keep creating content.
What is your favourite TikTok you have made to date and why?
Oh that's hard to choose. Maybe one I called 'Move It Move it', where you can see the bending of the ship in heavy weather. That's fun to watch.
Finally, what else is on your For You feed?
Cars, lots of cars. Food, lots of food, (especially recipes I save for later and then never cook lol). Travel tips, because I do a lot of travelling even when I'm off. And I really like watching master craftsmen creating anything.
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