Andy Merrill Long Beach, Calif. Years on Job: 6

From sailing to surfing to piloting 32,000-ton container ships, Andy Merrill has always felt at home on the ocean. Today, the 42-year-old clocks 70-day shifts as captain of Matson Navigation’s MV Manulani—navigating the hauler to some of the busiest ports in the world. Shanghai, for instance, docked 55,000 vessels last year. “It’s like they’re lining up elephants out there,” he says.