About a year ago MarineNews debuted an article on the "First Families" of the oil patch featuring the Graham, Chouest and Candies families. We continue this series with two real pioneers in this industry whose partnership is still going strong after 57 years. Albert Cheramie and Anthony Guilbeau were among the very first to recognize that when oil and gas exploration moved offshore there would be a need for boats to supply the rigs. In 1947, Cheramie began by running a vessel for Humble Oil to Block 16A barely in the Gulf of Mexico off Grand Isle, La. By 1951 both Cheramie and Guilbeau were working offshore themselves as roughnecks for Texaco. "After five years with Texaco, it didn't seem like I was going to advance very far with only a 7th grade education," Cheramie said.