The street signs of Ocean Beach blur past as I pedal through potholes and puddles from last night's storm. It is sunny and crisp and Saturday. The smell of barbeque and salt and incense and weed (it is OB) drift through the air. I peel off layers one by one.
Santa Cruz, Pescadaro, Alhambra.
They are not just street signs to me but names of towns, bays, islands, castles where I have wandered cobblestoned streets, sailed to or past or into, drank bottles of cheap Spanish wine on ramparts. But today as I pass those signs and lay my bike to rest on the side of Sunset Cliffs Blvd, I am present in this time and place. A rare occurrence especially with my home strewn with foul weather gear and duffel bags, bikinis and khaki pants. My sunscreen and water warped passport zipped into plastic bags, my piles of books waxing and waning with changing priorities and the compact ease of my electronic bookshelf.
But I am here, overlooking the kelp and waves, the surfers like black seals bobbing in the undulating green. I don't remember the last time I sat on these cliffs but I vow to do it more often, to take in this beauty I often cross the globe to see. In this moment, I love where I was born, where I grew up, where I came back to after almost two decades away, much of it spent on this watery world into which I stare.
I am here.
But not for long! Next week the wind and waves and sun will greet me on another coast.
I am ready for the adventure, the beauty, the work. I am ready to stow and sail and cook and swim. When I tell people about my gigs on yachts many ask me how to do it. So... here goes.
Here's a little list of resources to become a yachtie. It helps quite a bit if you have restaurant service background and/or chef skills. Of course boating knowledge helps too, especially if you want to work on deck. Feel free to contact me if you have more specific questions, but start visiting these websites and googling and go for it!
Most of the hotspots for getting jobs are in Southern Florida (fall/winter) and New England (summer) or Antibes, France and Mallorca, Spain (spring/summer). It's best to go to these ports, stay at a "crew house" (hostel for people looking for yacht jobs), register with an agent, and start walking the docks and talking to people if you're really serious about getting a job and you don't have experience yet. Get your resume (CV) together and be sure to put your smiling face on it. (Whether you like it or not appearances matter in the yachting world.)
You can also take some courses but I guess it depends on how much experience you have. It can also be a great way to network with currently employed crew.
Crew Agencies-
www.CrewUnlimited.com
www.LuxYachts.com
www.lacassemaritime.com - this one is west coast based- one of the few as there aren't as many jobs out here.
www.handsomcrew.com - if you are a yoga instructor or masseuse- my friend Denise is awesome!
www.crewnetwork.com
Crew houses in Florida:
www.handsomcrew.com - my friend Denise also has a small, super chill crew house in FL if you want something a little more mature than some of the young and rowdy crew houses.
www.maryscrewhouse.com - I stayed here for a month while I did some courses. Clean and convenient. Usually a bit more chill than some of the rest.
www.theneptunegroup.com - I've heard mixed reviews about this one but if you want to meet people and party a bit, have at it. You can check out Floyds and Crewfinders too.
www.daywork123.com - lots of temp jobs, some permanent. Mostly in Florida.
Yachtie rags (with job posting sections):
http://www.dockwalk.com/
http://www.the-triton.com/
Schools:
If you want to get some certificates. A lot of boats require that you have a safety course called STCW 95. It just depends on where the boat is flagged and whether or not it does charters. Then there are licensing courses for all sorts of things.
Check out this school in San Diego if you want to get some basic safety courses, STCW 95 or even your captains license: www.maritimeinstitute.com
I went to Maritime Professional Training in Ft. Lauderdale for my courses and had a great time. It's more "yachtie" than schools elsewhere: www.mptusa.com
Then there are the service oriented classes for stewardesses. I personally think they are overpriced but if you have absolutely no service training they will give you a basic primer. Look for "silver service" and "interior" classes. www.yachtmaster.com
I've probably forgotten to include a few things as these days I get my jobs through word of mouth but this is a start to the wonderful and addictive world of yachting. Get ready to pop that collar and get some sun on your face while slaving away in gorgeous places! Fair winds!
