July-August 2021
Having left California, I set out to complete the courses I needed to work on the yachts as quickly as possible. I was lucky enough to be able to complete them in Florida while spending some time with my family. In a little over two weeks, I was boarding a plane to Dallas to get to Paris (a frustratingly funky route to take). At the airport, the prospect of boarding a plane to Europe to attempt joining a yacht crew seemed like a joke. Not something I would have ever imagined myself doing. I was very excited. After a brief stopover in Paris to see a good friend and walk around, I was on to Antibes.
The south of France is truly beautiful and worthy of its renown. To be honest, I used to think it was overrated, how could it even compare to beaches in Mexico? While it is certainly different, that does not make it less impressive. The blue color of the water is captivating. I enjoyed the views and all but my goal was to find work not be a tourist. I set out to follow the advice I was given and read online on how to break into yachting. I walked the docks, signed up to crew agencies, joined Facebook groups and constantly edited my resume. Throughout this process I was constantly wondering if I was doing the best I could do to find work, constantly wondering how good of a candidate I really was, concerned with what others around me were doing and the success some would have… I learned some lessons along the way. I am proud of having continuously revised what I was doing, I always seek to improve whatever I do and how I do it and that has proven to pay off. Realizing how worried I was about how good a candidate I was, I tried to remind myself that I should never let my resume content worry me too much. Of course, a good resume and experience are important to be considered for many positions, but what matters most is having confidence in oneself’s worth and uniqueness. Lastly, while it can be useful to know what is working for others who find success, it is essential to keep envy away. I recall thinking: why is “x” person or “x” person having better luck than I have? But as it turns out, at the end of the day I got very lucky myself…
Walking on Promenade Amiral de Grasse wondering what the future would bring.
Each little bit of experience I could pick up working a day or a few days on a boat were little victories that I believe were getting me closer to securing a permanent position. Eventually, I got a temporary job on a yacht, of the smaller sort, for about a week and a half. My start was delayed for a few days and I was told I would only work a handful of days during that week and a half period. But work is work and there was a chance for me to work there longer if the return of the deckhand I was replacing was delayed. So I left the crew house in Antibes and moved to the boat in a neighboring town. The crew was really nice and I was excited to work with them. However, the next morning I received an email from an officer from another vessel. It was an opportunity I could not pass up. After speaking to the chef and the captain from the yacht I had just barely moved to the day prior, I packed my bags once again and took the first train I could catch to Monaco. I joined a 75m+ yacht for three weeks while part of the deck team was on leave. Shortly before I was given this opportunity, I was considering leaving Europe to go complete my divemaster certification and resume my search for a permanent position on a yacht afterwards, this time as deckhand/divemaster. This 3 week contract was perfect! I could gain experience, save some money and then set out to complete my dive courses. Although my contract was temporary, I believed it would give me enough experience to facilitate jumping on to the next job, and it did. Moreover, I felt accomplished. I was working as a deckhand on a yacht and cruising the seas with it. I had made it! The job is by no means a walk in the park, it is physical and demanding, but I love working on a ship, being at sea and moving from port to port.
Towards the end of my 3 week contract, there was some uncertainty regarding my future. There was a slight possibility my contract would be extended if one of the deck team members delayed his return to the boat. But after all he came back and I was off exactly 3 weeks after being hired. I would have definitely liked to stay longer, but my alternative plan was another adventure. It was time for me to finally complete my divemaster. After doing some online research, I decided I would go to Tofo, Mozambique to complete it. The place had a lot of megafauna (including sharks, my favorite animal), surf and a good deal on course prices. Just as one adventure ended, another started. What started out as a trip to complete a diving course, would turn out to be a world tour with Rome as its first stop.