Fort Lauderdale...

After my week in New York City quickly came to an end, it was time for me to head down to Fort Lauderdale to set out on my yachting career. I had arranged to stay in the Neptune Group crew housing when I arrived. Crew housing is similar to a hostel, but for yacht crew. It is very affordable, and it is a great way to network with other yachties. Crew house accommodations vary from house to house, but you are essentially staying in a fully furnished house which includes cable, internet, washer & dryer, bed and bath linens, kitchenware, etc..

Crew House Kitchen Area

Crew House Common Area

I was slightly nervous and extremely excited to meet my new roommates. I knew I would be meeting lots of new people from all over the world, but I really wasn't prepared for the whirlwind of fun, excitement and partying that was about to become my life for the next three weeks. As soon as I walked through the door I was instantly greeted by Guy from South Africa who was very eager to help me with my bags (South Africans are some of the most polite people I have ever encountered). Soon after I met the rest of my roommates. There were sisters Brooke and Ashley from Bermuda, Jane from New Zealand, Emily and Georgia from the US (and some other girl that was from the US who was super sketch and got kicked out so I can't remember her name).

This was unlike any living situation I had ever experienced, but I imagine it could be equated to living in a college dorm. The biggest difference is that there are constantly people arriving and departing, so the dynamic of the house is continuously undergoing change. I met so many people and made some truly remarkable friends during this time.

In a previous post I had mentioned that I had to take the week long STCW course. Fortunately Brooke, Ashley and Georgia were enrolled in the same course with me, so the four of us set off to class together early each morning after a night of hard partying. I honestly don't know how we made it to the class each day, but somehow we managed!

The STCW course was pretty basic. It covers personal safety and survival, first aid and fire safety. My favorite part of the course was the fire safety. We got to dress up in full fire gear, including the breathing apparatus, and fight fires. I feel that it is something most people should try to take so that they better understand fires and how to fight them.

After the STCW course was complete I spent a great deal of time hanging out with my roomies at the beach, the pool, bars, etc.. We were all having such a great time that we weren't in a huge hurry to avidly search for work until the beginning of week three.

Guy at the Embassy Suite's pool

Rolf & Brooke at the beach

Ashley & Rolf at Waxy's

Molly & Georgia

To find work in the yachting industry you put together a CV, similar to a resume, and register with various crew agents. Once you register with a crew agent they set up an interview to get to know you a bit. Crew agents help you look for work on boats, so it's beneficial to sign up with several crew agents so you can get as many leads as possible. There are other places that you can post your CV, such as the Neptune Group's website, or at Smallwood's. And another avenue to find work is to walk the docks early each morning with your CV in hand. Walking the docks is also a good way to find daywork. Some boats may require a little extra help for a project, so they hire a dayworker. This is a great way for someone with no experience to obtain a little which is good for the CV. Also, dayworking can often lead to a full time position.

I was fortunate. Once I decided to find a job, it happened very quickly. I hadn't even been out to walk the docks yet. A captain saw my CV posted on Neptune Group's website and gave me a call. The boat wasn't in Fort Lauderdale so I wasn't able to see him for a face to face interview. We chatted for a few minutes over the phone. He told me he would call me back in about 10 minutes to let me know if he wanted to hire me. About 2 minutes later he called back and offered me the job. This happened on a Wednesday afternoon, and he wanted me to fly to New Jersey to meet up with the boat on Friday. This is where all of the fun and craziness ends, and where the hard work began.