Great Hobbies for Crew On Board
It’s no secret crew members get little to no spare time whilst working on a superyacht. The few moments you do manage to carve out for yourself could be used to master skills you and your passengers can enjoy. Whether you’re working on improving a hobbie you are already interested in or learning a new skill altogether, below is a number of hobbies that, if added to your skillset, could set you apart as a crew member.
Photography
Picture this. A 27m stretch of pearl-white perfection clearing the Atlantic Ocean. Blue skies and crystal clear calm waters to backdrop the crisp summer weather. A teak wooden deck. White interior detailed by tanned leather finishes to compliment the starched linen lining the tables. Sarongs dancing with the breeze like the loose locks of the raven haired stewardess onboard.
Like something out of a movie, or a magazine.
Yachting affords you access to the most breathtaking locations. You have no doubt witnessed once-in-a-lifetime sunsets, watched a pod of dolphins surf through the sea or passed by clusters of uninhabited islands that you may never see again. These are all great photo opportunities.
Anyone with a camera can get started with photography, the technology phone cameras have these days means you don’t have to be invest in pricey equipment either. You can capture a beautiful landscape, share it via social media and receive immediate feedback. And the great thing with hobbies like photography is people rarely shy away from the camera and the more you snap away the better you get at it. So pick up your camera, or cellphone and start capturing some phenomenal photos. If for anything else they will serve as great memories for you to cherish.
Writing
There are many reasons why writing would be a great hobby for you. It is therapeutic to emotionally offload through journaling or writing in your diary, especially with the high stressed working environment of a crew member. It is done in silence so it allows you the serenity of hearing nothing but your inner thoughts.
You might consider writing about your experiences in a manner of offering advice or assistance to other professionals working in the yachting industry. Many Crew members have successful, widely followed blogs where they record information and charming, relatable anecdotes.
It does take discipline though. If you decide to take up this exercise you must be conscientious about spending time writing daily, else memories fade and your recollection of encounters becomes hazy.
Again, you are spoilt for topics for discussion as interesting things happen daily if not every hour. And the more you write the better you become.
Learning a New Language
Scientists insist that the older you get the harder it becomes to learn a new language. Although that may present quite a daunting challenge, picking up a few phrases and understanding basic sentence structure happens more easier than you think.
Superyachts, more often than not, play home to a cocktail of crew members who are a different nationality to yours. If you are interested in learning a new language any one of them would be happy to have an opportunity to speak in their native language. You could easily register for an online course or search for video tutorials on YouTube. Having someone who speaks the language onboard gives you a chance to practise what you may have learnt online.
Being a multilingual isn't just an awesome party trick, it gives you a professional advantage. Having French, Spanish, German and sometimes Russian speaking skills can one-up you from your peers.
And the great thing about a lot of these languages is that they are quite similar. If you are fluent in French, for example; Spanish, Portuguese and especially Italian will be easy to pick up, and visa versa.
Cooking
Food; one of life’s great comforts. We often cook for those we love. We break bread with friends, family, enemies and acquaintances. All business is left at the door and everyone is equal at the table. Or they should be.
Learning to cook is one of the most enjoyable hobbies to partake in. If you enjoy eating and like to experiment with exciting and creative flavours this is right up your alley. You can learn about different types of cooking methods and flavour pairings. You’ll become skilled at shopping for the best and freshest ingredients as well as getting trade secrets right from the source.
Getting started can be quite simple.
Superyachts serve some of the best food in the world and it is not uncommon for some yachts to boast Michelin star chefs. But you have to respect their time and schedule. Catering for a yacht of passengers whilst being responsible for the demanding mouths of an entire crew creates quite a stressful environment for the kitchen staff. So if they say they can't help you at the moment, they can't help you at the moment. Don’t nag. Chefs are normally quite welcoming of crew wanting to learn more about what happens in the kitchen, It’s a win-win situation as the chef will appreciate the extra pair of hands in the kitchen.
Ultimately hobbies are about having fun and unwinding after a long day of labour. So keep any undertaking light and stress free. The great thing about hobbies is that you can mix and match. So if you find your love of food and writing are drawing you towards food blogging, pursue that. Be safe out on the sea and happy hoobie-ing.