Day off

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Today I finally have a true day off which gives me a chance to catch up on sleep and to also update my blog (you lucky devils.)

Since my last blog I have done 4 trips on a maxi sailing yacht as a extra crew member. The first was with my brother and sister in law as passengers on a boat called boomerang. This trip went really well and both said they had a good time which is always good. The trips consist of a afternoon sailing to begin with and then the opportunity to go for a swim or sometimes a snorkel. Then dinner and normally a fair amount of alcahol. The 2nd day consists of a trip to Whitehaven in the morning, a sail followed by a snorkel in the afternoon and a trip to Langford island in the evening to watch the sunset. The last day consists of a early swim or snorkel depending on location and then a sail back to the harbour. As a extra crew member I get to help sail the boat and to also prepare meals and do a lot of cleaning and washing up. The LTE's as we affectionately known (learn to earn) normally get the chance to go with the guests when they go on excursions. The work is relatively easy but starts early and normally finishes late. With my brother and sister in law on board this means that I get to go with them when they do most activities which is really good and spend some time with them.
Once back in port more cleaning is required to get the boat ready for the next trip. Afterwards the crew and guests meet at a local pub and cheap food is on offer as well as free beer. We all have a good time but due to me going on another trip the next day I have to call it a early night at 1am and wish James and Lizzy good luck with their travels.
The next trip is much of the same although this time the guests are mostly English where as with the last one there were a lot of German people and it is on a yacht called Condor.
The trip seems to fly by despite the fact of another crew member being very annoying and when I get back I move straight on to trip 3.
Trip 3 is British Defender and the skipper is quite young so this is more of a party yacht. Lots of alcahol and lots of loud music. This trip has predominantly Irish guests who live up to most of the stereotypes but are good fun all the same.
Trip 4 is back on Condor with the same annoying crew member who seems more manageable this time by the fact that he is constantly making mistakes. I get on well with the other two crew members and the trip ends well. One of them has had a birthday recently and invites me along for the celebrations. They pick me up at 5 and we get some rum and coke in a cans and some pizza and head to their place (this fulfills a Australian ambition as we get the alcahol from a drive through.) The night goes well and I get to my bunk in the hostel at 2:30.
Which leads me to today. Today I realise that although I like the yachting and certain aspects of the job I don't want to stay in Airlie Beach when not on the yachts and maybe Yachting will become more of a hobbie when I get settled else where. Some of my friends managed to get the opportunity to sail a yacht from Airlie to Sydney as part of a delivery. This sounds very appealing and something I will look into at a later date as it doesn't seem to uncommon.
Tomorrow I do my last trip which will be aboard a old fashioned cargo vessel that was built in 1902. I'm expecting to be saying arrrrr and matey a lot more when I get back. I'll put a picture of it in the next blog. Ttfn! :)

P.S. this was done on my phone hence the random location.

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