Summertime in Chicago - Yacht Style!

It’s been a few weeks now since landing in Milwaukee. Although there is always work to be done when there aren’t guests on board, we still find enough time to have fun and entertain ourselves. We caught the last night of Summerfest, the world’s largest music festival. Earth, Wind and Fire was the main highlight of the evening, along with some other great bands that I’ve never heard of. Since the Milwaukee/Chicago area is where I’m originally from, all of my family is not too far away. I had the opportunity to see Grandma for a couple of days. She came and got the full tour of Blue Moon and brought me back to Lake Geneva (an hour outside Milwaukee) for the weekend. So great to see her!

We have spent a few days in Chicago for different occasions, and returned to Milwaukee while the boat isn’t being used by guests. Blue Moon is the host for a number of parties and functions, bringing people on for a dinner cruise around the Chicago Harbor. I must mention that one of our duties as deckhands on the yacht is to valet park the guest’s cars… and there are some beauties! We were driving Porsche Turbo’s, brand new Mercedes and BMW’s, Cadillac’s and a couple of Bentelys. We didn’t know how to turn half the cars on, but quickly learned. Sailing around Navy Pier and next to the Chicago skyline supplied us with spectacular views of the cities towering skyscrapers. During some time off, I met up with some high school friends who live and work in the city. It was a great opportunity to catch up and swap new and exciting life stories. We walked around Millennium Park and the giant glass Bean, and enjoyed a cold beer on Navy Pier.

On our way back to Milwaukee, we needed to ensure basic safety training of the crew. We did a ‘man overboard’ drill (where I was the man overboard…) where the yacht would turn completely around and launch the tender to pick me up. During the ‘abandon ship’ drill, all of the crew put on immersion suits and jumped in the water, simulating an emergency situation while linking arms and discussing individual roles. The fire drill consisted of testing all of the masks and oxygen tanks, and launching water off the deck with the high-powered fire hose.

While spending time in Milwaukee between events, the crew likes to have BBQ’s on the dock and listen to some good tunes. Once in a while, we use the water balloon launchers and shoot water balloons at passing boats. On warm evenings, we climb up the mast of the boat (above the sun deck) and jump off into the cool water, 80 feet below. Bike rides around town are a common activity, and jogging is popular among the crew. There are fun places to see around Milwaukee, so we do our best to get into town. My other set of Grandparents came from Lake Geneva to spend the day with me, which was very nice. It was fun for them to see what I’ve been up to all summer, and finally discover the true meaning of a “mega-yacht”.

Back to work in Chicago... Hot sun, clear Chicago skyline, and a yacht loaded with guests ready to have some fun. They were expecting a day on the water as we set out to anchor next to Navy Pier and the Lake Shore Drive beaches. We lowered the Chris Craft boat, launched the two jet-skis, and prepared the wakeboard, kneeboard and tubes. The younger ones played on kayaks, as the adults sped around the harbor on the jet skies. After a few ski and wakeboard sessions, dinner was served for the guests on the sun deck. This has been the routine numerous times the past few weeks for guests looking for some fun in the sun… and exceptional service.

After arriving in the Chicago/Milwaukee area, most of the Blue Moon’s summer has consisted of busy day parties and evening dinner cruises. Despite the long days and heavy work loads, the crew seems to find time to have a good time. We took a full day and drove to Oshkosh, Wisconsin for the countries largest Air Show. I have never seen so many aeronautical machines in my whole life! Planes from all different eras were scattered across hundreds of acres, including ones from WWII and Vietnam, to military cargo planes and apache helicopters. This 2 week event attracts people and planes from around the United States, and what a show it was. The worlds most advanced military jet, the F-18 Raptor, flew 100 feet above our heads, emitting bone chilling noise as it raced by at 500 miles an hour. Other planes flew in groups and performed insane maneuvers that made my stomach turn! A re-enactment of a battle zone took place, with ground infantry, tanks, and hummers buzzing around. Bomb explosions sent balls of fire into the sky as planes flew in from all directions.

With only a month left of this temporary summer job, I begin to wonder why anyone would want to leave! It is truly an experience for those who crave an adventurous life, full of uncertainties of what each day will bring. With a secure job, and VERY comfortable living conditions/benefits, it’s obvious why my crew mates have been doing this for years. The stories they share and the experiences they’ve had inspire me to get out and see what else the world has to offer, and live far outside my comfort zone. There are so many places to see and people to meet in this industry. I look forward to every minute of it.

See More Photos At http://picasaweb.google.com/cooknh34

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