The Boat Mom

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For the past two months I have repeatedly thought to myself "I need to sit down and write a blog," but alas the days have slipped away from me, faster and faster. I feel like I blinked my eyes in July and opened them up in September. My life has moved so quickly that I haven't even been able to notice the passing of time. I've managed to Skype with some friends and family over the recent weeks, but I know that for the most part I have been off the grid with very few updates via email/facebook/blog etc. I figured it was time to break my silence, even if I don't have much to say.



As I wrote last time, I am now gainfully employed on a live aboard dive boat in Cairns. I spend 5 days (4 nights) at sea each week, running the operations of the boat. Essentially, I'm the hotel manager- or as some people like to call me, "the boat mom". It suits me well; with lots of organizing, paperwork, and customer service, I never have a dull moment. Long days are rewarded with sunshine, free dives, and lots of laughter with the other young, free-spirited crew members. The Great Barrier Reef is my backyard and my playground- I have successfully ticked the box on this bucket list item.



My days on land are spent recuperating from mentally and physically exhausting shifts; eat noodles, drink beer, sleep, repeat. Or something to that effect. I'm working on the motivation to be a more productive member of society, but there's always next week, right? Cairns isn't such a bad place to be a dive bum. It's funny to realize that 6 years ago, while studying abroad, I took a trip out to the reef on my spring break. At that moment I thought it would be insanely cool to return one day to work on one of the dive boats. And now I do. Every week, I walk down the pier at 6:30 am in my blue crew shirt and I smile because I know I'm living my own dream. I know how lucky I am to lead my life in such a way that I can pursue my passions with no fear of failing. To use a very cliche, ocean-related saying: the world is my oyster. There is not a single sunrise or sunset over the reef that I take for granted.



On that note, I must say goodnight, as I'm back on the boat early tomorrow! More good news to come SOON.....or at least I'll try.

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Comments

[Home and Away]

Your dream job doesn't sound...
that mentally or physically exhausting...it must be the parties. Anyway, congratulations on living the dream!

[Kristins Adventures in Wanderland]

It doesn't sound like it...
...because I didn't mention the less glamorous bits like: holding sea sick bags while passengers vomit, carrying piles of dirty linen up three flights of stairs to the washers while the boat is cruising along the rough winter seas at 25 knots, running around the boat to collect signatures for the manifest before we move the boat, or trying to serve meals and promptly clean up after 50+ people on a busy day! I play housekeeper/bartender/waitress/doctor on top of my admin duties, so I'd say it's pretty full on!

[Home and Away]

I guess it was better for you to concentrate on the positive...
the negative is both mentally and physically exhausting. I hope on slow days you get to dive and do other neat stuff.