The Crew is YOU!

 

SO YOU WANT TO BE A CREW MEMBER...?

Firstly, as crew you don't need any previous sailing experience - many people make the assumption that in order to crew you must already know how to sail, but this is NOT TRUE! We can show you all you need to know, but it helps if you're also willing to learn. To be a good crewmember all you really need is a good attitude, an ability to get along with other people and a thick skin in case the skipper occasionally swears at you.  You can be any age, any nationality, male or female. You must be of normal health and fitness, a non-smoker, and an english-speaker. You need to be independant, friendly and relaxed and prepared to rough it occasionally. This is a real cruising boat, not a fancy sparkling yacht that sits in the marina all year. Finally, we don't take 'passangers' and this is not a 'package tour.' This is an adventure, and the more you're prepared to put in, the more you'll get out. If you can't live without hot showers and air conditioning then this might not be the trip for you. However, if you love the outdoor life and the sea, the sting of salt on your skin and living to the rhythm of nature, if you want to experience a totally different culture by meeting its people day by day, then this could be the trip of a lifetime for you.....

 

WHAT DO WE DO....?

Well, we sail the boat, we swim, snorkel, dive, eat, sleep, listen to music (bring some), read, play games. We catch fish and bake our own bread, we make our own yoghurt, sprout beans, make hummus, bake cakes and trade with the locals for fresh fruit and vegies. We take turns with the cooking, so there's a rule: no critisizing other people's efforts - you can say it's shit as long as it's good shit. We have drinks in the evening when the sun reaches the yardarm, and 2 yachts in the same anchorage can easily turn into a beach BBQ and a few drinks ashore. We spend a lot of time ashore visiting traditional villages where we sit and talk with people under a shady tree, or play with their children on the beach. We've sailed with dolphins under the bow at sunrise, hand-fed bronze whaler sharks, and swum with manta rays. We've counted 100's of shooting stars on a night watch and been on coconut crab-hunting expeditions. It's a simple life where you can live for months without seeing a car, reading a newspaper, or using a phone.

 

WHAT ABOUT THE COST?

You pay AUD$50 p/day (2006 price freeze)(scuba diving not included). Bring your own drinks, medical and travel insurance and medicines, mask, snorkel, fins and wetsuit. This is a good life and definitely cheaper than any land-based holiday. For the above price you get all your accomodation and meals (although you might have to cook a few of them yourself), world class snorkelling, an unforgettable cultural experience, and the adventure of ocean sailing. You might even lose a few kilos...! Try getting all that for AUS$50 a day in London or Sydney! There is no profit in it for us, the above figure is a fair proportion of what it costs to operate the boat and pay for fuel, food, repairs and harbour fees etc.