As I reflect on this past decade of my life, I am filled with an overwhelming sense of gratitude and nostalgia. It has been an incredible journey, one that I feel honored and privileged to have experienced.
Growing up on the east coast of South Africa, having a love and passion for the ocean came naturally to me. I started off my maritime career on cruise ships in 2013 as a bar waitress. This was my first time ever overseas, and the thrill of waking up in a new country every morning was so enticing and exciting. My love for travel and different cultures was ignited. After my contract ended, I didn’t want the traveling to end, so I transitioned to the yachting world, which was a pivotal moment in my life, opening the door to a whirlwind of experiences that have left an indelible mark on my soul.
From traveling through the Suez Canal a couple of times, seeing pirates on the horizon, to provisioning in Japan with my Google Translate app at the ready (actually not knowing what protein we were consuming – was it ham? Hard to tell). We dived old WW2 wrecks in Palau, participated in cooking classes in Thailand, chartered off the uncharted coast of Colombia and Panama, traveled from Genoa to Cape Town down the west coast of Africa, stopping in Senegal for some local cuisines, watched whale sharks dance through the blue waters in the Maldives. Sailed through the equator, getting my shellback status (that truth serum isn’t for a weak stomach at sea – Thanks, King Neptune;)). Flew from sunny Malaysia to snowing Bordeaux to help set up a chateaux using my sarong as a scarf. Found a deep love and appreciation for yoga, spending a couple of months in India learning how to share my passion with guests and crew. Took part in sailing a Regatta, learning the difference from the halyard to the main sheet. I bought the juiciest of dates in Oman, stopped off for a quick pyramid visit and camel ride before tasting delicious gelato in the port of Tuscany. We free-dived the depths of the Caribbean, and who could forget lockdown – spending it in Singapore where even taking out the trash became a unique experience.
Throw in a couple of Atlantic crossings on sail and motor yachts; this crazy job we do has led me to all the amazing places, I have been so blessed to have visited and experienced what they all have to offer. Travel is the best currency, and seeing it from a floating home has been the most amazing last 11 years.
I met my husband in the industry, and we are now expecting our first child. As I get ready to hang my skort up, writing this has been an amazing trip down memory lane. Looking back, I am feeling so fulfilled and content at all that I have achieved in the past decade, and to have been recognized in my last year feels like I have come full circle in a sense; what a lovely note to end my career on.
Although I might have not always followed the money or climbed the ranks at a steady pace, I followed my heart, and my heart led me to chase amazing, incredible and adventurous itineraries, meeting like-minded crew members and building lifelong friendships that have turned into family. I have had the most amazing mentors and teachers in my career and I hope upon my departure my team will say I have inspired them to lead with their hearts and spread kindness and joy in their wake. Yachting is an environment where we are away from our families and loved ones at home for long periods of time so I make it my goal to make everyone feel like this is there home and that they are appreciated. The environment sets the tone for everything so make it a place where people want be.
My heart is so full, sharing this adventure with my husband and the last year setting up the Stay Salty program that I am so incredibly proud of. Handing over the baton makes me feel nostalgic and just incredibly proud of myself for the life I’ve lived so far.
