Yacht life to Shore life: Diaries of an ex-yachtie (Q&A Edition)

It is a given fact that yachties often experience a unique lifestyle. Long working hours, frequent travel, and limited free time prevent many yachties from establishing roots in one place or even visiting family back home. While yachting can be an exciting and fulfilling experience, it can also be unsettling when switching to a more conventional way of life. Below are some of the things you can do to stay on top of the transition and get yourself ahead of the game.

• Create a Plan?

Creating a plan is essential when transitioning from yacht life to shore life. This plan usually involves establishing specific goals, creating a budget, and identifying potential career opportunities. It is essential to create a realistic plan that accounts for the challenges of finding a job outside of yachting and the potential pain of financial instability.

• Network and Connect with Other Ex-Yachties?

The transition might be made easier by networking and establishing connections with other ex-yachties. Many former yachties have experienced similar things and can provide guidance and support during this trying period. LinkedIn and Facebook are two examples of social media sites that might be useful for connecting with other former mariners and keeping up to date on job opportunities.?

• Take Time to Adjust?

An essential factor of the transition is giving yourself time to get used to life after yachting. While switching to a more regular way of life, yachties frequently experience a lifestyle shock, which can include getting used to a single location, a standard job schedule, and the absence of the yachtie community. Establishing a routine and taking part in activities that promote a feeling of community, such as joining a local gym, getting back into the sports that you love or developing a new hobby, can be great tools to slowly adjust you into having a day-to-day routine.?

• Take away??

It might be difficult to adjust from yacht life to shore life. Yet, ex-yachties are more than capable of navigating this shift with the help of a practical plan, networking, patience, and expert assistance. Ex-yachties can embrace the chances and difficulties that come with life after yachting by developing a clear vision for the future ahead.?Also keep in mind that there are so many transferrable skills that you can take with you from your experience at sea such as your commitment to excellence in client relationships, good work ethic, crisis management, and being a team-player.

Yacht life to Shore life: Diaries of an ex-yachtie (Q&A Edition)

Jessica Droste

Ex-Chief Stewardess

4.5 years at sea

What has been the biggest challenge transitioning from sea to shore?

The money! Or lack?thereof????I've never been particularly great at saving money, so I really took it for granted how easy it was to do when you work on the yachts and there's no real need to worry about 'normal day to day expenses', like fuel or car tolls, RENT, bills, insurances etc.?

Living ashore (and in Sydney of all places) is exxy... you just tend to forget this when you're living the yacht life and basically all your living expenses (except 'for fun money') is taken care of!

What type of Shoreside job did you land after yachting?

I moved back into a Physiotherapist role (which was my profession before joining yachting). However, my real?passion and career focus was to establish myself as an events and wedding florist and stylist, and so Boujee Blooms and Styling was born!

Did you plan to work in this field? If not, how did this job come to be?

I think I realised this is what I was passionate about doing within 1-2 years before leaving yachting.

I had come to love the creative control that came with being a Chief Stewardess, but also working for owners who appreciated elaborate, luxe or fun novelty tablescapes or event/theme night set-ups onboard. Over the years I began to teach myself more and more about working with and creating floral designs onboard.

It wasn't until we left the yachts that I dived into a Floristry Certificate III course and then gained all the really solid learning I needed to mould me into the florist I am today.

What do you do now and where in the world are you??

I'm in that small business space and mindset, building up my floristry and styling business particularly?within this first year, but because it is in a growing phase I still work 4-5 days a week within my Physio role.?

So I am always short of time! Which is something I've grown accustomed to anyway, thanks to those yachting years???

I'm living in Sydney, Australia.

What skills from life as a yachtie helps in your current workplace??

Managing a billion tasks and responsibilities all at once, endurance with working and being 'switched on' for very long days, attention to detail and being extremely self-resourceful.?

All of the experience I gained creating tablescapes and floral designs has obviously formed a good base of skills which I have built upon and continue to.

What was the best part about moving to ashore?

Having a space to CALL YOUR OWN! My husband and I are renting, but we still have our own 2-bed apartment that we have invested a lot of money into furnishing with nice things to create the kind of space we LOVE to be in. To be honest, we're quite content staying in most nights these days, and creating cocktails and nice meals (for us - not yacht guests!) in our own space and we love it so much.

And getting a dog of course was also a massive win moving ashore!????

Any advice for yachties looking to make the transition to land life?

Try and prepare a plan ahead of time the best you can and SAVE as much money as you can! But still... and it's not too often in life you'll find yourself in St. Bart's or Ibiza with a day off again anytime soon I'm sure! So enjoy all the Boujee moments while you can.