Looking For Crew
Creative writing is few and far between these days. It’s not that I don’t have things I’d like to write about, I think I just can’t find the energy to sit down and put my thoughts to paper/screen.
We recently had some amazing crew with us for a little over a month, and like most times, they became family. I’ll admit I was nervous to have crew again; inviting people into our homes and our lives; the most intimate and vulnerable parts of our lives too. If you’re unfamiliar with a boat, regardless of how big our 50 footer is, it is still a small space to live in full-time with others for long periods of time. And the lifestyle we live isn’t necessarily planned out well enough to be able to give crew specific times for tasks. We have to plan on the fly, and adjust to the days based on weather and other variables. The “unknown” factor keeps life interesting, but it can also be stressful. For people looking to exchange work for lodging, and hoping to have set expectations, I’m sure this lifestyle is even a tick more stressful for them!
We were also coming out of a low season in our lives; Martin with his personal stuff and myself with Post-Partum D and mom burnout. Thus, we were excited at the thought of having extra help around the boat, but I was nervous of things my mind probably conjured up, like; we might be extremely difficult to live with, we might not want others in our space, we might want privacy when we have crap days, the boat might not be nice enough to home others with us since I assume people’s expectations of a sailboat parallel often with “yacht”. We love our home, but it is a home…homely to say the least.
Oh, and we don’t sail often. We have a mobile home that we move when needed… But I was fearful that anyone looking to crew would expect to be almost constantly moving/sailing/exploring. Right now that isn’t our vibe.
That was a long, drawn-out way to say I was nervous to bring people aboard and have it backfire in our faces…
Fast-forward a day after our crew fam left, and we’ve added two more amazing people to our family for life. We’re so grateful to have had them aboard, to have met them, known them, and lived with them. They brought a different breath of life to us, an energy we haven’t felt in a while. I’m grateful for kindred spirits, and these guys reminded me that there are others in the world whom we vibe with, and we should never let that fear of not connecting-keep us from remaining open to that.
So here I am now, looking over my profile on six or so different sites for the next person to come join us for a bit. While doing so, here are some thoughts I’ve had:
Off-grid living facebook page: Lots of people who yearn for connection with others but don’t necessarily know how to do it or find it. People who don’t feel they’ve found their place in society, or don’t agree with society. Also, lot’s of crazies.
Backpackers’ and hitchhikers’ sites: energetic, passionate, driven people looking for adventure, travel, exploration, and life experiences. They’ve done at least some research already, so they aren’t dummies. :) Many are already actively traveling, so perhaps they’re already good at adapting, or have begun learning the art of adapting to new places, people, cultures. They’re likely to show up if they say they will. Also lots with little money, like us…
Find a crew/Crewbay/crew finding facebook sites: an interesting combo of the above. Some don’t know how to swim. Most want to actively sail, so it might not be a good fit for us at this time. Those with even a little experience seem to have higher expectations of what they should deserve re-compensation or the like, despite how “skilled” they may or may not be. People with no experience seem to have a hard time finding boats…understandable.
We’ve found that we are cool with experienced and non-experienced crew. We’re down with people who want to sail, and people who aren’t necessarily searching for that. We’d be game to host people on the boat, and on land. Honestly, there are great people from all walks of life with a large variety of experience, or lack-there-of, that I think we can open our hearts and our home to as long as we find the right fit. :)
‘Atanui just said, “Where uncle Banban go?”
“Uncle Banban went home.”
“Uncle Banban catch plane?”
“Yup.”
Then, “Where auntie Freyah go?”
“Auntie Freyah caught the plane too.”
“Auntie go home?”
“Yup, but Auntie will be back.” :)
“Yay!”
Okay, there’s my journal entry for the day.
LOL - I was hoping to write more informational posts of boat/travel related stuff, but alas… Seems this blog will hold true to what it initially started out as in 2015; a journal for family to keep up with our whereabouts and happenings.
