Life in elf land

For the first time since May last year I was leaving St Maarten behind. This time joining the boat was different. I knew the boat, several of the crew members, and even knew most likely which cabin would be mine. But there was still a lot of unknowns as I saw the lights of St Maarten disappear behind me.

I arrived in Caracas, Venezuela around ten o'clock in the evening. I produced my ships letter and seaman's book along with my passport to customs. They politely took me to a little office obviously for marine affairs and pretty much left me there. Nobody spoke English. I was reasonably certain that the problem was that my letter was in English. As they often passed me as I was sitting at the desk - I mimed if I could make a phone call to the boats Venezuelan agent that was supposed to meet me at the airport. I was certain he could clear up the issue. I was however told to wait for an superior. And I did wait - for hours. Finally after midnight, a gentleman escorted me out through customs and immigration. He spoke English quite well, so they obviously could have communicated with me if they really wanted to. I was very grateful to find the waiting agent - he had pulled some strings to get me out of there. He whisked me off through the quiet night streets to a lovely hotel. By this time it was around one am. He the informed me that he had arranged breakfast for me at 4:45 am, and that would be there at 5 am to pick me up for my flight to Los Roques. So I had about three hours of sleep in the beautiful and comfy bed .....



View from the window of the plane. Some of the many islands of Los Roques








The flight to the islands was probably in the smallest commercial aircraft I had ever been in. I feel as excited as a little kid with the sensation of flying in small planes. As we skimmed through the clouds an amazing visa was revealed. Little atolls and coral reefs dotted the ocean with varying shades of blue in swirls around them. This string of islets just kept on going until we finally descended on the only mountainous island. I unfolded myself out of the tiny plane to find the captain and first mate waiting to meet me. After a few brief minutes ashore I was in the tender and on my way to the yacht. The chief stewardess put me to work straight away, giving me a little nap time later in the afternoon as I had very little sleep that night. Seems like I always start out on this boat with a little jet lag!

I soon became part of the routines on board. We are so isolated here and we seldom get the chance to get off the boat much, it feels like I am on another planet. We are like little elves quietly bustling about to make life easier for the guests. seldom seen or heard, but leaving
evidence behind like made beds, fresh towels and so forth.

Here would be a typical day for this little elf. (OK, OK, I am not really a little elf, but you get the point)











07:45 am Vacuum the sky bar. (other elf preparing breakfast setup on the deck outside of the
sky bar) Vacuum and tidy saloon. Fluff pillows just so, place nice and square.

08:15 am Start cleaning guest cabins, starting with the master cabin. Open the curtains.
Make sure those pleats are neat . . .Make beds, clean bathrooms . . .



09:00 am Laundry, including ironing. With seven crew members there are many uniforms to wash and iron, then add sheets, table
linen, towels ...... Some days I feel surrounded by a mountain of laundry.



10:30 am Guests usually on the beach this time, vacuum their cabins

11:00 am Back to the ironing . . .

12:00 to 12:30 Lunch break. Crew off course eats separately in the crew mess, but the chef
prepares our meals too. Naturally not what
the guests are eating.

12:30 pm Assist chief stewardess with setting up the table for guest lunch, and help with
serving lunch at 1 pm.

01:30 pm Clean and store lunch wear.

02:15 pm - 4 :00 pm Guest service. In other words, between ironing and other miscellaneous
tasks check on the guests every 20 minutes or so to see if they need any thing. The rest of the day the chief stewardess kept and eye
on them.

04:00 pm Break till 5:45 pm Some days I would be too tired to do much more with my break than have a nap in my cabin. A few times though I would take a swim off the aft platform or get a lift in the dingy to go to the beach. Despite the fact that we are anchored off beautiful little islands or atolls and surrounded by amazing light aqua blue seas we seldom get out of the hermetically sealed air conditioned interior. The sun shines almost all the time, yet I feel like I am having vitamin D shortage since I get outside so seldom. O, I long for my chair facing an open door and coconut palms and blue sky ..... fresh air ......

06: 00 - 06:30 pm Dinner break

06:30 pm Evening turn down of guest cabins.

07:15 pm to 8:30 pm Set guest dinner table, assist with dinner service, clean up after.

Done for the day! Make a cup of tea, hang out in crew mess or cabin, take out that book and start reading. Or, grab your laptop and write about life in elf land . . . .