Guys, winter has officially begun here in Canada (or at least it feels like it has)!
It’s hard to believe only 3 weeks ago we were still in Palma, soaking up the sunshine & now, we are going on hikes while wearing 5 layers. With the change of season comes some exciting events, American Thanksgiving is right around the corner & Christmas (along with my reunion with Ben!)
I’ve been so amazed by the yachting community that has supported me in my decision to take a season off. So, I wanted to highlight some incredible women that you all need to follow! I am so excited to showcase Chelsea & Randi, two incredible GIRL BOSSES that are making waves in the industry.
I asked both of the ladies 3 questions about their time in yachting & how they are impacting the industry in a positive way.
First, meet Randi! A fellow Canadian that is now living in Fort Lauderdale. We recently recorded a podcast together & she is just SO DOWN TO EARTH! Randi is the force behind Nautic Nomad & Hook Drop App.
How did you get started in the Yachting Industry?
I used to teach sailing on a 42 meter ketch in the Med which is how I got my STCW. I was fortunate the training school paid for it. I returned to Dent Island Resort (Canada), as the front of house manager for my fourth summer season & that year they had redone the docks to accommodate Superyachts. I got to meet some yachties and they told me about the industry. I was blown away… I had gotten accepted into fashion school at Parsons in Paris that fall, and needed a way to make a lot of money quickly, so I deferred for a year and applied online for yacht jobs. I got super lucky. My resort experience (housekeeping, bartending and fine dining) combined with my sailing experience was enough for my first Chief Stew to take a chance on me. They flew me into Savannah, Georgia the day after my resort job finished! I was fortunate to have such a great 2nd Stew who was so kind to work with and also befriended me. My first Chief Stew from that boat also is one of my best friends today and helped me get pretty much all of my yachting jobs after that (I still work freelance with her from time to time).
Yachting Highlight?
My top highlight from Yachting would have to be visiting The Galapagos Islands. It’s such a unique place. I feel so blessed I got to see that. The whole crew I worked with during that time was just incredible, I made some lifelong friendships on that boat. I still see both of my old Captains, and the Chef owns my favourite restaurant here in Fort Lauderdale! It was a pressurized trip which I think really formed a lot of strong bonds. We did 11 countries in 3 months with a live-aboard owner but they did let us get off and see a lot of the different ports thankfully!
For those that have not yet heard about Nautic Nomad, can you further explain the concept?
Essentially Nautic Nomad is like Yelp for Yacht Captains & Crew.
We wanted to create a digital space to crowd-source the best recommendations around the world, from dive and snorkel spots, to hazards, or beaches, anchorages, marinas, yachting related businesses etc. Rather than a database that people pay to be featured in – or where one person is saying ‘this is where you should go’ it’s somewhere we can have user-generated content to catalogue and pass onto the next generation. A spot to save our ‘little black books’ of yachting in a digital space. The information we need as seafarers and more specifically yacht crew, is so unique and can be difficult to source, especially in the lesser known ports of the world. Having recommended spots helps you to know that people have already been there – done that and you can trust it. The ability to mark and reference certain dive spots or shoals has been really popular, but the site is also used to research & call marinas or check hailing channels.
Follow Along:
Instagram: @Nauticnomad
Facebook: @Nauticnomad
Website: nauticnomad.com
Click HERE to listen to the podcast I recently did with Randi
Next, meet Chelsea. I start following on Instagram Chelsea ages ago & finally connected with her when we were both featured in a CNN article this past summer. Chelsea is a yoga instructor, health & wellness expert & freelance Stewardess.
How did you get started in the Yachting Industry?
Yachting happened for me by accident and during a major life change. At the time, I was teaching yoga full time and had just made the difficult decision to let go of my lucrative bar-tending job (which I had held on to for 11 years.) To top it all off, my ex-husband and I had just decided to end our marriage of 6 years. I knew that in order to financially support myself I would either have to burn myself out teaching as many yoga classes as I could, or something had to change.
I did some real self-reflection and after asking myself what it is that I really desired, I knew that I wanted to travel the world teaching yoga and make a lot of money doing it.
A fellow yoga teacher and ex-yachtie shared her story and it hit me light a lightening bolt, “I need to move on to a boat.”
That was July 2015. The momentum was so fierce that nothing could stop me. The Abundance Mindset carried me through this time of healing and massive change and with a little bit of luck and a lot of faith I spent the month of August selling my belongings, subletting my apartment and finding a new home for my cat. On 1-Sept-2015 I moved to Fort Lauderdale to embark on this yachting journey and after four weeks of daywork and getting my credentials I moved onboard my first world-traveling charter yacht.
Yachting Highlight?
There are so many but a few of my favorite memories are going through the locks of the Panama Canal, teaching yoga on the swim platform in the fjords of Norway, swimming with whale sharks in La Paz, Mexico and meditating on top deck smack dab in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
Though, of course, I am fond of my many memories traveling, the highlight of my yachting adventure has been meeting my partner and pursuing our life together. We would have never met had I not let the Abundance Mindset carry me through massive change.
You now offer Abundance Sessions, can you further
explain these sessions?
In our laser coaching session we will uncover what’s been stopping you, slowing you down or keeping you from having the body, health and wealth that you want. We will create a powerful vision for your Abundance Mindset Transformation, and what it will mean for you, your health and for your life. We will discover which foods and lifestyle habits are bringing your body down…and what to do about it. We will create a crystal clear, step-by-step plan to create a Total Transformation in 90 days or less.
We are conditioned to believe that we are not enough, we always need to be doing and producing more and there is not enough of the good things in life to go around.
This isn’t our fault.
This conditioning is passed down through generations of the belief that we are always lacking and that in order to be a success of any kind we must work harder and longer. We identify with the burnt-out mother and we desire to be the medicated and crazed CEO who appears to be living the Dream because we have been taught to believe that that is the definition of success.
It is easy to get stuck in patterns of negative self talk. We numb our emotions and feelings of lack with social media only to further perpetuate the compare and despair cycle.
We must learn how to break this cycle. We cannot raise the collective vibration of human-kind with the belief that “We Are Not Enough.” We must make a shift and remember that there is plenty to go around, and more. In order to create change we need the right system, the right support and a strong accountability partner.
I’m here to start this revolution and to see as many people as I possibly can living their best lives with the energy of ease, grace and a whole lot of fun!
How is your work beneficial to yachties?
Yachting can be tough and mundane work. We can often get stuck in patterns of complaining which leads us to focus on what we are missing in our lives. This feeds despair and depression which does not allow us to jump to gratitude for all of the abundance we have. At times when we are away from family, over worked and under-slept, gratitude may feel too far away on the spectrum of emotions.
When we are fully of service to others, it can be hard to remember that we must take care of ourselves first by filling our own cup. When we give ourselves permission show up for “Me” first, only then are we able to fully show up for our coworkers, partners and guests.
This is your permission slip to start taking care of you.
Follow Along:
Instagram: @Theyogiyachtie
Facebook: @Theyogiyachtie
Website: theyogiyachtie.com
Click HERE to read the CNN article Chelsea & I were apart of!
I am consistently blown away by the incredible, strong women that are in this industry! It’s something special to be apart of such a support community.
Make sure to follow both ladies!
Big hugs,
Gem xo
- How to build a yachtie CV! - April 3, 2019
- After Eight Martini - February 22, 2019
- Pretty in Pink Tablescapes - February 20, 2019
