Working while Cruising

[EightyEight]

Hi new to this forum, and wondering if it is hard to find short term work to suplement ones income. It is either that or spend all my savings and go back to the cold and snow of canada and build up another stash so I can go back out again.

Would also just like to say that this is a fantasic forum,it has answered so many Questions that I had. Keep up the good work.

Dave

[Nausikaa]

Dave,

I share your sentiments entirely. This is a great place to be on the net.

As for your question, I am no expert (as they say) but I finance my cruising by working as a consultant. I do a few months job and that gives me enough to cruise for about a year. It means leaving NAUSIKAA in some appropriate place which tends to be pricey but well worth the peace of mind. My last job was in South Africa, my present in Yemen and I have anopther lined up (but not yet confirmed) in Russia from the middle of next year. That should give me a few months cruising in between.

Obviously, not everyone can do this, it depends upon what your background is. Others have their own methods ranging from writing (doesn't everyone want to do this) to looking for work in the ports they come to.

I hope you manage to find your way to cruise without digging too deeply into your hard earned savings.

Stephen

Yacht NAUSIKAA

[johnnyonspot]

Stephen

How do you get hooked up with the jobs? Are there recruiters who you can use? Are they ever looking for temp lawyers?

[Nausikaa]

OK Dave, let me see if I can answer your question.

I work in the marine surveillance branch and I work mostly for development projects. The first time I was engaged to do such work, I was simply 'head-hunted'. That job was about 8 years agi in Vietnam. Since then, I have moved from one project to another without having to seek any work myself. I have been fortunate enought to have been contacted and offered the jobs on every occasion.

Lawyers are also needed in development work as national legislation in third world countries often needs to be updated. In factg, I recruited an environmental lawyer just about a year ago to do some work in South Africa and Mozambique (Portuguese lagnguage was a requirement).

All I can recommend is that you do an internet search for development consultancy firms and send them your CV.

Good luck with it!

Stephen

Yacht NAUSIKAA

[JeanneP]

Some general comments regarding working while cruising.

We know many cruisers who have picked up some sort of work to feed their cruising kitty. Because most countries' rules for foreign workers requires that they obtain a work permit before arriving on their shores, a lot of the work done by these cruisers is under the radar. For example, services to other cruising boats, such as refrigeration or diesel repair, boatwright work, selling their craft work (jewelry, sail repair, canvas work, etc.). Some skills are in great demand and the country is most willing to find a way to employ the person (jet engine mechanic is one that comes to mind). Some professions are in great demand in one country, a glut on the market in another (doctors, we were told, are not needed in Australia because they have plenty of their own). One of the more unusual (to me) means of income was a French fellow who dove for shells and sold them to collectors (he obviously had a fund of knowledge that made this worthwhile).

The only place where we knew lawyers getting work outside their own country were US lawyers working in American Samoa, and Peace Corps. workers in many undeveloped countries, but we have no experience in Africa or the Mideast.

[Jack Tyler]

There are 'pockets' of available employment in each major cruising region, it's been my experience. Jeanne's example of Samoa reminds me that some cruisers with advanced degrees find work in the U.S. Trust Territories of Micronesia, where the infrastructure might be more complex than the small labor force's abilities. An architect friend got work there managing development projects (not unlike a part of his architecture job) even tho' he wasn't employed as an architect. His wife was hired for clerical support work because she was computer literate while most locals were not.

Similarly, there are usually many jobs available in the Cayman Is. of the Caribbean, once again because the infratructure is more advanced than the normal locals' skills & work expeience. Grand Cayman is a huge banking center, so most office workers need computer literacy and solid English writing skills, things many 'professionally educated' cruising folks have. Similarly, Georgetown averages 3 cruise ships/day and many tourists want to ride boats across North Sound to visit the stingrays. There are always a few crew running those boats who are cruisers...and could there be a better use of their boating skills and general social nature?

Don't think "law" and "lawyer". Think of the full collection of skills you have, and you'll find yourself much more employable than you realize.

Jack

[Nausikaa]

Regarding the guy Jeanne mentioned; diving for shells to be sold is a pretty dodgy thing unless you really know what you are doing. Many species of mollusc are poisonous and can give a nasty sting. The main issue though is that, as many are now becoming quite rare, a great number are listed in the appendix to the CITES agreement making the catching, sale and transport of these subject to very rigerous control. Whilst I would say we should not be taking the species at risk because they are at risk. the consequences of being caught taking these species illegally can be quite severe.

Stephen

Yacht NAUSIKAA