LOOKING OUT FOR EACH OTHER

No doubt the past 12 months or more have been tough for society as a whole, but there is anecdotal evidence that seafarers have perhaps suffered more than most. Even if the outside world sees yachting as a glamorous industry, we know only too well that in these times of stress and anxiety, we need to look after each other, show compassion and stick together Words: Erica Lay

Well, over a year into the Covid-19 pandemic and countries are still going into more lockdowns, although the vaccine programmes are rolling out it’s starting to feel like there’s no end in sight to this cycle of restrictions, wherever we find ourselves in the world. Academic surveys have been emerging across the world, analysing the effects on our psychological wellbeing being in lockdown is having, and honestly the results are not good.

With a vast majority of people citing they were experiencing stress, anxiety, and depression, sadly also the vast majority were not, or have not, sought mental health treatment to combat this. Perhaps it’s human nature, but many of us have a tendency to “soldier on” and keep that “stiff upper lip” attitude which may not be the best thing to do, instead of just admitting to needing and wanting some help. Let’s face it, we’re all suffering from pandemic fatigue to an extent, so how do we tackle this?

Where land based people are confined mostly to their homes, what about yacht crew, confined to their small (we can’t call them cosy, come on) living quarters and shared common spaces, often stuck at anchor with guests living on board and more importantly away from family support?

We are all well aware that working in the yachting industry requires a fair amount of self-discipline, respect for others and the ability to overcome the fact you’re away from home and loved ones for long periods but now moreso than ever. During these seemingly endless times of confinement, it’s super important we give our physical and mental health the attention it deserves, but as yacht crew, it’s also important to think about your co-workers too. Yachting is inherently social as an industry, when starting out we encourage new crew to walk the docks and introduce themselves to other crew members, ask in person for work, and attend any kind of networking and social event. As our careers progress, we continue to socialise and expand our yachtie networks, that’s what leads to the next opportunity. Maybe it’s living in the close quarters, but most yacht crew love an excuse for a night out to let off some steam; bumping into old friends and acquaintances, the buzz of meeting new people, these have huge impacts on our mental health. As does that wonderful sensation of being somewhere new, being able to get off and explore different places, often those you’ve heard about from other crew and friends in yachting. How excited were you to first get to Antigua or Palma?

Fundamentally we’re social creatures, so taking the people element away from yacht

crew could be extremely damaging. Crew have been finding ways to be more social with each other, and therefore get to know each other better to overcome this. Chef Laura told us, “I recently had the pleasure of working with a fantastic Chief Stewardess who organised crew poker night, crew quiz nights, and nights with group card games (like cards against humanity etc.). It was a huge success for boosting moral – like a night out, but in!”

Deckhand Lucia told us, “During the winter I grew very jealous of the boat next door! They organised their version of Come Dine With Me every Friday night, randomly pairing up the crew into cooking teams. They seemed to have a great time!” What a great idea, getting crew to work together on something non yacht-related will only improve (well hopefully) working relationships, plus it may also end up teaching new skills. And it gives the chef a night off the galley duties too.

One of the toughest times for crew to be away in a normal year is for special occasions like birthdays, Christmas, and weddings – at least nobody had to miss best friends’ weddings this year as let’s face it, apart from the odd elopement, there simply weren’t any. This year crew made more of an effort for fellow crew members’ birthdays and why not – it’s a good excuse to celebrate and have a giggle.

Laura spoke of her fabulous chief stew again, “She also put a lot of attention to crew members’ birthdays, decorating the crew mess, letting them choose their favourite menu for the day, and basically just pulling out all the stops for making their birthdays special which in turn boosted everyone’s morale when getting involved.”

Chef Georgie added, “We have a calendar with everyone’s birthdays on it and I always make time to make them their favourite cake. We have done themed birthdays too, and I love to find out what their favourite or most missed home cooked meal is and make that for them. For me, I express my love through food so what better way to show a crew member they’re loved and important to us.”

Chief Stew Romy told us, “Even when the boss was on this summer, for, well, most of the summer, he and his guests encouraged us to spoil crew members for birthdays. We’re lucky to have a great owner, they’d join in the celebrations and we’d have a pretty good day of it considering!” Lucky for some, some yacht crews have been able to get ashore and as long as they stick together, have been able to get outside and enjoy other activities. Captain Rusten told us, “We’ve had many more activity days [during the pandemic] like beach days, barbecues etc with our yacht crew only. We have also had pub quiz nights where questions relate to the yacht or to individual crew members. Games nights, beer pong… The big thing is to get crew off the vessel but without socialising with others. Many have enjoyed water sports and diving excursions.” They’ve managed to do this by mostly keeping the yacht in more covid-friendly areas, for example they went to the Turks and Caicos instead of St

Maarten. Rusten added, “It’s still tough, but all crew need to work together and have a broad idea of what we’re trying to achieve.” Indeed, and they need only look at friends and family locked indoors at home ashore to sometimes have a little wake-up call and acknowledge what they do have, over what they’re missing out on.

All that social stuff aside, some crew are more comfortable in their own space, and enjoy their own down time or quiet time away from others, so that also needs to be respected. Don’t force that ‘grumpy’ engineer to join in every night if they don’t want to. Being aware of each other’s needs on board will make for a happier family! As Tricia, an ocean-going sailor told us, “Have one area of the boat that is for chill time, and if it’s occupied, stay away! It worked when we were racing across the Atlantic with literally nowhere to escape. Respect the zone worked for our team of eight on a 46ft sailing yacht!”

Engineer John told us, “I’m happy to get involved in activities but also I want to be alone in my cabin and skype my wife and kids for a few hours. That to me will always take priority and my crew accept that. Yes, they do poke fun at me but all in good fun, and I love the banter. I still laugh when I sit at the crew mess after not being seen for a while and hear “who’s this guy?” We’ve had it luckier than most this past year with some good locations to be stuck, and as a crew I feel we have actually become closer, which is nice, by respecting each other’s space.”

Lots of crew brought up how physical activity has been a huge help during these times. Laura’s super chief hosted yoga classes on board, Rusten’s team also did morning yoga sessions to start the day, and deckhand/PT

Michal also weighed in on this. “If you don’t have dedicated space, create it. During boss trips I used to train in the cabin. Invest in basic equipment like a kettle bell, yoga mat, rubber bands etc, and use your own body weight for exercises. Your body and mind will be grateful.” With gyms on board many larger yachts, crew took advantage of those with owners’ blessings (mostly) and lots of crews organised afternoon work out sessions too, to keep everyone out of the treat cupboard (or at least for a bit!). In addition to getting moving, many crew brought up the importance of meditation and breathwork. Engineer Bob said onboard the yacht he’s currently contracted to, there is an unhealthy approach to stress on board. Overworking is the norm, and mental health is not considered. He says, “I deal with this by continuing my practice of breathwork, meditation, and a regular movement practice.”

So the main take away from all this is that we should all look out for each other as well as ourselves and create a healthy and positive place of work. Respect and appreciate your fellow crew.

Isle of Man Ship Registry director Cameron Mitchell said the app, named ‘Crew Matters’ has been developed in partnership with Liverpool-based training company Tapiit Live and is the most advanced of its kind ever produced for seafarers. He said the app has just gone live and is available to around 10,000 seafarers sailing on more than 400 vessels under the Isle of Man flag.

The launch is particularly timely as hundreds of thousands of seafarers began the new year separated from their families, with 400,000 currently working beyond their contracts, according to the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

Cameron, who served as a marine engineer at sea for 17 years with shipping lines including Maersk and Farstad, said the app has been created primarily to tackle the immense challenges facing seafarers brought into sharp focus by the coronavirus pandemic.

“Safety is a fundamental pillar of our ethos as a high-quality flag state,” he said. “Even before Covid, we recognised that while there is support for seafarers in port, through the many brilliant chaplaincies and seafarer charities, the ‘weak link’ is support while at sea. Seafarer mental health is becoming more acute, with seafarers spending more time alone in their cabin than ever before. The app has many functions but a key one is to provide social activities such as live gym work-outs to get seafarers interacting more on-board to combat that isolation.’’

“The app provides structured welfare support for the seafarer, ranging from a health and wellbeing self-help library that includes nutritional advice, through to Tapiit’s live streamed and interactive support sessions,” he said. “Users will have access to a full month’s agenda of physical and mental wellbeing classes and educational trainings, including fitness and yoga sessions. Seafarers can also log their work and rest hours, and if they feel stressed

Seafarers can be away from friends and family for many months at a time, undertaking vital yet often physically and mentally difficult work. This new app will mean that seafarers and Nautilus members will have access to news, support and vital contacts to make sure that they have everything they need while they are at sea.

Mark Dickinson, General Secretary of Nautilus International

or unwell there is a live SOS function which provides immediate access to the Seafarers Help Live Chat, which is free, confidential and available 24-7. In addition, the app connects with global seafarer charity Stella Maris and enables seafarers to find contact details for the organisation’s chaplains in 54 countries around the world.”

On a practical level, the app tackles the problem of storing seafarer documentation in one place, as well as providing a link to trade union Nautilus with details of membership, news, careers, and jobs and training opportunities. In addition, it provides access to a wealth of information from the ship registry including the master’s handbook, shipping notices, IOMSR news feeds, marine traffic and local port services.

“The feedback we are receiving from ship owners both clients and non-clients is really positive,” he said. “Ship owners want to find better ways to help and protect seafarers, and want to embrace digital innovation. We hope this app will be a step forward for the industry and make a positive difference to many thousands of seafarers sailing under the Isle of Man flag.”

For more details Tel: +44 (0)1624 688500 or email: registry.marine@gov.im