Who woulda thunk it that Jackie could clean??

WOW.

I think I might actually enjoy stew work. It's a little intense with the timing when guests are on board but I like being put under pressure like that. Dawn and I have 10 days to get me where I can set, serve and clear the table while doing laundry, making beds in the morning and turning them down in the afternoon and evening. All the while I have to make sure that the guests glasses are always full and know how to make a cocktail. Keenan managed a bar for four years so I'll have a little help in that department.

The walls on the boat are covered in suede. They're really nice. I like it a lot better than plain wooden walls. I have to walk around with a duster looking thing and wipe it down towards the ground all the time because if you touch it you leave a mark. I'm also going to have leather and stainless to polish. Tomorrow's going to be a big day. Funny, that's what I said yesterday, too.

We're on our way up the coast now. We left Palm Beach yesterday morning with the hope of getting to Newport in four days. Now we're looking at the possibility of running into a storm that could potentially turn into a hurricane. Sounds like a load of fun, huh? That's where the boredom turns into straight fear!

Anyways, not much going on but cleaning beds and heads and all of that sort. I'm working on cleaning. Next step: Color coordination. Odds aren't looking good. :-)

Woof you guys. Love you.

Jacks

A New Boat. A New Home.

After a mere two hours of sleep I woke up, took a shower and headed out the door to make my way to the airport. Dave and Debbie helped to carry my bags down to the bus stop which was very kind as it was five in the morning. I said my goodbyes and ended up having to hail a taxi to take me and my bags to the Palma Airport.

I have decided that I thoroughly dislike the airports of Palma and Madrid. They don't tell you what gate you are at until it is time to board and instead of as in the states where they board the back of the plane first they basically say, "Well, it's time to board! Everybody board!" It was like herding cattle through a very small gate. Everyone was pushing and shoving and the most annoying bit was that they kept cutting in line!

The flight from Madrid to Miami was a little over eight hours. I didn't mind it one bit. It was amazing to me that after it had taken me nearly a month to cross the Atlantic ocean that it was now only taking eight hours. I finished reading the Order of the Phoenix and decided to listen to Craig's Growing Up True. I ended up falling asleep for about two hours which was really nice.

Laz and Dawn picked me up in Miami after a very eventful time at the baggage collection. I've never noticed how funny that scene is. The people waiting for their bags were like the seagulls on Finding Nemo, "Mine, Mine, Mine, Mine!!" They can't possibly wait 10 seconds to move around the mass of people in front of their bag but instead have to shove their way through. It was all very funny! I just stood back and watched until finally my bags showed up. Needless to say I was happy to get in the truck and leave the whole ordeal behind.

Stampede is a beautiful boat. The wife is an interior decorator and a really good one at that. The couches are so comfy. I'm relaxing on them right now. The two guys on board are Keenan and Kevin. Both of them are very nice and by the looks of it a lot of fun. We went out to dinner and by the end of the night I was just pooped!

I'm sharing a cabin with Kevin and he inspires me, haha. I'm very thankful because he has used not even a third of the drawers! And in the bathroom there are five cupboards and he only used two!! He barely brought anything! That's why he inspires me... I want to have barely anything, too! I'm working on it. I'm getting better and better every time I move.

I actually just stopped writing my blog and was talking to Kevin and he was telling me how amazing this boat really is. The owners are really active and adventurous. I was looking through pictures and saw Mr. holding a huge rainbow in Alaska. The captain and wife team that used to be on this boat were here for 18 years before they finally decided to retire. Kevin and Keenan love the owners and vice versa. After everything that Kevin just told me about the boat and the owners I am very excited about the prospect of being on this boat for a very long time. That doesn't mean for sure that I will! I can't count my chickens before they hatch but the idea of it is a good one!

So far I'm just really impressed. In the past month I have gone from Florida to Bermuda to Portugal to Spain, back to Florida and tomorrow we're leaving for Newport. How many people get to do that without paying massive amounts of cash!? I'm excited.

I can't believe I missed Brooke!

I can't believe that finally, the one year I am not there at home for fishing, Brooke shows up! This is ridiculous! I wish I would've been there! If you still see him, tell him I say hello and that I am sorry I missed him. I'm glad that you had a good first day... slow, but good. I heard reports from all different angles today and it was great! Please keep it up because I really do wish I was there. Please Please Please.

I'm taking the job with Laz for sure on Stampede. I talked through some of the rough spots tonight with him and they're looking better. I'm on a 3 month trial and if all goes well and I want to stay, then I will but if not it will be the beginning of a new season and I'll be able to find another job. Anyhoodle. I miss you all so much! Dan and Jody, it was actually in the 90s today(after 5 pm!!) and Chris!! I remembered how to do the conversion from Celsius to Fahrenheit today! I thought I forgot and then I talked myself through it and figured it out! Aren't you proud of me? Good! Me too. Thanks for the pity pride. You know I appreciate it:-) Ok. Nighty night! Love,

Jacks

Fishing

Today was your first day! I can't believe that I'm not there. It was stiflingly hot today. Oophta it was hot. It was definitely too hot to be spending time outside but with no AC in the house it was bad all around.

Back to fishing, I would love it if someone would email me telling me how today went and if you're extended or not and all that jazz. Missing you especially today. Woof,

Jacks

Stampede

Well Jody, You officially know more than I do! Haha, thanks for the info! It is actually more along the lines of 116'. It's got a blue hull which is lovely for me but a huge pain when I actually start having to clean it. They show marks like none other. It's kind of like getting a black truck. But I love the blue hulls. I think they're beautiful.

Laz and I have been corresponding and he has let me know that it will be a deck/stew position with about 50/50 duties. I'll be on a 3 month trial period where it'll be more 25deck/75stew. I'm a little nervous just because I have not taken any silver service courses and have never been involved with such fine dining. Apparently the wife is really into it, too. Unfortunately no classes are offered for the course until September and if they are, then I've already missed the first couple of days. So, I'm going in a little blind but if I survive the first 3 months I've got a job.

I'll be leaving here on the 17th. That leaves me another 8 days to enjoy Palma. I've got a few things I'd like to do. Finding my camera is among those things. Anyways, that's the update. I'm off to enjoy the day. Adios amigos!

P.S. I cut my hair really short. I like it a lot. K Love you Bye!

Woof,
Jacks

Bermuda to Azores to Palma

Hello! It’s July! Can you believe it? I can’t. Fishing is about to start and I’m not going to be there! Friends and family are home from school and I don’t get to see them either! This is one wacky summer. Currently, as I write this blog I am about 20 miles south of Portugal heading towards the Straight of Gibraltar. By the time you read it, however, I will be in Palma de Mallorca attempting to get a job there. I also may fly back to the states to get a job there! You never know with yachting. Yachting is nice that way because I can blame the spur of the moment change of plans on that. Someone not knowing me may think that I really have my head on my shoulders. They don’t have to know that I don’t need yachting to make my decisions sporadic. Let’s keep that between you and me, shall we?

I will have you know that I tried to post a blog when I was in the Azores but the Internet was so lousy that it kicked me off right before I was finished. So now you will have to hear about it through word of mouth. I’m sure that’ll be more entertaining anyhow.

Since we left the Azores we have had some rough waters. Wind has been blowing at around 30 knots with swells 10-12 feet. They’ve been hitting us head-on which hasn’t been too great for anyone that gets seasick. I was feeling it the first rough day. I thought for sure I was going to spew and all that kept going through my mind was that I still had to stay on the boat for another 6-7 days. The idea of that was a scary one. There’s no sidewalk where you can say “Ok, I’m done. Let me out here.” I would’ve had to stick it through and the way I was feeling, it wasn’t looking good. I ate some bread, however and took some Dramamine— with a couple rolls of bread – which turned everything around. That stuff knocked me out for a good two hours or so but when I woke up I felt much better. Now, even though we’re still getting some reasonably sized swells, I feel better than I did when it was calmer than calm. Whoever made up that pill is one smart cookie.

Movies are the main type of entertainment on the boat. We have nearly gone through the whole book that Pete bought and have decided that he needs a female to go with him from now on because there are far too many shoot ‘em up films. I go to bed with dreams of drug busts, guns going off and bombs exploding which turns out to be my drawers flying open with an alarming crash due to a swell that nearly throws me out of my bed. It’s pretty intense!

Writing continued on a later day:

I am at my last stop. We are here in Palma de Mallorca. Revelation leaves on Monday after they fuel and I hop off tomorrow night (Saturday.) Lots of fun. I’m actually looking forward to it to some degree. I'll be here in Palma until further notice.

I’m going to cut my hair. It’s official. I’m not sure when but it will be so much easier to deal with. It’s a pain right now. My plan is for it to look like Meg Ryan in French Kiss if you’ve seen it. If you haven't, you'll see in pictures I suppose.

I'm really looking forward to seeing pictures of Pip in her new outfits. I hope someone will take them for me. I've taken TONS of pictures especially after I gather all the ones from the rest of the crew. Pete got some really neat ones of dolphins on the bow. Super cool. I'll look into posting them all somewhere online. I'll figure something out. I'm off for now. Until later, folks. Miss you! Love you!!

Jacks