Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
SCUBA Instructor
Helena Traksel of
Merilelu
, a 1998 Dehler 40, may well have one of the more glamorous-
sounding jobs afloat. The Dutch sailor left behind a career in architecture to turn her
SCUBA diving hobby into a means to bring in cash while cruising the world. But it's not
all play under the sea. In fact, hers is a demanding job that requires the full partnership of
her husband, Kari, who prepares gear, fills tanks, and stands by each dive. “He does as
many hours as I do,” Helena says. By teaching an average of four students a month, their
combined efforts bring in enough cash to pay about a quarter of their modest cruising ex-
penses. However, it's a high-investment profession when one considers the costs of PADI
instructor training (upwards of $2,000) and equipment.
Merilelu
carries a compressor and
four sets of SCUBA gear, which in turn require copious amounts of fuel and fresh water,
not to mention precious space. The rewards of the working-cruising lifestyle, on the other
hand, are many. “An architect is about stress, being in an office. I'm blessed with two good
professions, and opposite ones,” says Helena.
Helena's choice of work was carefully planned. “I had been sailing before and I saw the
market - almost a need - in remote places like the Marquesas.” She keeps her “business”
small, using word-of-mouth advertising among fellow cruisers. In fact, she could earn
more, but the Dutch diver strives to maintain a balance: “The idea is to see the world and
work on the side, and not the opposite. The main thing is to enjoy a different lifestyle than
you did before.” Dive instruction is a good example of a job that doesn't usually restrict
one's cruising schedule, since interesting anchorages and good diving often have much in
common. Helena has taught fellow cruisers in some of the world's most remote and pristine
dive locations, such as the lesser-known Tuamotus or the Cook Island atoll of Suwarrow.
Not a bad arrangement!
Search WWH ::
Custom Search