A Day in the Life

 

Somewhere in Alaska. Too busy to notice where.

Almost a week in and my engine tank’s on low. The days are long and the work is exhausting, but the food is great, the benefits awesome, and the views unbeatable. I will say it’s like working the hours of a wall street banker for a mucho petiter salary. To give you a glimpse into my day – here’s an overview of my typical schedule:

5:30am – Wake up, get ready. Looking presentable is optional.

5:45am – Make a shot of espresso and head to the lounge for 45 minutes of peace with a book. Also do your laundry.

6:30am – Set up the buffet in the dining room. Clean tables, set food.

7:30am – Serve breakfast and pour coffee. Clear tables, clean tables.

8:30am – Eat breakfast and stare blankly at the daily crossword puzzle.

9:00am – Start cleaning 9 cabins. Vacuum, make beds, scrub toilets, sanitize sinks, polish mirrors, the works. Listen to lectures over the PA system on bears, whales, geography while you dump cleaning solution on yourself and form bruises from swinging doors.

11:30am – Finish cabin cleaning and eat lunch.

12:00pm – Start prepping for lunch. Clean, sanitize, set.

12:30pm – Serve lunch buffet style and clear tables.

1:30pm – Clean up from lunch and take out the big trash bins. Organize the laundry and vacuum the dining room.

2/2:30pm-5:30pm – The best time of the day! Break time. Kayak with jellyfish and sea otters or hike/bushwack your way through the forest if you have a group of 5 (because there will be 4 other people for the bears to attack if you run faster). This is also cookie and coffee time.

• *Once a week your break time is cut short for emergency drills.
• *Once a week your break is cut short for your own cabin cleaning and de-molding.
• *Once a week your break is cut short from scrubbing the dining room closets.
• *Enjoy your remaining four days of break.

5:30pm – Prep for dinner. Clean tables, set tables.

6:30pm – Turn down service in the cabins. Go make beds again and offer chocolates.

6:45pm – Sit down with chef and bartender. Learn the wines and the menu.

7:00pm – Wine tables. Serve dinner military style. Three courses. Offer tea and coffee, clean and clear the tables.

9:00pm – Polish dishwater until it sparkles. Fold napkins.

9:30pm – Shower, grab a drink at the bar and read or write. Fill out the time schedule  with your time off. The coast guard minimum is 10 hours off per day. Don’t work too hard.

11/11:30pm – Pass out in bed. The bow thruster will probably wake you up intermittently.

Repeat. And don’t forget to smile – you get one day off every 7-10 days! Must keep on keeping on.

On a side note – here’s a pic of my first orca!