Days onboard at their shortest are fourteen hours and at their longest eighteen. And with our night watch our crew relies on a steady stream of coffee. While most crew members take their coffee black, I take mine with a dash of creamer. 6 A.M. wakeup calls require Rambler® 10 oz. Mugs in the cabin, and by 7 A.M., we’re all on deck, Rambler® 20 oz. Travel Mugs filled to the brim and stashed in the boat’s many nooks.
With the constant dampness and cold temperatures on deck, it’s hard to tell how much we sweat while we work. But the cramps and lightheadedness from dehydration can lead to dangerous situations, making water intake a conscientious effort for us all. Some crew members prefer the Rambler® Half Gallon Jug, while others like how light the Yonder™ Bottles are, and everyone enjoys a seltzer water while on break.
When it comes to food, we have one crew member — my brother, Ashlan — who is assigned to cook. He heads in an hour early from the deck to prepare dinner that usually consists of a protein, a starch, and a vegetable. Easily everyone’s favorite meal, though, is a crab boil with our most recent catch. We joke that we’re eating our paycheck but it’s worth it. Prepped by the whole crew and boiled in salt water to retain its flavor and natural makeup, Ashlan serves it with a bleu cheese dressing as well as a mixture of butter, soy sauce, and garlic powder that really brings out the sweetness of the meat.
