you have maybe one of the most interesting jobs i've ever seen... how many people live aboard the ship? what do living quarters look like?
Thank you! It's definitely fun, though it has its fair share of stress and unique challenges.
This year we have ten full time, paid crew. We're contracted out through the end of season, or the end of downrig, whichever was determined at the start. Throughout the season, though, we have a number of unpaid volunteers who come through and stay for anywhere from a week to a month at a time, during which they're fed and given a sleeping space like all other crew- only difference being lack of a paycheck. Lady is different from a lot of east coast boats, in that we don't take completely green (new) deckhands on, even as unpaid volunteers; you need to have knowledge of sailing already to come on with us. It's because we're an education-focused vessel, and need our people to know their stuff.
However, we do have a program and a way for newbies to join our crew! You have to pay (and I don't quite remember how much it is. I wanna say somewhere in the vicinity of $600-800? Don't quote me on that), but what you pay for is two weeks of living on board, being fed, housed, and taught from the ground up how to sail! It's called Two Weeks Before the Mast, and it's how we get most of our return volunteers- because after you've done it, you can come back whenever you want! Most people who do it do end up coming back, or staying past the initial two weeks (schedule permitting). It's definitely an investment, but one I highly recommend if it's something you can do.
Right at this moment, we have two volunteers staying with us, both two-weekers. Last week, we had two return volunteers as well, bringing the total crew count up to fourteen- that's a lot of mouths to feed! They're all great though, and I love them all :)
Now, for your second question: it's all communal, baby! Permanent crew gets better bunks and more storage space, but it's still all a big bunkroom for the most part. On Lady, it's down in the foc's'le (short for forecastle, the compartment towards the front of the boat). Four bunks on each side built into the hull itself, cubbies for storage, the like. In the rear of the boat is a smaller compartment, the aft cabin, where there are two more bunks like in the foc's'le, as well as two actual cabins - gasp - with doors! Those belong to the captain and first mate.
The main hold, the central compartment of the ship - where, historically, merchant vessels stored their merchandise - is where the part timers and volunteers sleep. The bunks there are a touch less comfortable and there's a smaller amount of storage space, and in addition, the main hold is basically the crew's communal hangout space. It's our living room, with the heads (toilets- we've got two of them, but they need pumping out at times if they get too full. Think marine port-a-potties), and the galley- that's my domain!
Someday I might do a video tour, or maybe just take a bunch of pictures. It's surprisingly roomy, but you really get to know the people you live with. Best hope you like them! (And best hope you don't snore; everyone will know)
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