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The Watchkeeper Chronicles: Then vs. Now

It was a crisp December morning, and the boat rocked gently at anchor. Christmas decorations swayed with the rhythm of the sea, and while most of the crew were deep into their much-anticipated day off, one poor soul remained “on watch.” As I strolled past the bridge, I couldn’t help but reflect on the days when being on watch actually meant being on watch—when you used that time to tackle everything you couldn’t do while the boss was onboard or the yacht was on charter.

The Good Old Days

Back in my time (not that long ago, mind you), being on watch meant you earned every bead of sweat. If you were a chef like me, it was a golden opportunity to scrub fridges until they sparkled brighter than the North Star, reorganize the galley’s spice rack alphabetically (twice, just to be sure), and get ahead on mise en place for the next three days. Oh, and inventory—let’s not forget counting each and every potato in the pantry like they were rare gems.

Engineers? They didn’t have it any easier. Their version of a day on watch often involved crawling into the engine room to dismantle a piece of machinery that was probably working just fine—all in the name of “preventative maintenance,” a near-religious practice. Then there were the deckhands, who used their watch shifts to scrub the decks so thoroughly you could shave in their reflection.

It was tough, thankless work, but by the end of your shift, you could look around and say, “I earned my next beer.” And that beer? It tasted like liquid gold.

Enter Katie: The Modern Watchkeeper

These days? Oh, my friends, how times have changed. Take Katie, the current watchkeeper. She’s in her mid-20s, fresh-faced (if you ignore the perpetual cigarette in her hand), and she has a very progressive approach to the art of watchkeeping.

Katie’s interpretation of “watch” involves strategically positioning the yacht’s CCTV feed on her laptop while binge-watching a 12-episode Netflix series titled Love on the High Seas. Or perhaps catching up on the latest episodes of Below Deck. To keep her energy up, she powers through a 12-pack of Heineken, and by hour three, she’s sending WhatsApp voice notes to her boyfriend back home.

“Yeah, babe, it’s super stressful. The waves? Massive. I’m a hero for keeping the boat safe,” she says, puffing on her seventh cigarette of the shift. By the time she’s done, the ashtray is fuller than the fridge she’s supposed to be monitoring.

The $200 Engineer

Then there’s the engineer, a true innovator. Why spend a perfectly good day turning wrenches when you can Venmo a junior deckhand $200 to cover your watch? While his “stand-in” fiddles with dials they barely understand, the engineer is off hitting the golf course, swapping his boiler suit for plaid pants and a visor.

“It’s about efficiency,” he’ll argue, leaning on the idea that delegation is a skill.

The Mate’s Romantic Shopping Spree

And let’s not forget the mate. A man with his priorities in order, he has turned his bridge watch into the perfect opportunity to research engagement rings. Hours are spent scrolling through diamond options while he rehearses his proposal speech in the chart table mirror.

“Does this one scream, ‘I love you,’ or ‘I don’t really know what I’m doing?’” he mutters to himself, as an alarm on the radar pings—likely another vessel approaching. He’ll check on it after narrowing down the ring settings.

Sarcasm vs. Reality

Back in the galley, my chef instincts kick in. The fridges are a mess, a rogue carrot is slowly drying on the counter, and Katie has apparently mistaken a spatula for an ashtray. My soul screams, “Why isn’t anyone scrubbing?!” But then I shrug. These are different times. Maybe the new generation is redefining what “watchkeeping” really means. Perhaps it’s more of a spiritual practice now—one that involves self-care, browsing Amazon for things you don’t need, books you’ll never read, screen time, and Heineken.

With a deep sigh, I grab a mop and start detailing the galley myself. Some traditions, after all, are worth keeping alive.

Feliz Navidad! 🎄