Key West and next steps

[amw]

So, Key West, did it turn out to be better than my first impressions? No. It did not. Key West is a tourist trap. If you have been to Niagara Falls, the Las Vegas strip, Times Square in NYC, most of Venice, or any spectacularly popular old town or scenic area in the world, you've been to Key West. The whole town is essentially mediocre bars playing

Comments

[geminiwench]

For tall ships the best way to get involved is to take their training programs which start regularly at most museums that have working tallships... it's a big up front cost... usually about $2k... but it also usually goes straight back to the ship costs because they are monstrously expensive to upkeep.

Its a 2-4 week training course... with room, board, and food paid for. That training opens you up to working almost any tall ship in the world, pretty much in perpetuity. Museum tall ship crews are usually paid a very small modicum, and get accommodations and food. They also may help you travel for free... or pay you to travel. It is common to get that training and then use it to be a marina-bum for rich people with cruisers and private sailboats who need someone to live on it at the marina, or sail it TO them for when they want to sail.

Sailor did that when he was 19... and did some very long sails. Its a small community there are some very good/interesting trips.... especially cross-atlantic trips, and Mediterranean trips. Most of the work though are historic tall ships that are run by museums and go out for daily 2 hour harbor cruises. But... the community is tight. If you sail these ships, you can probably go to any historic harbor in the world, and a conversation will buy you a bunk, and maybe a job.

For someone who likes travel, adventure, and the underside of the economy where life still works a mix of independence, favors, low-impact living, and traded skills... this is a good pption. Also the training is a good idea, just because its really easy to kill yourself by accident on a ship.. or lose a finger, eye, leg. Like... too easy. The pirate jokes are true.