A Life at Sea - The Pro's and Con's

This Summer I am working as crew on a fishing boat, The Four Brothers. It operates daily fishing trips available to the public.

As part of my job I do a bit of fishing, tie the boat off and on to the harbour/mooring, take fish off hooks, gut and fillet them and  also handle the bigger beasts of the sea, should one cop on to an inexperienced rod.

It has been three weeks since I started and I feel there are pro's and con's to this job. Below are the definitive lists:

PRO'S:

1) I get to be on the water all day in the Summer

2) I don't have to dress snazzy

3) I get fresh fish for din din's

4) I can tie a badass bowline knot

5) I know lots of different fish (for when I want to chat up fisherman...?)

6) I'm being active all day long

7) I get to drive a dinghy

CON'S:

1) I reek of fish - not the greatest of attributes for a young, single female

2) I have to stand on a boat in the pissing down rain all day

3) My body becomes covered in mackerel scales, making me seem like some incestual freaky-fish-woman to tourists

4) I have to smile at spawn of Satan kids and pretend to their parents that they are the loveliest things in the whole world

5) During the day the passengers either: insult my intelligence, make jokes about me being a girl doing a 'mans job' or look at me like I'm some sort of dirty cretin (well, that or a lesbian)

6) There is often some absolute moron who doesn't like fish, but thinks fishing is a good idea, so when they catch something they squeal and throw the rod around on the boat meaning there is a 80% chance I am going to get a hook in my back, cheek or tit. And sometimes even a fish in my face (all of these events have occurred)

7) At after-work drinks, when speaking to anyone, my opening line has to be "It's not a yeast infection; I work on the fishing boats" which is repulsive yet necessary.

So there you go, it's pretty close. I love it, although I am considering buying maternity nipple pads (see con #6).

That's all for now,
Jojo xxx