Revealing the grit beneath the glitz
Behind Ocean Lines, by Melanie White
W
ith an enticing chick-lit-style cover reflecting the glamour and excitement of superyacht sailing, this debut memoir looks like it's going to be a jolly romp like a 'below decks' TV series. However, although it's a good yarn, it also has a more serious intent.
Former luxury yacht chef Melanie White spent five years in her twenties crewing superyachts for charters and regatta racing, delivering fine dining to the super-rich. Dealing candidly with some of the darker sides of the industry – particularly the effects of fatigue and bullying – her memoir reflects her mental wellbeing journey on a particular vessel, the Liberty.
The grind and joys of being a sailor, stewardess and chef all in one day are laid bare: the costs to crew of 'protecting the invisibility of the super-rich', the cramped quarters and the occasional bonding with feathered birds all called Kevin. The real necessity of crew safety training provides some eye-opening moments (yes, pirates are a real threat for superyacht crew on some voyages).
Appropriately for a former yacht chef, the memoir is written in easily-digestible bite-sized chunks. Complete with a log book of the author's travels, and an index of her shipboard recipes marking mood transitions, this is an interesting and informative read. Pass it onto shoreside friends who want the lowdown on what life is really like on a superyacht.
Behind Ocean Lines: the invisible price of accommodating luxury
By Melanie White
Lemon Quartz Publications, £16.99
ISBN: 978 17399 07624
Buy this book in the Nautilus Bookshop
While you're there, why not browse the rest of the titles in our unique maritime bookshop, which sells all the books reviewed on these pages.
Buy nowMore Books
Salvage story told through a treasure trove of images
In the Wake of the Empress of Ireland, by David Saint-PierreThe sinking of the Empress of Ireland in 1914 remains the worst peacetime disaster in Canadian history. Of the 1,477 people onboard, 1,012 died as the ocean liner went down in just 14 minutes.
Fighting on after D-Day
Normandy: The Sailors’ Story, by Nick HewittTo tie in with the 80th anniversary of D-Day last year, Yale University Press published this detailed and readable book by veteran ship restorer and historian Nick Hewitt, which puts the efforts of the Allied navies in the Battle for France centre stage.
Scotland's WW2 supply crews
Never to Return, by Roderick G MacleanAs remembrance season approaches, we often look out for new titles on the Merchant Navy in wartime, and Never to Return fits the bill this year.
New northern take on the Titanic tragedy
Titanic: The Greater Manchester Connections, by James W BancroftFew maritime tragedies have held such a place in the public imagination as that of the Titanic. The tales and testimonies of passengers aboard that doomed voyage in 1912 have inspired countless books and several film adaptations, some more fictionalised than others.