BEHIND OCEAN LINES

With World Mental Health Day taking place this month, former superyacht crew member Melanie White shares her story to shine a light on the mental health tolls faced by the estimated 1.89 million commercial seafarers worldwide.

Igot into the yachting industry far too easily, and I know this will come as a bit of a blow to those immensely frustrated by dock walking, which is the way in if you do not have a foot in the door. While I had torn my hair out over chemical formulas and imposter syndrome at university, my partner was a commissioning skipper for a luxury boat builder. When, out of the blue, he suggested we did a trial to become the deckhand/stewardess team on a new build, I thought it utterly ridiculous. But fast forward fi ve years and I had sailed 40,000nm in Mediterranean, Caribbean and Arctic waters, taken part in seven superyacht regattas and been promoted to chef.

During this time I visited places many can only dream of, spent days watching the magnifi cent ocean twinkle under the creamy haze of the sun and had the privilege of tailoring my menus with local, seasonal produce – from wild reindeer in Arctic Norway to fresh lemons on the Amalfi coast – and I consider my experience learning and growing in these settings to be truly once in a lifetime.

However, it was not always so easy to fi nd those sparks. I had progressed from stewardess to onboard chef seemingly overnight, and so what started out as ‘learning the ropes’ quickly became ‘sink or swim’. Sometimes literally. Whenever I felt a glint of happiness, an overbearing ache would niggle deep inside. A voice would whisper “you should not be this happy”, and its ugly head would dive down, its tentacles wrapping around me. A sea monster, dragging me silently under the waves. The sea monster’s name? Depression.

In my experience, the deterioration of mental wellbeing from depression to suicide escalates much more quickly at sea than on land. Fortunately, by seeking the right help, I managed to overcome my personal demons and went on to have a truly rewarding career at sea. But in one scenario I could have acted on my intrusive thoughts and might not be here to share my story. This is exactly why I must tell it. Since returning to shoreside life, I have made it my aim to better understand the conventions and policies in place to help and protect

By seeking the right help Melanie overcame her personal demons

seafarers, and ultimately to raise awareness of the unique mental health tolls they face.

While some parts of the job are unchangeable (time spent away from home, poor weather, lack of sleep, little to no personal space), there are ways in which a crew’s mental health can be put at the centre of the boat’s priority. Or, should I say, the captain’s priority. Little changes can lead to big improvements, such as recognising individual crew’s achievements, sharing mealtimes and creating opportunities for two-way feedback. Having more robust support mechanisms ashore can also prove invaluable to facilitate positive mental health onboard. This could be anything from a boat counsellor, who can ring in remotely, to placing the crew on Mental Health First Aid training courses, such as those provided by Seas the Mind.

There is also the Maritime Labour Convention (2006) (MLC), which is the sole global instrument that protects the welfare and employment rights of the estimated 1.89 million seafarers working on commercial vessels (note that shipping, cruise ship and charter yacht crew are protected by this, but not seafarers on privately owned yachts).

But updating and amending the MLC is incredibly long-winded and complex, with suggested amendments taking years to implement and the effects of such changes taking many more years to feel onboard a boat in the middle of the Atlantic. While I believe statutory instruments are crucial in the application of human rights at sea, there is no doubt that they alone are not enough to protect seafarers. It takes education and a cultural shift in the mental health narrative to save lives. Every suicide is preventable (at shore and at sea), but so long as we remain unaware, seafarers will not receive the support they deserve. Therefore I am sharing my story. With any hope it will be the drop in the ocean that starts a ripple effect of awareness. www.mentalhealth.org.uk

On World Mental Health Day, 10 October, Melanie White’s memoir Behind Ocean Lines: The Invisible Price of Accommodating Luxury is published by Lemon Quartz Publishing. £16.99

By sharing her story Melanie hopes to raise awareness of the mental health tolls faced by commercial seafarers

WIN A SIGNED COPY OF MELANIE’S BOOK!

We have 3 copies of Behind Ocean Lines: The Invisible Price of Accommodating Luxury to giveaway.

In her debut memoir, Behind Ocean Lines: The Invisible Price of Accommodating Luxury, Melanie White shares her story to shine a light on the mental health tolls faced by the approximately 1.89 million commercial seafarers around the world.

Aged 22, Melanie found herself plunged into the luxury yachting industry having stepped foot on a boat just three times before. As well as learning how to run, sail and race a multi-million-pound yacht on the job, she was forced to adapt to a wholly unnatural life afl oat, largely confi ned to a bunk bed, crammed galley and live-in colleagues. The schedule was unrelenting. The isolation felt suffocating. A baptism of fi re in an ocean miles deep.

This is a captivating account of a deterioration in mental health against a backdrop of opulence. It is, shockingly, not an anomaly – at sea it is estimated that six times as many deaths are attributable to suicide compared to on land.

Melanie said: “Whether on land or at sea, one suicide is one too many. I hope this book will open people’s eyes to those that are hidden at sea and give hope to those who feel they are mentally treading water. We can combat mental health stigma simply by speaking up and sharing our stories – together, the maritime sector is more than capable of this.”

MELANIE WHITE LINES The Invisible Price of Accommodating Luxury

For a chance to win this book enter below, by email to editor@allatsea.co.uk with the subject header Book Competition or via the All at Sea newsletter (sign up at www.allatsea.co.uk/aasnewsletter).

Q: How old was Melanie when she entered the yachting industry?

A:

NAME:

ADDRESS:

EMAIL:

Closing date: 1/11/22. Send by post: 13a Thornwood, Colchester, Essex, CO4 5LR, email editor@allatsea.co.uk with the subject header ‘book competition’ or enter via the All at Sea newsletter. Winners will be notifi ed by email/phone. The winners will be the fi rst correct entry drawn at random after the competition closing date. No cash or alternatives will be offered. Please indicate on your entry if you do not wish to receive information about other products and services from All at Sea and Lemon Quartz Publishing, by Here is a Seabin installed on River Soar phone, post, email or by SMS.