A Sea Change

Two high flyers quit their jobs to find more meaningful lives as sea gypsies
FOR 10 years, Miss Stephanie Huchet, 34, paid her dues as a high-flying corporate lawyer, with a monthly salary of about 4,000 euros ($8,100), in Paris, France.
Shree Ann Mathavan, The New Paper 7 Jun 09;

FOR 10 years, Miss Stephanie Huchet, 34, paid her dues as a high-flying corporate lawyer, with a monthly salary of about 4,000 euros ($8,100), in Paris, France.

But even as the economic crisis hit last year and employees fretted about retrenchments, she did something completely uncharacteristic and resigned from her job in January this year.

Although Miss Huchet has neither job nor income, she couldn't be happier.

That's because she's now living her dream - sailing the world as a 'sea gypsy', a member of the Infinity Sea Tribe.

The tribe is a multicultural community whose aim is to document and explore the cultures, enviroment and climate changes in the remote islands of Micronesia, Polynesia and Melanesia.

The tribe began its three-year journey sailing across the world on the 36m-long vessel - The Infinity - two weeks ago, from Phuket, Thailand.

Those keen to join can sign up via the Infinity Sea Tribe website, where they have to fill up a questionnaire which tests whether they are suitable for life at sea. The captain and the existing crew then decide if the new candidate can join as a member.

Leaving her cushy job after a decade wasn't something she took lightly, admitted Miss Huchet. She took three months to consider the idea.

She said: 'It was frightening, it was a big step to give up my job, especially during the financial crisis.

'It was letting go of a comfortable life, you just didn't know what was going to happen.'

While her parents initially didn't understand her decision, they now support her as they can see she's happy.

Culture vulture

The attraction of being part of the project was learning about other cultures, she said.

Cultural exchange via dialogue, dance and music is another objective of the tribe.

With the Infinity's crew members hailing from countries like Brazil, France, Scotland, Belgium, Germany, the US and China, the vessel seems like a boisterous mini United Nations.

Currently, the boat is docked at Sentosa Cove's ONE Degree 15 Marina Club which is sponsoring the crew's stay and their berth.

In celebration of World Ocean Day, the club is throwing dockside parties today for its members.

The Infinity tribe will get in on the act, by allowing club members to tour their vessel and watch tribal dances.

The vessel leaves Singapore next week and continues to Malaysia, Philippines, Micronesia, Marshal Islands, Hawaii and various South Pacific Islands.

Miss Huchet isn't the only one to have given up a high-flying job to join the crew.

Irish national Michael Sheridan, 27, left his nine-year stockbroking career and a 'comfortable' salary in October last year in the United States.

He said: 'I wanted to work for something that I really cared about.'

Running the expedition costs about $300,000 a year, estimates Captain Clemens Oestreich. The 35-year-old said this includes food, fuel, and maintenance of the vessel.

Each crew member pays about $1,200 per month for food and lodging. The rest is paid for by Captain Oestreich's private investments.

Said the German Captain: 'We need sponsorship on things like camera equipment and Internet to help us with our documentation.'

Ultimately, the aim is to get enough sponsors to allow volunteers to come on board for a token sum or without having to pay at all.

My dad, the captain

CAPTAIN Clemens Oestreich, 35, counts his two seafaring kids, Tara, 10, and Ruben, 9, as part of his 13 crew members on board his ship.

This figure is set to grow to about 20 as more crew members join on different legs of the expedition. The ship can comfortably hold 25 people.

Having his children on board is a juggling act that this seafarer has been managing since their birth.

Having been a sailor for about 15 years, his love of the ocean meant that his children were born in various parts of the world, during his expeditions.

While Tara was born in a hospital in Azores, a Portuguese archipelago, her brother, Ruben, was born on board a ship in Trinidad and Tobago .

They have each travelled to at least 30 countries. These include West Africa, Spain, Thailand, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands. Said Tara: 'I like the feeling of being in the middle of nowhere.'

The children are home-schooled on board the ship by various crew members.

They have another brother, Aljoscha, 19, who is currently an undergraduate in Germany.