There's much to be said for setting foot on your first boat - with a hearty “Permission to come aboard” I stepped across onto the deck and dumped my camera bag, tripod and lens case into the nearest corner.

The behemoth below gently rocked to and fro like a poor baby caught in the treetops. As the crew set about the age old tradition of casting off I stared around in fascination - day dreams of pirates and booty flashed through my mind.

With the undertone of props chugging away, the Skipper eased us away from the slip and out into Mother Ocean. So I've often stated that I have salt in my veins and figured I'd be able to handle a trip out to sea. Not quite the case as I soon discovered.

For us landlubbers out there, the sensation of a rolling deck beneath your feet can be rather disorientating. I kept my mouth shut and my hand firmly on the rail thinking of anything but the colour green and the smell of popcorn.

If this is what it's like on a flat day in Table Bay I can't imagine how damn scary a tropical storm must be! I eventually settled down near the boat deck and overheard the Skipper discussing their next trip to Mexico. Damn I thought, wouldn't it be sweet to mission to Mexico for a surf?

So I casually said “Do any of you guys surf?” As luck would have it one of the crew members did and I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to get some insight into the life of Jaco, a 22 year old fully-fledged sailor surfer from Koeel Bay who's been surfing for 11 years.

Aaar my hearties, here be Jaco's tale of being set adrift on a sea of bliss…

So Jaco, when did you first start sailing?

I started at the beginning of last year. I was stuck in England for 2 years after school looking for a plan and well, I found it…

Is this your job or are planning on doing something else one day?

I'll always be in this industry, there are so many options but for now I just want to travel.

How do you become a member of a crew?

First step is to do day skipper course  or something similar, then just hang around the yacht clubs and spread the word that you're looking for a crew posistion.

Do you get paid for making a trip?

That depends on how many sea miles you've got under your belt. Usually the first trip go on you pay for everything but after that your airfares are paid for and you get a salary.

What's the worst part of your job?

For a couple of days during my trip to Mexico we went head-on into a huge storm and just myself and the Skipper knew what to do, so we had no sleep at all. You guys in Cape Town got some huge swell I hope!

What's the best part of your job?

After 35 days of seeing nothing but the ocean, you stumble upon a beautiful island with no airport or chain stores. You anchor and for a few days you get to explore an exotic location.

Any good experiences that stand out for you while on a trip?

Usually the tranquility of nature like the amazing sunrises and sunsets with dolphins etc.

What's the scariest/worst experience you've had on a trip?

It was on my first trip to Mauritius on an old 53ft ketch with the owner and another guy. It was also his first trip and the engine broke down, that means no GPS or auto pilot. We hit a storm and tore all the sails, so I had to stitch the sails in the dark and the other crew had to try and fix engines. After 4 days of that we got power again and found out that we are way south. Our 11 day cruise turned into a 26 day struggle!

Do you always take a board with you?

I try to but it's not always possible, sometimes have to bring heavy sails and extra rope.

Name some of the places you've surfed on a trip

I've only surfed in Mauritius and Spain but saw some hectic waves from the boat in the Canary Islands, Cape Verde and Morroco.

Your favourite place you've surfed on a trip?

Definitely Mauritius!

How do the locals react to a foreign surfer?

In Spain it was hectic. Myself and a friend went to a skate shop with a map and showed the guy a Zigzag so he showed us a spot on the map and we started to off on a hiking mission but in the end the swell came and went with the wind so we hit the luck and got it before the locals. They were quite pissed off but the European's are all talk and no walk.

Give us some details about your next trip.

My next trip will be either to the Carribean or the Seychelles, which is considered a short trip of ± 35 days. It will also be on a 46ft catamaran. Myself and the captian are still looking for another interested crew.

What would you say to surfers who spend all day at the office?

I would say resign in 6 months time, save up and do some courses you're really interested in. As the old saying goes “Lifes too short to be stuck on the wrong boat”.

By Marschant Escórcio