Sailing with the Smallwoods: The best job in the world

Sharon Smallwood talks sailing with Ben Southall, the British-born winner of Tourism Queensland's best-job-in-the-world promotion.

Happy New Year from Airlie Beach. Joining us on the Whitsunday waters this festive season was Ben Southall, the British-born winner of Tourism Queensland’s ‘Best Job in the World’. Ben’s final fling as ‘Island Caretaker’ was a Whitsunday charter aboard Whitsunday Rent A Yacht’s Beneteau Lagoon 420 Chantilly. When given the opportunity, I decided to quiz Ben about his ever-increasing interest in sailing and this is what we discussed.

S: What were your brushes with boating before starting the ‘Best Job in the World’?

B: I'd been lucky enough to be involved with the world of yachting quite a bit before starting, but always on the dry side of the industry. Cowes Week is a huge regatta, which takes place in the UK and I worked for Mumm Champagne, who are heavily involved in sponsoring the sailing industry. I worked every summer at the event for eight years and then had the offer of working for the company at the RTW race in Cape Town, which I jumped at, of course! A funny little part of the story is that back in 1997 I actually watched the boats EF Language and Merit come over the finish line of the first leg of the RTW race while working there -- little did I know that 12 years later I'd be lucky enough to be sailing on EF Language (renamed Spirit of the Maid) and racing against Merit during Hamilton Island Race Week! My sailing experiences before this were limited to a few weekends away on other people's boats cruising around the Solent in the south of England.

S: Since becoming ‘Island Caretaker’ you’ve completed an ‘Introduction to Yachting’ aboard the Jutson 43 Another Fiasco, been day-sailing on the maxi-yacht Ragamuffin, taken various crewed charters around the Whitsundays and participated in Audi Hamilton Island Race Week as a backstay winchman aboard the aforementioned Farr 65 ex-Volvo Ocean Racer Spirit of the Maid. What’s been your favourite of these newfound sailing experiences and why?

B: I think having learned to sail on Another Fiasco for three days has to be one of my favourite moments of the whole ‘best job’ experience. Being on a smaller yacht with just four other people was superb and having 25knts of wind blowing made it adrenaline-filled and very exciting. The Whitsundays has to be one of the best locations in the world for learning to sail.

S: What’s your favourite Whitsundays anchorage and why?

B: I've been lucky enough to moor up at a few over the last few months and I think the solitude of anywhere out on the reef can't be beaten. Watching the sunset and sunrise with nothing else around is spectacular. Within the Whitsundays itself I think the beauty of Nara Inlet (on a quiet night) has to be my favourite.

S: So how do you think the Whitsundays rank as an international yachting destination?

B: Having locations such as Hamilton Island with its stunning new yacht club, the upcoming Port development and Abel Point Marina with its large number of sailing operators have really introduced this part of the world to an international audience and I don't think it's going to be too long before some pretty major events are happening in these waters.

S: In your blog post ‘Learning to Sail the Whitsundays Way’, you said: “By the time I hit 40 I want to have sailed across an ocean if not around the world”. What appeals to you about long distance sailing and what would be your ideal boat for a RTW voyage?

B: I've always marvelled at the people who travel independently around the world. Ellen MacArthur is someone who I have followed closely throughout her career and her sheer doggedness to succeed in the extremes of the Southern Ocean is particularly impressive. If I end up doing it I think it'll be with my best friend in the UK who lives on board his own 32' classic yacht. He has plans to leave in a couple of years time and I would love to do it with him -- maybe on a slightly bigger boat though!

S: What are your thoughts on Jessica Watson’s attempt to be the youngest solo sailor to circumnavigate?

B: I've been following Jessica's endeavours on a daily basis and have been a staunch supporter of hers from the word go. I've sent her a few messages of support and would love to see her come home in a few months time victorious, to put all of the negative people and doubters to shame. The world needs people like Jessica to challenge the limits and push boundaries -- too many people these days are judgmental of pioneers in what is becoming a very managed, nanny-state-like world! Good on ya girl!

S: Who are your sailing heroes /other sailors you admire?

B: As before I think it'd have to be Ellen MacArthur. I met her a few years back and she's a tiny little thing at 5'6" so to imagine her fighting her boat and the elements, working a 2 hour on, 2 hour off sleeping regime is just so awesome! Mike Horn the adventurer is also a great guy who I met at the start of my job here. He's currently sailing around the world in a stunning 35m aluminium yacht, which has to be seen to be believed http://www.pangaea-mikehorn.com/en/pangaea/pangaea-the-sailboat/

S: Thanks for sharing that with us Ben and Bon Voyage!

You can check out Ben’s sailing and other travel blogs on http://www.islandreefjob.com/