The Stewardess Bible Talks to 2nd Stewardess Katie Wilter
Journalist, graphic designer, half-marathon runner, and blogger behind Eyehearttravel — Katie Wilter brings a creative eye and a relentlessly positive outlook to life at sea. We caught up with her in Halifax, Nova Scotia, just before she headed back down the US east coast.
Where are you working at the moment? M/Y Solaia, currently in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. We are heading back down the US east coast on Saturday.
Star sign? Taurus.
Where are you from? Cape Town, South Africa.
How long have you worked on yachts? One year and three months — so still relatively green.
What did you like and dislike about your last job? I loved the crew and we had some great parties. What I disliked was the complete mismanagement and the genuinely poor treatment of the crew.
How did you get into the industry? A few friends had done it, and I needed a break from the nine-to-five office routine.
What are your biggest accomplishments? My degrees, certainly — a Bachelor of Journalism with Honours, and an MTN scholarship to complete a postgraduate Diploma in Media Management with Distinction, both at Rhodes University. Beyond that: completing five half marathons, exploring a good many countries with plenty still on the list, walking the Inca Trail, and still having the same best friends I had in high school. Love and miss you all.
Can you work under pressure? Of course. I am a stew and a graphic designer — both are entirely about meeting deadlines.
What is the most difficult situation you have faced? As a yachtie, being caught in horrible storms with extremely rough seas. In life more broadly, the loss of friends and family — and, like everyone, my own personal struggles along the way.
What are your pet hates? Constant sniffing — reach for a tissue! Narrow-minded perspectives, and cynical people.
Tell me about the last time you felt anger at work. On my current yacht, honestly, I have not really felt angry at all. On my last yacht, though, I got genuinely angry about the mismanagement and ill-treatment of the crew — we were treated like the red-headed stepchild. Lack of sleep certainly did not help.
What do you do in your spare time? Blog, yoga, run, and explore wherever I happen to be — camera always in hand. Parties with friends, art galleries, wining and dining, reading magazines, books, and blogs, and generally trying to do something a little different.
Where do you see yourself in five years? I would love to have a successful travel blog or website running — something that gives me the flexibility for family life while continuing with freelance graphic design and writing. I would also love more time to paint and travel, and to keep being inspired by the everyday beauty I find in different places, people, and creations.
Favourite holiday destination, and why? Right now I am daydreaming about a yoga and surfing holiday in Costa Rica. Being outdoors in the sun and sea, meditating, doing yoga, relaxing, meeting new people, and experiencing a new culture — that would be a little slice of heaven.
Where do you like to shop? In Europe, H&M, Pimkie, and Zara. In the US, Gap, Victoria’s Secret, the Apple Store, Ross — and all the little boutiques I discover in tiny towns along my travels.
Can you recommend a product or service for fellow stewardesses? I am a big fan of Seventh Generation cleaning products — they are environmentally friendly, gentle on the skin, and scent-free. The washing liquid and dishwashing liquid are excellent. I also love wet Swiffer cloths for the crew mess floor; quick, easy, and they smell great. Domestic goddess, much?
Have you met any famous people, and what did you make of them? Nobody truly famous — just wealthy and well-known in their fields. I admire successful people and love chatting with them about how they got there. That said, I once served a famous model who was a complete airhead. You win some, you lose some!
What do you enjoy most about your job? The travel, and the salary — which is wonderfully easy to save.
Any advice for newcomers to the industry? Stay positive, stick it out — it takes a while to break in — and above all, follow your instincts.
Introducing: Eyehearttravel
Tell us about your blog — what inspires you, and how do you find the time to write? I write whenever I have something worth sharing — my favourite song of the week, recent photographs, or just my thoughts in words. I love all things travel, art, and beauty, so those are my main sources of inspiration. A phrase will pop into my head and I have to write it down immediately, then build it out from there. The content is quite varied — everything from wakeboarding to cooking lobsters.
The name Eyehearttravel simply popped into my head one day during my hour-long break on a charter. Despite being utterly zombie-tired with a growing pile of laundry still to iron, I snuck off with my mini laptop and created a WordPress blog. It is relatively new, but I am thoroughly enjoying my little project — even if the crew tease me about it and cannot quite see the point. (“Wait — you don’t get paid for this?”)
My yacht owner enjoys reading it, and it is a lovely way to share what I am up to with family and friends back home. It is frustrating not having the time to properly promote it on Twitter and the other platforms that demand constant attention, but I do what I can between charters. Blogging is all about the small wins — when I hit over 100 hits in a day, I do a little victory jiggle. It may be a tiny pip-squeak for now, but one day it might just blossom into something grand. Watch this space.
Thank you, Katie — here’s to Costa Rica, the small wins, and a blog that grows into everything you hope it will.
