Twelve weeks and $20,000 later, 17 year old John Monaghan is sailing the high seas of success. It’s not every day a person gets the opportunity for such a stunning backdrop as the Antarctic Ocean for a workplace and a massive salary to cap it off. John was offered the three month stint with Talley’s while studying the Certificate in Maritime and Fishing Technology Level 3, and he grabbed the opportunity. He’s now been offered an indefinite contract which could see him hauling in the big fish a few times a year and he loves the thought of the big dollars at the end of every trip.
“With my first massive pay cheque I bought a car and paid off my student loan and other debts. And each time I go back out there, the salary will get bigger!”
Working on the Janas fishing boat in the deep and isolated waters of the Antarctic has been one of the most challenging experiences of his life, but John is as keen as to get back out to sea for the next round. It’s not a walk in the park, with a daily grind of eight hours on, eight hours off, but John soon worked out a routine that worked for him and he even got used to the minus 30 degrees temperatures in the hold. “We were long lining for Antarctic Toothfish which is an Asian delicacy. They’re not small fish! The biggest we brought in was around 180kg. It’s heavy work but your body adapts. It took me a while to get my sea legs but its sweet now.” When asked what the highlight of being out on the boat is, John answers with a massive smile. “The biggest rush for me is seeing the land at the end of a three month journey. You can smell it before you see it. It’s a pretty awesome feeling to know you are home.”
