Ellen Butler’s story begins on the Coromandel Peninsula, where a childhood filled with surf lifesaving, sport, and community shaped the social, confident foundation she would later take into the world of superyachts.

In this episode, Ellen traces her winding path from “top end of average” student to flight-attendant hopeful, to au pair in Sydney and France, and finally to a 90-metre Russian-owned superyacht that would launch a seven-and-a-half-year global career. She explains the realities behind the glossy Instagram version of yachting: intense service standards, 12–14 hour days, owners who may never speak to you, the pressure of living at work, and the moments of magic that still take your breath away. Along the way, she breaks down pay, training, safety, seasickness, and why personality - not just qualifications - opens doors.

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