KNYSNA NEWS - Local yacht stewardess Monica Hiemstra was recently honoured with a very special international award, being named as 'The Best Stew' at the 5th annual ACREW Crew Awards, acknowledging her hard work on the motor yacht, Katherine.
This year's awards event was the biggest yet, and was held in Porto Montenegro in Boka Bay on the northern coast of Montenegro, close to the border with Croatia, from 14 to 16 October.
Five-hundred captains, crew and professionals gathered at the world-renowned marina for a weekend of celebrations. This year's edition was adorned with a royal theme: a Regal weekend away and a Knight to Remember.
Hiemstra was one of five finalists in the Stew Category, which recognises the best steward/stewardess. See adjacent sidebar for a breakdown of the category and its judging criteria.
'It means everything'
While she couldn't attend herself, Hiemstra watched online, and when she got the news of her triumph, she was ecstatic. "This award means everything to me," she said. "I remember standing in-front of this massive 62m-long yacht the day I joined, thinking this would be the most difficult challenge - one
I would never overcome. But, looking back to the girl I once was, not even knowing how to iron a shirt properly, to winning the Best Stew of The Year award, just shows how much I've grown as a person and in my career."
Three years' work
The award is the culmination of nearly three years' hard work on the yachts for Hiemstra, having started in November 2019 - roughly a year after matriculating from Knysna High School.
"Not knowing what I wanted to study, I felt like I was meant to do something else with my life. I knew I had another purpose waiting to be fulfilled. I had this burning desire to explore the world and the amazing people in it and this fire still burns within me," she said, speaking of her motivation to join the yachting industry.
The role of a stew
Hiemstra says each stew has different roles on different yachts and each yacht operates differently so there is no fixed role.
"I started out as a greenie and only worked in laundry. I slowly worked my way up to housekeeping and after hard work I earned the position as Second Stewardess and gained the title 'The Officer of Happiness' onboard as I always strive to create a happy and positive working environment and spread positivity wherever I go," she explained.
Hiemstra has, however, after three years as a stew decided to call it a day. She will always have fond memories though. "My favourite part is the fact that yachting gives you the ability to be your true self and let you grow as a person. You get to meet the most amazing people, make lifelong memories and lifelong friends."
Monica Hiemstra
ACREW
ACREW is a network of over 15 000 captains and crew. The Crew Awards started in 2018 and has developed to reward crew that have proven themselves to be the very best at their jobs. The Crew Awards 2022 encompasses 20 award categories that aim to reward all departments onboard for their efforts and dedication in the superyacht industry.
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