Incredible careers
Episode 5: From the Pacific to the Poles with Emily Penn
What happens when a sailing adventure changes everything?
For Emily Penn, what started as a journey across the Atlantic and Pacific turned into a lifelong mission that would lead her from the water to small island beaches and into global policy rooms.
In this episode, Emily explores with Dee Caffari how a love of the ocean can evolve into an extraordinary and unexpected career.
She shares how earning her RYA Yachtmaster qualification opened professional doors, why living with a remote Pacific community shifted her purpose, and how those experiences inspired eXXpedition — her pioneering all-women sailing project tackling ocean plastic while empowering others to take action.
From hands-on science at sea to influencing decision-makers at the United Nations, Emily’s story is a powerful example of how time on the water builds not just seamanship, but leadership, resilience and a sense of responsibility.
Whether you’re already working on the water or simply driven by a passion for the sea, this episode invites you to imagine where your own sailing journey could lead — and how your unique ‘superpower’ can make a difference.
Tune in and discover how one voyage became a catalyst for global change.
Episode 6: From superyachts to super starts
Not everyone’s career starts with a plan. For some, it begins with a leap — a decision to swap the predictable for the possible.
In this RYA 150 podcast episode, Dee Caffari meets three people whose working lives were transformed by the sea.
From the luxury decks of superyachts, to beach club instructing, to the high performance world of Olympic coaching, their stories reveal how sailing can open doors you might not have thought existed.
Liberty Nogueira left a steady London job and the security of the nine-to-five to chase adventure at sea. With few industry contacts and only determination to go on, she worked her way into the superyacht world to became a bosun — learning fast, grafting hard, and eventually travelling the globe. Now she’s turned that experience into something bigger, guiding others into the yachting industry through her mentoring platform and online community.
Gemma Hulbert took a different route, joining her first yacht at just 18. What began as a junior stewardess role became a decade-long career that took her across oceans and into leadership. Today, she runs her own recruitment company and training academy, helping new crew find their footing and raising professional standards across the industry.
And then there’s Sam Ross, whose own start came closer to home — on the beach at an RYA training centre. What began as a summer job as a watersports instructor became a lifelong vocation. Now one of Britain’s leading windsurfing coaches, Sam has guided Emma Wilson to Olympic bronze and a world title, and helped mentor the next generation of RYA instructors and coaches.
From Antarctic expeditions and overnight deck watches, to Olympic campaigns and life-changing friendships, this episode is an inspiring look at some of the many ways people build incredible, unconventional careers on and around the water.
Episode 8: Building Futures: Developing people, passion and possibility in sailing
What if a summer job by the water could spark a lifelong career?
What if a childhood hobby turned into a chance to travel the world?
What if sailing wasn’t just a sport, but a future?
In this episode, Dee Caffari is joined by three people proving that sailing and boating can shape skills, spark confidence and create extraordinary careers, both on and off the water.
From instructor to ocean racer and race manager, Hannah Brewis’ journey shows what’s possible when opportunity meets encouragement. Now Race Manager for the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, she talks about the power of role models, confidence and creating environments where everyone can thrive.
Pip Woods, Managing Director of Rockley Watersports, has spent her career helping people discover where sailing can take them. From schools sessions and instructor training to lifelong participation, she shares how accessible routes into the industry are opening up like never before, and why fun, flexibility and confidence are key to keeping people engaged.
James Ward, CEO of Marine Resources, brings the bigger picture — how the marine industry is evolving to welcome fresh talent and new skills. From boatbuilding and design to marketing, sustainability to AI, he explains why this is one of the most exciting times to join the industry, whatever your age or background.
Together they explore the pathways that connect passion with profession, and how early experiences, mentors and transferable skills can open doors to exciting futures on the water and beyond.
