She’s spent years sailing the high seas, balancing her demanding job on superyachts with partying with some of the planet’s richest people.
But while the allure of gorgeous places such as the Mediterranean and tropical Australia will always be a temptation, it’s no longer enough for Kiwi Below Deck star Aesha Scott, who says Aotearoa is calling her and her US-based boyfriend Scott Dobson home.
“We’re wanting to buy an apartment in Mount Maunganui at the end of the year, which is so exciting,” the Tauranga-born star tells Woman’s Day.
For Aesha, 31, who quickly became a fan favourite of Bravo’s Below Deck franchise with her work ethic, sense of humour and wildly potty mouth, life is in a little bit of a transition stage right now, as she looks to the future with beau Scott, also 31, who’s currently managing a bar in Colorado, but wants to take up professional speed flying when he gets home to New Zealand.
“I spent all my 20s yachting, and then all this amazing telly stuff happened, so I’m really living my absolute dream,” she says. “It’s really exciting, but it’s also really easy to get caught up in that whirlwind. But now I’m in my 30s, and my siblings are buying houses and having kids and all that.
“I was in a different country or state every week for four months last year and I need a reset. I’ve really reflected on what my priorities are in life, and my number-one priority is my family. So that means spending a lot more time in New Zealand!”
But never fear Below Deck fans – Aesha still plans to be gracing our screens on the franchise for as long as she can. But she’s determined to enter her 30s with a lot more balance – and perhaps a sparkly new diamond ring?!
Aesha laughs as she replies, “Yup, yup, let’s get this moving! You know, I want to get the apartment for that first step in our land life, and we’ll definitely get married and have kids at some point. We’re having so much fun at the moment, so there’s no rush on that one!”
Although she’s absolutely living her best life – including a recent stint on Australia’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! – Aesha does admit her “party side” is winding down as she’s getting older.
“Oh, my God, get me in bed at 9pm with a book! Every time I’m in New Zealand, I watch The Chase, then the news and an hour later I’m in bed. I think I’ve been asleep at 8.30 every night since I’ve been home!”
Jumping for joy on I’m A Celebrity.
Being on a yacht all the time certainly isn’t conducive to early dinners and catching up on episodes of Country Calendar – and, says Aesha, it also isn’t helpful for relationships either, which is why she no longer works full-time as a chief steward, preferring to balance her Below Deck role with other media work – and, of course, making time to see Scott.
“Yachting is not conducive to a relationship. Ninety percent of yachties cheat on their partner. I never have and never will, but it’s just a fact. Every boat I’ve ever worked on, half the crew have partners at home whom they’re cheating on. It’s really sad – you get into this bubble world and you’re away all the time. So actually, after three years, I moved into temping, which was great – and it’s also why you don’t see many stews over 30.”
The Below Deck crew never know what’s going to come out of Aesha’s mouth, but that’s what floats viewers’ boats!
And true to form, love drama is high on the upcoming season of Below Deck Down Under with Aesha dubbing the scandalous situation a “love pentagon”.
“Honestly, everyone just wants to f*** each other,” she groans. “It’s very horny… there’s something about when people step on a yacht!
“But this season, I genuinely believe it’s one of the best of any Below Deck ever. It’s so, so juicy. It’s a different vibe from Below Deck Mediterranean – it’s way more relaxed, it’s more casual.
“We’re still high-end, but there’s that more tropical, relaxed kind of vibe. When people leave the Med, you’re serving them with more of a client-server relationship, whereas in Australia you’re almost serving your friends.”
Her “restless nature” was a huge catalyst for Aesha to take up yachting in the first place after she finished her double science degree, went home to Tauranga and found there were no jobs in geotech or hydrology. Managing a store while she figured out what she wanted to do, Aesha’s sister suggested they both head over to France and try their hand at yachting.
“Two weeks later, we joined the polytech course we needed to do for two weeks, then at the end of that jumped on a flight to France. Before we knew it, we were walking the docks. It was so quick – we’re a very impulsive family! But it absolutely changed my life.”
It’s an industry where Kiwis traditionally enjoy a lot of success and Aesha says that being from New Zealand is a huge advantage when it comes to working on superyachts.
“I say this all the time, I think being a Kiwi has attributed to my success so much,” she nods. “It’s our culture, but then also people love my accent – I can say anything on board and they’ll be like, ‘Say that again!’ They love to listen to it. You don’t have to be that interesting when you have a cool accent!
“But yeah, it’s the work ethic for sure and our laid-back nature. We’re low-stress, low-frills, nothing rattles us. There’s no drama, which sounds silly for a reality show, but I think what makes us good is how we react to the situations. Being a Kiwi is the best!”
