There Plan

In 2017, my sister gave me a book in which circumnavigators tell their stories. They are sometimes more, sometimes less experienced, and have had good and bad experiences. But the bottom line of every story is: “Do it”!

I had been hooked on sailing for a few years, so an idea took hold that I couldn't let go of.

A life insurance policy that is ready to pay out in 2023, and two daughters who will go their own ways by then. Those were the cornerstones.

With little hope of understanding, I asked my employer how he felt about a sabbatical year and was proven wrong. The short answer was: “Do it, let me know in good time when it starts and come back.”

The finances for the trip were clarified with the upcoming insurance payout, now I had to put money aside for the next few years in order to be able to meet my obligations at home during this time.

Offering the apartment as a sublet was out of the question because I didn't know whether I might get terribly homesick after 6 weeks and want to go back.

So I started saving money with a goal that seemed so far away. Until then, sailing had taken place in Greece, Croatia, from the Azores to Gibraltar, from Lisbon to Madeira, in Sweden and even from Hobart/Tasmania to Sydney/Australia. In between snowboarding in the winter, climbing indoors all year round with a climbing holiday to Kalymnos/Greece once a year.

The plan for the year was actually to look for a ship to go across the Atlantic with and then see what happens next. So it's pretty haphazard.

Kaspar came into play in October 2022. We met a few years earlier on a trip from the Azores to Gibraltar. Since then we have kept in touch via WhatsApp. At some point I probably told you about my plans, while he in turn talked about friends whose ship he might be able to take over when they finished their big trip. Then it became more concrete. He asked me if I would come with him. 3000 questions and 6 days later I said yes. Suddenly there was actually plan A. This planned to take over a Bavaria 44 in Sydney and sail it to Europe. First up the coast, further into the Indian Ocean, across and then see whether South Africa or the Suez Canal.

Online seminars were booked, books were pored over, the project was sometimes more and sometimes less occupied. In May we went sailing in Greece for 2 weeks, because so far we only knew each other from 10 days of sailing to Gibraltar. Test passed, if 14 days work, 14 months work. As we progress, we will certainly see whether my theory is correct.

And suddenly it's October again. The project is getting closer and closer and the stomach ache is getting worse. On October 27th my little grandson Theo was born. The idea of missing the little one in the first year doesn't make it any easier. It starts in 6 weeks.

Today my visa was approved, another item has been checked off. Company pension is on hold, calls have been made to all important authorities, motorcycle is mothballed. My last roster, namely the one for November, is hanging on the wall.