One month as a pirate

Working on a sailboat in the Caribbean - that's an idea that's been floating around in my head for many years (ever since I stumbled across an ad on the volunteering platform I trust). Nevertheless, the next leg of my journey began very suddenly.

I had been in contact with André for some time, who was offering a traineeship on a sailing boat. But he said for a long time that there was no room for me on the boat for the next few months. Then suddenly the message came: "You can work here, but you have to be there in 3 days." So, let's go! I crossed Costa Rica with 4 buses within 3 days and ended up in Panama City (my bottom was really hurting). A car ride that was way too fast through the middle of the jungle and a speedboat ride later, I ended up with Johanna, the other volunteer, in a small bay in the Caribbean where a few sailing boats were anchored.

André offers tours that are particularly popular with backpackers in their 20s. In one of his pirate boats "Fantasy" or "Sophia" you either spend 3 days on the beautiful San Blas Islands in Panama and then sail over 35 hours on the open sea to Cartagena in Colombia, or you do the whole thing the other way around. The boats are small and comfortable - 10 backpackers and 4 crew members can be accommodated on a boat that is approximately 14 meters long.

The San Blas Islands are a unique place and I don't think calling it "paradise" is an exaggeration. The 365 islands (yes, one for every day) belong to Panama, but form part of the Guna Yala region. This is an autonomous region that has long struggled for independence and is one of the few matriarchies in the world. Women are in power here - they sit in Congress and have the money in their hands. The main sources of income are the sale of handicrafts and coconuts. The Gunas guard the islands through many rules and regulations, so this region is more protected than almost any other place in the Caribbean. Prohibited include: speedboats, cruise ships and diving. You can only get here with small sailing boats. It is rumored that there have already been several offers from international hotel chains worth millions that would like to build on the islands. These were all rejected - if you want to sleep on the islands, you can rent a very simple wooden hut directly from the Gunas. By the way, cell phone reception is rare and on the islands closest to the mainland.

For most of my traineeship I was on the ship "Fantasy" with Captain Eduardo - a school friend of André's. Otherwise there was Iban, a sailor, and Jaysir, the chef, who cooked incredibly well even on the high seas with strong waves. We got along well and I immediately felt like part of the crew. Johanna, the volunteer who was staying on the other boat, also quickly grew on me - we were on the same wavelength, communicated quickly without words and often laughed so much that my stomach hurt.

The two boats are exactly the same model and only differ in small details. They are beautiful classic boats from the 70s. Fantasy was featured on a Colombian television show for years - until it was subsequently used to smuggle cocaine from Colombia to Europe. Now it brings backpackers (but also the occasional packet of cocaine) from A to B.

The work on the boat itself was pretty intense. There are no clear working hours or privacy - but the atmosphere was always very relaxed. There is a cabin with a large bed for the entire crew. The working day begins when the captain wakes you up. The tasks are very diverse and are done when they have to be done. Cleaning tasks such as cleaning toilets and scrubbing decks, helping with cooking and washing up. But also "sailing tasks" such as setting sails, anchoring and taking off and if you're lucky even a bit of navigation. The biggest and most fun part of the work was probably to form a kind of intermediate link between the passengers and the crew. So hanging out with the travelers and making sure everyone feels comfortable and has what they need. The boundaries between work and leisure are completely blurred. I was able to take part in all the great activities; Snorkeling, campfires on the beach and dancing under the stars, barbecuing... When I actually had a free minute, I usually went freediving or snorkeling on my own (the beautiful untouched reefs were usually within 5 swimming distance of the boat) or I curled up in a hammock with a view of the sea.

But the best days were when we had no passengers in the Guna area. We then went to even lonelier islands, where we were the only boat for miles around. There we spent the whole day exploring the islands, snorkeling, cooking really well and sleeping a lot.

All in all, the job was a lot of fun and I can certainly imagine doing it again at some point. The only disadvantages I noticed during the month:

I'll probably forever be spoiled when it comes to the Caribbean. Finding a place that feels as much like a lost paradise is probably impossible.

I got seasick every time during the 35 hour crossings. I was sick to my stomach and of no use except lying on the floor with my eyes closed. Somehow I still managed to do the most necessary work but that part wasn't fun.

I love a good party and I'm the last person who has a problem with dancing the night away, but some tourists and some of the crew saw their trip through paradise as the perfect opportunity to get extremely drunk. I found that quite tiring at times.

All in all, it was a very positive experience and in any case good to know that I always have the opportunity to work as a pirate in paradise if I want to come back.

Kisses Baba

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Un mes como Pi(a)rata

Trabajar en un velero en el Caribe; This is an idea that has been in my head for many years (desde que me encontré con un anuncio en la plataforma de voluntariado de mi confianza).

Sin embargo, the siguiente etapa de mi viaje comenzó de manera muy repentina.Aunque ya established en contacto with André, quien ofrece voluntariados en un velero, él había dicho durante mucho tiempo que no había lugar para mí en el barco en los proximos meses. Luego, de repente, llegó el mensaje: "Puedes trabajar aquí, pero debes estar aquí en 3 días". ¡Así que, allá vamos! With 4 buses in 3 days, crossing Costa Rica and traveling to the City of Panamá (with a really good route). Después de un road en automóvil demasiadodo quicka través de la selva y un paseo en lancha rapida, aterricé en una pequeña bahía en el Caribe, donde algunos veleros estaban anclados.

André ofrece tours that are particularly popular among the veinteañeros backpacks. One of the pirate ships, the sea "Fantasy" and "Sophia", lasted 3 days on the island of San Blas in Panama and sailed for more than 35 hours on the island of Cartagena, Colombia, or vice versa. Los barcos son small and acogedores; On a barco of approximately 14 meters long, there are 10 backpacks and 4 miembros of the trip.

The island of San Blas is a unique land, and there is no idea that the etiqueta de "Paraíso" sea exagerada. The 365 islands (sí, una por cada día) belong to Panama, but are also part of the Guna Yala region. This is an autonomous region that has a lot of independence and is one of the matriarchal pocos in the world. Aquí, the women are in the poder: they are in the Congreso and control the money. The principal sources of ingredients are the source of art and coconut. Los Gunas protect the islands with many regulations and regulations, for this region there is a bien protected area in the Caribbean. These are prohibitions, among other things: lanchas rapidas, cruceros y buceo. Only you can see the little ones in the world. There are rumors that there are various offers of international hotel chains and millions of dollars that are being built on the islands. Todas fueron rechazadas; aquellos que desean dormir en las islas pueden alquilar una cabaña de madera muy sencilla directamente de los Gunas. Por cierto, the reception of the mobile phone is escasa and solo is available on the islands of different continents.

Pasé the mayor part of me volunteered in the barco "Fantasy" with the captain Eduardo, a friend of the school of André. Además, estaban Iban, a marinero, and Jaysir, the chef, his cocinaba increased bien inclusive on high sea with fuertes oleajes. Nos llevamos bien y me sentí parte de la tripulación desde el principio. También me encariñé quickly with Johanna, la voluntaria que se quedó en el otro barco; connected immediately, no entendimos sin palabras ya menudo nos reímos tanto que me dolía el estómago.

Ambos barcos son del mismo modelo y se diferencian solo en small details. Son hermosos veleros clásicos de los anos 70. Fantasy fue parte de un programa de televisión colombiano durante manyos anños, hasta que se usó para contrabandear cocaína de Colombia a Europa. Ahora lleva a mochileros (pero seguro también de vez en cuando algún package de cocaína) de A a B.

The tractor on the barge is very intense. No hay horarios ni privacidad, but the atmosphere is very relaxing. There is a cabin with a large bed for every trip. The day of work comes with the captain's despierta. The tareas have many variations and are realized because of the need: clean the bathrooms and fry the cubiertas, cook in the kitchen and cook the dishes. This means "tareas de vela" as it is velas, poner anclas y, si tienes suerte, including a poco de navegación. The part is more grand and diversified in the work of the actuary as an intermediate workspace between the pasajeros and the tripulación. It decides that there is a connection between the routes and the aseguration of everything that comes with different clothes and tensile strength. As the front lines between the work and the tiempo libre estaban completely difusas. Pude participar en todas las actividades geniuses: buceo, fogatas en la playa, bailar bajo las estrellas, parrillas... Cuando realmente tenía a minuto libre, solia bucear or hacer snorkel por mi cuenta (los hermosos arrecifes intocados generalmente estaban a 5 minutos nadando desde el barco) or simply me tumbaba en una hamaca with view of the sea.

Each day there are more increíbles for a source in which there are no teníamos pasajeros in the Guna zone. Luego íbamos aún las solitarias, donde éramos realmente el unico barco por millas. Everyone explores the islands all day, buceábamos, cocinábamos delicioso y dormíamos mucho.En resumen, el work fue muy divertido y puedo imaginar hacerlo nuevamente en algún momento. The inconvenient people are perceptible in the fire:

The problem is that it is almost in the Caribbean. Find a dream that is in the middle of a paraíso perdido parece impossible.

I took a trip in 35 hours. It is very important and there is no service for anything, except for the viewer's head with the ojos cerrados in the suelo. The alguna manera, logré hacer el trabajo necesario, pero esa parte no fue divertida.

The best parties and realities are the ultimate person who has a problem with bailar toda la night, but also tourists and travelers from the trip four times over the paraíso with the perfect opportunity to embriagarse extremadamente. After all, this result is based on the agotador.

In general, for an experience with a lot of positivity and, in all modos, it is reconfortante saber que siempre tengo the opportunity to work as a pirate in the paraíso cuando decida regresar.

Besitos byebye