Wow! What a tremendous trip! Yesterday I reached for my laptop several times to blog on but sailing stayed the magic word. No time for typing but sailing home through rain, storm, thunder, 6 bfrt, sunshine and some efforts to stay out of In Irons…. Pure ecstacy though was my climbing into the highest mast, 45 mtr, with hauling waves beneath me. It felt kind of invincible but halfway I must admit, I had my doubts. My new best friend Sigrid just pulled me through with some other magic words: ‘I’m not pushing you but I really need you up there…!’
The shifts worked out fine. And the loss of any notion of time, seems to be drifted away. Or maybe I think it is and is it just the next stage of becoming completely insane. But hey,…I’m feeling great at the moment. I’m not that exhausted anymore and I feel like a million bucks. Pure freedom I guess…. The atmosphere on board is really extatic, everyone is dying to get a beer at SAIL.
We are in the port of IJmuiden as we speak and tallships are beyond, in front and in the port with just a nice view on the dutch inheritage Hoogovens. Always a nice sight…. The Captain told me that we are becoming famous, being on the frontpage of Dutch newspapers and special appearances in Dutch televisionprogramms. Also some magic words that will keep us going until the fat lady sings the blues in some pub in the red light district with a thousand beer just in reach of a few inches! I’m even beginning to like the looks of my beard….
Enjoying your posts, Marvin! I crewed for two weeks in 2006, HK to Singapore. Posted a note about your blogging here: gotheborg.wordpress.com.
Love the blogs!1 Imagine in the early 19th century when the Captains weren’t so nice… and life for the regular sailor wasn’t so easy!! Keep up the good work!! Sail on!!!