A birthday at sea

14 March 2014

Update by Daan:
“In my career as a fisherman I’ve celebrated my birthday more often on board. But this birthday is one with another dimension. Normally your birthday passes by like any other day on board, once back home it was celebrated. At this moment I am at the Atlantic Ocean in the southern hemisphere on board of a Dutch three-masted schooner with a group of people of which I reluctantly wonder what they are doing here and why. Our group exists of two young ladies, twelve gentlemen, six nationalities, 20 till 67 years of age and everyone of them has their own specific reasons to be on this journey. The exact reason why I might not find out for everyone. But is this important? No, I don’t think so. I believe it is more important for that particular person to know. For myself it is to be out of the daily routine, drag and hectic of life. Back to the essence of life with the pros and cons, back to be where today is today and tomorrow the sun rises again. People will say that every day is the same on that big ocean, sky, horizon and water. Nothing is more further from the truth, every day, every hour, every minute is different, as long as you look. I’ve seen colours and shapes and developments I never saw before, not even on a painting or a picture. Or maybe I never took the time for it. The pictures I take will tell a different story for me than for someone who was not here. The birds, the mammals, they all tell a story, you just have to listen. Besides that you have the routine and jobs on board, the sailing, watches, setting tables, doing the dishes etcetera. All jobs you have to do as a small community to keep this sailing ship going. All this of course with the help of a motivated crew, seven men and a woman strong. Another question I ask myself, why are they doing this and where does this relentless effort and passion come from? Of course in my working days I did the same, it was my profession. So I think I’d better look for the answer within myself. As I am writing this, my birthday is getting closer. Ah well… my birthday, maybe it will pass like it did before so many times on the sea. Only this birthday, my 59th one, in the middle of the South-Atlantic, 400 miles SSW of Ascension, a small dot on a unique spot, on a unique ship with a unique group of people. That is something you will never forget for the rest of you life. Great, isn’t it.”