The Hammock

17 June 2020

In the past weeks Alice, Liz, Richard, Richard Down and Jan have told us their favorite memories on board of the OOSTERSCHELDE. Today, Sara Källvik tells us more about her experiences. Sara was a crew member in 2018 and 2019 and has made 21 trips with the OOSTERSCHELDE:

“The first time I came on board of the OOSTERSCHELDE, we were about to start the Atlantic ocean crossing. Starting at the Cape Verdes and ending at the Caribbean. Before we left the islands behind us, a humpback whale jumped up and waved her fin at us before leaving a big splash in the water and disappearing again.

Some nights were spent in a hammock hanging on the centered schooner boom. In some ways it’s like a quarantine (being limited to a small surface I mean), although without the social distances of course (on a ship that is not easy to get). Together, we could enjoy Oosterschelde’s masts and yards glowing red in the light from the many sunrises and sunsets.

Then I came to think of another long journey she did, one year ago. This was quite different voyage: Force 9 gale that ripped our Main sail and our Mizzen sail. It made us sleep poorly. In between the stormy weathers we did have a day or two to catch up on our sleep and to be able to walk in a more normal way.

There were only three or four guest crew on watch at a time. They were sitting in the wheelhouse, talking about old memories from previous trips onboard. In Swedish we would call this the “Ljugarbänk”. The bench, meaning the place onboard where one tells the stories of seamen.

Warren, our New Zeeland crew (Crazy Kiwi) wrote: “And why do we do it? Sometimes there is just no choice.” There is something about sailing that just makes one want to experience it all over again and again and again.

I hope to sail with you all again, in good health and SOON.”