Golden beaches, invisible fishing nets, breaking bars and chaotic seas. What begins as a quiet departure from Nelson turns into a hard solo sail along New Zealand’s wild west coast. Storms, gear failures and impossible decisions push Reykja north—until, at dawn, the Tasman Sea is left behind and the Pacific finally opens up.
Technical Issues
Stuck! The struggle to bring REYKJA back into the water
A storm front and 35 knots of wind drive Reykja aground in Pilots Bay. Flooding, repairs, and setbacks in Launceston. But also, discoveries in Tasmania’s wilderness and environmental history in the southwest. With the help of great people, Reykja finally returns to the water. But the circumnavigation is stalling.
Sailing alone. How? The technical issues for solo sailing across oceans
Sailing alone means: no crew, no arguments, no bad food. It’s just me. I’m responsible for everything. I am free. But sailing alone also means: danger. When do I sleep? What if I fall ill? There are no sailing courses and only a few books. You have to learn by doing. You make mistakes and in the best case you learn from them. Sometimes that’s hard and expensive.
Endure slack
During my training at Cruising Club Switzerland (CCS) there was never a slack. If the wind blew weaker (or came from the front, or the time of dinner approached), one immediately draw the starter key of the engine. We wanted to acquire the licence for the high seas. But when the high seas showed one … Read more
Travelling on the spot
Big circumnavigators start in full stress. When Wilfried Erdmann picks up his Kathena Nui from the shipyard in August 1984, it is nothing more than a casco, a hull. Two months later, he starts fully equipped for the first non-stop circumnavigation of the world of a German. Donald Crowhurst is less happy. The Golden Globe … Read more
2019 | Practise blue water sailing off Norway
Practise blue water sailing: I want to sail long stretches in a row, anchor or let the ship drift. Only call at harbours, if necessary marinas, when electricity or food is scarce. Northernmost destination this summer are the sperm whales off Vesteraalen / Norway When I cast off from Burgstaaken, the plotter does not start. … Read more
2018 | Learning to sail REYKJA
Yes, dinghy and catamaran I have sailed from time to time. But no, I had no idea how to sail a yacht. In 2015 I set my foot on the first sailing ship that does not capsize immediately upon entering. 1000 obligatory Swiss-Offshore-Certificate-Miles later I know three yacht types after all: Hallberg-Rassy, Alubat Ovni, X-Yacht, … Read more